I really like this Pixelbook

[slitherjef]

My luck with the past few Google devices has been less then perfect. If my pixel 2 XL is too cool it doesn't charge quickly and will often report hours to fast charge, I've found that if I warm the phone up for a bit and try again, it charges more normally, albeit somewhat slower then I think it should. My mom's is like that also.

This is my 2nd XL 2 and it was a replacement. My first one did the same thing and aquired burn in also. Also has some touch issues where it just doesn't detect. I scroll up and it goes sideways, or doesn't register properly.

Nexus 6p radio sucked also had major screen issues where it would just start randomly selected, I enabled show touches in the dev settings and watched it a couple times where it'd just go nuts on the bottom of the screen.

The vast majority of Nexus and pixel device's I've had, well, had issues. Some are a common theme.

I still keep (wasting?) Spending cash on them because they are about the only developer friendly devices out there that I kinda trust.

My s7e I still use on my main line enacted a babysitter mode, will automatically update Instagram even though I disabled automatic updates. It checks device status several times a day etc. It's bloated and has annoying quirks but then again so does everything else.

I've been thinking on another new phone but they are getting harder to justify. Prices are ridiculously high and phones are underwhelming.

I'll probably just ride on the PB for a while.

 

[sracer]

Chrome OS 72 is now rolling out... to Pixelbooks first. Mine finally received it. First impressions... this is what Chrome OS 70 should've been. It is even more super-responsive and super-smooth than it previously was (I thought that was not possible). Support for Android apps is now at a level on par (or an imperceptible difference) with Chrome OS apps.

"OK Google" activation of the Google Assistant is now an option ("off" by default).

 

[eltoslightfoot]

I'm even going to go out on a limb and say it's the best laptop I've used this year.

Pros:
Screen is great. It's bright, the colors look good, and it's a decent enough size.
It's fast. I know this should go without saying, it being an i5 with 8gb of RAM to run the internet but ... I've seen people running webpages on equal hardware that still is just slow. They've even been using Chrome on Windows 10 and it somehow is slow.
Speakers are actually great. I didn't expect that, so many laptop speakers are just meh. But these are better than the ones in the iPad Pro.
Keyboard is great.I don't know what else to really say about it. The keys feel good, they have some travel, and the spacing is good.

Cons:
It's kind of heavy as a tablet. Maybe I'm just weak, but sometimes I wish I could take off the keyboard. But that's where the insides are, and it wouldn't run. Somebody said the speakers are behind the keyboard, too, to there's that.
Bezels are a tad too big. This sounds like a weird complaint, but I'd like the bezels to be a little smaller.
Android Apps aren't always working well. These are mostly minor annoyances, like Google Play Music opening initially in portrait before moving to landscape.
SMS Connect does nothing right now.

Somebody is probably going to point out the lack of Crysis or something, but that's not really a minus for me.

Can I put linux on it?

 

[sracer]

Can I put linux on it?

You're probably joking, but the answer is: yes.

 

[slitherjef]

Every so often when watching a YouTube video I notice dropped frames in the vid. Nothing horrible just makes me go a bit.

Maybe the latest update help with that.

Not sure what is going to happen once the big G puts a stop to ad blockers. Probably switch over to Firefox for most of my web searching. And when I need chrome use it.

 

[sracer]

Every so often when watching a YouTube video I notice dropped frames in the vid. Nothing horrible just makes me go a bit.

Maybe the latest update help with that.

Not sure what is going to happen once the big G puts a stop to ad blockers. Probably switch over to Firefox for most of my web searching. And when I need chrome use it.

The changes Google are implementing may break the way existing adblockers block ads, but they'll adjust. They always do.

 

[Michael Goff]

Can I put linux on it?

Yes, or you could just run Linux apps without installing a Distro.

 

[tbayrgs]

So my migration from Apple continues. Just picked up a brand new, unopened max spec Pixelbook (i7, 16GB RAM, 512GB storage). It’s absolute overkill for my needs but couldn’t pass it up at only $925 (vs $1649 retail).

The Surface Pro 6 I grabbed a couple of weeks ago has been a better experience than I expected but still not my favorite and I can do most of my work on a Chromebook. Family needs a new computer so the Surface Pro will be repurposed for them.

IPad Pro and XS Max will soon be listed for sale.

 

[AustinIllini]

So my migration from Apple continues. Just picked up a brand new, unopened max spec Pixelbook (i7, 16GB RAM, 512GB storage). It’s absolute overkill for my needs but couldn’t pass it up at only $925 (vs $1649 retail).

