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Google retires the Pixel C tablet as it shifts focus to the Pixelbook
- kleiba 9y agoI don't know, but I still like the idea behind the "netbook": small, portable form factor with real keyboard, cheap machine, decent battery life, GNU/Linux. To me, it's too bad that the netbook was pretty much been pushed off the market by the advent of the tablet PC, but as this fact suggest, I'm obviously part of a minority here.
- on_and_off 9y agoI am not sure I understand your comment regarding this article. Aren't chromebooks (except for the pixelbook which is very nice but not cheap) the direct successors of netbooks ?
- maxxxxx 9y agoI think the problem with Chromebook is that they are too reliant on connectivity. The disk are too small and I would like to run real desktop apps.
- tonfa 9y agoEven if they run Android apps?
- superobserver 9y agoObviously not. And the exceptional cases like those where the SSD can be swapped out for larger-than-stock SSD's make the point of connectivity pretty moot. And how hard is it to get connectivity nowadays?
- deleted 9y ago[deleted]
- stewbrew 9y ago_net_books usually have small disks too and rely on connectivity -- hence the name.
- khedoros1 9y agoNetbooks run the same OSes as more powerful PCs do. Sure, the concept was that they'd be good for lightweight web browsing, but that was kind of a stretch even when they were popular. The way that I used it never really relied on the net. I installed the software locally. Netbooks are just small laptops.
- moondance 9y agoChromebooks have a fair bit of offline capability in Docs, and some 3rd party apps take advantage of that as well. Still mostly useless without wifi.
- TheSpiceIsLife 9y agoI have a HP Stream 11 with Xubuntu. Works well for my needs.
- jacksmith21006 9y agoMost CB support Android now so offline use. Ironically you are getting more offline support for things than Windows or OS X because there is more and more an Android app and for Win and OS x web use is expected. Was flying United not long ago and the entertainment system supported on iOS and Android so you could use with a CB but not Windows or Mac laptops. Confused the heck out of the person sitting next to my son. Finally explained to him why it was working on my son's laptop.
- kleiba 9y agoYou're right, they're probably the closest thing these days. However, I'd still prefer a proper GNU/Linux distribution for my operating system, but there are efforts to get some of them to boot and run on Chromebooks, too.
- bpye 9y agoIt's not that hard. For the most part things work but on at least Skylake and newer, maybe also Braswell, audio is not 100% working. I really like my HP Chromebook 13 G1 running Linux and at the moment I'm trying to get it working with FreeBSD too.
- shp0ngle 9y agoHave you looked at GPD Pocket? It's a fun and useful device.
- softrock 9y agoI could buy 3 old Thinkpads for the price of one of those.
- Hextinium 9y agoEbay has totally changed how I view cheap electronics for this reason, why buy a crappy chinese knockoff when i can buy a top of the line thinkpad or dell from 4-5 years ago
- GuiA 9y agoBuying used is fantastic. Even setting a few Craigslist alerts can lead to wonderful things happening. I had a friend shopping around for a professional level digital camera recently, and he didn’t realize until I told him that he could buy a 1-2 year old model with near identical specs and save some cash to buy lenses/accessories/etc or just save it.
- fpoling 9y agoOne cannot get 7" Thinkpad with full HD screen, weight slightly above a pound and 8GB of RAM. GDP pocket is rather unique and its success is a clear indicator that there is a demand for such form-factor.
- LeoPanthera 9y agoI have one and I'm looking to sell it, because the keyboard layout is so non-standard I just can't get used to it. Touch typing is virtually impossible.
- fpoling 9y agoWhat about the screen? From various videos I got impression that it is rather reflective.
- moondance 9y agoIt seems like the netbook space was unfortunately so plagued by bad hardware that it lost all credibility as a viable alternative to a laptop-- but there are still very few instances in which I prefer a touchscreen to a keyboard. Even a not-great one.
- digi_owl 9y agoThe impression i have is that first Intel freaked, as they worried that they would cannibalize the ultra-portable market. Second Microsoft freaked, because Vista could not run on them. End result was that we got a combo of hardware and software that was not fit for anything, along with a bunch of gray-box rebrands (particularly of a certain MSI model).
