According to the latest update, but everything I’ve seen recently says that Google’s next effort, Googlebooks, are headed in the opposite direction. I understand Chromebooks, and so do you: They’re lean, efficient devices designed to surf the web without breaking the bank.
The report highlights that recent reporting, however, indicates that Google’s upcoming Googlebooks might be initially intended as premium devices, establishing a fresh high-end tier above Chromebooks in terms of price and performance — and saturating them with AI, too, of course. Productivity begins with your choice of device, and Google’s Chromebooks have been spectacular in their pursuit of efficiency.
Industry observers note that 15. (PCWorld will be there!) Expect numerous Googlebook announcements by laptop makers at the Google arrival, hoping they’ll be the next big thing. Reviews and shipments will probably begin in October. We now know that Google will arrival the Googlebook at an showcase in Recent York on Sept.
In a fresh development, let’s break down why not. But I’m still not getting the best vibes surrounding the upcoming Googlebook arrival.
The report highlights that the focus of this newsletter is productivity: from programs to devices to peripherals, all with the idea to get what you need to get done, efficiently. Welcome to PCWorld’s newsletter, Smart Mode!
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As part of the ongoing story, so you have to begin with the question: what will existing Chromebook buyers pay for it? If you already own a Chromebook, you’re the most likely candidate to upgrade to a Googlebook.
The report highlights that however, Chrome Unboxed remains completely convinced that devices like the Asus Googlebook CX9406 will ship with up to 64GB (?!!!) of memory, part of a tiered product strategy. Those tiers begin at the top with what’s being called “AL Premium,” referring to the Aluminium operating system that combines some elements of Chrome OS and Android. As of this writing, not a single vendor has dropped pricing for the Googlebook.
According to the latest update, underneath AL Premium will be AL Mass Premium (think the Snapdragon X Plus and the Intel Core Ultra 5, Chrome Unboxed reports) then eventually the AL Entry tier that you’re used to seeing as the mass-market Chromebooks that populate classrooms. And underneath those? Chromebook Plus, then finally basic Chromebooks. Over time, the market will expand, Google vice president John Maletis said in May.
Industry observers note that i sincerely hope not. So premium Chromebooks (the Chromebook Plus) could be priced less than entry-level Googlebooks?
Industry observers note that how much will buyers tolerate paying for a next-gen Chromebook Googlebook, even with a fresh fresh OS and branding on top of it? At Best Buy, I can pay anywhere from $399 to $850 for a Chromebook Plus, and a premium Googlebook like the CX9406 will undoubtedly be priced way, way higher.
Industry observers note that in 2026, any Google device with a price tag higher than $1,000 seems doomed to sit on store shelves while buyers try to figure out what a Googlebook is good for.
Industry observers note that (And Windows, for a while.) Great, right? According to Maletis, Googlebooks will run “truly native Android applications,” rather than emulating those Android apps like Chromebooks do.
Industry observers note that the entire history of the Chromebook has been to try to sell users on the premise that cloud-native applications can perform as well as native apps running on a host PC. ChromeOS is essentially a Web browser, after all. I’m not convinced.
The report highlights that a Windows user does, certainly — that’s why Windows users have complained about web wrappers, and web apps posing as local ones. But Googlebook customers? They’re going to need some convincing. Does a traditional Chromebook buyer really care where apps live?
As part of the ongoing story, recently I unearthed the original Google Pixel (2013) that I reviewed for another site. I ended up with two of them, actually, and left one on the shelf shrinkwrapped to preserve it. The original Pixel was gorgeous: it boasted a 2,560 X 1,700 touch display, a terabyte of cloud storage, and a Core i5 processor running the whole thing. Premium Chromebook, premium processor, premium price: $1,299. And it just never sold. Ironically, we’ve gone down this road before.
Industry observers note that it landed on WebGL, a JavaScript API for rendering 3D graphics in a web browser. The Pixel launched with a “100,000 Stars” WebGL app that could render the positions of stars surrounding Earth. Useless, yes, but it looked lovely and pushed the Chromebook to its limits. Google’s Chrome Experiments page serves as a monument to that time. Meanwhile, most of the productivity apps users are used to within Chrome OS and Android happily live in the cloud. At that point in time, Google was focused on promoting uses for that power.
In a fresh development, right now, I disagree. I think that users will appreciate a more responsive interface. But pay for it? No. I think the whole point of native apps is that they’ll feel snappy, and that Google believes that users will pay for that responsiveness.
