Jumat, 25 Oktober 2019

Google Pixelbook Go review: Function over form - Engadget

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Google has been building its own Chromebooks for a while now -- first, there were two iterations of the Chromebook Pixel, and then there was 2017's Pixelbook. All three were great laptops with one glaring flaw: They cost way too much money. We're talking $1,000 or more, at a time when most Chromebooks were $500 or less. Google is back at it this year with the new Pixelbook Go -- but for the first time, the company is no longer aiming for absolute quality regardless of price, just to prove a point.

Instead, Google is trying to build a Chromebook that anyone can use and afford: The Pixelbook Go starts at $649, a full $350 less than the original Pixelbook. It's still a lot of money for a Chromebook. But there are plenty of other manufacturers building premium Chromebooks in that price range now. The Pixelbook Go certainly can hold its own against just about any other Chromebook out there. But unfortunately, in its quest to get the price down, Google also sacrificed a lot of what made the original Pixelbook so intriguing in the first place. The question is whether those trade-offs are worth it.

Gallery: Google Pixelbook Go review | 12 Photos

12

Engadget Score
Poor
Uninspiring
Good
Excellent
Key

Google
Pixelbook Go
84
Pros
  • Excellent keyboard
  • Good performance and battery life
  • The Chrome OS platform is solid and stable
  • Thin and light design with strong build quality
Cons
  • Display isn’t as good as the original Pixelbook
  • Trackpad isn’t the smoothest
  • Slightly expensive for a Chromebook
  • It’s a bit boring to look at

Summary

Google’s most affordable Chromebook yet is a solid all-around laptop. It’s not as eye-catching as the original Pixelbook, and Google cut a few corners to get the price down (most notably the display).. But the Pixelbook Go covers the basics well and should serve most people well.

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Hardware

All of Google's previous Chrome OS devices, had premium hardware and specs, with very few corners cut. With the Pixelbook Go, Google is changing the formula slightly. It's a solid, well-made device that doesn't feel cheap, something we can't say about other Chromebooks. But visually, it's far less interesting than the model it replaces.

The Go is a basic-looking clamshell laptop with a 13.3-inch, 1080p touchscreen and a black paint job, nondescript except for a small 'G' logo in the corner of the lid. It also comes in a light pink shade with a bright coral underside -- a more distinctive combo, though the all-black design is undoubtedly more elegant. (Fans of the black MacBook from the last decade should be pleased.) Regardless of color, the Go is sturdy and well-built but doesn't have any of the distinctive design elements you'll find on the original Pixelbook. It's thicker than that device, though it weighs about the same at 2.3 pounds. I definitely miss the aesthetics of the original, particularly its glass-and-aluminum lid that echoed the design of Google's Pixel phones. The Go has a functional, utilitarian design, which I can appreciate, but I wish it were slightly more exciting.

Nathan Ingraham / Engadget

There is one new, funky design flourish to be found on the Pixelbook Go: its ridged underside. When I first saw pictures of the Go, my brain assumed those ridges were a a different, softer material than the magnesium that makes up the rest of the Go. I was imagining the whole bottom being a grippy plastic like the feet underneath most laptops. But in reality, it's the same hard metal. Google says it designed these ridges to make the laptop easier to grip or pull out of a sleeve, but I can't say this really solves a problem I had with other devices. Still, it's good to see Google show its playful side on this otherwise dull laptop.

Google surely simplified its design as a way to cut costs, and as such, there are some other notable omissions this time around Unlike the first Pixelbook, it's not a convertible, so tablet mode is out. That also means it doesn't work with the Pixelbook Pen stylus. I can't say I really miss these changes, though -- I've never been a fan of laptops that also try and be tablets, and the Pixelbook Pen wasn't terribly useful either.

More concerning to me is the step backward Google took with the Go's display. Both the Pixelbook and last year's ill-fated Pixel Slate had some of the best screens you could find. I particularly liked the original Pixelbook's taller aspect ratio, and both devices had higher resolutions than the Go's 1080p panel.

