Viewing 18 posts - 1 through 18 (of 18 total)
  • Google Pixel – what am I missing?
  • bencooper
    Free Member

    It looks a lovely bit of hardware:

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2013/feb/21/chromebook-pixel-google-laptop-market

    Powerful, sleek, amazing screen, excellent battery life – but what use is it? It’ll only run Google stuff – YouTube, Google Maps, stuff like that. No Lightroom, no Photoshop, no useful software at all.

    What on earth is it for (apart from posers)?

    mikewsmith
    Free Member

    We want to push the ecosystem and web development forward, so this can be thought of as a reference device, in the same way as the Nexus, that will inspire a whole new generation of devices.

    Same as any google backed release it’s a proof of concept device.

    This is the hardware, this is the platform not go develop. It gives developers confidence that there will be a high end product to work towards and that google is taking the platform seriously.

    It’s chicken and egg out there, your not going to develop for something that doesn’t exist and your not going to make hardware that doesn’t run software. Google layed the egg so to speak and take the hit on the hardware. Like selling the Nexus close to cost it’s about getting the stuff out there.
    More stuff to come

    The Pixel’s screen is higher than conventional laptop screens at a 3:2 ratio or 2560 x 1700, at 239 pixels per inch. A new Google Plus Photo app, launching in the Chrome store in three weeks, is designed to showcase the screen, and will allow users to browse and organise photos offline as well as share them.

    bencooper
    Free Member

    Hmm. Does anyone else get the feeling that all this makes Microsoft look benign and unthreatening?

    Fresh Goods Friday 696: The Middling Edition

    Fresh Goods Friday 696: The Middlin...
    Latest Singletrack Videos
    mikewsmith
    Free Member

    not really, just as apple is all happy and nice…

    They have the web cracked in many ways, clouds, browser apps etc. Now they need a new direction. I’m taking a guess that the apps/software for it will be made by anyone and you will be able to run anything written for it on it so fairly open.

    I also can’t find this bit

    It’ll only run Google stuff – YouTube, Google Maps, stuff like that.

    In the article…

    It will only run what has been written for it so it’s waiting for new stuff. So far google has done well to avoid the walled garden approach with all it’s apps running x-platform (sort of the key to embedding across devices) Next step will be for other manufacturers to launch hardware to run with it. MS have launched surface and apple run their own protected software on their devices so not sure how different that it is??

    big_scot_nanny
    Full Member

    I think it highlights that Microsoft are at least innovting. I fully applaud the direction their going for win8 and the surface machines, as it leas it is genuinely, and somewhat ironically given the competition, “thinking differently”.

    Google on the other had, with samsung, can go stand in the corner for being nothing but copiers. COuld they not have even attempted to do something that wasn’t a macbook air? I mean really, even the colour scheme FFS is identical (unibody, black backlit keys).

    Hopeless.

    Markie
    Free Member

    ^+1

    It’s also funny to me (remembering all the anti-trust stuff) that Microsoft are responsible for the most open environment…

    retro83
    Free Member

    big_scot_nanny – Member
    I think it highlights that Microsoft are at least innovting. I fully applaud the direction their going for win8 and the surface machines, as it leas it is genuinely, and somewhat ironically given the competition, “thinking differently”.

    Google on the other had, with samsung, can go stand in the corner for being nothing but copiers. COuld they not have even attempted to do something that wasn’t a macbook air? I mean really, even the colour scheme FFS is identical (unibody, black backlit keys).

    Hopeless.

    Surface’s form factor is nothing new. Or are you referring to the colours they have used?

    In any case their appearance is largely irrelevant. The innovation on these devices is in the OS, though I I am not understanding at this point why this machine is sporting such a powerful CPU for cloud based work, especially since Gears has been deprecated.

    Markie – Member
    ^+1

    It’s also funny to me (remembering all the anti-trust stuff) that Microsoft are responsible for the most open environment…

    In what way open?

    _tom_
    Free Member

    If it has good hardware it would be worth getting to install or dual boot windows 7/8 on – finally a decent laptop to rival the macbook build quality!

    mikewsmith
    Free Member

    Google on the other had, with samsung, can go stand in the corner for being nothing but copiers. COuld they not have even attempted to do something that wasn’t a macbook air? I mean really, even the colour scheme FFS is identical (unibody, black backlit keys).

    I think there are as many findings against apple as there is for, also trying to patent a rectangle with rounded corners is a little cheeky.

    Dell do ( and have done for a while underlit black keyboards and I’ve seen plenty of others.

