A pile of MacBook Neo clones gives Googlebook all the more of an uphill battle

Ben Schoon | Sep 6 2026 - 6:00 am PT

As the debut of Googlebook quietly approaches, a week full of new laptop launches at IFA continues to make me wonder why literally anyone should be even a tiny bit interested in Google’s new platform.

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Googlebook made its debut earlier this year as the company’s Android-based desktop platform that will replace ChromeOS and, frankly, I’ve spent the last couple of months just sitting here stewing over the complete lack of information on what this platform is supposed to do and why anyone should care. Truly, I cannot remember the last time I was this skeptical about a Google product – is this how other people felt about Stadia?

At this point, not much has changed.

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We’ve seen leaks of some of the first Googlebook laptops from Asus and Lenovo, while Acer was spotted teasing its Googlebook at IFA in Berlin. Some early apps have shown up too, including “Magic Pointer” which is the one new feature Google has actually shown off from this platform, a “Desktop Camera” app, and “Look up” which is in fact not a reference to that DiCaprio movie but instead an AI-powered experience that lets you interact with text to find relevant information such as definitions, flight tracking, and more. That one works on some Android phones, too.

Yet, I still cannot fathom where Googlebooks fit into the larger market. ChromeOS had a clear selling point – stable and usable software on low-cost hardware, with later generations adding in some clever AI features and using more capable hardware. But where Googlebook might have been interesting from a cost perspective, a focus on “premium” hardware combined with RAMageddon and a sea of MacBook Neo competitors… I just don’t get it folks.

The new IdeaPad Vibe from Lenovo and the Dell 14S were both announced this week as direct answers to Apple’s hit budget-conscious laptop, and Google is literally going in the opposite direction.

Damien laid out some potential ideas back in June, such as a focus on AI-aided vibe coding, but it’s still hard to imagine Google’s pitch at this point. Windows laptops are getting more affordable in the wake of the MacBook Neo, and is anyone looking to spend money on tech they don’t need to right now? Maybe I’m just having trouble seeing the potential or the positives here, but I can’t remember the last time I was so sour on a potential new Google launch.

What do you think?

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Top comment by GoldLeaf

Liked by 23 people

I am looking at getting a Googlebook, but I fear they may have completely missed the mark.

What customers want right now is an alternative to Windows. What we may instead get is a slightly higher performing ChromeOS using the Android operating system.

My current Chromebook already streams Android apps. Based on the information we have now, how will this be different?

What we've seen is they can be windowed, but they'll still be in the vertical format. Is that really the answer?

It looks like a big miss to me. What Google should focus on is a full-fledged OS which can: what ChromeOS already does plus high-end photo/video editing, run/play high-end games (Steam, EA, etc.)

It looks like they are putting some focus into the video/photo editing but they seem content with users play mobile games from the Play Store.

I don't see this formula having any wide appeal for a device over $1,000.

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