Samsung and Acer to release Google Chromebooks in June

Two ‘Chromebook' laptops, the first to have Google's Chrome operating system installed, will be launched in June by Samsung and Acer.

The Chromebooks, which are "are built and optimised for the web" store information such as apps, documents and settings 'in the cloud'. This means they are stored on internet servers rather than a hard disk.

As a result, you can log in to your computer from any Chrome OS computer. Google claims that Chromebooks will offer "a faster, simpler and more secure experience".

Chromebooks do not run traditional PC software; instead they use "millions of web apps" such as Google Docs which can be used for word processing, spreadsheets and presentations.

Two models will be available from June. The Samsung Series 5 Chromebook, which launches on June 24, is 0.79in thick and has a black and white finish. It also has a 12.1in display and weighs 1.45kg. Samsung claims it will have a battery life of up to 8.5 hours.

The Series 5 will come with an Intel N570 1.66GHz Dual Core processor and 2GB of DDR3 memory. The Series 5 doesn't have a conventional hard disk, instead it uses as 16GB of solid-state drive for storage.

The Acer ZGB Chromebook, the release date of which is yet to be confirmed, runs on an Intel Atom Dual-Core Processor. The screen on the Acer is slightly smaller than the Samsung at 11.6in, but it weighs slightly less at 1.33kg. It has a shorter battery life than the Samsung, with Acer saying it will run for six hours on a single charge. It will also have an HDMI port and a webcam and microphone.

Both the Acer Chromebook and the Samsung Series 5 will be available in two versions; Wifi only and Wifi with 3G. 3G models will use a SIM card to connect to the mobile internet in the same was that smartphones do.

The Samsung Series 5 Chromebook will be available at Amazon and PC World. The 3G Wifi model will retail at £399 and the Wifi model will cost £349. Acer is yet to announce price details for its ZGB Chromebook.

Google has released a 'guided tour' video about the Chromebook laptops.