- deleted 9y ago[deleted]
- ryan-c 9y ago> I don't know, but I still like the idea behind the "netbook": small, portable form factor with real keyboard, cheap machine, decent battery life, GNU/Linux. You and I clearly have very different definitions of "real keyboard". I've actually been wanting an Android tablet that I can connect a USB mechanical keyboard to (probably an Atreus[0]) as a Chromebook replacement. Problem is, I want vanilla Android (no bloat), and for it to get updates for at least 3 years. 0. https://atreus.technomancy.us/ https://atreus.technomancy.us/
- bvm 9y agoI know I'm a glutton for punishment but the eeepc 701 keyboard is the best I've ever typed on. I miss it to this day.
- ryan-c 9y agoI owned an EeePC 900 which I believe used the same keyboard. I wouldn't even describe it as "good".
- reaperducer 9y agoThe definition of "netbook" has changed a lot over the years. It used to be ultra-cheap, ultra-small (in all dimensions, not just thickness), underpowered machine running Linux that had just enough oomph to do some basic surfing and e-mail. It was the laptop you brought with you when you didn't want to risk your real laptop. The early eeePC was a perfect example. Now it's a Chromebook which is pretty much a laptop by another name.
- ryan-c 9y agoI had an EeePC 900 back in the day, and used it as you described. I use my Chromebook in much the same way. I want a device with a nice screen that can run a web browser and a mosh client.
- on_and_off 9y agoI have been on the verge of buying a Pixel C or Pixelbook for my parents : - They currently have an aging nexus 10 - my dad does not want an apple product If Google had created a new Android tablet instead of the pixelbook, I would have bought it. The pixelbook looks really nice but I am not sure that the mix of Android and Chromebook will be easy for my parents to pick up.
- guiambros 9y agoI just gave a Samsung Chromebook Pro to my 83 yo mom. She has been a long time Windows user, so wasn't sure she'd pick it up. She loved it. This model runs Android apps natively, so it has access to all apps in the Play Store. Some weren't converted to take full advantage of large screen resolutions, but so far I haven't found anything that doesn't run. She had a very short learning curve; in a day or two she was doing everything she used to do with Windows (which wasn't much - email, photos, browsing, spotify, some light printing). The fact she was an Android user probably helped a bit. Also having a touch screen and pen was a huge bonus, so she doesn't have to fiddle with the mouse trying to click on tiny spots. I considered buying a Pixelbook, but at 2x the price, it was hard to justify considering her use. (Full disclaimer: I work at Google, but in a different team, not related to hw or Chrome/OS. I purchased the device at the store, full retail price)
- sireat 9y agoYou can now print locally on a Chromebook? This used to be a big minus.
- on_and_off 9y agoAren't virtually all printers able to print via wifi these days ? Note : I don't own a printer, so I am not entirely sure.
- jacksmith21006 9y agoIf not going to use GNU/Linux another option is the Samsung CB+ instead of the Pro. It is $100 less and is ARM versus the Pro that is x86. Purchase my wife on at Best buy last week and it was $50 off and came with a regular Google Home. She loves it but does seem to use it for Animal Crossing with the stylus more than anything.
- jefflinwood 9y agoThat's a shame - the Pixel C was the nicest out of the Google Nexus/Pixel tablets I've owned - luckily I skipped the Nexus 9, but the Pixel C was head and shoulders above the Nexus 10. The keyboard was the first I've seen for a tablet that wasn't just an afterthought (and that includes the Surface Pro 1). I think this really only leaves the Samsung S3 as a premium Android tablet out there, which is a shame. I had high hopes for a Nexus 7 replacement with Pixel branding - and I understand the whole "phablet" argument against a mid-size tablet - but it doesn't sound like that will be the case.
- junkscience2017 9y agomy Nexus 9 has worked well for years and of all of the Nexus products I have purchased (4,5,9,10,5x), it has been the most reliable over time. I don't see anything to replace it with.
