Google opens pre-orders for $899 Googlebook laptops built around Gemini AI

Alphabet's Google launched pre-orders for Googlebook, a new premium laptop line for Android users powered by the company's Gemini AI tools, on Monday. Priced starting at $899, initial models from Acer, Asus, Dell, HP and Lenovo will be equipped with Intel or Qualcomm processors and offer up to 14 hours of battery life. This launch comes amid Apple's entry into the lower-priced laptop market with its $699 MacBook Neo, intensifying competition in a space where Chromebook manufacturers have traditionally catered to students and budget-conscious consumers with affordability and simplicity.

Googlebook enhances the ChromeOS platform with more powerful hardware, AI features, and deeper Android integration, marking Google's latest effort to showcase a flagship ChromeOS device. The lineup incorporates Gemini tools designed to assist users in drafting and organizing text, answering questions about their screen content, and resuming tasks on an Android phone. Built on the Android operating system with desktop foundations from ChromeOS, Googlebook aims to facilitate seamless switching between phones and computers.