The Surface Pro 6 I grabbed a couple of weeks ago has been a better experience than I expected but still not my favorite and I can do most of my work on a Chromebook. Family needs a new computer so the Surface Pro will be repurposed for them.

IPad Pro and XS Max will soon be listed for sale.

A 16 GB RAM Pixelbook isn't a purchase for now, it's a good purchase looking forward. As the OS develops and various other functionality is unlocked, you're going to want that extra RAM and hard drive space.

 

[Wildo6882]

So my migration from Apple continues. Just picked up a brand new, unopened max spec Pixelbook (i7, 16GB RAM, 512GB storage). It’s absolute overkill for my needs but couldn’t pass it up at only $925 (vs $1649 retail).

The Surface Pro 6 I grabbed a couple of weeks ago has been a better experience than I expected but still not my favorite and I can do most of my work on a Chromebook. Family needs a new computer so the Surface Pro will be repurposed for them.

IPad Pro and XS Max will soon be listed for sale.

Man, you're really moving forward with the move away from Apple! I see you're selling your HomePods, too, in the marketplace!

It's funny because the only Apple product I use is an iPhone and I'm still having the hardest time breaking away from it!

 

[jamezr]

So my migration from Apple continues. Just picked up a brand new, unopened max spec Pixelbook (i7, 16GB RAM, 512GB storage). It’s absolute overkill for my needs but couldn’t pass it up at only $925 (vs $1649 retail).

The Surface Pro 6 I grabbed a couple of weeks ago has been a better experience than I expected but still not my favorite and I can do most of my work on a Chromebook. Family needs a new computer so the Surface Pro will be repurposed for them.

IPad Pro and XS Max will soon be listed for sale.

Wow...that is huge change for you! Would love to hear more about your experiences switching over and your reasons why.

 

[tbayrgs]

Wow...that is huge change for you! Would love to hear more about your experiences switching over and your reasons why.

To be fair, I’m not completely breaking away but rather making a pronounced change in my everyday workflow. If all goes to plan, I’ll still have a 6th gen iPad (casual consumption), Apple Watch, backup iPhone (primarily for Apple Watch syncing and interaction with family sharing—approving apps for the kids, quick AirDrops), my 5K iMac and a couple of Apple TVs. If it wasn’t for the Apple Watch, I’d end up with far less but it’s far and away the best smart watch option for me. I rely on it for so much of my daily routine.

My everyday equipment will be a Pixel 3XL and the Pixelbook. I did previously briefly own a Pixelbook and while I liked the hardware and user experience, at the time it didn’t fit as well into my nearly all Apple ecosystem. I’m also going to migrate my photo library as well as my family’s into Google Photos at original resolution (been using the high quality limited tier as my primary backup solution). My Chromecast Ultra has also been pressed back into duty since my Nvidia Shield TV kicked the bucket. Just picked up a Google Home Max to round out the Google Home collection (1 Max, 2 Homes, 3 Minis).

As far as reasons go, I’m just fed up with Apple—their general arrogance, nickel and diming of their customers, and other product compromises. Now that they’re seeing the writing in the wall regarding diminishing hardware revenue growth, I can just see them gouging their customer in services in the hope of keeping Wall Steet happy, instead of focusing on making really great products.

 

[tbayrgs]

So my migration from Apple continues. Just picked up a brand new, unopened max spec Pixelbook (i7, 16GB RAM, 512GB storage). It’s absolute overkill for my needs but couldn’t pass it up at only $925 (vs $1649 retail).

The Surface Pro 6 I grabbed a couple of weeks ago has been a better experience than I expected but still not my favorite and I can do most of my work on a Chromebook. Family needs a new computer so the Surface Pro will be repurposed for them.

IPad Pro and XS Max will soon be listed for sale.

So of course this deal turned out to be too good to be true...seller went MIA after taking my payment. Now I'm stuck waiting for PayPal to go through the dispute process. Oh well. Will keep my eye out for something else.

 

[sracer]

Well, the "chrome" is starting to pit and rust since being on Chrome OS 72 for a while. There are a bunch of glitches that weren't present in version 70. The Linux container is more fragile than it was. There are a few areas where support for Android apps is now displaying some irritating behavior...and has had a negative effect on CrossOver (which is used for running Windows apps). And somewhat related, there is still a dearth of quality apps that can make use of the Google Pen.

