HP Inc. today announced the HP Chomebook 13 , an ultra-thin Chromebook for home and office use. The device reinvents the Chromebook experience to deliver:

• A modern, all-metal design measuring only 12.9 mm thin
• The first docking solution for a Chromebook , enabled through HP's USB-C Docking Station to deliver dual high-definition displays, full-size keyboards, wired networks and charging
• First Chromebook to use 6th generation Intel Core M processors
• Category-leading sound and video capabilities, custom-tuned in collaboration with audio experts from B&O PLAY, and a 13.3 inch diagonal QHD+ (3200 x 1800) resolution IPS display for optimal collaboration using apps like Google Hangouts

Acer today debuts its new Chromebook 14 for Work, the industry's first Chromebook with 6th Generation Intel Core processors, available with a durable design to meet the demanding needs of enterprise, government, small business and institutional users. The Acer Chromebook 14 for Work is powered by a 6th Generation Intel Core processor to provide exceptional performance and long battery life of up to 12 hours.

It is also the world's first notebook to feature Vibrant Corning Gorilla Glass, providing corporate customers with the flexibility to design the top cover with photorealistic images that are highly durable and scratch-resistant.

CTL has announced the new CTL J5 Rugged Convertible Chromebook today. This Chromebook is ideal for schools or mobile professionals who want the versatility of a Chromebook and tablet in one. With a 360-degree hinge, users can choose to type on the keyboard in laptop mode or fold the keyboard under and angle screen back for presentations. By rotating the screen all the way around, this Chromebook can be converted into a tablet (optional stylus available).

The CTL J5 Rugged Convertible Chromebook is durable enough for the rigors of student use and includes a splash-proof keyboard and drop-resistant design. "CTL is excited to introduce this new rugged, convertible Chromebook," said CTL President, Erik Stromquist. "This is a great choice for those who want a Chromebook with tablet capabilities."

HP Inc. today announced the HP Chromebook 11 G4 Education Edition (EE) -- a durable, lightweight Chromebook designed to meet the needs of students and educators. "The popularity of Chromebooks in the classroom offers a simple, secure, and manageable solution to enable technology-based learning," said Gus Schmedlen, vice president of Worldwide Education, HP. "With the HP Chromebook 11 G4 Education Edition (EE), we are bringing innovation, design and HP's legendary quality to students and teachers in a durable device built to survive the rigorous school environment while enabling students to achieve more both in and out of the classroom."

Because students can be some of the most demanding users when it comes to technology, HP designed the HP Chromebook 11 G4 EE with their environment in mind. At 20 mm thin and just 2.7 pounds, the fanless HP Chromebook 11 G4 EE is the thinnest rugged Chromebook for Education designed to pass MIL-STD testing. With rugged construction accents like co-molded rubber edges, the device passes HP's 70 cm drop test to help protect it from occasional bumps with lockers and drops from desks.

Toshiba's Digital Products Division (DPD), a division of Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., today announced the successor to its award-winning Chromebook 2. Now available with a 5th Gen Intel Core i3 or Celeron processor and up to 4GB of RAM, these two new models deliver better performance for loading content-rich webpages quickly, providing brilliant video playback and effortless multitasking. Both models come with an all-new LED backlit keyboard for a more seamless experience when web browsing, watching movies, listening to music and getting work done, even in low light environments.

"As more people use Chromebooks for productivity and rely more often on the web for content creation and entertainment, devices need to be better equipped for these higher processing demands and built with hardware features that optimize Chrome OS," said Philip Osako, senior director of product marketing, Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., Digital Products Division. "With the launch of our latest Chromebook 2 models, Toshiba delivers brilliant performance for an outstanding experience on and off the web with entertainment-inspired hardware features that make the most of Chrome OS and enable customers to get things done faster wherever their Chromebook 2 takes them."

Conexant Systems, Inc. introduced an ultra-low power, high-performance HD Audio CODEC: the CX8200. Targeted to mobile PC applications including notebooks, ultrabooks and tablets, the new CX8200 intelligently drives speakers to optimize sound pressure level (SPL) while providing best-in-class speaker protection and eliminating background noise. Part of the AudioSmart 2.0 product family, the CX8200 features a fully integrated Class-D smart amplifier and interfaces directly with Conexant's innovative software to deliver flawless speech recognition and audio output that is up to several times louder using existing PC/tablet speakers.

Voice and speech communications play a critical role in people's personal and professional lives; however, the background noises and echoes that occur during Skype or Lync calls can effectively shut down communication and ruin collaboration. Conexant's AudioSmart 2.0 solutions improve the audio experience in noisy, real-world conditions and allow for a more natural collaboration experience with crystal clear playback and no background noise. The CX8200 allows users to hear what others are saying, speak naturally, listen to multimedia content at higher volume levels, make use of Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) for dictation and virtual assistant applications (such as Cortana), and much more.

