Chrome Notebook

I finally received my Cr-48 laptop last week, and after taking an initial photo tour, I got to work on figuring out the pros and cons of the machine. Of course, Google has already said that this version is not for consumers, and both the interior and exterior could change after the beta testing program has been completed. However, I've already found some great (and not-so great) features coming with the Chrome notebook.

First up, the details: the Cr-48 comes with a 12.1-inch matte screen, flash hard drive, a full-sized keyboard, one USB, VGA, 35mm headphone jack, and an SD card reader. It's said to get about eight hours of surfing time, and so far, that's been right on point. Find out the pros and cons I've come across so far in my first impressions below.

Pros

• Fast setup — just enter your Google account info, take a pic, and you're off — for multiple users
• Lightweight, and comes with a nice, rubbery exterior finish
• All your info/work/data is in the cloud — take it anywhere!
• Seamless Google product integration, like Docs, Picasa, and Gmail (that one's pretty obvious)
• Lots of web apps to choose from in the Chrome App Store
• The option for Verizon contract-free data plans
• Syncs your Chrome browser bookmarks automatically
• Extremely fast wake times
• Matte screen keeps glare at bay

See my list of cons, and who I think this laptop is really for after the jump.

We just got our Chrome notebook delivered to Sugar HQ, and while we're busy diving into all the goodness that a cloud-based laptop has to offer, we thought we'd let you get an early look at the notebook, and get you excited for what's to come. Check out the gallery of images below, and stay tuned for lots more coverage ahead!

See more pics after the break.

So the rumors were true: Google is launching its own Chrome notebook sometime next year. But don't get too excited just yet — you probably won't get your hands on one any time soon. The Chrome laptop will be released first to a select number of businesses and "beta" testers to play with before it's made available to the public in mid-2011.

Companies like Virgin America, Logitech, and even the Department of Defense will be using the beta version of the Chrome netbook (dubbed CR-48), which will likely come with a 12.1-inch display, a full-sized keyboard, 3G access, and a webcam for video chatting, but the good news is, you may also have a chance to test drive the beta version of the Chrome notebook. Find out how, and get more info on the Chrome notebook, after the break.