Remember Crome OS – and the Chromebook?  Well, Samsung does, and they have introduced a new version of the Samsung Series 5 Chromebook priced at just $350 in the States.  That’s a significant saving from the original version offered for $430.  Unlike the Silver and White of the other models, this new Chromebook Series 5 comes in Piano Black.

Like the other models, the laptop has a 12.1 inch, 1280 x 800 pixel display, Chrome OS operating system, a 6 hour battery, and the ability to start up in less than 10 seconds.  It’s powered by the 1.66 GHz Intel Atom N570 dual core processor,16GB solid state disk, 2 USB ports, a webcam and mic, and SDHC card slot.  So,  aside from the color, it’s exactly the same as the Samsung Series 5 Chromebooks that went on sale this summer.

The new model includes WiFi, but not 3G wireless. Check it out here at Amazon US for $349.99.

Allthough they’ve only been available for purchase since June, Samsung is already discounting it’s Series 5 Chromebooks in the US.   The Wi-Fi only version is now $30 less at Amazon.com, priced at $399. The 3G version is now only $449 — down from its original $499.

Acer’s Chromebook are cheaper at $349 and $429 for the Wi-Fi and 3G versions, respectively —and of course, most Windows 7 netbooks remain substantially cheaper than all four.

Chrome OS hardware is still coming of age, of course, and it’s bound to take some time for people to warm up to the idea of a laptop with little more than a web browser on board. Once prices slide a bit lower, I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if sales really take off — as was the case with another new product the general public wasn’t too hot on at first, the HP TouchPad. If Acer or Samsung can get a Chromebook model somewhere closer to the $200 mark, they’ll likely start flying off the shelves.

Google has announced a new partnership that can get you a new Chromebook without paying for it. They’ve partnered with US airline, Virgin America to allow customers to borrow laptops running Chrome OS for free on flights originating in San Francisco, Chicago O’Hare airport, Dallas/Fort Worth, or Boston.  Passengers simply check out a Chromebook will be able to surf the web in the air using free WiFi.

Virgin Air has announced some more details about the “Chrome Zone” program. The program will run from July 1st through September 30th. As you’d expect, the airline will require you to turn in the Chromebook when you depart the plane.

But that’s not the only partnership up their sleeve.  They’ve also teamed up with the Ace Hotel in New York City to put a Chromebook in each room. The laptops will connect to the hotel’s WiFi for use around the building — but you can also use the laptop away from the hotel thanks to built-in 3G.

Chromebooks will be available from Virgin Air and Ace Hotel New York all summer starting July 1st.

Acer’s first Chromebook will begin selling in the US on June 15th, but Amazon has already posted a product page for the Acer Cromia AC761.

The laptop features an 11.6 inch, 1366 x 768 pixel display, a 1.66 GHz Intel Atom N570 dual core processor, GMA 3150 graphics, 2GB of DDR3 memory, and 16GB of storage. It has 2 USB ports, an HDMI output, a 1.3MP camera and 802.11b/g/n WiFi. There’s also a second listing for a model with 3G.

Acer’s Chromebook is  expected to sell for $349 (USD) and up, but there are no prices are listed on the Amazon page at the moment.

via Notebook Italia

Macles has dug up a Chrome OS bug report that sheds some more light on Acer’s upcoming Chrome OS netbook – code named ZGB.  The machine appears to have a 1366 x 768 pixel display, which is better than the 1024×600 resolution we see on many current netbooks.

Macles also reads between the lines a bit to deduce that the notebook will likely have an Intel-based processor and HDMI output.   However, there’s still no information on which Intel chip it will use, how much it will cost, or even how big the laptop will be.

We know that the likes of Acer and Asus are working on new Chrome OS netbooks – any most recently even Archos may have gotten into the game. Now, however,  Sony Insider reports that Sony is possibly building a  11.6 inch netbook to run Google’s upcomign web browser-based operating system.

Insider reports that the upcoming Sony Vaio Chrome OS notebook will have some pretty impressive specs:

• 11.6 inch, 1366 x 768 pixel display
• 1 GHz NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual core processor
• 1GB of RAM
• 16GB solid state disk
• 8 hour battery

On the outside, the Sony Vaio Chrome netbook willleportedly have a wide keyboard but a light weight design with the computer weighing about 2.2 pounds and measuring about three quarters of an inch thick.

At launch, the notebook will likely have WiFi connectivity, with Bluetooth and GPS options coming later.

via Engadget

Archos better know for making personal media players, and more recently Android tablet computers, might have a new netbook up their sleeve.  The folks at Pocket Now have found evidence suggesting that Archos might bring out a new netbook called the ‘Gbook’.  Archos has filed for trademark protection for the term “Gbook” in Europe.

The name implies both a netbook stlye machine factor and some sort of Google based operating system, although it’s not clear if that will be Android or Google’s upcoming Chrome OS operating system.

As expected, Google unveiled the first netbook to run Google Chrome OS.   One surprise, it’s not really meant for the general public and that would explain the rather plain design and name.  The new device is called simply the Cr-48.  It’s a 12 inch notebook that will be available as part of a pilot program for developers and other testers.

The laptop has a 12.1 inch display, full sized keyboard, and large touchpad that can be pushed to click.  It also had integrated 3G, via a Qualcomm Gobi 3G wireless chip. In the US, users will be able to use the Cr-48 on Verizon’s wireless network, but it should work with a wide range of wireless carriers around the globe. The notebook also has 802.11n dual band WiFi and a webcam.  Google claims it will have more than 8 hours of run time, or 8 hours of standby time.

Google is accepting applications from users who want to participate in the pilot program by testing the Cr-48.

If you’re looking for a consumer-oriented netbook you’re going to have to wait until mid-2011, when Acer and Samsung are expected to launch some of the first Chrome OS notebooks.

There are two development coming on the netbook front from Google.  One is the operating system they’re developing for netbooks called Chrome OS, and the other a netbook like device to run that OS, probably to be called the ‘Chromebook’.  Google CEO Eric Schmidt recently stated that Chrome OS was due for release in the next few months, which probably means early next year, rather than next month.

Today, Engadget has some more evidence that Acer’s Jim Wong said that the company will launch a netbook running Chrome OS next year, during the “consumer launch” of Chrome OS.

So what about the ‘Chromebook’ – Google-branded Chrome OS netbook that we heard about?  Well, apparently it’s still all systems go.  Digitimes reported, that 75,000 units are being manufactured by Taiwan ODM Inventec.

Update: Google commented directly on the Google Chrome OS release date:

“We are very happy with the progress of Google Chrome OS and expect devices will be available later this year. We’ll have more details to share at launch.”

Last July that Google shook up the netbook world by announcing Chrome OS, their operating system based around their Chrome web browser.   All indications are that it is on schedule and will be released very soon. In fact, it may even launch a month from today.  At their official unveiling event 11 months ago, Google promised that Chrome OS would be ready to by the end of this year — before the holiday season. It looks like they will be able to keep that promise, as bug comments on their Google Code site for the project indicate that the OS has already hit “RC” status — also known as “Release Candidate”.

More indications that Google is quickly approaching a first build of Chrome OS includes what they’re actually working on now. Screensavers, sign-in screens, and highlight colors — in other words, a lot of UI elements, the icing on the cake.