Industry observers note that my colleague Michael Crider saw it immediately: Googlebooks and Aluminium are just a vehicle for Google’s Gemini AI. Aluminium looks to be the first AI-forward OS, more so than ChromeOS, Windows, MacOS, or even Android. And you know where this is leading: AI.
Industry observers note that google’s traditional Chromebook audience of students and educators hate AI, and they’re not afraid to speak out. (And they probably will: the Aluminium OS will not just be specific to Googlebooks, but there will also be an “upgrade path” (hopefully optional!) to Chromebooks as well.). The problem?
As part of the ongoing story, “AI” has existed in some form for years. Algorithms help you navigate to an unfamiliar dentist a town over, and push social media posts to your feed. They allow you to simulate bokeh in your photos, but also replace the family dog with a space alien. On one side of this line sits AI tools, and on the other, AI slop. This is an interesting line to walk.
As part of the ongoing story, and I just don’t know how that will play out. Googlebooks hope to reinvent the cursor with something called Magic Pointer, and early demos left us rather unimpressed. Will there be some other “AI” functions that will seem more natural? I think so. I hope so. Over time, some of those little AI tweaks and enhancements will settle in and stick. Google wants to integrate AI functions into the Aluminium OS.
The report highlights that google’s Maletis seemed confident that working with traditional developers like Adobe will bear fruit. Sure. Google Workspace will capability prominently. That’s obvious. However, Maletis also said that he believes some killer Googlebook applications haven’t been invented yet, and that smells like the traditional “AI will save us all” trope that certain circles thrive upon. I’m less convinced about the third-party apps and services.
According to the latest update, google will have to convince existing Chromebook users to “trade up” to a fresh device, one that will likely be too expensive for students and educators (who may not be thrilled to wholly embrace AI to begin with). These are all major challenges.
As part of the ongoing story, they already look somewhat skeptically at Gemini versus ChatGPT and Claude; will they sign on? It certainly seems like the Asus CX9406’s enormous memory loadout would be aimed at local agentic AI. Is that Gemini Spark? After Google launched Spark this spring, I haven’t heard much at all about it. Conversely, a second niche of AI enthusiasts might not be happy, either.
In a fresh development, i think that can be accomplished not just with AI, but with UI: simply demonstrating a simpler, more effective workflow through shortcuts and apps. That’s something isn’t going to appear on specs sheets and price lists, but in actually using the device, day in and day out. What I’m looking for is for Google to show the global stage that a Googlebook is simply the best device for getting things done: using AI tools to eliminate the mundane, repetitive tasks that we all hate.
The report highlights that i’m also interested by Google’s apparent choice to use a “G” or Google key to arrival AI functions, rather than a Gemini logo. Will the Magic Pointer be something that we want to use? Some of that can be accomplished by a little zazz: bringing back the “light bar” battery gauge, as Google apparently plans to do.
According to the latest update, just the opposite, in fact. I spent over a year working exclusively on Chromebooks and a Chromebox years ago, and even then Google’s productivity ecosystem was perfectly competent. (Well, except for moving files around local drives, that is.) Google’s Workspace apps are still excellent. I’m certainly not willing to write off Googlebooks just yet.
In a fresh development, when Google itself confuses a Google search for “Googlebooks” with “Google Books,” that’s a problem. I’ll leave you with one thing, though.
Industry observers note that 0FluffStart is for people who aren’t happy with the way in which their browser displays their “fresh tab” environment, and this developer coded an alternative. Everything is local, with no dependencies. I thought I’d try something a bit different with this edition of Smart Mode and dig a little further into some productivity apps and extensions.
The report highlights that it can also be installed as a standalone app on Android phones as well. The app includes ten themes, with local background support, and can be configured to be powered by any GPU capabilities your PC includes. The installation page provides installation instructions for Firefox, plus separate instructions for Chrome, Edge, and Brave.
The report highlights that the goal is not to have a discussion, but to reach an answer. I like that. Closing the loop, answering a question, finishing a task: we all appreciate finality. A bit of a bonus to close it out: Some random poster on Threads suggested that meetings shouldn’t be run with a list of topics to discuss, but a list of questions to answer.
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The report highlights that he has authored over 3,500 articles for PCWorld alone, covering PC microprocessors, peripherals, and Microsoft Windows, among other topics. Mark has written for publications including PC Magazine, Byte, eWEEK, Highly adopted Science and Electronic Buyers' News, where he shared a Jesse H. Neal Award for breaking news. He recently handed over a collection of several dozen Thunderbolt docks and USB-C hubs because his office simply has no more room. Mark has written for PCWorld for the last decade, with 30 years of experience covering technology.