Google to launch Chromebooks in India on Oct 17

Over two years after introducing them in the US, Google on Thursday announced that Chromebooks would be available in India from October 17. Chromebooks are light and portable laptops that are powered by Google's Chrome OS instead of Microsoft Windows. 

Google said that initially HP and Acer would start selling their Chromebooks in the Indian market but in future more manufacturers like Samsung and Asus might join the fray. 

The company said that from October 17 consumers would be able to buy Acer C720 or HP Chromebook 14. The Acer C720 is priced at Rs 22,999. The HP Chromebook 14 would cost Rs 26,990. 

Chrome OS works differently compared to Windows. It is more suitable for light and web-based tasks and works best when the Chromebook is connected to the internet. Though with the recent updates Google has added more offline functionality to the OS. 

Chromebooks cannot run programs that are available for Windows computers. 

The appeal of Chromebooks lies in their fast boot performance, portability and good battery life. Compared to similarly priced Windows laptops, Chromebooks claim to have better screens, more spacious touchpads and more appealing designs. 

"Chromebooks are a new type of computer from Google designed to help you get things done faster and easier. They run Chrome OS, an operating system that has multiple layers of security, cloud storage, and the most popular Google products built-in... if you love using Chrome on your PC, you'll get going on a Chromebook in seconds," said a Google spokesperson. 

C720 is powered by Intel Celeron 2955U processor based on Haswell architecture. It has a 11.6-inch screen and weighs 1.25kg. It has 2GB RAM and 16GB SSD for storage. The laptop claims to offer a battery life of over 8.5 hours. 

Chromebook 14 is also powered by Intel Celeron 2955U. It has a 14-inch screen and weighs 1.85kg. It has 16GB SSD and 4GB RAM. Chromebook 14 claims a battery life of over 9.5 hours. 

Google said that Chromebook buyers will get 100GB free storage on Drive, the company's cloud storage service, for two years. 

"The Acer C720 is a significant step forward for our highly-acclaimed Acer Chromebook line, as it delivers speedy performance, quick boot times, a matte anti-glare display and a slimmer design that is portable enough for anywhere use," said S Rajendran, chief marketing officer at Acer India.