That's not to say the Go has a bad screen, but it is fairly pedestrian. 1080p on a 13.3-inch display works out to 166 pixels per inch, a far cry from the 235 ppi on the first Pixelbook and the impressive 293 ppi on the Pixel Slate. Google does offer the Go with a 4K screen, but that option is only available if you get the top-of-the-line model, which costs an eye-popping $1,399. The good news is that the Go has much slimmer bezels than the original Pixelbook, but I still prefer the taller and more pixel-dense display on that laptop to the Go's screen.

Google Pixelbook Go

While the screen is a bit of a letdown, Google didn't skimp on the keyboard. The original Pixelbook offered a great typing experience, and the Go is nearly as good. It's hard to describe exactly what's different, but the keys don't feel quite as soft when you're typing. That said, there's plenty of travel and they're quiet as well -- if you hate the low-travel MacBook keyboard, you'll love the one on the Go. The trackpad, on the other hand is... just fine. It feels kind of rough under my finger, and scrolling around isn't as smooth as I'd like. It's not bad, and I got used to it, but I've definitely used better touchpads.

In use

While Google cut some corners in the design department, the Pixelbook Go is still among the more powerful Chromebooks out there. The base model pairs an eighth-generation Intel Core m3 processor with 8GB of RAM and 64GB of storage; the one I reviewed steps up to an i5 processor and 128GB of storage. That model costs $849 and has comparable specs to what you'll find in the $999 Pixelbook. I do wish I could have tried the m3 model, because I'm curious to see what kind of performance Google is offering for $650.

Unsurprisingly, Intel's Core i5 and 8GB of RAM is plenty for Chrome OS. The Pixelbook Go handled my normal workload without any notable issues. My routine involves a dozen or so browser tabs, Tweetdeck, Hangouts, Slack, Todoist, Google Keep and Trello all running as Chrome apps, along with the occasional Android app or two. Adobe's Lightroom, Netflix, YouTube Music and a smattering of games all mostly worked well, though music playback presented the occasionally "low memory" hiccup which was frustrating. Notably, this didn't happen when using YouTube Music as a browser tab. This reinforces my belief that Android apps on Chrome aren't worth using if there's a web-based alternative.

Google Pixelbook Go

Overall, I think most people will be fine with the base configuration; power users may want to step up to the $849 model I tried. Google is also selling a $999 configuration that doubles the RAM to 16GB, while that $1,399 model I mentioned includes a Core i7 processor, 16GB of RAM, 256GB storage and a 4K display. While I'd surely enjoy that high-res screen, I don't think it's worth that kind of money.

The Pixelbook Go also holds up well on the battery side, something that wasn't always true for the original. In our video playback test, the Go ran for just over 13 and a half hours before shutting down. That's more than an hour longer than the 12-hour battery life Google claims with "mixed usage." Unfortunately, I never came close to 12 hours when putting the Go through my normal routine, but it did last more than eight hours, which is a definite improvement over the first Pixelbook.

I will note that my review Pixelbook had a weird issue where the battery life indicator didn't update properly. It showed whatever percentage it was app when it was awoken from sleep and didn't update until it went to sleep again or was plugged in. Google confirmed it was a bug with the current version of Chrome OS that would be updated by the time the device shipped. The company also confirmed that the battery was otherwise performing normally and that this was just a software issue. I'll check this again once the software update arrives and will update this review if the problem persists.

The competition

There are tons of Chromebooks you can compare the Go to, from cheap $200 devices (with specs to match), up to Google's own Pixelbook from 2017 that still sells for $1,000 or more. That said, probably the closest comparison to the Pixelbook Go is the ASUS Chromebook Flip C434, which I reviewed earlier this year. It has an m3 processor, 1080p screen, 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, just like the base Pixelbook Go. At $579, it's cheaper than the Go, but also thicker and heavier. It does have a 360-degree hinge, but I never wanted to use the Flip in tablet mode, since it weighs more than three pounds.

