Skip to content
Tech News
Topics: Today This Week This Month This Year

Google launches Googlebook platform with five laptops starting at $899

Google has officially rolled out its Googlebook platform, merging ChromeOS and Android into a single desktop operating system with deep Android phone integration, Gemini AI features, and a widget-creation tool. Five laptops from Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, and Lenovo are launching alongside the platform, all starting with at least 16GB RAM, 256GB storage, and claimed 14+ hour battery life. The devices go on sale in the US starting October 4, with the Acer Googlebook 14 priced from $899 as the cheapest and only convertible option.

Google unveils Googlebooks, an Android-based laptop OS tied tightly to phones

Google introduced Googlebooks, a new laptop platform built on Android rather than ChromeOS, though it looks and functions similarly with the same app dock, Chrome browser and Play Store access. The system retains Chromebook staples like the Titan security chip and built-in malware protection, but adds deeper phone-to-laptop integration, including instant login syncing and app handoff features like 'continue on,' demonstrated with the music app BandLab.

Google Unveils Googlebook Laptop Line With New AI-Focused OS

Google is launching a new laptop family called Googlebook, paired with what it calls an 'intelligence system' rather than a traditional OS, built to integrate with Android devices and offer AI-driven productivity features. Five initial models from partners including Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, and Lenovo will be available, with pre-orders starting September 21 and retail launches on October 4-5 across the US, Canada, UK, Ireland, France, Germany, and Australia. Prices for the lineup range from $899 to $1,299 depending on the model.

Apple's M6 Mac mini gains speed but jumps to $899, up $300 from M4 model

Apple's latest Mac mini keeps the same compact redesign introduced with the M4 generation but swaps in the new M6 chip. The entry configuration with 16GB RAM and 256GB storage now costs $899, a $300 jump from the $599 starting price of the 2024 M4 model with identical specs. Apple attributes the increase to a global memory shortage affecting RAM and storage pricing.

CNET taste-test finds air fryer beats skillet and oven for cooking bacon

A CNET writer compared cooking bacon in a frying pan, oven and air fryer, and found the air fryer delivered the crispiest, most evenly cooked results with minimal splatter and cleanup. The pan method produced curled strips and required constant attention to avoid grease splatter, while the oven method reduced mess but demanded more prep work.

Google's Android laptop line 'Googlebooks' opens preorders, five models from $899

Google's new Android-based Googlebook laptops are now available for preorder from multiple OEM partners, ahead of an October 4 launch. Five models will debut, priced starting at $899 with only one under $1,000, featuring OLED displays, metal chassis, large haptic trackpads, and an illuminated 'Glowbar' on the lid. The machines run either Snapdragon X Elite or Intel Core Ultra Series 3 chips with NPUs delivering up to 45 TOPS.

Apple's M6 Mac Mini Delivers Strong Value Despite AI Feature Hype

Apple's newest Mac mini, powered by the M6 chip, has been reviewed as a compact desktop that offers strong performance relative to its price. The review notes that while Apple is promoting the machine's AI capabilities, its core strength lies in general computing power rather than any specific AI-driven use case.

Google brings Pixel 11's Rambler voice-typing feature to Googlebook laptops

Google has officially launched Googlebook, its Android-powered laptop platform built with Android, ChromeOS, Gemini, and partner hardware makers, starting at $899. Alongside the launch, Google is bringing Rambler, the smart dictation feature debuted on the Pixel 11, to every Googlebook, letting users clean up rambling speech into organized notes and action items.

Rhizomatica's HERMES radio brings faster, encrypted data links to off-grid communities

Rhizomatica, a Philadelphia-based nonprofit founded by Peter Bloom, has open-sourced HERMES, a digital shortwave radio system paired with its Mercury modem, to help connect remote and indigenous communities in places like Bangladesh, Brazil, and Ecuador. The system uses the ionosphere to bounce signals across 400 to 600 kilometers using just 20 watts of power, letting users send files such as photos, emails, and voice memos over high-frequency radio.

Today's top topics: apple meta variable refresh rate elon musk ai slop anthropic neural rendering donald trump openai
Browse all topics →  ·  Today's trending topics →