Patriot, a leading manufacturer of mobile accessories, computer and USB memory, announces the development of a Type-C USB Flash Drive for the new MacBook, Google Chromebook Pixel and other Type-C equipped notebooks and systems available on the market. With the recent release of the latest MacBook, which has been upgraded with the new Type-C port, consumers will now be able to use the Type-C USB Flash Drive to transfer data from any other form factor using a single robust and small solution.

Outfitted with a polished metal exterior, the dual-sided Type-C / Type A USB Flash Drive will feature both a small Type-C at one end and a standard USB 3.0 connector at the other end allowing seamless data transfer from traditional devices to the new Type C based device. Patriot solves the problem of compatibility, providing a solution that is compatible with all devices.

Lenovo today, announced at its Accelerate 2015 Partner Forum in Las Vegas, the newest addition to the ThinkCentre Tiny business desktop family: the ThinkCentre Chromebox. Purposefully-designed for education and small business users looking to leverage the benefits of a cloud-based solution. This space-saving, one litre desktop is versatile, easy to manage and has a full ecosystem of optional accessories while Google's Chrome operating system offers a wide range of easy to use applications to learn, share, and collaborate in a highly secure environment. Furthermore, the new ThinkCentre is the first and only Chromebox on the market that can combine with the ThinkCentre Tiny-in-One to instantly offer a 23-inch all-in-one experience.

ThinkCentre Chromebox helps education institutions and small businesses who want to deploy secure and easy to manage technology within manageable budgets. The simplicity and flexibility of Chrome OS devices offer a fast and easy way to manage computing and provide access to the web's vast education and collaboration resources. Teachers and IT Managers can also take advantage of centralized device management providing asset tracking, easy deployment of new applications, system updates or enabling safe-browsing policies for users through a simple management console.

After launching the Acer Chromebook 15, the industry's first Chromebook with a 15.6-inch display, Acer today expands this line with a new model, the Acer CB3-531, available at a wallet-friendly price of only $199.99. The new Acer Chromebook 15 features 11.5 hours of battery life, the longest in the industry's 15-inch Chromebook segment.

"Our Acer Chromebook line has been pleasing customers and winning awards since we introduced the first model in 2011," said Jerry Kao, president of Acer Notebook Business Group. "The new model is a homerun for an important segment in the market - people who want a large 15.6-inch display Chromebook and long battery life at a price that fits in a limited budget. The capabilities and ease-of-use of the Acer Chromebook 15 CB3-531 make it a great choice for families, seniors, and anyone who wants to enjoy the many benefits of Chrome on a large display."

Worldwide PC shipments totaled 68.5 million units in the first quarter of 2015 (1Q15), a year-on-year decline of -6.7%, and slightly ahead of previous projections, according to the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly PC Tracker.

Following a strong second half of 2014, which benefitted from the tailwind of the Windows XP refresh and pockets of price-driven consumer activity, the Q1 market faced multiple headwinds - including inventory build-up of Windows Bing based notebooks, commercial slow down following the XP refresh and constrained demand in many regions due to currency fluctuations and unfavorable economic indicators. As a result, growth and volume declined with Q1 shipments below 69 million units, the lowest recorded volume since Q1 2009.

Acer America today sets a new milestone in the Chromebook market with the fastest commercial model in the industry - the Acer C910 Chromebook with a 5th Generation Intel Core i5 processor. The Acer C910 Chromebook is part of Acer's commercial Chromebook line and is designed for education and business customers who need extra screen real estate along with outstanding Chrome performance and a durable design.

This new model will use the 5th Generation Intel Core i5-5200U Processor to deliver the fastest performance in a commercial Chromebook to date. The new model expands the Acer C910 line that uses 5th Generation Intel Core i3 and next generation Intel Celeron processors based on Intel 5th Generation Core micro-architecture.

Two years ago, Google introduced the first Chromebook Pixel. The idea was to bring together the best in hardware, software and design to inspire the next generation of Chromebooks. It's been exciting to see how the entire range of Chromebooks-from classroom-proof to high-end-has made a difference to people at school, at home, and at work. Today, we're introducing an updated and more powerful Pixel to fuel the imaginations of another wave of Chromebook enthusiasts. Plus, we've created a new, online Google Store where you can get the Pixel and other devices made with Google, all in one place.

These days, packing for a trip means remembering to bring all your different chargers-for your phone, laptop, tablet, watch, etc. We think you should be able to use just one charger for all your electronics. So for the new Pixel, we've joined forces with some of the biggest names in the industry to create a new standard for charging, called USB Type C. The Pixel is one of the first products to launch with this new standard, with more Chromebooks and Android devices following suit soon.

