Google Works on Powering Up Chromebook Line to Kill Competitors, Nvidia Joins with Acer for New Killer Laptop
Nvidia has been known for entering markets it sees fit to add more company value and address existing market demands and problems. It appears the company has found a new venture to explore partnering with Acer to create new Chromebooks. More importantly, Google has reportedly been working on becoming a major computer contender aiming at pushing competitors with better Chromebooks. Can Google succeed?
Chromebooks have been gaining traction for the past periods with Seeking Alpha noting its growing sales at an exponential rate. The main reason behind the sales surge is the increasing capabilities of Chromebooks matching Mac and Windows notebooks. Google's computer line is reaching the 40% level. Analysts predict that the share may double in the next few years similar to the success of the Android smartphone.
To prove Google's commitment to deliver Chromebooks that can match leading computers on the market, Nvidia has paired with Acer for the Chromebook 13. The Chromebook will be shipping with Nvidia's Tegra K1 processor along with a quad-core ARM Cortex A15 CPU. Forbes noted that the new Acer Chromebook also comes with excellent graphics performance. Battery life can last up to 13 hours - this is double the standard battery life of Amazon's top 10 listed notebooks according to Forbes.
Other reported specs include 13.3-inch anti-glare display offering 1366×768 or 1920×1080 full HD resolution, 3.31 pounds, 32GB SSD, 2GB RAM, two USB 3.0 ports, HDMI port and 720p webcam.
Previously, Chromebooks were only known as a "browser" delivered in hardware. Chromebooks did not sell as much during their initial year accounting for only 50,000 units in 2011. However, Google transformed the product line now encouraging predictions such as from Gartner. The company claims that Chromebooks can sell as many as 5.1 million units in 2014.
Seeking Alpha also reported that Google's Chromebook sales went by 250% year-over-year. Analysts say that Google may be following a similar strategy it did with Android smarpthones. As if in response to the growing reach of Chromebooks, Microsoft released one of its intended Chromebook-killers, the HP Stream. The device comes with a $199 price tag. In a similar manner that tablets have shifted the market's attention, it appears Chromebooks and similar computer units will be gaining momentum as more companies focus on delivering such products.