Today Google is announcing a collection of nice new improvements and features for Chromebooks. As the resident “Head Chromie” It’s my honor and duty to give you a quick recap and opinion on these fall updates.

There are several updates that will only be available on “Plus” Chromebooks and another handful of updates that will be available on all Chromebooks (including student devices).

Three new Chromebooks to consider

In addition to some new software updates, Google is announcing three new Chromebooks. These aren’t really EDU specific devices, so I don’t think they will have a big impact on education, but here they are:

1. Lenovo Duet 11″ – The Duet is a very unique device and one of the best selling Chromebooks of all time. This is one of the very few Chromebooks that offers a detachable keyboard, making it a decent tablet as well. My wife and daughter have the original model and really like it. This model is slightly bigger with updated internals.
2. Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 415 – This is a BEAST of a device boasting a 15″ screen and integrated numeric key pad. This is the ideal device for anyone who does a lot of work on spreadsheets and doesn’t need something that is super portable.
3. Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus – This is my next Chromebook! Samsung takes great pride in their Galaxy line of devices and this is a top tier Chromebook. This won’t be a cheap device, but if you want performance, this is it! This device will go on sale starting in October.

For a much deeper dive into all three of these devices I recommend that you head over to Chrome Unboxed where Robby and Joe cover Chromebook hardware with incredible detail.

What is a Chromebook PLUS device?

First, a quick reminder…Chromebook Plus devices are a special category of high-powered devices for professionals. The new Acer and Samsung devices listed above are both Plus Chromebooks.

Plus devices are designed for teachers and other professionals. They are more powerful than traditional student devices and have some nice premium features like HD webcams, higher build quality, faster processors and larger displays.

Chromebook Plus devices also have some special software features, and today Google is announcing some cool new additions to this line of devices:

NEW features for Chromebook plus devices:

• Help me read – Gemini can summarize whatever is on your screen, from PDFs to Documents to websites. Just right click and select “help me read.” This could be useful when teachers need to adjust the reading level of an article.
• Live translate – Gemini will translate whatever you hear into the language of your choice. This includes videos, virtual meetings, or podcast episodes. If it comes through your speakers, you can translate it into one of over 100 supported languages. What a great update for anyone with a non-native English speaker in class!
• Recorder App – need to record an in-person meeting? The recorder app will keep track of who was speaking and generate a transcript of the conversation. Previously only available on select Android phones, this application will be available on all Plus Chromebooks.
• Audio / visual enhancements – look and sound your best in virtual meetings with new AI enhanced spatial audio and appearance enhancements.

These features are being added to some nice premium features that were announced earlier this summer. These features will only work on Plus devices, but do NOT require any additional license.

New features for ALL Chromebooks

In addition to the premium features listed above, there is a great selection of features coming to ALL Chromebooks, including student devices!

• Focus Mode – Set a timer to minimize distractions and focus on a single task. This could be a great feature for individual work time in your classroom.
• Pin to shelf – add important files to the Chromebook shelf at the bottom of your screen for easy access. A great option for making it easier for elementary students to access important files and resources.
• Gemini Chat – A dedicated Gemini app will be available on the Chromebook shelf for districts who have enabled Gemini access. I have been using this for a few weeks now and it’s a nice way to access Gemini. This app won’t appear on student devices if Gemini is turned off.
• Welcome Recap – pick up where you left off every time you restart your device or switch to a different device. The welcome recap makes it easy to re-open recently closed tabs, groups, and files. This is a great feature if you find yourself moving between several different devices throughout your day.

The Chromebook keyboard is changing…

There’s one more thing we need to talk about.

Google is making a major change to the keyboard on Chromebooks starting with the brand new Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus.

The familiar “launcher” button (a.k.a 🔍) is being replaced with the “quick insert” key.

Pressing the quick insert key will give you quick access to a variety of options:

• Help me read / write (Chromebook Plus devices only)
• Insert an emoji or GIF
• Insert a link to a recently opened site
• Search Google Drive
• Access the calculator
• Add a date
• Enable / disable caps lock

The brand new Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus will be the first device with the new quick launch key and starting in 2025, all new Chromebooks will feature the quick launch key instead of the magnifying glass on existing keyboards.

For existing devices, you can continue to use the launcher button OR you can configure the button to behave like the quick-launch key by adjusting your device settings.

John’s final thoughts

Chromebooks have always been great student devices, but they are becoming capable teacher devices as well. There is a growing collection of top-notch devices that teachers will love. Even better, these devices are among the most affordable devices on the market.

If you have been skeptical about using a Chromebook as a teacher check out this blog post with common teacher complaints and some new solutions thanks to Chromebook Plus devices.

I really like the new translation and recorder updates. These will be very helpful for special education teachers, department heads, school admins, and anyone who works with students and parents who are non-native English speakers.

I recognize that districts have varying opinions on the use of AI by staff and students, so not all of the new Gemini features will be instant classics, however they are nice options for districts that do want to provide teachers with easy on-demand access to Gemini’s powerful AI tools at no additional cost.

Like most updates, staff training is important for teachers to consider and explore the impact of these updates. Feel free to reach out if I can help!

Get the latest updates on Chromebooks and more!

Google is constantly announcing new features and updates. Some of them are pretty important, others, not so much. Let me help cut through the chaos with my monthly Google update email newsletter.