Here in the good ole U.S. of A., we often take for granted the fact that we have nearly unlimited access to the latest tech gadgets and Chromebooks are no exception. Even as I write this on my Acer Spin 13, my wife’s HP x360 is on the coffee table and there are no less than a half dozen Chrome devices scattered around the house.
I mean, seriously. If I wanted to, I could hop in my car right now, take the ten minute drive to Walmart and come home with a new Chromebook. (Probably a cheap Acer but still, a Chromebook at 11 p.m. nevertheless.) Sadly, that is not the case in practically every other country around the globe.
Slowly, and I mean slowly, the global Chromebook market has been inching forward as manufacturers expand the availability of consumer devices outside of the U.S. Today, Google made an announcement that will hopefully accelerate the adoption of Chrome OS on a grander scale.
From today, Aussies can enjoy a wider and more enhanced range of Chromebooks, from more retailers.
Google Blog Australia
Since 2013, Chromebooks in Australia have played a big role in education and has garnered a growing presence in the enterprise sector. For consumers, on the other hand, getting your hands on the latest and greatest from Chrome OS usually meant ordering from overseas, paying outrageous shipping and essentially voiding all warranty while forgoing any hope of support should the device fail.
According the Google Australia, that all changes today with the immediate availability of mid-range and premium devices from OEMs Acer, ASUS, HP and Lenovo.
Aussies can now head to their very own Chromebook website and check out the modest yet desirable selection of Chromebooks available from Amazon AU, JB Hi-Fi and Officeworks.
Chromebooks currently available for purchase include:
- ASUS Chromebook Flip C434
- HP Chromebook x360 14
- Lenovo Chromebook C330
- Lenovo Chromebook S330
- HP Chromebook x2
- Acer Chromebook 11 (CB311)
- Acer Chromebook CB515
- Acer Chromebook Flip C302
- Acer Chromebook R13
- Acer Chromebook 14 (Edgar)
- ASUS Chromebook C202
This is a very well-rounded list of Chromebooks and I would suspect it to grow over time. Price wise, the listings look to be in line with what the Chromebooks cost here in the U.S. when you take into consideration the exchange rate. That is certainly a breath of fresh air when you consider the premiums being charged for flagship devices in regions such as the United Kingdom.
You may notice that the Pixelbook and the Pixel Slate are nowhere to be found on this list. It doesn’t appear that Google was ready to send their own hardware down under. Fingers crossed that will change if and when the next #MadeByGoogle Chromebook surfaces.
Read more about Google’s announcement at official Australia Blog.
