Google announced Googlebook laptops, which run a version of the Android platform codenamed Aluminum and combine the capabilities of Android and ChromeOS. The Googlebook series replaces Chromebooks running ChromeOS, which will receive support until 2034. The initial Googlebook models are not scheduled to go on sale, but they are being developed with industry partners Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, and Lenovo. All models will be built using premium materials and available in a variety of shapes and sizes. A common distinguishing feature of all GoogleBook devices will be a glowing indicator strip on the lid.
The user interface is based on the desktop mode implemented in the Android 16 branch for large screens, allowing you to work with multiple application windows simultaneously, similar to a traditional desktop environment.
The Googlebook platform is being touted as a shift from traditional operating systems to intelligent systems tightly integrated with AI services. The Gemini AI assistant is activated using a smart cursor—just move the cursor from side to side, and the cursor will switch to contextual suggestions that appear when hovering over any content of interest on the screen. For example, hovering over a date in an email will prompt the AI assistant to schedule a meeting, and selecting multiple images with the cursor can generate a new image based on them. Similarly, you can compare content and ask the AI assistant questions about it.
AI can also be used to create custom widgets—just click the widget creation button and describe your desired result in natural language. To create personalized widgets, the Gemini AI assistant can search the web and connect to Google apps like Gmail and Calendar.
Seamless interaction with Android smartphones is supported, and Android apps can be installed from the Google Play store. Googlebook also lets you launch apps installed on a connected smartphone from the interface, without removing the smartphone or reinstalling them on the laptop.
For working with files, there's a full-featured file manager, which not only lets you navigate the laptop's file system, but also access the contents of your smartphone and quickly transfer, view, and search files across the user's various Android devices.
The platform utilizes the Chrome OS Launcher, file manager, and individual system services, applications, firmware elements, background processes, and libraries. The Linux kernel, GKI modules (Generic Kernel Image), hardware access logic (HAL), Android Runtime, Android API, system background processes, libraries, and other components are all ported from Android.
Source: opennet.ru