Acer has its own high-end option, the Chromebook 13 CB713. For $800, you get an eighth-generation Core i5 processor, a higher-resolution screen (2,256 x 1,504), 8GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. Like the Chromebook Flip, though, it's larger and heavier than the Go.

Google Pixelbook

And then there's the original Pixelbook, which still starts at $999. That's $150 more than the Go model I tested, but it has the same RAM and storage as well as an i5 processor (it's a seventh-generation chip, though, compared to the eighth-gen one in the Go). The extra cash gets you a thinner, more compact design with a better trackpad and much sharper display. It also supports the Pixelbook Pen and has that nifty 360-degree hinge. There are some definite benefits to the original Pixelbook -- and it has been heavily discounted over the last year, sometimes down to $750. If you can wait, it might be worth seeing if it gets any further price cuts this holiday season.

Wrap-up

Nathan Ingraham / Engadget

The Pixelbook Go is much easier to evaluate than either the first Pixelbook or the Pixel Slate. It's a standard, familiar, almost boring laptop. But instead of figuring out if Chrome OS works on a convertible tablet or if you're willing to spend $1,000 on a premium laptop, the Go is just a straightforward, no-frills device. It's still not cheap, particularly if you step up to the i5 processor I tried. But premium Chromebooks in the $600 to $800 range are becoming more common, and now Google has something that can compete on price as well as quality.

Yes, you can still get a Chromebook for less money than what Google is asking. But if you think a Chromebook can be your main computer and don't mind paying a little extra for a device that's thin, light and well-engineered, the Pixelbook Go will likely meet your needs.

In this article: chrome OS, chromebook, gear, google, personal computing, personalcomputing, pixelbook, pixelbook go, review
All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
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https://www.engadget.com/2019/10/25/google-pixelbook-go-review/

2019-10-25 07:01:29Z
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Google Pixelbook Go review: the price of simplicity - The Verge

There are two great things about Google’s new Chromebook, the Pixelbook Go. The first is the keyboard, which is a joy to type on and yet incredibly quiet. The second is the battery life, which is as good or better than any Intel laptop I’ve used in recent memory.

Those are the great things, but there are plenty of good things, too. It has a simple, unfussy design, good speakers, and a solid trackpad. The model I am testing, which has an Intel Core i5 Y-series processor, is fast and responsive. Virtually everything about this laptop makes me want to recommend it as the go-to, default Chromebook for everybody.

Everything, that is, except for the price. It starts at $649 and the model I’m testing is $849. Comparable Chromebooks cost at least a hundred bucks less for similar features. So with the Pixelbook Go, what are you paying for?

Simplicity.

The Pixelbook Go is a handsome 13.3-inch laptop with an understated, clean design. Or at least, the black model I am using is understated — it will also eventually be offered in a color Google calls “Not Pink,” that has a soft pink finish with a bright, coral base. It’s not hugely different looking from a MacBook Pro, if you could get one of those in black.

It weighs 2.3 pounds and feels sturdy and trustworthy thanks to a magnesium chassis. Many Chromebooks have plastic bodies, so part of what you’re paying for with the Pixelbook Go is the materials. Google has coated that magnesium with a soft paint that’s almost plastic-like. I can’t tell you if it will chip or scratch easily — it hasn’t during my week of testing, at least — but I suspect it’ll hold up fairly well.

The whole thing is gently curved around the edges, and if it weren’t so well-made I would say it’s prototype-y in the way Google hardware used to be. The most notable design element is the bottom, which is ridged for grip. The keyboard is backlit and flanked by two speakers that are respectable, if not impressive for a laptop of this size.

Agree to continue: Pixelbook Go

Every smart device now requires you to agree to a series of terms and conditions before you can use it — contracts that no one actually reads. It’s impossible for us to read and analyze every single one of these agreements. But we started counting exactly how many times you have to hit “agree” to use devices when we review them since these are agreements most people don’t read and definitely can’t negotiate.

To use the Pixelbook Go, you must agree to:

  • Chrome OS terms (includes Google’s privacy policy)
  • Chrome Sync
  • Personalized Google services (includes ad targeting, can be disables later)
  • Google Play Apps and Services terms.

