Googlebook review: Google’s new laptops are woefully underbaked
Summary
Google has introduced new premium laptops called Googlebooks, combining features from ChromeOS and Android. These laptops have strong hardware but run a software system based on Android, which causes some apps to not work as well on a laptop screen.Key Facts
- Googlebooks are made by brands like Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, and Lenovo, starting at around $899.
- They feature high-quality parts like backlit keyboards, fingerprint readers, sharp touchscreens, and 16GB RAM or more.
- Two models tested are Acer Googlebook 14 (convertible) and Asus Googlebook 14 (traditional laptop).
- Googlebook OS looks similar to ChromeOS, with a taskbar and app drawer, but it runs on Android software underneath.
- Setting up a Googlebook is fast and similar to setting up an Android phone.
- Googlebooks can run almost any Android phone app, but many apps are just phone versions that don’t fit well on a laptop screen.
- Only a few Android apps are specially designed (“made for desktop”) to work well on Googlebooks.
- Even Google’s own apps, like Calendar, have limitations on Googlebooks compared to their versions on other systems.
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