Worldwide PC shipments totaled 80.8 million units in the fourth quarter of 2014 (4Q14), a year-on-year decline of -2.4%, according to the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly PC Tracker. Total shipments were slightly above expectations of -4.8% growth, but the market still contracted both year on year and in comparison to the third quarter. Although the holiday quarter saw shipment volume inch above 80 million for the first time in 2014, the final quarter nonetheless marked the end of yet another difficult year - the third consecutive year with overall volumes declining. On an annual basis, 2014 shipments totaled 308.6 million units, down -2.1% from the prior year.

Although the U.S. and Europe remained stronger than other markets, growth in these mature regions slowed from earlier in the year. Asia/Pacific (excluding Japan)(APeJ) continued to strengthen, seeing only a very slight increase in volume as a number of public projects and improving consumer demand helped stabilize the market. Similarly, commercial demand, which boosted growth earlier in the year, has slowed while consumer demand is gradually coming back. Nevertheless, the market progress has been fueled by low-priced systems, including growth of Chromebooks and promotion of Windows 8 + Bing. Constraints on Bing promotions, such as limits on larger-sized devices, could remove a key market driver while some fourth quarter production was attributed to getting ahead of holiday-related production constraints in Asia in the first quarter, effectively shifting volume from early 2015 into the end of 2014.

Acer today continues to lead the Chromebook space with the debut of the industry's first Chromebook with a 15.6-inch display. The new Acer Chromebook 15 delivers the ideal balance of large screen size, outstanding Chrome performance and sleek, portable design, making it an excellent primary computing device. The Acer Chromebook 15 is the company's first Chromebook that uses 5th Generation Intel Core i3 and next generation Intel Celeron processors based on Intel 5th Generation Core micro-architecture.

The new Acer Chromebook 15 will be on display at Pepcom's Digital Experience! Event on Jan. 5th at The Mirage in Las Vegas.

In another strong quarter, Chromebook shipments increased by 67% QoQ and are projected to double in size YoY. Acer continues to maintain its lead over other vendors in the market, including Samsung, HP, and Dell. The top three leading vendors - Acer, Samsung, and HP - accounted for 74% shipment share during 1H 2014 and are forecasted to maintain market control through 2H 2014, according to quarterly data from technology market intelligence firm ABI Research.

"Consumers are hungry for a product that is cost effective but also provides the versatility and functionality of a laptop," says Research Analyst Stephanie Van Vactor. "The growth of the Chromebook market demonstrates a niche that is gaining traction among consumers."

The questionable need of Chromebooks by consumers contributed to the slow start of these devices; however, vertical markets such as elementary education still remain a driving force. In emerging markets, especially in Asia-Pacific and Eastern Europe, business-purchasing entities account for 75% of Chromebook sales. ABI Research also forecasts that North America will account for 78% of the Chromebook market in 2014, while other regions, especially Asia-Pacific and Western Europe, are expected to grow in market share by 2019.

Samsung, the leading Chromebook brand, today announced availability of the new, 11-inch Chromebook 2 with an Intel Celeron (N2840) processor. The laptop is available for pre-order now for an MSRP of $249.99.

Premium, High-Powered Performance
The Samsung Chromebook 2 utilizes an Intel Celeron (N2840) processor, with speeds up to 2.58 GHz and a 1 MB L2 cache, providing fast performance and energy efficiency. With an overall system memory of 2 GB, eMMc technology and a storage capacity of 16 GB, the Chromebook 2 provides ample space for all of a user's needs.

HP today announced a new lineup of sleek consumer PCs including, two new powerful HP ENVY x2 detachable PCs designed to deliver a notebook experience for productivity, but quickly transform to a tablet for entertainment and apps; the ultra-portable HP Pavilion x2 detachable PC designed for customers who want to simplify their life with a single device that transforms from tablet to laptop; and two new colorful HP Chromebooks that bring the power of the Chrome OS for a fast, simple, protected internet experience.

"Customers have told us they want devices that offer flexibility and performance while reflecting their personal sense of style," said Mike Nash, vice president, Product Management, Consumer Personal Systems, HP. "The products we are announcing today include innovative designs, vibrant color options, choice of operating system and computing power to enable the way that customers communicate, play and live."

Toshiba's Digital Products Division (DPD), a division of Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., today announced its second generation Chromebooks. Featuring an all-new sleek design that houses a 13-inch display in a compact 12-inch chassis, Toshiba's Chromebook 2 delivers a Chromebook experience that's tuned for entertainment, while providing versatile performance and fantastic battery life for productivity seekers.

