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It already feels like it’s been a little while since we had our hands-on time with all the new Chromebooks announced at CES 2020. In reality, it has only been about 3 weeks, but if absence makes the heart grow fonder, these three weeks have only increased my excitement level for all the new devices we saw out in Las Vegas this year. Though the big three device announcments from Lenovo, Samsung, and ASUS were all equally compelling, it seems only two of these new Chromebooks are getting the full-blown landing page treatment on Google’s own Chromebook page.
If you haven’t seen it already, Google’s new Chromebook website is definitely worth a visit. It really is a sight to behold and is actually useful for those new to Chromebooks and Chrome OS. There are details about Chrome OS, most available Chromebooks, and about what they can do for you. There’s even a Chromebook selector that takes users through a handful of qualifying questions to try and match them with the best device for their needs. Go check it out if you haven’t already.
Now that we’ve covered that, let’s talk about a couple new pages that have shown up over there. We first saw these new entries on Google’s Chromebook site when we covered the news of the ASUS Chromebook Flip C436 getting an official starting price. At the time, the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook and Lenovo IdeaPad Duet Chromebook had “available soon” labels on them and I didn’t think to check them out. After all, every other Chromebook listed on the page just brought up a little carousel and some specs on the device when clicking on them. I honestly didn’t expect to find anything different in these two.
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I was wrong, however, and as it turns out, the Lenovo IdeaPad Duet and Samsung Galaxy Chromebook both have dedicated, beautiful landing pages that give both devices the feeling of being a bit more special than the others. For what its worth, not even the original Pixelbook or the Pixelbook Go have landing pages built just for them. They get the same treatment every other Chromebook in the list gets, and thus the special treatment for the Samsung and Lenovo feels unique and likely important.
To be fair, all of Google’s laptops and tablets have dedicated landing pages on the Google Store, so perhaps they didn’t feel the need to replicate this on the Chromebook website. But looking at all the other Chromebooks by all the other manufacturers on the Chromebook website, you can’t help but feel like Samsung and Lenovo are getting a bit of special treatment. It could be an extended agreement between Google and these companies or Google may have been involved on a deeper level with the development of both laptops: it’s hard to say. Regardless of the reason, the inclusion of both of these devices in these more-elaborate landing pages and the early buzz being displayed around each is perhaps a sign that there will be quite a bit more work put into the release and marketing of these devices than usual.
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It’s no secret that Chromebook launches are pretty low-key affairs. We rarely get firm launch dates, we don’t see big launch announcements, and we rarely have the follow-up marketing needed to get devices in front of the people that need to see them. Though the big three devices from CES didn’t get big, splashy unveilings, they did get very clear pre-CES coverage in the media and they were readily on-hand at the event for plenty of exposure. Perhaps, at least for the Lenovo IdeaPad Duet and the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook, the addition of these landing pages is a sign that the tides are turning. Perhaps its a signal that we’ll see solid launches for both of these Chromebooks and that well-thought-out marketing will follow.
This new line of Chromebooks is worth that. For probably the first time ever, Chromebooks are finally poised to make a splash in the general consumer’s consciousness. For the first time this year, I think you’ll see more marketing and more coverage of Chromebooks targeted at the general public than ever before. With the features, specs, looks, and abilities these new Chromebooks bring to the table, the time is right for a full-blown consumer blitz. I hope these two landing pages are just the start.
