The new Samsung Chromebook Plus is a laptop with a 15.6 inch OLED display, and Intel Core i3-100U 6-core, 8-thread processor based on Raptor Lake-Refresh architecture, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage.

It's also the thinnest and lightest Chromebook Plus to date, measuring 11.8mm (0.46 inches) thick and weighing 1.17 kg (2.58 pounds). And for better or worse, it's the first to feature a new Quick Insert key designed for some new Gemini Advanced AI features that Google is bringing to Chromebooks. Yep – Chromebooks are getting their own version of Microsoft's Copilot key. At least in this case it's not quite a dedicated key: the Quick Insert key serves double-duty as a Caps Lock button.

So what exactly are you supposed to do with that Quick Insert key?

Earlier this year Google announced that customers who purchase a Chromebook Plus-branded device would get a 1-year subscription to Google One AI Premium (worth $240), with access to features like generative AI wallpapers and backgrounds for video calls, Magic Editor for Google Photos, and a Help me write tool that would generate text from a prompt or help rewrite text in a different style.

The Quick Insert key provides quick access to:

  • Help me write
  • Insert Emoji or GIFs in any text field
  • Add links for recently opened websites
  • Search with Google Drive integration, making it easy to insert links to files, photos, or videos
  • Tools for quickly performing calculations, adding a specific date, or converting units

    • As someone who's made a habit of trying to include metric and North American units of measurement in most articles I write for Liliputing, that last one sounds like a real time saver.

    Quick Insert

    While the Samsung Chromebook Plus is the first device that will have a dedicated Quick Insert key, users with existing Chromebooks should be able to perform the same functions by using the keyboard shortcut Launcher Key + F.

    Google says some of the other AI features it previewed for Chromebooks are also expected to begin rolling out in October through automatic updates, including:

  • Help me read: Summarize articles, websites, or PDFs with a right-click, and interact with the summaries by asking follow-up questions. Google plans to add more features in 2025, including the ability to highlight a specific sentence or paragraph that you'd like more clarification on.
  • Live Translate: Get AI-translated captions for anything on the screen, including video live streams or video calls. Over 100 languages will be supported at launch.
  • Google Recorder app: This app, which is similar to the one Google offers for Android phones, can not only record audio, but also generate transcripts, detect and label different speakers, and provide a summary of the content of a recording.
  • Video call enhancements: Google will offer automatic video enhancements including lighting and brightness effects in all video calling apps available on Chromebooks. There's also a new "studio-style mic" feature that Google implies will make audio captured by the lousy microphones available in most budget laptops to sound a whole lot better. I suspect results will vary from Chromebook to Chromebook, but Google says it'll use "AI-based high-quality mic simulation" as well as noise and room reverb reduction to make calls sound more clear.
    • Video enhancements Live Transcribe Help me read

    Google is also bringing some new features to all Chromebooks, and not just the higher-priced, higher-performance Chromebook Plus-branded models.

    That includes a new Welcome Recap feature that makes it easier to pick up where you left off by showing preview of the things you were doing when you were last using any device connected to your Google account. Previously Google was just referring to this feature as "pick up where you left off," but despite the name change, the basic idea seems to be the same: login and you'll see apps, windows, pages, appointments, reminders, and other information to help you get going.

    A new Focus  mode lets you set a time period and "soundscape or YouTube Music Playlist" and automatically enable Do not Disturb mode to silence notifications and other distractions while you work. And there's now support for pinning files to your home screen to make them easier to find.

    Pin Files to home screen Focus Welcome Recap

    Google is also offering 3 months of Google One AI Premium for free to customers who buy any Chromebook, not just Chromebook Plus models.

    As for the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus, it should be available this month with prices starting at $700.

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