- notatoad 9y agomy nexus 9 has kind of shocked me as well. Originally i was unimpressed, but three years later the software has gotten to the point that it's totally stable and all the overheating issues seem to have been worked out. the build quality is still kind of shitty, but overall the tablet is working better than when it was new and i have no need to replace it (other than the ever-present want for shiny new things).
- somezero 9y agoDo you have it running stock Android? If so, what do you do since Google stopped providing updates? If not, which ROM are you using?
- weego 9y agoMy nexus 9 is the most disappointing piece of tech I've ever bought. It used to crash all the time when watching video which was the entire point of buying it, it crashes when it hits 40% battery, which is all the time because the battery only lasts a couple of hours.
- junkscience2017 9y agothe Pixelbook will fail because it is too expensive. I love Chromebooks and think they make sense in a lot of cases...but at a $350 price point. I still use my Nexus 9 (typing this on it)...and skipped the Pixel C due to costs and bad reviews Google's entire "upscale" Pixel effort seems doomed. The Nexus effort was mostly perfect: decent hardware at attractive prices and stock software with reasonable updates. Apple commands a premium in part due to Apple Stores being plentiful. When my son cracks his iPhone screen, he walks to the Apple Store and he has a replacement screen in about an hour. What can Google offer? Nothing similar.
- twblalock 9y agoIt's a serious problem for Android, and one that many people don't recognize. Part of the reason people are willing to pay more for Apple products is the customer service. Similarly, I know people who buy or lease luxury cars because they know they will get a nice loaner car when they send theirs in for maintenance at the dealership. For example, some of those people really would be satisfied with a Camry, but they spend the extra money on a Lexus ES to get a better service experience.
- chiefalchemist 9y agoJust the same, part of the reason people don't buy Apple is because they don't want to pay extra for service. For most of the middle and lower end such hardware (i.e., tablet) is a commodity. No sense paying extra for that. Note: Not saying I agree, only that not everyone can afford / wants to pay a premium for Apple.
- wcfields 9y agoThere was an article when it launched [1] that speculates that the reason it's so pricey, larger SSDs, and ridiculously spec'd is because Google has it sights set on enterprise and VM containerization. [1] https://chromeunboxed.com/googles-pixelbook-the-target-is-bigger-than-you-think/ https://chromeunboxed.com/googles-pixelbook-the-target-is-bi...
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- twblalock 9y agoSo, where can one go for a well-made Android tablet these days? Is Samsung the only game in town? The Amazon tablets aren't that great. A few years ago, my parents bought Nexus 7 tablets to use as e-readers and for games. At the time, they were obviously the best small Android tablets and the purchase was a no-brainer. If they broke today, I'm not sure what I could recommend as a replacement.
- sarcher 9y agoI am also interested in a Nexus 7 replacement recommendation.
- wpietri 9y agoMe too! I have the Nvidia shield and it's ok. But it's getting to where I need to replace it and I keep not finding any good options.
- mlvljr 9y agoMine would be Huawei Mediapad m3 lite 8 (just ordered, to pick up tomorrow).
- Macha 9y agoThe Nvidia shield tablet, but thats also discontinued (and won't be replaced as it's too close to the switch they're making the SoC for for Nintendo now).
- arunc 9y agoMe too! I just returned Amazon Fire HD as it was not even close to Nexus 7!
- izacus 9y agoI'm using an ASUS ZenPad 3 8.0. It has a decent screen, USB-C, front speakers, SD card slot and LTE. The 625 CPU and 2GB of RAM kinda limit the performance (3GB version is only available in US), but it's a pretty good upgrade for Nexus 7.
- vinkelhake 9y agoI got a pixelbook a couple of weeks ago and I freaking love it. Before that I had a Yoga 2 pro running arch. I'm using Termux on it to get a local linux environment that doesn't require turning on developer mode. It's good enough for the light coding that I do on it (emacs, clang, cmake). I also use Termux for SSH rather than the chrome extension. So far it has been amazing. The hardware feels top notch.
