Understanding Google’s Chromebook and ChromeOS – Part 2

This week, we continue our look at Google’s Chromebook and ChromeOS.

A Simpler, Cheaper Alternative

The Chromebook also promises big savings, with the overall cost of ownership (including hardware, software and support) coming in at about half that of a traditional PC, according to Google. The tech giant says its device costs about $1,500 all in, compared to about $3,000 for a PC.

Of course, the Chromebook isn’t for everyone. Anyone familiar with Google’s existing online office suite will know how simplistic it is. More complex tasks would still need to be performed with Microsoft Office, or something similar.

The device is also essentially useless without an Internet connection.

Still, the Chromebook’s slick simplicity will appeal to some cloud devotees. And this certainly won’t be the last we hear from Google in this space.

Here are the specs:

• 12.1 or 11.6 inch screen

• 16GB SSD storage

• 2GB RAM

• Intel Atom 1.66GHz

• 8-second boot time

• Wi-Fi/3G or Wi-Fi-only