Google's Android-powered laptops are called Googlebooks, and they're coming this year

Ars Technica ·

Google's Android-powered laptops are called Googlebooks, and they're coming this year

Google’s AI-generated widgets from Android phones will also come over to Googlebooks. The widgets are more limited than you might expect, though. …

Google’s AI-generated widgets from Android phones will also come over to Googlebooks. The widgets are more limited than you might expect, though. They can collect data from the web, as well as certain content from your Google apps, to create a “personalized dashboard” for your home screen. The format and style will be adapted to the laptop form factor. Phone apps and not phone apps Google seems to be avoiding an explicit mention of Android when discussing Googlebooks, but that’s the underlying software. That gives the devices access to a wide variety of apps—Google tried for years to shoehorn Android apps into Chrome OS with limited success, but it should be easier with laptops that run the apps natively. These devices will have the Play Store, of course, but the rest of the software situation is hazy. Google is in the process of certifying third-party app stores for Android while also clamping down on sideloaded APKs , and we don’t know where Googlebooks will end up in the openness spectrum. Google has refused to comment on specifics right now, saying only that it will have more to share regarding its “app ecosystem partners” closer to launch. You might not have to install very many apps on a Googlebook, though. The platform will integrate deeply with your Android phone, allowing you to stream apps right to your laptop. A dedicated button in the taskbar lists all the apps on your phone. Click one, and it will appear on the Googlebook in a floating window. …

Original source: Ars Technica

Mentioned

Asus · Lenovo · Chrome · Android