Latest news with #ChromebookPlus14
Time of India
8 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Google brings new AI features to Chromebook Plus devices
Google announced a comprehensive AI upgrade for its Chromebook Plus portfolio today, introducing five new artificial intelligence-powered features directly integrated into ChromeOS. One of the new features is Circle to Search; since it's coming to Chromebook, Google has dubbed it Select to Search. Other features are Text Capture, Quick Insert, and Simplify. Here's all you need to know about all the new AI features coming to Chromebook Plus. Select to Search is Circle to Search for Chromebooks The new Select to search feature allows users to quickly identify and get information about anything on their screen by long-pressing the launcher button or using the screenshot tool. Similar to Android's Circle to Search function, users can select objects like clothing or products to find shopping options without leaving their current application. Text Capture transforms images into editable text with calendar integration Text capture pulls information directly from images, including receipts and recipes, transforming it into editable text to eliminate manual retyping. The feature can automatically populate Google Calendar events from highlighted invitations and convert handwritten recipes into digital shopping lists in Google Docs. One-button access to AI image creation and media insertion The enhanced Quick Insert key now enables users to generate AI images or insert photos and emojis directly into documents and presentations without interrupting workflow. This builds on last year's Quick Insert functionality by adding Gemini's generative AI capabilities with a single keystroke. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trade Bitcoin & Ethereum – No Wallet Needed! IC Markets Start Now Undo New "Simplify" button makes dense content accessible The upgraded Help me read feature now includes a "Simplify" button that converts complex language into easier-to-understand text, expanding beyond its original summarization capabilities. This AI-powered tool helps users digest technical documents and academic papers more effectively. Lenovo's new Chromebook Plus 14 gets some extra AI features The new Chromebook Plus 14 includes Smart Grouping for automatic tab and document organization, plus AI-powered image editing in the Gallery app for background removal and sticker creation. All new Chromebook Plus purchases include a complimentary 12-month Google AI Pro subscription, valued at $240, providing 2TB cloud storage and Gemini integration across Google Workspace apps. AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
Mint
8 hours ago
- Mint
Google introduces AI-powered Chromebook Plus 14: Features, specifications, and more
Google introduced the Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14, a new addition to the Chromebook line-up that features upgraded hardware and AI-powered software tools aimed at improving productivity and user experience. The laptop is now available for purchase in two configurations: a 12GB RAM model priced at $649, and a higher-end 16GB RAM variant with a fingerprint scanner for $749. The Chromebook Plus 14 is equipped with MediaTek's latest Kompanio Ultra processor, which includes what Google claims is the most powerful ARM-based Neural Processing Unit (NPU) ever integrated into a Chromebook. Capable of up to 50 trillion operations per second (TOPS), the chip is built to handle a wide range of AI-driven tasks. The device also offers up to 17 hours of battery life, marking the longest battery performance in the Chromebook Plus range so far. In terms of hardware, the new Chromebook includes a number of firsts. It is the first Chromebook Plus to feature Dolby Atmos support for audio and comes with an OLED display. A fingerprint scanner is included in the higher-spec model. These additions place the device at the higher end of the Chromebook market, positioning it as a tool for users managing multiple tasks and media-related work. New on-device AI features have also been integrated. Smart Grouping, for instance, automatically organises browser tabs and documents into groups based on the user's ongoing tasks. The Gallery app now includes AI image editing, which allows users to remove backgrounds or create stickers directly from their image library with a single click. In parallel with the hardware launch, Google is rolling out several AI features across the wider Chromebook Plus portfolio. These tools are embedded directly into ChromeOS and aim to simplify everyday digital tasks. One such feature is "Select to Search with Lens", which allows users to highlight any part of their screen and get contextual information, such as similar shopping options or explanations, without navigating away from the current page. Another addition, "Text Capture", enables users to extract editable text from images, such as receipts or handwritten notes. This information can then be used to automatically populate calendar entries or generate shopping lists in Google Docs. Meanwhile, the new "Quick Insert Key" offers the ability to generate images or insert photos and emojis directly into documents or presentations, streamlining creative workflows. "Help Me Read" has also received an upgrade. Beyond summarising lengthy passages, it can now simplify dense or technical text, making it easier to understand. These tools are available to all Chromebook Plus users, regardless of model. Customers purchasing a Chromebook Plus will also receive a 12-month subscription to the Google AI Pro plan. The package includes 2TB of cloud storage and access to Google's Gemini AI in Gmail, Docs, and more. Users will also be able to launch NotebookLM, Google's AI research and writing assistant, directly from the desktop shelf. The Chromebook Plus 14 also includes custom wallpapers developed in partnership with NASA. These images depict Jupiter's auroras during different phases such as day, night, sunrise and sunset, and are exclusive to this particular device. Finally, app support has been expanded. Netflix's Squid Game: Unleashed is being optimised for Chromebooks with keyboard and mouse controls, along with exclusive in-game content. Luminar, a popular AI-powered photo editing app, is now supported on Chromebooks and is being offered free for three months with the purchase of any Chromebook Plus model. The Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 is currently available through Best Buy
Daily Mirror
11 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Apple's MacBook gets a cheaper new rival, and it's not powered by Windows 11
The Chromebook is back and it promises more power at a very cheap price. Can't afford a MacBook and hate Windows 11? Google hopes that an all-new Chromebook might convince you to try something totally new. This latest model - called the Chromebook Plus 14 - has been created by the team at Lenovo and now features a MediaTek Kompanio Ultra processor which makes this one of the most powerful Chrome laptops ever made. Thanks to its ARM architecture, this chip is also super efficient with owners getting around 17 hours of battery life before needing to find a plug. There's a pin-sharp 14-inch OLED screen, quad speakers with Dolby Atmos, plenty of ports and a backlit keyboard for working when the lights get low. It even features a fan-free design to keep things silent under pressure, and there's the latest Wi-Fi 7 technology for faster access to the web. Of course, this is a Chromebook, so it comes packed with smart features that are powered by Google. There's instant photo editing, quick web searches via Google Lens, image creation tools and the ability to simplify long text via a function called Help me read. Because it's a Chromebook, there's also full access to all of Google's apps, including Gmail, Docs, Sheets and Google Photos plus there are millions of extra Android apps available via the Play Store. So, how much will it cost? The entry-level model starts from £599. That price rises if you add more RAM and storage. 'Our society has embraced the freedom of hybrid and remote work, but that freedom demands the workforce and their devices to be productive regardless of location and to do more in less time,' said Benny Zhang, Executive Director and General Manager of Chromebooks in Lenovo's Intelligent Devices Group. 'The Lenovo Chromebook Plus (14', 10) delivers the most powerful AI capabilities ever on a Chromebook. Whether you are an executive needing AI performance through the day, an artist wishing to create outside the studio, or an everyday user looking to browse, learn or play, this premium device is your perfect everyday companion.' It's available now.
