Google has set its sights on the high end market of notebook with its latest notebook, the Chromebook Pixel, but their plans don’t end there. According to a new rumor, Google plans to release cheaper Android OS and Intel Atom notebooks that are expected to be as low as $200. Both Acer and Asus also have plans to release the new Chromebook later this year.

While details are sparce right now on what we know about the Asus Chromebook, it is expected to be unveiled in the third or fourth quarters of 2013.  We know slightly more about the Acer Chromebook.  It supposedly had a 11.6 inch screen and is expected to be for sale in July of 2013.  We do not know any more about these devices at this time, but they are supposedly going to be mid-range devices and should be quite a bit cheaper than the projected price of the Chromebook Pixel.

With all the interest in the Chromebook, Google is quickly establishing itself as a heavy hitter in the notebook game.  What do you think of Chrome OS, are you okay with using a cloud-driven OS for your laptop needs or would you rather stick to a more traditional Windows, Mac or Linux device?

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Not too long ago we covered the news of the ChromeBook Pixel, a rumored Google-made ChromeBook that had leaked to the net. While it was unclear whether it was a hoax or the real deal, now we have actual confirmation from Google itself.

The Google ChromeBook is a high-end notebook device that is priced comparably to higher-end ultrabooks and the MacBook series at $1,300. While that’s a lot to spend for a Chrome OS device, the hardware is pretty slick with a 239ppi display, that Google says is the highest density display found in any laptop to date.

The laptop is also constructed of high-quality anodized aluminum alloy and has a touchpad made from etched glass. Not enough high-end features? The laptop is powered by an Intel Core 5 processor and is a touch-capable display.

Unfortunately there isn’t much in the way of physical storage with only a 32GB SSD, but Google does through in 1TB of Google Drive storage into the mix. At $1,300 you just get WiFi, but for those looking for LTE, a $1,450 model will exist as well.

With Chrome OS essentially being just a browser within a self-contained environment, is it going to be enough of an OS to attract people? Honestly, it depends on your needs. If you live mostly in the web, it will be great. Additionally, it will support many offline web apps as well – so it’s not like it just becomes an expensive brick when your connection is down.

What do you think of the Google ChromeBook Pixel, worthy of such a high price point or not?

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Tata Motors has gone ‘Mega’, not just in the naming convention, but also in the range and mileage of their latest four-seater range extended electric vehicle (REEV) concept.

The Indian automobile giant unveiled its latest offering – the Megapixel – at the Geneva Motor Show and it has already started making heads turn and all for the right reasons.

The Megapixel, an evolved version of the REEV concept ‘Pixel’ the company unveiled in Geneva last year, uses four 10 kilowatt motors attached to the wheels plus a single-cylinder 325cc range-extending engine that runs on petrol. The engine is capable of generating 22 kw of power while charging the lithium ion phosphate battery and add to that the rather light design of Megapixel means it has a net range of 900km  and an electric-only range of 87 km.

Not bad if I’m planning on running it alongside the marathoners at the London Olympics later this year. But what about the highway sprinters, who constitute more than 99 percent of the drivers, be it in the US, UK or anywhere across the world for that matter? We all love to push our cars a bit once out in the open and Megapixel will be literally out in unchartered, deep waters there.

The single-cylinder “tuk-tuk” of a car simply doesn’t have enough juice to save you from yawning all the while during a 100 km drive through the freeway.

But then Tata’s Megapixel is not meant for speed. It has other tricks up its sleeve.

For starters, its acutely turning wheels give it a turning radius of just 2.8 metres. Yeah, you heard it right, a mere 9.2 feet. Surely Tata might have perfected this design, testing it on narrow Indian roads. But the irony is that the car is not sturdy enough for Indian roads, the focus on cutting weight making it only suitable for the well-maintained tarmacs in Europe and the US, provided they have plans to launch it across the Atlantic.

Another feature is the induction charging pad. You needn’t plug this beauty but just have to park it neatly over an induction pad to get it charged. How convenient is that?  But will it make much of a difference is the question. To plug a car in, it will take just two minutes max. Yeah why not use those two valuable minutes saved to search for your TV mobile once you are back in your drawing room.

Getting in and out of a small car is not that easy, especially for bigger drivers among us. Here Megapixel scores a near perfect 10 for its innovative double-sliding doors. The inside of the car is also rather spacious, claiming that it will sit four adults (not pigmies or kids) with luggage easily.

The layout of the motor and the battery pack is helpful in the leg-space department but one wonders what Tata’s definition of luggage is. If it is an ultra-sleek laptop then Megapixel has more than enough room. But four rugby players carrying their playing kit for a workout session, now that’s a different proposition altogether.

Megapixel, with looks and size borrowed from other REEV models, is Tata’s attempt to push the electric small-car envelope a bit further, at least as far as range in concerned. If, launched, after juicing up the engine a bit further, this could indeed give the bigger players in this segment a run for their money.

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