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Google takes a jab at Windows and macOS in latest Chromebook ad

Can Chromebooks really overtake Windows and macOS? (Source: Google)
Can Chromebooks really overtake Windows and macOS? (Source: Google)
Google seems to take on Windows and macOS head on with its latest Chromebook ad. The ad shows how Chromebook users don't have to deal with any of the errors and update nags that plague traditional PC users. While Chromebooks are indeed easy to use and stable, most of the issues shown in the ad are largely passe.

The Mac vs PC wars in the good ol' days were fun just for watching how users took sides to claim which is a better OS. With the emphasis on cloud and mobile in recent years by both Microsoft and Apple, that argument is not as popcorn-worthy as it used to be. Google, however, seems to think otherwise. In what is likely to be its maiden taunt against Microsoft Windows and Apple macOS, the new Chromebook ad shows how ChromeOS doesn't suffer from maladies such as virus warnings, BSODs, and other error messages. The ad also highlights some of ChromeOS's features such as automatic updates in the background, all-day battery life, and support for Android apps.

To be honest, the ad seems to exploit popular conventions about Windows and macOS that are largely moot today. Both Windows and macOS have become very stable and support nearly every other hardware and software out there. Except when using totally outdated hardware or software, it is highly improbable to see a BSOD in Windows these days. It also comes included with Windows Defender antivirus, automatic updates, and laptops running on Windows 10 on ARM can actually offer 20+ hours of battery life. But the perception of the average Joe would still be that Windows is a harbinger of all things malware and macOS keeps throwing up errors if not used the 'Apple' way so the ad does strike a chord at marketing Chromebooks to such people. The perfect timing of the ad for the Back to School season also means that Google would want more students switch to Chromebooks from traditional Windows and Mac laptops; although Microsoft still can fire a salvo with the US$399 Surface Go

We did extensively discuss what one can do with a Chromebook but things have advanced since then with ChromeOS gaining better support for touch, Android, and Linux apps out of the box. It cannot be denied that Chromebooks are virtually maintenance free and can accommodate most casual use cases. Modern Chromebooks such as the Pixelbooks and HP Chromebook x2 feature decent specs albeit at slightly premium prices. However, it will still be sometime before ChromeOS, which is nothing but a custom Linux distro, can be a sizable competitor to Windows and macOS. Ultimately, it all boils down to what a user is comfortable with and whether the OS supports all the apps he/she wishes to use. 

What do you think of Google's latest ad? Let us know in the comments below.

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > News > News Archive > Newsarchive 2018 07 > Google takes a jab at Windows and macOS in latest Chromebook ad
Vaidyanathan Subramaniam, 2018-07-31 (Update: 2018-07-31)