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Google Pixel impressive, but not for all
By Anick Jesdanun |
April 14, 2013, Sunday
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GOOGLE'S first high-end laptop, the Chromebook Pixel, is an impressive machine. It feels light and comfortable in my hands and on my lap. Its high-resolution display makes photos look sharp and videos come to life. From a hardware standpoint, it's everything I'd want a laptop to be.
But the Pixel isn't very practical - at least not yet - for most people. It works well when you have a steady Internet connection, but can't do much once you lose that connection. And because it uses Google's own operating system, it doesn't run enough software yet to replace your other machines.
I brought the Pixel along for a three-week trip to Thailand and Cambodia, where I knew I wouldn't have round-the-clock access. I was surprised by how much I could do, but quickly got frustrated when I couldn't do more.
Such frustration doesn't come cheap. Prices for the Pixel start at US$1,299, just US$200 less than a MacBook with a comparable screen and the ability to do much more offline. A higher-end Pixel with cellular access costs US$150 more than the basic model.
For those unfamiliar with Google's entry into the laptop market - I guess that's many of you - the Pixel and other Chromebooks run a Google operating system called Chrome OS. Based on the Chrome Web browser available for Windows and Mac computers, Chrome OS underscores Google's vision of letting the Internet do all the heavy lifting instead of your computer.
As a result, you can power up and start working on the Chromebook right away. Boot time is minimal because there's not a lot of software to load. Those functions are pulled from the Internet as needed. That also means updates come regularly and don't need any installation on your part.
There's not a lot of storage - is to keep as much as you can online, through a storage service such as Google Drive or Dropbox. Think of Chromebook as a gateway to the Internet. You can download apps from Google and others to run on Chromebook, but many of those apps do little more than access a website on your Chrome browser when you're online.
Google is changing dynamics with the Pixel. It's targeting power users who are willing to pay more money for the best features. Previous low-cost Chromebooks weren't too powerful.
But the Pixel isn't very practical - at least not yet - for most people. It works well when you have a steady Internet connection, but can't do much once you lose that connection. And because it uses Google's own operating system, it doesn't run enough software yet to replace your other machines.
I brought the Pixel along for a three-week trip to Thailand and Cambodia, where I knew I wouldn't have round-the-clock access. I was surprised by how much I could do, but quickly got frustrated when I couldn't do more.
Such frustration doesn't come cheap. Prices for the Pixel start at US$1,299, just US$200 less than a MacBook with a comparable screen and the ability to do much more offline. A higher-end Pixel with cellular access costs US$150 more than the basic model.
For those unfamiliar with Google's entry into the laptop market - I guess that's many of you - the Pixel and other Chromebooks run a Google operating system called Chrome OS. Based on the Chrome Web browser available for Windows and Mac computers, Chrome OS underscores Google's vision of letting the Internet do all the heavy lifting instead of your computer.
As a result, you can power up and start working on the Chromebook right away. Boot time is minimal because there's not a lot of software to load. Those functions are pulled from the Internet as needed. That also means updates come regularly and don't need any installation on your part.
There's not a lot of storage - is to keep as much as you can online, through a storage service such as Google Drive or Dropbox. Think of Chromebook as a gateway to the Internet. You can download apps from Google and others to run on Chromebook, but many of those apps do little more than access a website on your Chrome browser when you're online.
Google is changing dynamics with the Pixel. It's targeting power users who are willing to pay more money for the best features. Previous low-cost Chromebooks weren't too powerful.
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