18 per cent of US Android smartphone users say they will buy a Google Chromebook, with the figure rising to 24 per cent in New York, according to Qriously, a service that measures location-based public sentiment, in real-time. It works by replacing ads with questions in smartphone apps. Qriously notes that the figures compare favourably with an AdMob survey conducted in February 2010, which found that only 16 per cent of iPhone users intended to buy an iPad in the next six months.
Google unveiled the Chromebook series last week, describing it as: “a mobile device designed specifically for people who live on the web.” Web-friendly features include all-day battery life, light weight, and built-in ability to connect to wi-fi and mobile broadband networks.
Google says Chromebooks work best for people who spend most of their time in a browser using web applications. Indeed, they don’t run traditional PC software. They will be available in the UK, US, UK, France, Germany, Netherlands, Spain and Italy, and in other countries over the next few months.