- module0000 9y agoI'm a huge pixelbook fan as well. Haven't tried termux, but have been a long time crouton user and it works great on the pixelbook as well. I have a hardware/software integration gripe though(edge case maybe): when the pixelbook is suspended whilst connected to external displays, if I leave it alone for 30-45m the displays will no longer function on wake up. Have to unplug displays, open pixelbook lid(so it wakes, no response to external keyboard), then reconnect the displays. It's probably not a common use case, but I reported it to google anyhow. No gripes other than that.
- nofilter 9y agoWhat about the screen tho'? I would love to use a Pixelbook, but I simply can't go for any screen < Retina.
- izacus 9y agoUhh, what do you mean? It has an excellent 12.3" 2400x1600 screen which is "retina" by any definition.
- nofilter 9y agoOh man, didn't realize that! So that actually makes it a doable replacement for my MBP once it wears out. Considering I use Codeanywhere as my IDE, I don't really need anything that, but a netbook, like Pixelbook is.
- Abishek_Muthian 9y agoThe main caveat in Pixel C is android, Pixelbook fixes it with ChromeOS. ChromeOS's window management is far suited for productivity than android and in some cases (IMO) even mainstream desktop operating systems. Android app ecosystem is an added bonus, albeit missing some essential features like HW acceleration, better clipboard management etc. ChomeOS + android > Android + Chrome browser !
- pythonaut_16 9y agoThis is one of the things Microsoft really got right in Windows 10. Tablet mode works well for when you want to have a single app on the screen at a time (and even works for normal desktop apps), while traditional mode works great when you've got a mouse and a keyboard hooked up.
- cubano 9y agoI absolutely love my $65 Samsung Chromebook I got on a Black Friday sale a few weeks ago, and while of course it bogs when I have 15 tabs open, I am constantly surprised at how well it performs even under heavy loading. The ridiculous price point of the Pixelbook literally makes me laugh out loud. A thousand fucking dollars for a damn Chromebook?? Absurd. I personally like the $199 price point and would love to see manufactures deliver a kick-ass chromebook at that level....something that almost matches the Pixelbook performance.
- jdietrich 9y ago> I personally like the $199 price point and would love to see manufactures deliver a kick-ass chromebook at that level....something that almost matches the Pixelbook performance. That's not going to happen, for obvious reasons. The processor in the Pixelbook costs more than the entire BOM for a $200 laptop. The Pixelbook is sort of a crazy idea, but it represents Google's belief that ChromeOS can be more than just a cheap option for schools and casual users.
- fpoling 9y agoI have used Samsung ARM Chromebook from 2012 for development (mostly Java plus occasional C++). It was OK. The limiting factor was memory, not CPU. I think a new cheap and small ARM Chromebook with 8GB would be very attractive option for me as a travel laptop. Sadly I am such a minority...
- jdietrich 9y agoDRAM prices are insane at the moment, so we're going to see manufacturers scrimp on it for a while. Hopefully the price of DRAM should start to ease in the latter part of 2018.
- braythwayt 9y ago> That's not going to happen ...soon. It will eventually happen, but the question is always, does having the better device now provide more value than saving money now and waiting for the better device to be available at the desired price point? And by the time the better is available at the desired price point, will we want an even better device, perhaps because applications and our tastes have inevitable ratcheted up to demand even better performance?
- latch 9y agoAm I wrong in thinking that Google is crazy to not have a proper linux option for the Pixelbook? They get alpha geeks away from OSX and Macbooks. They get a platform they can own and leverage. Get the developers, expose them to the tools, let them build stuff, and cross compile it or whatever to ChromeOS and Android. Have it dual boot into ChromeOS so your family can give it a spin.
- ISL 9y agoCrouton allows exactly that. Except for the limited disk space, I'm a big fan of the ChromeOS/Crouton option. I've used a Toshiba Chromebook 2 (? 1920x1080 screen) as my laptop for many years now. It's nicer than a dual boot, as you can swap between the runtimes on the fly. Adding dedicated delete, home, page up, page down, etc. keys would make the chromebooks even better.
- Nullabillity 9y agoWhat do you want ChromeOS for that you can't do from a proper Linux environment?
