Google Chromebook project is about to get a huge boost, as Lenovo, the world's largest PC manufacturer, is aiming to enter the Chromebook market. This could very well be what Google has been looking for, and might also be a reason for Microsoft to finally view Google as a threat in this space.
The announcement of Lenovo planning to create Chromebooks is the biggest endorsement yet for Chrome OS. If everything goes well, Lenovo should expose the operating system to new customers, and potentially position it to compete more effectively with Windows.
This isn't the first time Lenovo has dabbled in the Chromebook market. Last year, the company sold its first laptop with Chrome OS; however, it was aimed at the education market, so it did not help Google much with its plans to make Microsoft tremble with fear.
The Chinese giant is planning to launch the new N20 and N20P laptops, which will be available to the general public. They will cost potential buyers $279 and $329 respectively, which is quite affordable and should do well with Lenovo's brand and backing behind them.
"Our first consumer Chromebooks perfectly complement people's changing mobile digital lifestyles," said Dilip Bhatia, vice president, worldwide marketing and design, PC Group, Lenovo. "Equipped with thousands of apps, the N20 and N20p Chromebooks are also fast, secure and incredibly simple for anyone to use and manage. With touch and two unique modes on the N20p Chromebook, users are getting a great technology experience at a handsome price."
Specifications wise, both laptops, comes equipped with 2GB of RAM, 11.6-inch touch display, and 100GB Google Drive cloud storage for two years.
Intel inside
Both devices from Lenovo will feature an Intel Celeron processor with integrated graphics. This processor should cause for a good amount of battery life, but this is one thing Chromebook users have to come expect since Chrome OS is not a resource hog when compared to the likes of Windows.
This is a large-scale plan by Intel to power Chromebooks. Recently, both Intel and Google held a joint press event that showed off several laptops with Chrome OS and Intel inside. It's the company's push to command the Chrome OS as it does with the Windows market.
The aim of the press event is to show off the diversity of Chromebooks. If users want something with high performance, there is a Chromebook for that. If users are particularly interested in powerful battery life, there's also a laptop for that.
The event highlighted Chromebooks paired with Intel Core i3 and Bay Trail (Atom) processors. The devices showcased came from several manufacturers, which includes Lenovo, Dell, Acer, Asus, HP, and LG.
With the list of supporters for Chrome OS growing, it is clear that Microsoft has a problem on its hands, and Intel has a new medium to make some extra cash.
