Chromebook is a category of notebook computers and mobile devices that runs Google’s cloud-based Chrome OS operating system. While they lack the processing power and higher-end features of standard laptops, Chromebooks are built primarily for Web surfing and are optimized for this purpose with the Google Chrome web browser as well as near instant-on and instant-resume capabilities.
These are fast computing devices that rely on the Google Chrome browser, with most applications and data that users will access, residing in the cloud, like Google Docs and Google Drive, rather than storage and applications that reside on the physical machine.
Updates and Protection
The two main selling points of a Chromebook are built in security and automatic updates. Chromebooks come with the tools to defend against viruses, malware and other known security issues. A Chromebook is also designed to automatically update when connected to the Internet, removing the need to manually download and install patches, new versions, security updates and so on.
Image Description: The Acer Chromebook 15 with 15.6″ HD display
Chromebooks and Android Apps
Today, Chromebooks have improved processing power that supports Intel Core processors and HD 1080p displays. Newer Chromebooks, like the Google Pixelbook or Asus Chromebook Flip offer touchscreens, USB ports and can run Android apps natively in addition to having an improved Chrome OS experience. Some Chromebook manufacturers also offer incentives including speakers and 100-GB Google Drive space for free.
The First Chromebook
The first retail Chromebooks (2011) were produced by Samsung and Acer and feature both Wi-Fi and 3G capabilities, Intel Atom processors, 2 GB RAM, 16 GB SSDs for storage, and either 11.6-inch (Acer) or 12.1-inch 1280×800 (Samsung) screen.
Note that users looking for a Windows 10 and Microsoft app experience, such as OneDrive and Office 365 can choose a product called a CloudBook.
