Challenging Windows Copilot Head-On: The New AI Innovations in Google’s Chromebook Plus Explained | Expert Analysis

Kyle Kucharski/ZDNET

Google just announced a handful of new features for its diverse Chromebook lineup, including two new models that push the limits of what we expect from a Chromebook device: one with a detachable display, and another with a vibrant OLED screen.

All Chromebooks will now have access to Gemini , come loaded with Google One AI Premium plan for free for three months, have new customizable Focus modes to silence notifications, and a brand-new Welcome Recap feature that lets you bring up all the apps and windows you had up in a previous session.

Also: 6 reasons why a Chromebook is the best laptop for most anyone

But the flashiest features were saved for Chomebook Plus devices, which have some unique AI-powered perks that set them apart – certainly giving Windows’ Copilot a run for its money.

There’s Live Translation, which works with anything on your screen, a text summary feature called Help me read, a better recording app that can summarize and transcribe audio, and a new Quick Insert feature baked into the ChromeOS that’s like a quick-access control panel. Here’s a closer look at the major features Google just announced.

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1. The Quick Insert key

Google

New Chromebooks will come with a special key (located in the Caps Lock position – previously occupied by the launcher key) called Quick Insert. Hitting this key will bring up a small menu that acts as a sort of mobile control panel, allowing for various commonly used actions where you’d typically need to navigate to another window.

Also: ChromeOS finally steals a faster multitasking feature from Windows and MacOS

For example, you can activate the other new AI features like Help me write, view recently visited websites, access files from Google Drive, or bring up tactical tools, like the calculator or calendar apps. When I tried out this feature first-hand at a recent Google demo event, I went in with some skepticism. But after playing around with the feature, I quickly saw its intended use case: a quality-of-life improvement that affords even more nimbleness to ChromeOS.

Even though the new Samsung Galaxy Chromebook will be the first device to have the dedicated Quick Insert key, any other Chromebook can activate the menu by hitting Launcher Key + F.

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2. Live Translation comes to Chromebook

AI has boosted translation, allowing for an explosion of features across different mediums this year. Even the new Meta Ray-Ban smartglasses have a translation feature. But perhaps more practical to our day-to-day needs, Google Chromebook Plus models will be able to translate anything on your screen in real-time, whether it’s a video, audio, or live videoconferencing.

Also: The best Chromebooks for students in 2024: Expert tested and reviewed

Live Translate currently works in over 100 languages and, when activated, provides captions on the screen instantaneously. During a demo, I watched the feature at work during a live Zoom call, demonstrated specifically to show that the feature exists at the OS level, not within Google Meet software.

This gives Chromebook Plus devices a built-in functionality that is accessible with a single click, useful for anyone working with multiple languages.

3. Help me read: One-click summaries

Google

Another OS-level AI-powered feature coming to Chromebook Plus devices is the ability to utilize Gemini to summarize text. From PDF files to websites and emails, the Help me read feature is initiated simply by right-clicking the content. The resulting window that pops up provides a summary, which the user can interact with further by asking for additional details or asking questions.

Also: This HP Chromebook made living without Windows easier than I expected

When I tried this feature first-hand, I thought the initial paragraph the tool generated seemed a little sparse, so I asked additional questions during the demo to engage it further. Additional inputs resulted in a more extensive understanding of the text. These features will be improved in upcoming releases as Google fine-tunes the parameters of the tool’s capabilities.

4.The Recorder app ties it all together

Google

Working in tandem with the other AI functions, the recorder app allows for streamlined recording of any audio content on the screen to provide transcriptions, identifying and labeling different speakers, and summarizing the recorded content. I can see this being useful for any business call with multiple speakers, as the app lets you go in and label speakers by name.

5. Two new Chromebooks

Lenovo Chromebook Duet 11”.

Kyle Kucharski/ZDNET

Along with the new features, Google announced the new Lenovo Chromebook Duet 11”, and the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus. The new Lenovo Duet is a refresh of the Chromebook Duet 3 , an earlier model we reviewed in 2022, with double the RAM (up to 8GB), and a sleeker, more modern-looking kickstand design. However, the device retains the same 10.9-inch screen and 8MP back-facing and 5MP front-facing cameras as the previous version.

The Duet will come in a 4GB and 8GB configuration, costing $339 and $389 respectively. It will be available the second week of October.

Also: This HP Chromebook made living without Windows easier than I expected

On the other end of the spectrum is the new Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus, the thinnest and lightest Chromebook Plus to date. It comes with 8GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, an Intel Core 3 100U processor, and a 15.6” OLED screen with up to 13 hours of battery life, and will also be available in October.

Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus.

Kyle Kucharski/ZDNET

I’ve gone hands-on with both the Galaxy Book 4 Edge and the Galaxy Book 5 Pro 360 this year, and I can say that the Galaxy Chromebook Plus feels like a solid addition to Samsung’s flagship laptop line, while also rounding out the rather pricey lineup with a more accessible option.

The OLED display on this Chromebook, paired with the sleek and premium-feeling keyboard and ultra-thin form factor, makes for an unmistakable Galaxy product, but with all the lightness (2.58 pounds) and accessibility of a Chromebook. When taken in the context of all the AI-powered features, this Chromebook Plus brings a new level of pragmatic functionality that challenges the AI capabilities of both Windows and MacOS products.

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