A week with Googlebooks: four notes from our testing so far

<figure> <img alt="An HP Googlebook 14 laptop with the Android Play Store open." data-caption="Software, software, software. | Photo: Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge" data-portal-copyright="Photo: Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge" data-has-syndication-rights="1" src="https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/268755_Google_event_HP_Googlebook_14_ADiBenedetto_0003.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;crop=0,0,100,100" /> <figcaption> Software, software, software. | Photo: Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge </figcaption> </figure> <p class="has-drop-cap wp-block-paragraph">Google's new operating system is off to <a href="https://www.theverge.com/tech/1005745/google-googlebook-android-laptops-dell-acer-asus-lenovo-hp-impressions">a rocky start</a>. The five newly launched Googlebook laptops have hardware that ranges from great to excellent, but the software in its current state is the weak point. There are four of us on staff at <em>The Verge</em> actively testing Googlebooks and, frankly, our internal Slack discussions have been mostly filled with collective venting of frustrations, disappointments, and bewilderment.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The promise of Googlebooks as a fresh and smartly designed alternative to Windows or Mac for Android phone owners sounds great, but there's more than just a few kinks and quirks to work out. Some of its issues and challenges …</p> <p><a href="https://www.theverge.com/tech/1008563/googlebook-software-impressions-thoughts-roundtable">Read the full story at The Verge.</a></p>