The following agreements are optional:

  • Send usage and diagnostic data

Other features like the Google Assistant may require additional agreements.

Final tally: four mandatory agreements and one or more optional agreements

I mentioned in our first look at the Go that I needed to make sure I didn’t get too excited about the keyboard without further testing. Now that I have, I can just say that I love it. It is my favorite thing to type on by a long shot.

Google took the already excellent Pixelbook keyboard and iterated on it a bit, making the keys slightly quieter. I’ve tried keyboards that aim for silence in the past and they usually end up feeling mushy, but that’s not the case here at all. The keys have good travel and a good amount of springy resistance. If you like clacky mechanical keyboards, this isn’t for you.

The trackpad underneath the keyboard is large, but not massive. Google has done a good job with palm rejection on it, too. Unlike the Pixelbook, the trackpad on the Go doesn’t extend all the way to the bottom lip of the keyboard deck, so it’s less prone to mis-clicks.

Unfortunately, the Pixelbook Go doesn’t have any kind of biometric authentication like a fingerprint sensor or face unlock. Google points out that you can pair it with an Android phone and use that phone’s biometrics to unlock the laptop. Same applies for the lack of LTE options — it’s easy to tether to your Pixel phone directly from the system menu.

You can lift up the screen with just one finger, but you can’t flip it all the way around to put the laptop into tablet or tent mode. As bad as tablet mode on Chrome OS still is, I do wish it was still an option here, if only for setting it up in a tent mode to watch movies on a plane.

Three of the four Pixelbook Go models come with a 1920 x 1080, 16:9 LCD touchscreen. The bezels on the top and bottom of the screen are on the large side, but the screen itself gets plenty bright and doesn’t inspire any complaints. Really, my only problem is with that aspect ratio: I’m not a fan. I know not everybody likes the taller 3:2 aspect ratio on laptops, but even 16:10 would have felt a little less cramped when I’m browsing websites.

All Pixelbook Go models are fanless because all of them use Intel Y-series chips. In fact, Google is using 8th Gen Intel chips instead of something newer. That’s partially a cost saving measure, I suppose, but the truth is I didn’t notice any real problems with speed. I’m testing the mid-range model with the Core i5 and 8GB of RAM and have yet to encounter any real slowdowns.

Battery life is also excellent. I haven’t quite reached Google’s claimed 12 hours of use, but I haven’t had any problems getting through a full eight-hour workday. The Pixelbook Go also supports fast charging over either USB-C port, and in my test I brought it up from zero to 35 percent in 30 minutes. (Chrome OS still has some kinks to work out, by the way: its time remaining estimate was consistently wrong.) The USB-C ports also handle the usual USB stuff, including video out, but they don’t support Thunderbolt 3.

One of the reasons that the Pixelbook Go runs so well is that Google has simply tried to do less with it than it did with last year’s Pixel Slate tablet. That device performed and sold so poorly that Google ultimately scrapped its plans to make more Chrome OS-based tablets and just made this simple laptop instead.

Pixelbook Go specs

  • Processor: 8th Gen Intel Core m3, i5, or i7
  • RAM: 8GB / 16GB of RAM
  • Storage: 64GB / 128GB / 256GB SSD
  • Weight: 2.3 pounds (FHD)
  • Thickness: 0.5 inches / 13.4 mm
  • Battery: Claimed 12 hours, with fast charge
  • Display: 13.3-inch, 16:9 touchscreen; HD (1920 x 1080) or 4K (3840 x 2160)
  • Camera: Front-facing 2MP, 60 fps, 1080p video
  • Wi-Fi: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, 2x2 (MIMO), dual-band (2.4 GHz, 5.0 GHz)
  • Bluetooth: 4.2

You can run Android apps, but I avoided them for the most part. I used Spotify for music, mainly. Chrome OS still has a double-app problem — the web version and Android versions of Gmail were both vying to send me notifications, for example. At the end of the day I mostly stuck with web apps and their quality is better than you might expect. This year I’ve been super impressed with Adobe Lightroom’s web app.

