On Tuesday local time, Google officially launched its new laptop product line Googlebooks, a series of AI-native devices built from scratch around its flagship large model Gemini. Google will work with hardware partners such as Acer, Asus, Dell, HP and Lenovo to launch the first batch of Googlebooks, covering a variety of sizes and forms, and plans to launch this fall. The company claims that Googlebooks are the first laptops built from the ground up for Gemini to provide personalized and proactive help.
One of the biggest highlights of Googlebooks is the built-in new AI cursor function called “Magic Pointer”, which integrates Gemini capabilities directly into pointer operations. Unlike traditional cursors, which are only responsible for pointing and clicking, users only need to slightly shake the cursor to summon instant contextual suggestions on the screen content. For example, when the cursor stays on a date in an email, the system can directly suggest creating a meeting; and when the user selects two pictures (such as a living room photo and a sofa picture), the system can help the user combine the two together on the screen for a visual preview.
Alexander Kuscher, senior director of Google Android tablet and notebook business, said at a media communication conference that the team’s idea is to “inject Gemini Intelligence into the pointer to make the cursor truly smart and intelligent.” He said that when the user moves the cursor on the screen, the system will actively mark the content that can be interacted with and provide corresponding operation options in the current scene, thus reflecting the idea of the AI function on Googlebooks - built into the system, but not forced to appear in an intrusive way.
In terms of connectivity, the new Googlebooks will be deeply coordinated with Android phones. Users can use applications originally installed on their phones directly on their laptops without relying on the physical device of the phone. For example, when you are working on your laptop and suddenly remember the Duolingo learning task for the day, but don’t want to pick up your phone, you can open and complete the app directly on your Googlebook. In addition, users can directly access files on their phone through Googlebook's file browser to view, search, or insert documents and media content on their laptop.
Googlebooks also supports Google’s new “Create your Widget” function, which allows users to generate personalized desktop widgets by giving instructions to Gemini. Gemini can not only obtain information from the network, but also connect with Google applications such as Gmail and Calendar to aggregate multi-source data into a unified personalized dashboard. For example, when you are planning a family gathering in Berlin, the system can automatically integrate your flight and hotel reservation information, display restaurant reservation arrangements, and even add countdown reminders to your itinerary.
What the industry is more concerned about is that the emergence of Googlebooks means a major shift in Google's notebook strategy. About a decade and a half after the launch of the Chromebook, the once browser-centric line of low-priced notebooks popular in campuses and businesses around the world is being replaced by a new generation of Googlebooks. Although Google did not directly announce "replacement" in terms of wording, it has made it clear that it will continue to provide support for existing Chromebook users, and the devices will continue to receive updates within the established cycle. The company also revealed that many Chromebook devices will have the opportunity to transition to a new user experience in the future, but specific plans and details have not yet been announced.
From a platform perspective, Google is not just simply updating laptop hardware, but is starting a long-term migration from ChromeOS to a new generation of Android basic operating systems. Compared with ChromeOS, which is browser-centric, the new system integrates AI capabilities at the bottom layer and regards Gemini as one of the core basic components of the operating system. Since major PC manufacturers such as Acer, Asus, Dell, HP and Lenovo have all joined this platform, this move is seen as a systematic layout around operating systems and computing platforms, and is also a positive response to Microsoft's Copilot+ AI native PC strategy that has been continuously promoted since 2024.