Bummer. Thankfully, I got a killer... KILLER deal on a brand new 2017 i7/8GB/128GB Macbook Air so I've gone back to macOS for my mobile computing solution. The Pixelbook is now relegated to being fired up once a week or every two weeks to update Chrome OS and see if those issues are resolved. I may check to see what options are available to natively install Linux on it, or perhaps see what kind if trade-in deal I can work out.

 

[slitherjef]

Anyone still using their pb here? It's been I think over a month since I've picked mine up. I've reverted back to just grabbing my phone to watch videos on on my table.

I'm not sure what happened, I just lost a bit of interest in it, that and I have been tinkering with my desktop PC's more.

 

[sracer]

Anyone still using their pb here? It's been I think over a month since I've picked mine up. I've reverted back to just grabbing my phone to watch videos on on my table.

I'm not sure what happened, I just lost a bit of interest in it, that and I have been tinkering with my desktop PC's more.

I still fire mine up once a week to check for Chrome OS updates, and if there are, then check to see of the show-stopping issues have been resolved. Once they're resolved, I may go back to it as my primary mobile computer (though I am concerned that a Chrome OS update can drastically impact usability). I still believe that Chrome OS is the future, but Google has stumbled with it recently.

 

[tbayrgs]

Anyone still using their pb here? It's been I think over a month since I've picked mine up. I've reverted back to just grabbing my phone to watch videos on on my table.

I'm not sure what happened, I just lost a bit of interest in it, that and I have been tinkering with my desktop PC's more.

Mine has replaced an iPad Pro for most day-to-day computing and still gets used everyday. There are some aspects where it falls short for me personally vs. the iPP (i.e. biometrics, app versatility, and quality) but also areas where it excels (full desktop browser, file system, touchpad/cursor) so I'm enjoying it so far.

Unless Apple announces some significant changes to iOS at WWDC that dramatically expand functionality (better multitasking, access to external USB drives for all file types), I don't anticipate switching back

 

[AustinIllini]

Yeah, I wound up going to macOS full time. There are just some things the Pixelbook didn't do well enough for me. It was definitely a worthwhile experiment, though.

 

[jamesrick80]

I will say one thing. When using google drive, android handles large files better than both Chrome OS and iOS (try opening a large document non-pdf in the google drive app on iOS and see what happens and then open it in the native google drive on chrome os.....). It’s laggy and slow or doesn’t open at all in the case of the iOS app. I really need chrome OS to get the bugs ironed out.......I can understand why iOS does it (clear need of app optimization) but no excuse for Google and Chrome OS.

If you really try to use chrome OS as a tablet..it’s just best to not even try in this current time period...seriously buggy. You would only know this when you use iOS or android tablets or even windows tablets. For that reason my chromebook remains a experimental device...never my go to.

 

[AustinIllini]

So, this product needs to be updated badly. I would assume they'll have an update in the fall

 

[tbayrgs]

So, this product needs to be updated badly. I would assume they'll have an update in the fall

Wasn't there a pretty solid rumor a couple months ago that Google was stepping away from making their own laptop/tablet hardware?

Yup, found a few reports like this one:

Google is reportedly pulling ‘dozens’ of engineers off its laptop and tablet teams

And this one:

Google Hardware makes cuts to laptop and tablet development, cancels products

 

[AustinIllini]

Wasn't there a pretty solid rumor a couple months ago that Google was stepping away from making their own laptop/tablet hardware?

Yup, found a few reports like this one:

Google is reportedly pulling ‘dozens’ of engineers off its laptop and tablet teams

Yeah, that's a shame. I remember that now.

 

[tbayrgs]

Yeah, that's a shame. I remember that now.

Another example of Google's scatter-shot commitment to so many of their initiatives. Makes it really hard to get fully behind them as an ecosystem.

 

[AustinIllini]

Another example of Google's scatter-shot commitment to so many of their initiatives. Makes it really hard to get fully behind them as an ecosystem.

Honestly, with the success MSFT has had with the Surface line as reference devices, Google should be doing the same thing.

I think the particularly damning thing is the fact that Google seems fit to sit on the PixelBook when Apple is struggling mightily with consumer confidence with their latest MacBook keyboards. The time to go after the Mac is right now.

 

[slitherjef]

Google needs to stop thinking they are Apple and charging as such. Heck, I don't even think Microsoft charges as much as Google does for some of its surfaces and you can do way more with a surface.