{"id":16438,"date":"2010-12-19T14:20:29","date_gmt":"2010-12-19T08:50:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/?p=16438"},"modified":"2026-10-15T14:51:53","modified_gmt":"2026-10-15T09:21:53","slug":"test-drive-google-chrome-os-notebooks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/12\/test-drive-google-chrome-os-notebooks\/","title":{"rendered":"Cr-48 Chromebook: Google&#8217;s Chrome OS Pilot Notebook"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The <strong>cr-48 chromebook<\/strong> was the test notebook Google gave away in its Chrome OS Pilot Program in December 2010, months before the first Chromebooks went on sale. Here is how I came across the invite, what the Cr-48 offered, and what to use if you want a Chromebook today.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-67318\" src=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/cr-48-chromebook-2026-1024x538.webp\" alt=\"Cr-48 Chromebook and the Chrome OS pilot program\" width=\"1024\" height=\"538\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/cr-48-chromebook-2026-1024x538.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/cr-48-chromebook-2026-300x158.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/cr-48-chromebook-2026-150x79.webp 150w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/cr-48-chromebook-2026-768x403.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/cr-48-chromebook-2026.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Quick answer:<\/strong> The Cr-48 was an unbranded prototype laptop that Google sent free to selected US testers between December 2010 and March 2011 to try Chrome OS. It was never sold in stores. The first commercial Chromebooks from Samsung and Acer followed in June 2011, and today you can buy many Chromebook models from several brands.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_88 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6ad2904b17f50\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"ez-toc-cssicon\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #1a202c;color:#1a202c\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #1a202c;color:#1a202c\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6ad2904b17f50\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/12\/test-drive-google-chrome-os-notebooks\/#The_Chrome_OS_Pilot_Program_invite\" >The Chrome OS Pilot Program invite<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/12\/test-drive-google-chrome-os-notebooks\/#What_was_the_cr-48_chromebook\" >What was the cr-48 chromebook?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/12\/test-drive-google-chrome-os-notebooks\/#What_came_after_the_Cr-48\" >What came after the Cr-48<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/12\/test-drive-google-chrome-os-notebooks\/#Should_you_buy_a_Chromebook_today\" >Should you buy a Chromebook today?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/12\/test-drive-google-chrome-os-notebooks\/#FAQ\" >FAQ<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/12\/test-drive-google-chrome-os-notebooks\/#Was_the_Cr-48_ever_sold\" >Was the Cr-48 ever sold?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/12\/test-drive-google-chrome-os-notebooks\/#Who_made_the_Cr-48\" >Who made the Cr-48?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/12\/test-drive-google-chrome-os-notebooks\/#When_did_the_first_Chromebooks_go_on_sale\" >When did the first Chromebooks go on sale?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/12\/test-drive-google-chrome-os-notebooks\/#How_long_do_Chromebooks_get_updates_now\" >How long do Chromebooks get updates now?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Chrome_OS_Pilot_Program_invite\"><\/span>The Chrome OS Pilot Program invite<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Back in December 2010 I kept getting a pop-up alert every time I opened a new tab in the Google Chrome browser, inviting me to test drive a Google Chrome OS notebook.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-16439\" src=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/chrome-notebook-invite.png\" alt=\"Chrome notebook pilot program invite shown in a new Chrome tab\" width=\"449\" height=\"78\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/chrome-notebook-invite.png 449w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/chrome-notebook-invite-150x26.png 150w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/chrome-notebook-invite-300x52.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 449px) 100vw, 449px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>So eagerly I clicked on the link to Apply Now. It took me to the Test Drive a Chrome Notebook application. Google was distributing a limited number of Chrome notebooks to test, and you had to live in the United States and be at least 18 years old to take part in the small pilot program.<\/p>\n<p>I read the fine print for those selected in the <strong>Chrome OS Pilot Program<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Google would collect anonymous browsing statistics and other usage data for tracking and analysis.<\/li>\n<li>Testers agreed to take part in product feedback studies by the Chrome OS team for the length of the program.<\/li>\n<li>Google would only ship the device to a US address, not to a P.O. Box or outside the US.<\/li>\n<li>Testers agreed not to sell or transfer the device unless Google said so in writing.<\/li>\n<li>Google would review broken devices and could choose not to replace them; if it did replace one, it covered shipping.<\/li>\n<li>Google could contact applicants about Chrome OS and related products by email, phone, post or in person.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_was_the_cr-48_chromebook\"><\/span>What was the cr-48 chromebook?