I unfortunately can’t speak to whether the low-end, $649 Pixelbook Go, which has a Core M3 processor, will perform as well as this one. However, I have recently tested several Chromebooks with chips in that line and so long as they have 8GB of RAM, I didn’t have any complaints. Fortunately, even the low-end the Pixelbook Go includes that much RAM.

There’s a $999 model that has 16GB of RAM and also a $1,399 model with a 4K screen. You would have to be a pretty dedicated, hardcore Chrome OS lover to come anywhere close to justifying either of those purchases. I sort of feel like they exist simply to hand out to Google employees or for the handful of people who like to use Chromebooks for Linux.

The big question with the Pixelbook Go for me is whether it can justify its price relative to other Chromebooks. I recently reviewed a half-dozen of them for our best Chromebook article and found that everything in the $500-600 range is incredibly similar. One stood out for its screen and build quality, though, the Asus Chromebook Flip C434.

As of this writing, a C434 with nearly identical specs to the base Pixelbook Go costs $599, $50 less than the Pixelbook (prices on non-Google Chromebooks vary often, however). The C434 has an all-metal design too, its screen is nearly bezelless and can flip around, and it has both a microSD card slot and a standard USB-A port.

The Pixelbook Go weighs less and gets slightly better battery life, but what you’re really paying for with that extra $50 is mainly a more elegantly-designed laptop. That’s definitely worth $50 to a lot of people, but giving up the extra ports and the option to flip into tablet mode seems like a bad trade.

Simplicity in product design is mostly good, but on the Pixelbook Go it also means fewer ports and fewer ways to use the screen. Neither is a deal breaker and all things considered I enjoy using the Pixelbook more than I do the C434, but that doesn’t make it a better machine.

If you are in the market for a Chromebook and happen to find the Pixelbook Go on sale, definitely give it an extra look. But at full price, you have to ask yourself how much simplicity is worth to you.

Vox Media has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence editorial content, though Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links. For more information, see our ethics policy.

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https://www.theverge.com/2019/10/25/20931476/google-pixelbook-go-review-the-price-of-simplicity

2019-10-25 07:01:00Z
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Kamis, 24 Oktober 2019

This Pixel 4 XL teardown shows just how small the Soli system is - Circuit Breaker

Google made the unconventional (by 2019 standards) decision to skip the notch on the Pixel 4 in favor of an old-fashioned top bezel in order to fit in all of the advanced face unlock and Soli radar tech. But thanks to iFixit’s traditional teardown, we finally got a better idea of just how small those systems are. There may not be a notch, but the fact that Google managed to fit all of this stuff into the bezel in the first place is impressive.

The image below shows the whole chunk of the bezel: the left is an ambient light sensor, the middle is the top earpiece, and that small green / gray rectangle is the entire Soli radar assembly. There’s plenty of other hardware in the bezel, too, including the camera and IR face unlock system, but it’s all so compact that you get the sense that Google might have almost been able to offer a notched display of some kind while still packing in all this tech.

The teardown also reveals that the fancy 90Hz display is almost impossible to take out. According to iFixit, you’ll have to take apart almost the entire phone to get it out, and the edge-to-edge display and huge amounts of adhesive used to hold it in place mean it’ll be tough to get it out in one piece. (Although, if you’re replacing the screen, it’s probably already broken anyway.) Curiously, the display is also made by Samsung, which has yet to offer a 90Hz refresh rate on any of its own phones. But this might be a hint of what to expect from next year’s Galaxy S11.

All told, the Pixel 4 isn’t the most repairable phone for the average consumer: iFixit ranks it at a numerically coincidental 4 out of 10 on its “repairability” scale, meaning that you’ll likely still want to let a pro handle your next broken screen. Check out the full teardown for a deeper dive into what makes the Pixel 4 XL tick.

