14 DAY TRIAL // LG has just made history. Not on a grand scale of course, but it has become the first company ever to offer an all-in-one computer (AiO PC) running Google's Chrome operating system.
Google Chrome OS is an operating system that relies on the Cloud for most of its operations. Which is to say, files are stored and edited on a server, over the Internet.
That is why Chrome OS devices have very little on-board storage of their own. This, in turn, contributes to the lower than normal prices.
LG hasn't told anyone what the price of the Chromebase will be (this is the name of the AiO), but that detail should come out in January 2014, during CES (Consumer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The newcomer measures 21.5 inches in diagonal and uses an IPS LCD with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels.
2 GB of memory (DDR3) back up an Intel Celeron CPU (central processing unit) and there's no discrete graphics card because the CPU has its own.
For connectivity, LG included an HDMI input (lets the AiO double as a monitor or TV), two USB 2.0 ports, one USB 3.0 port and LAN. There's also a 1.3 megapixel webcam (720p video recording).
That leaves the storage, and as we have said, it is pretty low, an iSSD of 16 GB. Just enough for the operating system and other essential files that might gather over time.
LG will ship the Chromebase with a keyboard, mouse and cable organizer. Furthermore, several layers of built-in security are part of the PC's build.
Needless to say, Gmail, Drive, Search, Maps, YouTube, Play or Google+ Hangouts have direct shortcuts in the Chrome OS.
"Simple to operate for all types of users, the LG Chromebase computer represents the successful combination of simplicity, power and great design," said Hyoung-sei Park, head of the IT business division at LG Electronics.
"LG Chromebase is the wave of the future for desktops, which we hope to be widely adopted not only at home, but especially in schools, hotels, call centers and other business settings."