The AI Laptop: Google wants to rethink what computers can do

When Google first forayed into the laptop space with its Chromebooks about 15 years ago, they may not have gone on to become the most prized devices, but their affordability and functionality meant that they did well in the education market. Now, the tech firm is coming out with its first major initiative in this space since then. Google revealed that it will be launching a new line of AI-powered laptops called Googlebooks, which it says, will be an “opportunity to rethink laptops”.

What is interesting about these devices is their integration with the Android ecosystem and Gemini. Google showed a new Quick Access feature for instance that allows users to directly access files from their Android phone. Then there is the integration with AI. A new generative AI feature allows users to create their own widgets by speaking naturally with Gemini. You can ask Gemini for a widget to organise your flight and hotel information, for instance, and it will search the internet and connect to your apps like Gmail and Calendar to create a personalised widget. Another feature, called Magic Pointer, works like the standard cursor, but wiggle it and point at something on the screen and Gemini will make contextual suggestions. For instance, wiggle select images of furniture and a living space and wiggle the cursor to visualise them together. There is still a lot that we do not know about these laptops, from the name of the Operating system to the specifications of the hardware. Google says more details will be revealed later. But what was shared has generated a lot of interest.