The Magic “Cloud” Sauce in Google’s New Chrome Laptops

Google has taken a large step through the introduction of the Chromebook, a laptop seeking to integrate the many features of Google’s extensive array of products into a single device. While at first glance it may appear to be just another product in an overly saturated market, the Chromebook offers several features that many users may find useful.

1. Seamless Google Integration

As discussed, the Chromebook is simply a collection of Google products on a single machine, meaning that heavy users of products like GMail, Google Drive and other applications should immediately feel right at home. In fact, Google’s own web browser Chrome runs the entire device as opposed to a traditional operating system, a prime reason for the device’s touted ten second boot-up time.

2. Portable and Affordable

With the largest Chromebook clocking in at less than four pounds, users should have no trouble taking this device anywhere they need to go. Even with a 12.1-inch screen size, the device is still significantly smaller and lighter than the vast majority of laptops on the market with a significantly lower price tag.

3. Speed and Reliability

Nothing hinders productivity like being forced to reboot your machine. As mentioned before, the Chromebook touts an industry-leading ten-second-startup time and one second return from sleep mode that allows you to get right back to work instead of twiddling your thumbs in front of your monitor.

4. Simple Interface

The Chrome interface is clean and simple, making it the ideal choice for the novice computer user who simply wants to browse the web, check email and share a few photos with their friends and family. Because the Chromebook lacks many of the traditional operating system elements, the device is not vulnerable to many of the types of malware, spyware and other viruses that can damage a PC and cause data loss.

5. Biggest Drawback

The common complaint for personal computers is that they become little more than expensive paperweights when the Internet is taken away. Unfortunately, this is even truer with the Chromebook. Due to its cloud-based computing design and heavy reliance on Google products, it is almost impossible to perform many tasks without an Internet connection. While there are models with optional 3G available, you are out of luck if you plan to be somewhere where a connection is unavailable.

If you’ve overlooked the Chromebook to this point, you’re not alone. However, there are plenty of reasons to consider owning one, especially if you’re looking to get your hands on an affordable device that will keep you connected to the worldwide web and the Google products you’re already using.