Charlotte,
NC: There’s a lot to love about Google’s new high-end Chromebook Pixel
laptop: a vivid, high-resolution touch screen, powerful speakers and
next-generation USB ports meant to standardise power chargers. All for
$300 cheaper than the original model.
But
the Pixel’s limitations became clear during a cross-country flight.
Machines running Google’s Chrome operating system are meant primarily
for online use. Although the Pixel promises offline access to files
stored on Google’s online Drive service, it was hit or miss with files
that weren’t in Google’s own formats. Fortunately, I had my Mac laptop
to turn to.
The Pixel goes on sale Wednesday for $999, while $1,299 gets you a version with more storage and a faster processor.
CHROMEBOOK BASICS
On
machines running Chrome just about everything works through the Web
browser. Many apps, in fact, are simply bookmarks to a service’s regular
website.
Google
figures you’ll store most of your files in the cloud, so Chromebooks
have limited storage. The basic Pixel has just 32 gigabytes, compared
with the minimum 128 gigabytes on a MacBook Air. The pricier Pixel has
64 gigabytes.
USING IT WITHOUT INTERNET ACCESS
Some
apps do have limited offline capabilities, and they have improved since
I tested the original Pixel in 2013. Some of these functions are now
automatically enabled, and the Pixel stores your most recently opened
files automatically for offline use.
But
that doesn’t apply to files you merely copied to Google Drive, as I
learned the hard way. All Google-format files are stored automatically,
but what I needed were Word and PDF documents. Next time, I’ll need to
open or download those files individually ahead of time. I couldn’t find
a way to enable entire folders at once.
AS AN ONLINE DEVICE
Chromebooks
are typically budget devices costing a few hundred dollars. The Pixel
is the exception, with premium performance and a premium price tag.
Still,
the Pixel offers a 13-inch touch screen and sharp display at 239 pixels
per inch for less than $1,000. Windows laptops with that performance
typically cost a few hundred dollars more. Apple doesn’t make
touch-screen laptops at all. (That said, comparable Windows and Mac
laptops have more storage for the money. And many are lighter than the
Pixel’s 3.3 pounds.)
The
slower model I tested was speedy — more than adequate for Web surfing,
text documents and even video. Sound came through nice and clear. Google
promises up to 12 hours of use on a single battery charge. With the
battery nearly drained, I got a 50 percent charge in about a half-hour —
enough for a day of meetings Tuesday in Silicon Valley.
POWER POTENTIAL
What
I like most is the Pixel’s use of the emerging Type-C standard for USB.
In English, that means faster and more flexible charging. Android
phones have long used USB for charging, but the current USB technology
limits how much power the phone can draw. That’s one reason laptops,
with greater power needs, come with their own chargers.
Type-C
is meant to standardize those chargers, so you might one day need just
one for all your phones, tablets and laptops. Type-C draws more power
and transfers data faster than current USB.
You
might have heard of Type-C when Apple announced a new MacBook on
Monday. Apple ditched regular USB ports in favor of USB-C, but in
addition to Type-C, the Pixel has two regular ports and an SD slot for
camera memory.
With
Type-C, cords can be inserted in either direction, much like the
iPhone’s Lightning connector, so you don’t have to figure out which side
is up. The Pixel goes further in having ports on both sides, so you’re
not left with tangled cords if the outlet is on the wrong side.
The
port also works for display output, though you’ll need a $40 adapter
until TVs and monitors start getting Type-C. I watched The Simpsons on
my TV that way.
APPS
Google
gives Android developers an easy way to make their apps also work on
Chrome. Google says about 30 apps have been converted, including the
video-sharing app Vine.
Microsoft’s
Office isn’t one of them, but Google does make it easy to work with
Office files. They open in a Web browser just like Google-format files
and get saved automatically in the Microsoft formats for sharing.
The
Pixel is impressive, but consider your needs away from Wi-Fi. Many
other laptops, including the new MacBook, offer more flexibility for a
few hundred dollars more.
Posted by : Gizmeon
No comments:
Post a Comment