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https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2019/10/24/20930168/google-pixel-4-xl-teardown-ifixit-soli-radar-screen-repair-motion-sense

2019-10-24 13:02:01Z
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Forget the Galaxy Fold: This zigzagging foldable phone from TCL bends into thirds - CNET

tcl-tri-hinge-foldable-ifa-2019-22

TCL gives us a brand new foldable design we've never seen before.

 Tyler Lizenby/CNET

I've opened and closed foldable phones hundreds of times by now. But even after reviewing the Galaxy Fold (twice), playing with Huawei's Mate X and bending slim concept designs, nothing has prepared me for TCL's prototype dual-hinged phone, which folds in three parts and opens into a huge, 10-inch tablet. 

The most remarkable thing about TCL's phone is that the hinges themselves move in different directions. The DragonHinge fold in, like a book, or like the Galaxy Fold, while the Butterfly Hinge folds the opposite way.

The two hinges create a zigzag shape as you open and close the device, a silhouette in Z. It looks like an accordion. Or a taco holder. And I have to get my greedy hands on it to give it a fold, one panel at a time: Open. Folded over once. Completely folded up into a triple-stacked sandwich so that the exposed panel becomes the TCL phone's "outer" screen. With this design, a single uninterrupted screen does it all.

Now playing: Watch this: This Galaxy Fold competitor folds in thirds

2:05

As with other foldable phones, the act of folding feels physical and visceral in a way that makes me appreciate the engineering feat of any company attempting to make devices whose screens bend in half.

Foldable phones are the next frontier in phone design, delivering at least double the screen space in a package that's practical enough to tote around. Unfolded, the large screens promise an expansive display for reading, watching videos, gaming and multitasking. Folded up, you can use them on the go. Despite very real fears over screen damage that could send lofty foldable ambitions crashing to the ground, device-makers are scrambling to push out their own new designs -- to bag reputation points as much as to capture buyers' attention.

It's into this mix that TCL is dropping its wild new prototype. Best known for making really good, affordable TVs, TCL is now aligning its phone business under the same brand. The company has already trotted out concept designs and announced its DragonHinge months before this particular dual-hinge effort. 

TCL's daring trifold prototype is just the start

TCL's prototype design doesn't have a name, a price or a target window for production. It doesn't even have a working screen. All that will come. For now, I'm mesmerized as I work the hinges with my hands, and imagine what it'd be like to use a triply folding device. 

Folding one panel under, for example, could turn a portion of the screen into a digital keyboard while you use another part as the display. When you fully close the phone, you'd be able to use it as a really chunky handset.

Yes, you'll see creases when it's open -- and no, we still don't have bendable glass to better protect the display. That raises questions about the wear and tear on a device with a plastic cover material that's exposed to sharp objects, damage from pressure and the elements, like rain and dust. These are the same issues that plagued the $1,980 Galaxy Fold and spurred Samsung to retrofit its foldable phone to make it sturdier than its first attempt.

tcl-tri-hinge-foldable-ifa-2019-4
Tyler Lizenby/CNET

For now, there's no consensus on what the "best" foldable phone design is, and that's what makes this all so exciting. We're in the Wild West phase where any prototype or concept goes, from the vertically folding Motorola Razr that CNET discovered will come out by the end of 2019, to the square foldable phone that Samsung's rumored to be building. 

Microsoft, too, has its bookish Surface Pro Duo slated for 2020 and Chinese brand Xiaomi wowed us with an early concept that has you folding back two side display panels behind a center panel.

When and if it becomes a real product, TCL's prototype will face distinct challenges with ensuring sturdy construction, a semiaffordable price and a sales plan to put the biggest foldable phone we've seen yet in front of real buyers. But enough reality for now. I let the teeming questions slide from my mind and give the Butterfly Hinge one more fold.

TCL trifold phone specs we know so far

  • Roughly 10-inch screen when fully opened
  • Four rear cameras
  • Front-facing camera
  • USB-C charger port
  • Iridescent finish
  • No headphone jack

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https://www.cnet.com/news/forget-the-galaxy-fold-this-foldable-phone-from-tcl-zigzags-into-thirds/

2019-10-24 11:01:00Z
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