Engadget
12 hours ago
- Engadget
Lenovo promises 17 hours of battery life on its new Chromebook Plus 14
For years now, most Chromebooks have run some variety of Intel or AMD processor. The occasional device used a MediaTek chip, but they were often underpowered and cheap devices that were hard to recommend. ARM-based processors have worked tremendously well for Apple on the Mac, and they're being used in more and more Windows PCs as well. Now, Lenovo (makers of my favorite Chromebook ) and Google are giving ARM a real shot with the $649 Chromebook Plus 14. The companies say the MediaTek Kompanio Ultra 910 chip and its AI NPU can handle up to 50 TOPS — but more intriguing to me, Lenovo is also promising up to 17 hours of battery life. I'll believe that claim when I see it; mediocre at best battery life has plagued nearly every Chromebook I've used in recent years. But switching to ARM could improve on what Intel-powered Chromebooks have delivered, both in terms of battery life and overall performance. Time for the nitty-gritty specs. Lenovo's Chromebook Plus 14 is, as you'd expect, a 14-inch laptop that looks quite similar to a silver MacBook Pro. It's certainly more stylish and sleek than Lenovo's more utilitarian (and awkwardly-named) IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus. It weighs only 2.58 pounds (about a pound less than the Flex 5i) and is just over .62 inches thick. In addition to the Kompanio Ultra 910 chip, Lenovo is including either 12GB or 16GB of RAM and up to 256GB of storage. Lenovo isn't skimping on the screen, either. The 14-inch OLED panel can be outfitted with a touchscreen and has a 1,920 x 1,200 resolution. The resolution is relatively modest, but totally in line with what you'd expect for the price. There are a few other nice touches throughout. Lenovo's latest is the first Chromebook with Dolby Atmos sound via a quad-speaker system that includes two downward-firing woofers. Audio quality on laptops has increased significantly in recent years, so I'm looking forward to hearing what Lenovo can deliver. The 5-megapixel webcam has a much higher resolution than most other Chromebooks, and there's also a fingerprint reader for secure logins. All told, this Chromebook is on the more expensive side compared to many other options. But when you compare its specs and design with other Chromebooks in this price range, Lenovo's latest comes out looking pretty good. Of course, we'll need to make sure the MediaTek chip is powerful enough and also see what battery life is like, but Lenovo's track record is strong enough that I'm looking forward to seeing if we have a new king of the Chromebooks. Given that Google is relentlessly focused on adding AI features everywhere you turn, it's no surprise that there are a handful of new AI tricks here. First are two that are currently exclusive to Lenovo's Chromebook Plus 14: Smart Grouping and AI image editing in the Chromebook's Gallery app. Google has been teasing Smart Grouping for a while now; it'll look at your open tabs and documents and ask if you want to organize them into a separate virtual desk. And the Gallery app now has some AI-powered editing features like removing backgrounds or turning your images into stickers. Beyond these are a bunch of AI features that are coming to all Chromebook Plus laptops, many of which will feel familiar if you've paid attention to what Google has released to other platforms in recent months. For example, you can now long-press the launcher and select an area of the screen to run a search. As usual, the default example is shopping — see a pair of shoes you want, highlight it and let Google find them for you. The integration does look nice, though, with a pop-over window showing you results so you don't have to leave the app you're using. Similarly, Text Capture analyzes text in an image and suggests things like calendar appointments based on what it reads. Or highlighting an image of a recipe can pull all of the items you need for it into a Google Docs list. The Quick Insert key, which was first introduced last year on Samsung's Galaxy Chromebook Plus , can now be used to generate and insert AI images into anywhere your text cursor is pointing — it's not just limited to Google apps. Finally, Google's 'help me read' tool has a new 'simplify' option that can take complex language (think scientific explanations) and put it in plain language to make it easier to understand. Anyone buying a Chromebook Plus this year will get a solid perk that Google first introduced last year: a full 12 months of the Google One AI Pro plan, which includes 2TB of Google Drive storage and access to more advanced Gemini features (you can find all the exact details here ). Given that this is a $20 per month plan, it's a solid additional value — at the very least for the storage, if you're not all that interested in Gemini. As for Lenovo's new hardware, I'm looking forward to trying it soon to see if the ARM architecture can deliver the massive battery life and performance improvements that the company is promising. But if you want to throw down your cash now, Lenovo's Chromebook Plus 14 is available at Best Buy and on Lenovo's site to order as of today.
