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For the first time ever, parents and students have a whole new option for back to school and uni devices – Chromebook Plus. As the name suggests, this is a new line from Google that juices up Chromebooks with extra power and features, while keeping them affordable and easy to use. If that sounds like it might be just what students need this year, here are five things that you should know about Chromebook Plus . CHROMEBOOK PLUS

Words Michael Irving

Multiple models Like the earlier line, Chromebook Plus isn’t just one device but a whole category, produced by a range of manufacturers like Acer, HP, Asus, and Lenovo. That means they’ll come in different types and sizes – for example, some will have touchscreens, and some will be able to fold flat or backwards. That gives customers a bit more freedom to pick and choose the right device to meet their needs, style and budget. Better hardware at a minimum Naturally the specifications of each device will vary, but Google have laid down some ground rules about the minimum hardware requirements to earn the Chromebook Plus badge: CPU: Intel Core i3 12th Generation or above/AMD Ryzen 3 7000 series or above RAM: 8GB or higher Storage: 128GB or higher Webcam: Full HD resolution or higher with Temporal Noise Reduction Display: Full HD IPS display or better This means that whichever model you choose, you’ll know you’re getting a zippy processor, plenty of storage space and a crisp, high resolution display.

Armed with AI Artificial Intelligence is rapidly changing the world, and the Chromebook Plus helps students tap into that. Magic Eraser, an AI editing feature found in the Google

Army of apps The extra power will help students be more productive, with the help of an army of apps. Chromebook Plus devices come with a suite of Google apps pre-installed, including Google Photos, Drive, Meet, Docs, Sheet, and Slides. It also opens up a range of other apps, downloadable from the Google Play Store, that previous Chromebooks might not have had the power to run. That includes creative apps like Adobe Photoshop and Express, as well as the video editing suite LumaFusion. All up, this will ensure students are equipped to tackle any assignment thrown their way.

Photos app on smartphones, is coming to Chromebook Plus, letting you

seamlessly remove background objects or people in photos. If classes are

remote, built-in AI makes sure you look sharp by adjusting the clarity, lighting and background of your video feed. These settings are applied in ChromeOS, so they work with whichever video call app you’re using – Google Meet, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, etc. Future updates will also add generative AI, Google says. This will let you quickly create your own images to use as wallpapers or video call backgrounds, or even inject a bit of humour into social media posts.

Same security and simplicity Even with all these new features, Google doesn’t let Chromebook Plus devices get too cocky. They still have the same simple interface, multi layered security systems and, of course, the lighter price tag, that all make Chromebooks such an attractive choice in the first place.

62 MARCH 2024

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