One reason for the dull name is the fact that the Cr-48 won’t be available in retail, it will only be available through a pilot program launched by Google. Applicants will be asked to send regular feedback on their experiences with the new platform, but the program is only available in the US.
On the hardware side, the Cr-48 is an interesting beast. It’s a 12.1-incher with a full size keyboard and a massive touchpad with integrated pad buttons. It features 3G support and offers more than 8 hours of battery life and 8 days of standby. Google claims that the new platform is geared towards users who “live on the net” and it will rely on online apps rather than legacy PC software.
We’re not sure about the processor, which is clearly ARM-based and thus consumes next to now power and needs no active cooling. As the Cr-48 features only flash storage, it’s obviously a completely silent machine with low thermals.
We also like the understated matte black design and matte screen. It just looks like it was designed by the Gambino family.
You can check out the details here.