Samsung today announced two new products featuring the
Google Chrome OS operating system: the Samsung Series 5
Chromebook laptop and the Samsung Series 3 Chromebox
desktop.
Like its predecessor, the newest Chromebook is a fast
and portable laptop for everyday users. The Chromebox is
a compact desktop designed for the home or office.
The new Samsung machines are based on the enhanced Chrome OS, which basically includes tight integration with Google Drive, a new "app-centric" user interface and the ability to edit Google Docs documents offline.
"The new Samsung Series 5 Chromebook and Series 3
Chromebox provide the rapid, convenient and
ever-improving computing experience that was so
well-received in our first Chromebook," said Todd
Bouman, vice president of marketing at Samsung
Enterprise Business Division. "As the world's first
Chromebox, the Series 3 provides users with the
Chromebook's ease-of-use in a compact desktop product,
which easily integrates with their existing accessories.
The second generation Chromebook features powerful
components housed in a slim, lightweight body, thanks to
Samsung's advanced hardware engineering."
"This is the next step in our journey toward an
always-new computing experience focused on speed,
simplicity and security," said Caesar Sengupta, Director
of Product Management at Google. "This next-generation
hardware from Samsung based on Intel processors and
hardware-accelerated software delivers nearly three
times the performance of the first-generation
Chromebooks. With a new, app-centric user interface
rolling out today and thousands of available web apps,
we couldn't be more excited about this evolution."
Both the Series 5 Chromebook and Series 3 Chromebox
feature Samsung's sleek design. Weighing just over three
pounds and measuring less than an inch thick, the Series
5 Chromebook can easily be carried everywhere. It comes
with a full-sized keyboard and a 12.1-inch, SuperBright
LCD screens.
The Samsung Series 3 Chromebox is a compact home or
office computer, offering the Chrome operating system in
a desktop form factor. At 7.6 x 7.6 x 1.3-inches, this
computer is easy to transport between the home and
office if needed.
The Samsung Series 5 Chromebook boots up in as little as
just seven seconds. It is powered by an Intel Celeron
867 Dual Core (1.3 GHz) processor sporting a 16GB SSD
and 4GB of RAM and an optional built-in 3G wireless
feature from Verizon Wireless allows connectivity to
just about anywhere. With the 3G option, Verizon will
provide up to 100MBs per month of Mobile Broadband
service included with the device for two years.
Like the Chromebook, the Samsung Series 3 Chromebox also
features a 16GB SSD and 4GB of RAM, as well as an Intel
Celeron B840 Dual Core (1.9 GHz) processor. Other
featues include built-in 2x2 WLAN Wi-Fi. Users can
connect their Series 3 Chromebox to monitors up to
30-inches in size, a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse, or
even an HDTV using the Display Port output. Users can
also connect up to six USB devices to upload photos or
save files.
Both the Samsung Series 5 Chromebook and Series 3
Chromebox run on Google's Chrome OS, which gets you
online in seconds, load web pages fast and offers easy
access to apps in one click through the app launcher.
Automatic updates mean that Chromebook and Chromebox
users always receive the latest functionality. Security
features are also built-in and updated to defend against
the threat of malware and viruses, reducing the need for
users to install anti-virus software.
Built-in cloud storage (Google Drive) enables both
Chromebook and Chromebox users to access their files
securely from anywhere, and sync technology backs up all
of their preferences, bookmarks and apps, so they can
access them from a Chrome browser on another
device.
Google Drive will be integrated with the File Manager
and support offline access with the next release of
Chrome OS in six weeks. With Google Docs offline support
(rolling out over the next few weeks), users can keep
working on your documents even when offline and sync
back up when you re-connect. In addition, there are
hundreds of offline-capable web apps in the Chrome Web
Store.
Both new Samsung products also come equipped for Google
Cloud Print for easy web printing to any Samsung Google
Cloud Print ready laser printer.
A revamped media player and a built-in photo editor and
uploader enable users to play and manage their personal
media collections.
With Chrome Remote Desktop Beta powered by the VP8 technology, users can now securely
connect to their PC or Mac from your Chromebook or
Chromebox. With the underlying VP8 technology.
The Samsung Series 5 Chromebook and the Samsung Series 3
Chromebox will be available beginning May 30th. The
Series 5 Chromebook Wi-Fi model will retail at $449.99
while the 3G model will retail at $549.99. The Series 3
Chromebox Wi-Fi model will retail at $329.99. The
Chromebook and Chromebox are only available at
Amazon.com, Tiger.com, NewEgg.com, BestBuy.com and
BHPhoto.com.
Beyond the consumer market, Google and its partners also pitch Chrome machines to businesses and educational institutions.
Specifications