October 26, 2017
This isn’t the first time Google has asked you to spend a grand or more for one of its own cloud and browser-based Chrome OS laptops. The Pixelbook, though, might just be the first pricey Google-branded Chromebook to legitimately tempt you to part with such a lofty sum.


Chromebooks are their own breed of computer, of course, distinct from the Mac or Windows PCs. They rely on Google's Chrome operating system and--most of the time-- an Internet connection where the files and apps, several but not all from Google, typically reside.

Google Pixelbook is an impressive Chromebook. But is it worth $1,000?

Pixelbook is a beautiful, thin and well-constructed 2 ½ pound aluminum and glass piece of hardware, with a 360-degree hinge that lets you fold the thing into a tablet, prop it up to watch a movie, or use more conventionally like any laptop. It is, for lack of a better way of putting it, a 4-in-1.
I immediately took to the full size backlit Qwerty keyboard I used to produce this column, comfortably resting my wrists on silicon pads as I typed. Converted into a tablet or tent mode to use the touchscreen, the exposed physical keys are properly deactivated.
I also appreciated that the obedient Google Assistant you may frequently summon on your Android phone worked here.
The bad news is the price: Google is asking you to spend $999 on up for Pixelbook, and regrettably that doesn’t count the $99 extra for the optional stylus.

Competing in the high rent district
Nice as the hardware is, including the 12.3-inch touch display, Google finds itself competing in the high-rent computing neighborhood occupied by various Apple MacBooks (or even fully-spec’d iPad Pros), Microsoft’s Surface models, and other premium Windows PCs. Some of you will undoubtedly want to stick with Mac OS or Windows. I don’t blame you.
Though there are a range of available models, mostly when you think of Chromebooks, you think cheap. Indeed, a quick search inside Amazon yields numerous Chromebooks that can be had for $200 or less, one of the reasons they’ve become so popular in the classroom.

Google Pixelbook is an impressive Chromebook. But is it worth $1,000?

There’s nothing cheap about the way the Pixelbook was made, and Google has made great strides through the years with Chrome OS. You'll still be hamstrung when you’re offline but less so.
You may have forgotten by now, but back in 2013, Google actually sold what was called the Chromebook Pixel. It cost $1,299 at the outset and had limited storage, poor battery life and often required an active connection to the Internet.
Google made improvements two years later when it released another since-retired expensive Chromebook Pixel model, but still there were shortcomings.
Using Android apps
Today’s Pixelbook isn’t flawless either, but there’s a lot more you can do with the machine. It runs state-of-the-art Intel processors, and you can get it with 128GB, 256GB or 512GB of storage. I didn't run a formal battery test and Google says you can get up to ten hours, but based on my usage I felt it gave way a little shorter than that. But the machine does charge quickly. (You can use either of two USB-C ports to do so.)
Most notably, through the Google Play Store you can download Android apps onto the Pixelbook. While such apps haven’t always been optimized for the form factor, you appreciate the wide choice of available options.
I did bump into quirks. Inside the Spotify Android app, for example, a message appeared on the screen that said, “This application needs to restart to resize and may not work well when resized.”
Help from Google Assistant
Having the Google Assistant around is certainly convenient and evens the score with Apple and Microsoft, which let you access their own respective digital assistants, Siri and Cortana, on Macs and Windows computers. You can summon the Google Assistant on the Pixelbook by pressing a dedicated key on the keyboard and typing a request or by barking out the familiar “OK Google” command. If you type, the Google Assistant will respond silently. If you use your voice, the Assistant will respond in kind.
The Assistant will also detect what is on the screen and take a stab at just what it is you might be looking to do. It often got it right.
When the pen is mightier
Meanwhile, if you buy the optional Pixelbook Pen, you have a clever way to get help from the Assistant. You can press and hold the button on the stylus and circle text on the screen. Though it didn’t work every time, Google Assistant recognized, for example, various names that I circled, including the Asian restaurant, “Nobu” and the violinist and composer “Paganini.” It works with pictures I circled, too, correctly identifying President John F. Kennedy, Taylor Swift and former New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi.
You can also use the pen to draw or write inside various apps. I didn’t experience serious lag, at least in the apps I tried. The pen operates on a single AAAA battery, and there’s no need to “pair” it with the Pixelbook.
My biggest gripe about the pen aside from its extra cost: there’s no slot or place to store the pen without springing for another accessory. If you’re like me, the question is not if you'll lose the pen but when.
There are a lot to reasons to recommend the Pixelbook. One of them isn't the price.
Latest News
Top news around the world
Academy Awards