Toshiba will offer two versions of its Chromebook 2 - an entry model with a standard HD display and a premium model featuring a brilliant Full HD (1920 x 1080) display with IPS technology. Both models feature a sound system tuned by Skullcandy that delivers audio with attacking bass, natural vocals and precision highs and sets a new bar for Chromebooks.

Today at VMworld 2014, VMware, NVIDIA and Google announced a collaborative effort to deliver high-performance virtual desktops and workstation-class graphics to Google Chromebooks. Showcased as a technology preview, the solution demonstrates the next generation of VMware Blast Performance and NVIDIA GRID vGPU technology to satisfy customers' most demanding visual computing needs. The joint effort is expected to expand the hardware options for high-performance virtual desktops, enabling customers to select their system of choice without compromise.

"We are breaking down traditional barriers to adopting virtual desktops and offering new economics for the delivery of graphics-intensive applications through the power of the cloud," said Sanjay Poonen, executive vice president and general manager, End-User Computing, VMware. "Organizations of all industries and requirements will soon be able to embrace the mobile-cloud using a solution that offers a new way to work from three proven industry leaders."

Acer expands its Chromebook portfolio with a model that delivers enhanced mobile performance for graphic-intense apps, games and more; up to 13 hours of battery life and option for full HD display takes Chromebook from workday productivity to nighttime entertainment.

Acer America today announced the Acer Chromebook 13, the industry's first Chromebook powered by an NVIDIA Tegra K1 mobile processor and the company's first with a 13.3-inch display. The Chromebook 13 enhances Acer's already leading position in this category.

Acer America today continues its leadership position in the Chromebook space with the industry's first model using a 4th Generation Intel Core i3 processor. The award-winning Acer C720 Chromebook is now available in two models powered by the Intel Core i3 processor to provide customers even faster and more responsive performance for multi-tasking, while also providing long battery life of up to 8.5 hours.

These new Chromebooks expand Acer's line that has made the company the leading provider of Chromebooks with an impressive 46.7 percent market share in this category.

Intel Corporation announced that three customers launched products based on its new education-specific product reference designs this week at the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) 2014 Conference in Atlanta. Created by Intel Education, these reference designs draw on more than a decade of experience in student learning, providing customers with shorter development time, customization capabilities and the latest technologies, features and software. The three products are the Panasonic 3E*, the CTL Education Chromebook* and the M&A Education Chromebook*.

Designed for active learning and active students, the Panasonic 3E is a tablet that comes with a detachable keyboard to deliver laptop capabilities. Panasonic is the first company to offer Intel's purpose-built 2 in 1 reference design as a device for K-12 students. The Panasonic 3E ships with a comprehensive software bundle of essential K-12 applications that makes learning more active and teachers' lives easier. It also features a thermometer probe, on-board cameras and an add-on lens that turn science and mathematics into hands-on, highly engaging, STEM-centered learning.

CTL announced their new CTL Education Chromebook today at the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) conference. This exciting new Chromebook features a rugged design, security, long battery life and an easy-to-use interface. This lightweight and budget-friendly 11.6'' laptop was designed for the classroom, but is versatile enough for the mobile professional and home user. This unique Chromebook is an Intel Education reference design developed specifically for students.

"CTL has a long history of providing educators the technology to enhance their classroom experience. The new CTL Education Chromebook will offer schools an affordable, secure and easy to implement one-to-one e-learning solution," said CTL's Chief Operating Officer, Erik Stromquist. "We're excited about helping as many students as possible to have increased access to technology."

HP today announced new milestones in the transformation of its consumer personal systems portfolio with a host of innovative form factors, and multiple operating system (OS) options, including a new notebook powered by Android.

Unique two-in-one PC designs, including two new 360° convertible PCs and a new detachable PC, give customers the performance and mobility they want and need. Additionally, HP's new Chromebook introduces new colors and designs for customers who want a quick and easy way to complete everyday tasks, while HP's new Android-based notebook makes popular Android apps available in a clamshell design.

Announced at the Intel/Google joint press event in San Francisco, ASUS' C200 (11.6-inch) and C300 (13.3-inch) Chromebooks have been confirmed to arrive (at least in the US) at the end of June. Both Chrome OS-running mobile PCs are powered by the 2.4 GHz Celeron N2830 dual-core processor and feature a screen resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels, a 720p webcam, an SD slot, USB 3.0 and HDMI ports, 802.11 b/g/n/ac and Bluetooth 4.0 support, and a battery allowing up to 10 hours of operation per charge.

The C200 comes with 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of NAND-based storage while the C300 will be available with 4 GB and 16/32 GB storage options. ASUS says its upcoming Chromebooks start at $249.99 so that's likely the price of the C200.