    The general shape of a laptop is defined by what is out there or are only apple allowed to use that, what about aluminium bodies is that apple only now? A few years back on that point apple could have been accused of copying a few others with what they produced.

    I am not understanding at this point why this machine is sporting such a powerful CPU for cloud based work, especially since Gears has been deprecated.

    As above, like the Nexus etc it’s a showcase device to give developers an idea what to aim for.

    bencooper
    Free Member

    If it was possible to get Windows onto it, I’d definitely have one.

    In what way open?

    You can install any software you like on Windows – or write your own. It doesn’t have to be pre-approved by Google, Apple or whoever. Though Microsoft’s own store isn’t a good sign.

    vrapan
    Free Member

    The Nexus devices were pushed by Google at a very competitive price to gain market traction (a strategy that has definitely worked).

    I cannot see how a £1000+ crippled laptop will have the same effect? On top of that even the 15″ rMBP with a vastly better spec struggles when it comes to heavy web pages, can’t see how the Chromebook will manage any better.

    Let alone that if you need it connected all the time (which chances are that with 32GB internal storage you will have to) you need to factor in the cost of 3G data sim (assuming that that option will ever materialise over here).

    To top it all off for an always connected machine 5 hours of claimed battery life is really underwhelming especially given that it is a rather big/heavy machine by MBA/Ultrabook standards.

    Proof of concept yes, practical machine not so much.

    vrapan
    Free Member

    [quoteIf it has good hardware it would be worth getting to install or dual boot windows 7/8 on – finally a decent laptop to rival the macbook build quality![/quote]

    With 64GB maximum internal storage there is no hope for dual booting anything.

    grum
    Free Member

    You can install any software you like on Windows – or write your own. It doesn’t have to be pre-approved by Google, Apple or whoever. Though Microsoft’s own store isn’t a good sign.

    You can on mac too can’t you? Just not iOS.

    ericemel
    Free Member

    In any case their appearance is largely irrelevant

    Appearance is everything for the majority. If it is nice to look at aand nice to use then it stands a chance. Thats why it too android such a long time to mature, while apple managed it on the first iphone/ipad tops looks and top quality of interaction – the *limited* usability was not an issue.

    Google have nailed this with Android now and there are some quality handsets out there (I dont mean big processors, memory etc – but nice to look at and use)

    Appearance is everything

    retro83
    Free Member

    bencooper – Member
    You can install any software you like on Windows – or write your own. It doesn’t have to be pre-approved by Google, Apple or whoever. Though Microsoft’s own store isn’t a good sign.

    Not on Surface RT you can’t. See here:

    Surface Windows RT is only compatible with apps in the Windows Store. If you try to install an app from somewhere else, you will get an error message:

    This app can’t run on your PC. To find apps for your PC, open the Windows Store.

    From the Start screen, tap or click Store to see what apps are available for your Surface.

    http://www.microsoft.com/Surface/en-GB/support/apps-and-windows-store/troubleshoot-apps-on-surface

    mikewsmith – Member
    As above, like the Nexus etc it’s a showcase device to give developers an idea what to aim for.

    That doesn’t answer my question though, there doesn’t seem to be any way to make use of that grunt at the moment. In short I am wondering if there is a replacement for gears or some way to run native/Dalvik apps on the system, as opposed to web apps.

    mikewsmith
    Free Member

    That doesn’t answer my question though, there doesn’t seem to be any way to make use of that grunt at the moment. In short I am wondering if there is a replacement for gears or some way to run native/Dalvik apps on the system, as opposed to web apps.

    No not at the moment but to quote
    “Book them and they will come”

    molgrips
    Free Member

    I think we are experience a greater wave of innovation now than at any time within the last what, 20 years of consumer IT?

    retro83
    Free Member

    ericemel – Member
    Appearance is everything for the majority. If it is nice to look at aand nice to use then it stands a chance. Thats why it too android such a long time to mature, while apple managed it on the first iphone/ipad tops looks and top quality of interaction – the *limited* usability was not an issue.

    Google have nailed this with Android now and there are some quality handsets out there (I dont mean big processors, memory etc – but nice to look at and use)

    Appearance is everything

    And yet the extremely similar looking iPod touch was not a huge success.

    Also, I don’t think the iPhone was significantly better looking than the LG Prada for example which was out at the same time, but again, not hugely popular.

    The quality of the OS software and apps, and the fact you could use mobile data on the go were key to its success (aside from excellent marketing of course).

    Anyway, the point i’m trying and failing to make is that the colour of the keyboard is not the interesting thing about these devices.

Viewing 18 posts - 1 through 18 (of 18 total)

The topic ‘Google Pixel – what am I missing?’ is closed to new replies.