Google announces new Chromebook, Chromebox computers

By Salvador Rodriguez

May 29, 2012 12 AM PT

Google has announced the latest versions of its buck-the-trend Chromebook line of computers.

The two Web-centric computers introduced by the Internet company are made by Samsung. They are the Chrome Series 5 550, a laptop, and the Chromebox, which is a small desktop that looks very much like Apple’s Mac mini.

The computers have received a hardware update over their predecessors and now boot in less than seven seconds, according to Google. The new Chromebooks are three times faster than the first set of Chromebooks released last year.

Google has also introduced a new user interface that includes what most people would call a desktop background, even though the company said its line of Web-based computers would not have a “messy desktop” or “rolling hills of greeen” in a video promoting the computers last year (you can check out the jab at Windows around the 30-second mark).

The software update also makes it possible for Chromebooks to play with more types of files, which was one of the big complaints of the first generation of Google computers.

The search company has also changed the way it will sell the Chromebooks, announcing that Best Buy will begin carrying computers at its stores in coming weeks.

However, the computers are already available for purchase online. The Chromebox is ready to go from Amazon for $329.99 while the Wi-Fi version of the Series 5 550 is available for $449.99 and its 3G counterpart is up for $549.99.