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Google Pixelbook Is Google’s New Chromebook

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11–20 of 183 posts

Re: Google Pixelbook Is Google’s New Chromebook

#11
post #8

Who pays $1,199 for a Chromebook?

Those that value what the Chromebook offers over what a regular laptop with Linux does. For many also $1099 is spare change -- at least when considering what computer they can buy.

Can you provide some examples and/or point us at related info elsewhere? Thanks!

Re: Google Pixelbook Is Google’s New Chromebook

#12
post #8

Who pays $1,199 for a Chromebook?

Those that value what the Chromebook offers over what a regular laptop with Linux does. For many also $1099 is spare change -- at least when considering what computer they can buy.

I'm not sure there's much overlap between your first group and your second group.

Re: Google Pixelbook Is Google’s New Chromebook

#13
post #7

Who pays $1,199 for a Chromebook?

I also don't get it, for that price I can get a nice general purpose laptop, with most likely a much better CPU/GPU combo.

A traditional GNU/Linux distro can also be installed bare metal on it. It's a much better option for your privacy. This eliminate Google's data mining of the whole desktop experience and give you better customization options at the same time.

Re: Google Pixelbook Is Google’s New Chromebook

#14

Would it run an actual Linux OS?

I hope it does. I have a 2015 Pixel LS (last gen) running vanilla Ubuntu without any major issues. The disk size was always a nuisance (64GB only), so this new one looks perfect in that regard. I just wish Intel stopped their bullshit malicious behavior and started supporting LPDDR4 at last and lift the 16 GB RAM cap that LPDDR3 has.

Re: Google Pixelbook Is Google’s New Chromebook

#15

Who pays $1,199 for a Chromebook?

I paid $1600 for a Chromebook Pixel LS because I knew it was great HW with Linux support. I have thousands set aside for a replacement laptop and I have problems with every single device, none of which are present on my two and a half years old Chromebook Pixel.

It runs a mainline kernel with full hardware support. It's the best for me.

Rumor has it, this new "Pixelbook" has a dev friendly keyboard (and checked the leaked shot... You can clearly tell it's not a standard Chromebook keyboard).

edit: I'd echo the comments about build quality. My average laptop life span is 12-18 months, yet I've been running this since it was released. This thing has put up with a lot, and looks like it could've come out of the box a week ago (save for a bright blemish in the screen from a foreign object in my bag, and the rubber strip being slightly ajar after adjusting the write protect screw).

Anyway, I'm not a fan of convertible laptops in general, but between the Linux support, great build quality, satisfaction with the 2015 model etc, I'll probably pick one up and see if I'm happy or want to just settle on the XPS 13.

Re: Google Pixelbook Is Google’s New Chromebook

#17
post #9

I think they mean “Google Pixelbook is Google’s new Chromebook Pixel”. If Google has discontinued the cheap Chromebooks it would be really bad for all the school systems that rely on them as cheap laptops for students.

Google seems to be moving away from cheaper hardware, and moving it's products towards the "high end reference implementation" realm. The same thing happened with Android and the change from Nexus towards Pixel.

That doesn't have to be bad news for schools. Schools generally acquire their chromebooks from vendors like Dell and HP and Acer. These vendors will no doubt continue to build cheap systems with Chrome OS for the education market if there is demand.

Re: Google Pixelbook Is Google’s New Chromebook

#18
Serious question for HNers: Does anyone actually buy these for ChromeOS? Every time I hear these discussed it seems to center around what you can do with them that involves a new OS, either Windows or Linux. So is it really the product in demand or just the demand for hardware not bound down with a bundled OS License?

Re: Google Pixelbook Is Google’s New Chromebook

#19
post #8

Who pays $1,199 for a Chromebook?

Those that value what the Chromebook offers over what a regular laptop with Linux does. For many also $1099 is spare change -- at least when considering what computer they can buy.

Hopefully $1099 will be spare change for me soon! However, why can't someone get a cheaper laptop similar specs, perhaps worse design, just install linux on it?

Re: Google Pixelbook Is Google’s New Chromebook

#20
post #9

I think they mean “Google Pixelbook is Google’s new Chromebook Pixel”. If Google has discontinued the cheap Chromebooks it would be really bad for all the school systems that rely on them as cheap laptops for students.

> If Google has discontinued the cheap Chromebooks

There were three Google Chromebooks: Cr48, Pixel (2013), Pixel (2015). The first had no retail price, the others weren't cheap.

The cheap Chromebooks for edu etc are built and maintained with significant effort by Google (see commit authors across the Chromium OS project), but they're not "Google devices" but devices from Samsung/HP/Acer/Asus/Lenovo/...

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