‘Oppenheimer’ Reigns at Oscars With Seven Wins, Including Best Picture and Director

Get the latest news about the 2024 Oscars, including nominations, winners, predictions and red carpet fashion at 96th Academy Awards

Around the World

Celebrity News

> Latest News in Media

Watch It
Ruby Franke’s Husband REVEALS Alleged Rules He Had to Follow at Home | E! News
March 28, 2024
_mU-3lE2QwI
#KenanThompson speaks out following the #QuietonSet documentary. (🎥: Tamron Hall Show) #shorts
March 28, 2024
8AGP-Gfw_Ek
King Charles Shares "Great Sadness" at Missing Royal Appearance | E! News
March 28, 2024
lyizFqf1kQY
Martha Reeves Walk of Fame Ceremony
March 27, 2024
QzyezumEPtQ
Eminem, 50 Cent & Snoop Dogg Present Dr. Dre with a Star on the Walk of Fame
March 19, 2024
4bNLs1hxVp8
Opening Remarks for the Variety Summit October 20th, 2023 Jay Penske
March 18, 2024
c6Z707iLq8E
Montell Jordan Dishes On Young MC Wedding, 'This Is How Date Night' Plans | TMZ
March 28, 2024
G3SMExj-qio
Davina Potratz Says TV Not Helping 'Selling Sunset' Relationship Woes | TMZ
March 28, 2024
D4piy4GNm4k
Logan Paul Rips Graham Bensinger Over Documentary, You Promised Apple TV+ | TMZ Live
March 28, 2024
NiSDpZhZklQ
Prince William pinned royal medal to Spice Girl Mel B’s boobs #shorts
March 28, 2024
O1cQ0UW9pco
Jennifer Garner shares ‘hard’ part of raising her and Ben Affleck’s kids
March 28, 2024
3Q7mZaVUdgc
50 Cent's ex Daphne Joy named as an alleged sex worker in Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs lawsuit #shorts
March 28, 2024
yhLFI8DG9rM
TV Schedule
Late Night Show
Watch the latest shows of U.S. top comedians

Sports

Latest sport results, news, videos, interviews and comments
Latest Events
28
Mar
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Playoffs - Women
PSG W - Hacken W
28
Mar
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Playoffs - Women
Barcelona W - SK Brann W
27
Mar
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Playoffs - Women
Chelsea W - Ajax W
27
Mar
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Playoffs - Women
Lyon W - SL Benfica W
17
Mar
SPAIN: La Liga
Atletico Madrid - Barcelona
17
Mar
ENGLAND: FA Cup
Manchester United - Liverpool
17
Mar
ITALY: Serie A
Inter Milan - Napoli
17
Mar
GERMANY: Bundesliga
Borussia Dortmund - Eintracht Frankfurt
17
Mar
ENGLAND: FA Cup
Chelsea - Leicester City
17
Mar
ITALY: Serie A
Roma - Sassuolo
17
Mar
ITALY: Serie A
Verona - AC Milan
17
Mar
ITALY: Serie A
Juventus - Genoa
16
Mar
GERMANY: Bundesliga
Darmstadt - Bayern Munich
16
Mar
ENGLAND: FA Cup
Manchester City - Newcastle United
16
Mar
ENGLAND: Premier League
Fulham - Tottenham Hotspur
16
Mar
SPAIN: La Liga
Osasuna - Real Madrid
13
Mar
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: 1/8 Final
Atletico Madrid - Inter Milan
12
Mar
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: 1/8 Final
Barcelona - Napoli
12
Mar
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: 1/8 Final
Arsenal - Porto
Find us on Instagram
at @feedimo to stay up to date with the latest.
Featured Video You Might Like
zWJ3MxW_HWA L1eLanNeZKg i1XRgbyUtOo -g9Qziqbif8 0vmRhiLHE2U JFCZUoa6MYE UfN5PCF5EUo 2PV55f3-UAg W3y9zuI_F64 -7qCxIccihU pQ9gcOoH9R8 g5MRDEXRk4k
Copyright © 2020 Feedimo. All Rights Reserved.