Google Expands Chromebooks' Geographic Availability

Google (NSDQ: GOOG) is opening up geographic availability of the Acer, Hewlett-Packard (NYSE: HPQ) and Samsung Chromebooks to Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland and the Netherlands to consumers, businesses and schools, according to a company blog post.

“Many of you around the world have told us you’re eager to get your hands on a Chromebook, so we’ve been working with our partners to make this possible,” wrote Caesar Sengupta, Google Product Management director. “Today we’re happy to say we’re one step closer to making Chromebooks truly “for everyone” — or rather, pour tout le monde, für alle, and voor iedereen.”

Sengupta wrote that Google has been swayed by positive U.S. and U.K. Chromebook sales data: “In the U.S., the Samsung Chromebook has been at the top of Amazon’s best-selling laptop list for 149 days since launch and in the U.K., Dixons says Chromebooks make up more than 10 percent of laptop sales in Currys and PC World stores.”

Accordingly, over the course of the next two weeks, Google will double to 1,000 the number of Best Buy outlets in the United States carrying Chromebooks, Sengupta wrote.

In a separate blog post, Rajen Sheth, Chromebooks Group product manager, offered that Google has partnered with a number of resellers in the countries in which it is expanding the unit’s distribution to facilitate sales to businesses and schools. “Hand-in-hand with several reseller partners, we’ve worked so that you can also purchase Chromebooks for businesses and schools in these same countries,” Sheth wrote.

Last month, Google released the Chromebook Pixel, its first non-smartphone or tablet branded hardware, carrying a lofty $1,299 price tag, a unit the search giant hopes will contest Windows 8 and widen the appeal of its Chrome OS.

It’s been a busy past few days for Google. Last week, Geo and Commerce Unit boss Jeff Huber stepped aside, coming on the heels of Android chief Andy Rubin’s move to another position in the company and Sundar Pichai’s ascension to oversee both the mobile OS and Chrome businesses.