So you're really enjoying War and Peace, but since you can't carry that tome around with you everywhere (it weighs like eight pounds, right?), you're reading whenever you get a chance on your smartphone, tablet, and laptop with Google Books. There's been one piece missing to that puzzle until now: unlike the phone and tablet apps, Google Chrome didn't offer offline reading. With a new update, you can hover over a book cover and click the "make available offline" checkbox, allowing you to read when you're stuck without an internet connection. It's especially good news for Chromebook users, as it gives them one more thing they can do without the internet. One thing to note, however: only EPUB books can be cached — those that are in PDF format are simply too big to cache for now.
Image Credit: ben.gallagher (Flickr)

There are 21 Comments. Add yours.
It’s crazy to me that Google has a team actively working on Chromebooks- I mean, how many have been sold?
Posted on Dec 24, 2011 | 12:21 PM EST reply Recommend (3) Flag actions
More than you think i bet. Josh made a good case for the web-interface model on the previous Vergecast, about how the browser is becoming the lens through which people consume most of their content, and i think the Chromebook will only get more popular as web-apps and other web content continues to mature.
Posted on Dec 24, 2011 | 12:25 PM EST via mobile reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
I’m really scared that the technological gap will only get wider from now on. I’m originally from Benin and that model is worthless there right now, and in many other African countries D:
Posted on Dec 24, 2011 | 12:30 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Or .. not.
Seems far more likely that tablets will be the important low cost disruptor to PCs, and not chromebooks. Chromebooks, are a bit like the current Apple TV. A hobbyist platform that allows Google to explore some interesting possibilities.
Posted on Dec 24, 2011 | 12:44 PM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
The Chromebook is useless without the internet.. and the whole idea behind the Chromebook is that you should never be offline- it basically needs the web to work. So why are they wasting time with features like “Offline reading”… if you’re interested in “Offline reading” perhaps you should get a normal laptop.
Posted on Dec 24, 2011 | 11:51 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
The point of Chromebooks are that everything can be done in the browser. Things such as email, calendar, books, contacts, etc, are all web apps and Google wants to show that all this is possible without downloading complicated software.
Sometimes you do go offline, but you are usually prepared for it. Maybe you’re going on vacation and you want a book so you check offline in the browser, and you will have it for the trip.
Most of Google’s apps either have offline capabilities or they are working on making the app available offline.
Posted on Dec 25, 2011 | 4:42 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Its a cool concept but why not just have a Macbook or something and use the Chrome browser..
Posted on Dec 25, 2011 | 9:56 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
But why have a Macbook or something when all you need is the Chrome browser? This is their mindset behind Chromebooks. EVERYTHING can be done in their browser.
Posted on Dec 26, 2011 | 4:34 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Macbook: $2000 Chromebook: $200
Posted on Jan 06, 2012 | 12:48 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
It would be cool if you could upload your own books.
…or is that a feature I’m just not seeing?
Posted on Dec 24, 2011 | 1:18 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
I tend to agree. The future computer will just be a screen, keyboard, and mouse hooked up to the internet. Your inputs will be sent to a server, which does all the computing, then an image will be sent back to your screen. Make it happen Google.
Posted on Dec 24, 2011 | 1:19 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Well that was meant to be a reply to malikona
Posted on Dec 24, 2011 | 1:19 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
All this has happened before….
Posted on Dec 24, 2011 | 2:35 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
You are quite the oracle
Posted on Dec 24, 2011 | 6:31 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
MERRY XMAAAAS
Posted on Dec 24, 2011 | 1:36 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
I still don’t even know what the Chrome OS looks like, much less it’s features. It just bothers me that the Chrome OS is different than Android. Fraggggggggggg
Posted on Dec 24, 2011 | 3:28 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Chrome OS is for laptops (Chromebooks), Android is for phones. Of course they are different.
And to answer your questions, Chrome OS looks like a web browser (Google Chrome) and it’s features are the same as a web browser (Google Chrome).
Posted on Dec 25, 2011 | 4:45 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
I am boycotting Google Books because of their former sleazy plan to scan all known works with or without the authors permission.
Posted on Dec 24, 2011 | 4:00 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
I feel glad that Google starts to understand that people don’t have a connection all the time and to develop features to work offline. To use Gmail like an app, it should be possible to cache as many emails as i wanted in my hard drive. It should work like a native desktop client with the power and the beauty of the web interface. Till them Mail and Sparrow, huh
Posted on Dec 24, 2011 | 4:03 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Still cant sideload can you?
Posted on Dec 24, 2011 | 6:25 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
No sideloading…epic fail
Posted on Dec 24, 2011 | 6:31 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
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