- ISL 9y agoChromeOS does a great job of providing the hardware interface layer. Furthermore, connecting to a projector on ChromeOS is way less fiddly than fighting with xrandr. (n.b. I've used Fluxbox as my WM since ~2002. Newer interfaces in the Ubuntu strain of things are probably easier/smarter.)
- Nullabillity 9y agoBoth KDE and XMonad have Just Worked for me when I have needed to connect external displays. No manual xrandr fiddling required.
- lathiat 9y agois modern linux any better at configuring displays than my 2002 era WM environment? i lold.
- stefanpie 9y agoI mean once you start getting into the upper price range for tablets you might as well start to consider purchasing a 2 in one laptop with a touch screen as well. But it appears as Google has bet on it's various chromebooks to fill the gap between tablet and laptop with providing the features most regular consumers want.
- etaioinshrdlu 9y agoSigh. I'm building these into a "kiosk"-like application where the great touchscreen, nvidia graphics, and good cpu are awesome. We sort of knew this would eventually happen but it still sucks. Developing on Android in Java is pretty gross, esp without rooting. I would love some sort of vanilla Linux tablet that had something like a 10 year SLA and basic support. Ideally a system with PC architecture hardware that has great support by vanilla linux kernel. The idea is to reduce your dependency on a Big company that only cares about consumer whims for a couple years at a time.
- kurius 9y agoCan you elaborate why it's gross? and why you need root level access?
- etaioinshrdlu 9y agoThe UI framework is very counterintuitive and clumsy. Things like Fragments and Activities require you to think about lifecycle events that are surprising. There are multiple official implementations of Fragments owing to the massive fragmentation of the platform. The built-in UI elements for stuff get you 80% where you need to be, then for the last 20%, you have to basically throw out the built-in implementation and create your own element. Built-in support for stuff like scrolling data-tables is awful, and the third party ecosystem is even more of a cesspool than HTML5 land. JS devs have no idea how good they have it :) When interfacing with external hardware, like Bluetooth or USB devices, I have found the official documentation to be very lacking. There's simply not a lot of good documentation out there about under what circumstances your user-space BT or USB driver will be allowed to bind to a device, bypassing any kernel drivers, and when it can't. And this is something I needed to do because you're never quite sure what kernel drivers the particular tablet manufacturer decided to include or modify... Android studio is incredible bloatware and keeps on growing. Granted, XCode is as well, but that's no excuse. The Java Language is probably the least painful part of the platform, but it's not much fun either. Glad that Kotlin has become an offical language.
- pjc50 9y ago> vanilla Linux tablet that had something like a 10 year SLA and basic support. Would you be prepared to pay twice as much for it as the cheap tablets that may not be here next year? The production lifetime of a product is determined by the production lifetime of its inputs, and the cheapest components have the least guarantees of anything.
- Improvotter 9y agoWill it still receive updates? I don't own a Pixel C, but I'd just like to know since it bugs me immensely that every device Google delivers is discontinued in less than 3 years. My Nexus 5 was marketed as a stock Android device that would get updates immediately and now it hasn't been receiving updates for 1-2 years. I know that the problem kind of lies with Qualcomm because of some security applications, but it still pains me to see this. This imo is the same as planned obsolescence. Can we really not get phones that will be supported and working for 5 years or more? Not all of us get a new phone every year like you Americans.
- w33ble 9y agoDevices from that fruit company are the best bet as far as I can tell. My 3 year old tablet is still getting updates. My 2 year old phone is too, and I expect it’ll continue getting them for at least another 2 years; my phone before this one got updates for 4 years. I’ve considered jumping ship many times, but device support seems so poor across the board in Android land I find it hard to justify the move. Like you, I don’t want to buy a new phone every year. I’m watching to see how the Pixel phone support plays out.
- atc 9y agoIt really was the best Android tablet to exist, ever. So much was good about it, though I can't say I'm surprised they've discontinued it. I won't be buying Google anymore anyway -- combine their discontinue products habit, their contradictory liberal politics (e.g. James Demore memo) and outrageous influence given the amount of information they have has me disliking day-by-day to the point where I refuse to give them my money any longer. Nail, meet coffin.