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The Cr-48 was a plain black prototype notebook built for Google by Inventec. According to <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Chromebook\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Wikipedia<\/a>, Google announced the pilot on December 7, 2010 and handed out about 60,000 units free to testers until March 2011. It ran an Intel Atom N455 processor with 2 GB of RAM.<\/p>\n<p>When it launched, Google said the Cr-48 booted in about 10 seconds and resumed from sleep instantly. It had built-in Wi-Fi and 3G, a webcam for video chat, a 12-inch display, a full-size keyboard and an oversized touchpad, weighed 3.8 pounds and promised over eight hours of battery life.<\/p>\n<p>The best part of the idea was that all your apps, documents and settings were stored in the cloud. Even if you lost your computer, you could log into another Chrome notebook and get right back to work. That is still how Chromebooks work today.<\/p>\n<p>Google&#8217;s launch video for the pilot is still on YouTube:<\/p>\n<p><div class=\"entry-content-asset videofit\"><iframe title=\"How to remain calm, despite what&#039;s about to happen to your Chrome notebook\" width=\"720\" height=\"405\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/lm-Vnx58UYo?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_came_after_the_Cr-48\"><\/span>What came after the Cr-48<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>First Chromebooks (2011):<\/strong> Samsung and Acer announced the first commercial Chromebooks at Google I\/O in May 2011, and they shipped in June 2011.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Chromebook Pixel (2013) and Pixelbook (2017):<\/strong> Google&#8217;s own premium models.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Chromebook Plus (2023):<\/strong> a newer class with minimum specs of 8 GB RAM, 128 GB storage and a 1080p screen.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Long updates:<\/strong> Chromebooks made since 2021 get up to 10 years of automatic updates.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Should_you_buy_a_Chromebook_today\"><\/span>Should you buy a Chromebook today?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>A Chromebook is a good fit if you live in a browser: email, Google Docs, streaming and web apps. It is less suited to heavy Windows or Mac software. Before you buy:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Check the model&#8217;s automatic update expiry date on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/chromebook\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Google&#8217;s Chromebook site<\/a> or the box, so you get the longest support.<\/li>\n<li>Look for the Chromebook Plus label if you want a faster machine with more memory and storage.<\/li>\n<li>Browse current <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/go\/chromebook\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"sponsored nofollow noopener\">Chromebooks on Amazon<\/a> from brands like Acer, Asus, HP, Lenovo and Samsung.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>For general advice, see our list of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2008\/08\/buying-laptops\/\">things to consider before buying a laptop<\/a>. Already have one? Learn <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2026\/10\/how-to-screenshot-on-chromebook\/\">how to screenshot on a Chromebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQ\"><\/span>FAQ<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Was_the_Cr-48_ever_sold\"><\/span>Was the Cr-48 ever sold?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>No. The Cr-48 was a test device given free to pilot program participants and was not sold in stores.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Who_made_the_Cr-48\"><\/span>Who made the Cr-48?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>It was built for Google by Inventec and carried no brand logos.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"When_did_the_first_Chromebooks_go_on_sale\"><\/span>When did the first Chromebooks go on sale?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The first commercial Chromebooks from Samsung and Acer shipped in June 2011.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_long_do_Chromebooks_get_updates_now\"><\/span>How long do Chromebooks get updates now?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Chromebooks made since 2021 get up to 10 years of automatic updates. Check each model&#8217;s expiry date before buying.<\/p>\n<p>Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, QuickOnlineTips earns from qualifying purchases.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The cr-48 chromebook was the test notebook Google gave away in its Chrome OS Pilot Program in December 2010, months&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":67318,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[23,3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16438","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-computers","category-google"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16438","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16438"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16438\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":67321,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16438\/revisions\/67321"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/67318"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16438"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16438"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16438"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}