Google taps into PC market with Asus's Chromebox in 2014

Want China Times, Chan Tzuhsien and Staff Reporter 2013-10-29

A user checks out a Chromebook laptop at a launch event in the US, Feb. 21.
 (Photo/CFP)

Google has been eyeing the personal computer market, with several brand makers, including Taiwan's Asus, gearing up for rolling out devices that run on Google operating systems.

In addition to Acer, HP and Samsung, Japan-based Toshiba also recently partenered up with Google after it introduced its version of the Chromebook at the Intel Developer Forum. Asus will launch the Chromebox, reportedly a tiny device no bigger than the +Google TV settop box, next year. Asus's assembler Quanta is said to be ready for production.

The market was abuzz earlier this year with news that Google was planning to adopt its Android operating system for traditional notebooks that will be configured with a touch screen, and will be aimed at capturing a market share in both the tablet and notebook markets.

Lenovo's IdeaPad A10, priced at US$249, was the first notebook model to run on the Android operating system, and it has a 10.1-inch screen and a Rockchip ARM chip. The reversible screen on the device means the device functions as both a tablet and a notebook.

Other Android notebooks, developed by HP and Samsung, are expected to hit the shelves during the second quarter of 2014. However, some market observers have displayed a negative attitude toward the Android tablet, which along with the Chromebook will target the lower-end of the market.

The sales momentum in the notebook market also remains weak. Several brand makers hope to boost the sales with Google's Chromebook and Android notebooks.

At present, three of the top five sales on Amazon were for Chromebook, with Samsung's Chromebook being the most popular and the fourth and fifth places being taken by the HP and Acer C720 Chromebooks.