14 DAY TRIAL // Talk about Chrome OS netbooks has been in existence for quite a long time, but it looks like the first wave of actual devices is ready at last, as made official by Google itself, not just each product's maker.
Netbooks may have been out and about for years, but Google created a new type of such entry-level systems when it began work on Chrome OS.
Basically, the company came up with the idea of a mobile computer that lacks actual built-in storage (save for what the OS needs).
This is because the Chrome OS, modeled to look like a browser, has all tasks happen in the cloud, online as it were.
Samsung has already formally unleashed the Series 5 line, and it looks like Acer has also completed development of a device.
Dubbed Acer Chromebook, it will only become available for order on Amazon on June 15, for the price of $349.
In the meantime, prospective purchasers can decide on whether or not the hardware components are to their liking.
A dual-core Intel Atom processor lies at the heart of it all, while the display is an 11.6-inch CineCrystal HD widescreen LCD, with LED backlighting.
Meanwhile, dual-band WiFi and an optional world-mode 3G module ensure wireless connectivity from anywhere.
Other specifications include a pair of USB 2.0 ports, support for high-definition audio, a noise canceling microphone, an HD webcam and a 4-in-1 memory card.
Finally, input is done via a fully-clickable trackpad and a full-size Chrome keyboard, while an HDMI output lets one stream media to an auxiliary monitor or HDTV.
All the above have a weight of 1.34 kilograms and are kept running by a battery that can last for up to 6 hours on a single charge.
What remains is to see how well these newcomers sell in a market that has already started to decline under the pressure of tablets.