First i3 Chromebook
Acer announces the C720-3404 and C720-3871 Chromebook models, which are the first to use the Intel Core i3 processor. The devices also have 11.6-inch displays, a 1366 x 768p screen resolution, a 32 GB solid state drive, and 2 or 4 GB of RAM. A spokesperson for Intel says:
Acer has been a leader in the Chromebook space and the new C720 based on 4th generation Intel Core i3 processors marks a new class of Chromebook with enhanced performance and battery life.
Microsoft vs Chromebook
Microsoft announces that three laptops at a sub-$250 price point are in production. The $249 Toshiba 11.6″ has a 32 GB SSD and weighs 2.2 lbs, and the $249.99 Acer Aspire ES1 has 500 GB of onboard storage and 4 GB of RAM. No specifications are released for the HP Stream, but it will cost $199 with a smaller mini laptop version at $99. Microsoft COO Kevin Turner makes it clear that these devices are meant to compete with the Chromebook:
We’ve got a great value proposition against Chromebooks, we are not ceding the market to anyone.