Googlebook has not shown that Google knows how to build a notebook

We’ve heard about Google working behind the scenes to port its laptop efforts to Android, but now that we’ve seen the Googlebook, I’m not sure I’m sold just yet. To be honest, I don’t think Google has given any reason for these laptops to exist at all.

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Earlier this week, the Googlebook was a big reveal at the Android Show, where Google also talked about new features coming to Android later this year. There’s a lot to be excited about, but the company’s new laptop efforts are perhaps at the bottom of the list for me.

Why?

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Granted, I don’t think Google has shown any substance yet. So let’s break it down bit by bit. Google’s announcement It begins by talking about how the Googlebook is a combination of Android and ChromeOS, “built with the help of Gemini.” Twins obviously is the key driver here, as Google next shows how its new “Magic Pointer” cursor can activate Gemini and interact with what’s on the screen with just a flick gesture. The idea itself is pretty good – Gemini’s tools are best served in the context you’re looking at them, so easy access is great. But he also only Google’s new feature actually showed itself and even after that It also comes to the Chrome browser.

Beyond the Magic Pointer, the rest of the Googlebook preview includes support for Create Your Widget, a feature that also extends to Android phones. Googlebook will also be able to mirror apps on your phone and offer Quick Access to files from your Android phone. has been available in ChromeOS for several years now.

And… that’s it.

The announcement ends with talk of “premium hardware” and the Glow Bar, which will be a signature feature of the Googlebook hardware.

According to first impressions, this is not good. Google showed off its new laptop efforts centered around an exploded Android experience and a “killer feature” that will be added to Chrome anyway. Unsurprisingly, the entire pitch today feels like Google’s way of creating an AI laptop, but I don’t think it really understands why people are buying a laptop in 2026.

We all carry powerful computers in our pockets, capable (to varying degrees) of AI tasks. The AI generally doesn’t care about the device you’re using. So Google’s demonstration of being able to combine images a little faster doesn’t really do much for me to use AI on a laptop, and I don’t think I’m alone there. As mentioned, the smartphone is powerful now, and especially for the younger generation, the smartphone is powerful the a do-it-all device. Laptops, in that world, exist as a tool for things a smartphone can’t, whether it’s more advanced tasks like video/photo editing or more efficient tools for things like note-taking. Being a laptop, the Googlebook will have no problem with the latter, but it’s the former that bothers me more.

Android is a powerful and capable operating system, but not made by Google big moves to bring desktop-level apps that laptop buyers have come to expect – the right Adobe suite comes to mind – I’m not sure what Googlebook brings to the table.

But beyond that, Google’s preview did nothing to show me that this new platform is better than the existing one. ChromeOS has a bad reputation, but with support for Android and Linux apps, it’s secretly pretty powerful. And we’re just dropping it for Android?

Google may have some surprises behind the scenes here, but Googlebook made a terrible first impression on me. “Not ready yet” is not a good excuse. Public opinion of Windows is lower than ever, and Apple is changing the story with the MacBook Neo. the It’s time for Google to pull out all the stops and really put their vision out there. “Magic Pointer” and a few reused ChromeOS features just aren’t enough.

As it stands today, Google hasn’t given me a reason to get excited about Googlebook, nor any reason for its existence.

Just me? What do you think?

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