Google Unveils AI Upgrades for Chromebook Plus Lineup

Google is injecting a serious dose of artificial intelligence into its laptop ecosystem, announcing a wave of new AI-powered features for its Chromebook Plus series and partnering with Lenovo on a brand-new model. Get ready for a smarter, more intuitive computing experience.

Introducing the New Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14

Leading the charge is the new Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14. This device is built around the new MediaTek Kompanio Ultra 910 ARM processor, promising efficient performance and an impressive battery life of up to 17 hours. It's configured with up to 16GB of memory and 256GB of storage, all driving a crisp 14-inch, 1920 x 1200 resolution display.

Exclusive On-Device AI Features

The new Lenovo machine will debut with two exclusive features that leverage on-device machine learning:

• Smart Grouping: This clever tool will automatically organize your tabs and documents into logical groups based on what you're working on.
• AI Image Editing: The built-in Gallery app gets a boost, allowing you to easily remove backgrounds or create stickers from your own images.

As a cool bonus, the device comes with custom Jupiter wallpapers made in partnership with NASA, which even show changing auroras throughout the day.

AI Upgrades Rolling Out to All Chromebook Plus Devices

Existing Chromebook Plus owners aren't being left out. A host of new features are coming to ChromeOS, including:

• Select To Search: Similar to Circle to Search on Android, you can now select any part of your screen to get more information from Google Lens.
• Text from Images: Pull editable text directly from pictures of receipts, recipes, and more.
• Quick Insert Key: A new shortcut to make accessing generative AI for images even easier.
• 'Simplify' Button: An enhancement to the summary feature that makes complex language easier to understand.

Enhanced App and Game Experience

Google is also pushing for a better app experience on larger screens. Apps like the AI photo editor Luminar and games such as Squid Game: Unleashed are being optimized for Chromebooks, expanding the library of available software.

Special Offer and Availability

If you purchase a Chromebook Plus this year, you'll get 12 months of the Google AI Pro plan for free. This includes 2TB of cloud storage and access to Gemini within Google Docs, Gmail, and other apps.

There's no official Australian release date just yet, but the new Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 is already listed on the official site starting from $1,199. When it launches, it will be available at retailers like JB Hi-Fi & Officeworks. We'll provide updates as soon as an official date is announced.