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Pixel Tablet

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Re: Pixel Tablet

#431

Post by nicoburns »

idoubtit wrote: post #406
lloeki wrote: post #385

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I presume it's a 6th gen (A10). While A10 phones stopped receiving OS updates with iOS 16, this iPad is still supported by iOS 16. I had an iPhone 7 (same SoC) til early this year with iOS 15 and it was fine (changed because it got physically destroyed); I was never prevented to install any app even though iOS 16 was released well over 6 months before. I have a 7th gen iPad (A10) and iPad Pro 10.5 (A10X) and they bot…

> that aforementioned Pixel situation where it stopped being supported _the next year_. That Pixel (from 2016) did not stop being supported the next year (2017). Android 8 was first released in 2017 and was followed by Android 9 one year later. So it was most recent Android up to 2018. Then it was still supported, since the latest patch for Android 8 was in 2021 and the latest compatible Google Play services release…

Right, but in comparison my iPhone 6S was released in 2016 with iOS 9. It got the very latest iOS updates up until and including iOS 15 (2021).

Re: Pixel Tablet

#432

Post by jasonvorhe »

I lost all interest in Google tablets after they abandoned the Pixel C instead of iterating over the concept of the portable keyboard they shipped it with. It was way ahead of Apple's Magic Keyboard for iPad and if they had doubled down on improving tablet support around 2015/2016 they wouldn't still be playing catch-up after the third or even fourth "we're serious about tablets now!" proclamation.

Android update support is also quite terrible considering they're on their own SoC by now.

Meh. Will probably grab the OnePlus Pad once it's on sale or if I can save 50-100EUR by getting it 2nd hand/refurbished.

Re: Pixel Tablet

#433

Post by uni_baconcat »

"The only tablet engineered by Google."

Pixel C and Pixel Slate may have a question about this.

Back to the point, I think the only thing that Pixel Tablet solved is it has a magnetic charging station.

Re: Pixel Tablet

#434

Post by Jedd »

cachvico wrote: post #252
Jedd wrote: post #243

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> teeny bit of compute You mean, a whole other processor + memory + firmware + microphone + network + ... ?

Yes, like in the thing that they practically give away (Home Mini for $50)

Perhaps just buy a Home Mini for $50 in addition to this tablet?

Re: Pixel Tablet

#435

Post by jeroenhd »

vineyardmike wrote: post #215
Teslazar wrote: post #176

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree with the sentiment that the devices aren't being supported for long enough but thought I'd mention that you can install LineageOS on a Nexus 7 and get OS and software updates. According to Google, Pixel tablets will get "software version updates for at least 3 years" and "Pixel security updates for at least 5 years from when the device first became available on the Google Store in the U.S." ( https://support.…

It’s crazy Google thinks that’s an acceptable time range considering apple regularly supports 7 years for devices. That said, anything longer and I’d be worried google just hallucinated that support and they’ll kill it off anyways. I vaguely believe this duration.

The real problem is the five years of security updates, especially since these devices will be sold for a few years and not just today. Major Android version upgrades don't add much anymore, in my experience.

I think they've added the "material you" theme to a recent Android version, but that was the last major change I've noticed since Android 10. Other than that, it's just a bunch of small details.

All the good stuff is delivered independently through things like Play Services and general app updates. You can easily run an Android 10 tablet that's gotten all the nice bonus features of any other tablet without ever upgrading the OS itself.

This is different from iOS, where any major software feature is delivered as part of an an OS upgrade. Almost all of the features I listed in the "new in iOS 16" change list would be pushed to Android as app updates, except maybe for Focus which integrates deeper (though Google can easily add it through Play Services if they cared).

Take passkeys, for example: new in iOS 16, but on the Android side they've been automatically added to any device running Google Play and Android 9 or later.

Re: Pixel Tablet

#436

Post by jeroenhd »

ho_schi wrote: post #396

Can somebody explain me why Europeans should pay 679 Euro which are around 740 Dollar? I assume something around 540 Dollar in the US with sales tax? And why we should also pay for the needless dock? Last time I bought a ThinkPad the offered good docking-stations but this was optional. Things which are not need for normal use should sold separately. Waste of resources. Note: Rate Euro to US is 1,09.

The iPad has the same price hike, so I assume European tablet prices are just higher for some reason. When the competition raises their prices, you can raise your prices and still be competitive.

A 10th gen iPad starts at €589 here while the USA price is listed as $449. Including VAT after currency conversion that price should be around €500, but Apple skims off an extra €89.

Luckily, Google devices don't keep their high prices after the market develops so in a year or so I expect the tablets to be priced much more reasonably. For some reason people are willing to pay near purchase price for a second hand iPad, keeping the cost of older models in stores high, but Android tablets go for much less.

Re: Pixel Tablet

#437

Post by jeroenhd »

culopatin wrote: post #426
ho_schi wrote: post #396

Can somebody explain me why Europeans should pay 679 Euro which are around 740 Dollar? I assume something around 540 Dollar in the US with sales tax? And why we should also pay for the needless dock? Last time I bought a ThinkPad the offered good docking-stations but this was optional. Things which are not need for normal use should sold separately. Waste of resources. Note: Rate Euro to US is 1,09.

Probably because labor laws, taxes, and fuel being 2x more expensive in Europe than in the US make logistics more expensive? Operation cost vary by region. Also 740 is with tax, which for example in France is 20%, so the comparison price would be 592. So about $100 difference.

A 20% price increase before VAT is still expensive, especially because American wages are much higher (and often come with a higher cost of living, yes, but that still makes it easier to save up for a tablet).

Another advantage is that most of Europe is more densely populated. Google sells their 500 dollar tablets for the same price everywhere within the states, whether you live in the center of New York or the middle of the Nevada desert. They already need to cover the costs for this, so I don't think transportation costs cover the price difference.

Perhaps EU labour laws protect warehouse workers better, that's a possible reason for such a steep price hike, but I don't think warehouse workers earn that much more here.

Re: Pixel Tablet

#438

Post by mastercheif »

davidy123 wrote: post #402
lostlogin wrote: post #366

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are they? There have been two iPhone charge cables, and the original was the iPod charger. How many have been used by other companies? That mouse charger is ludicrous. Worst apple design ever?

I would include wireless magsafe in the bad decision category. The idea is good, but the implementation… they should have found a way to make it backward compatible, at least for the first generation of devices, and to be a really good company, introduced it as a standard from the get-go. But that wouldn't be very Apple. So now we have a few generations of wireless charger e-waste, which is a lot more material than a…

MagSafe is a Qi charger with some magnets around the rim. It works with any Qi wireless charging device.

Re: Pixel Tablet

#439

Post by prettyStandard »

12907835202 wrote: post #390
kentiko wrote: post #364

Last time I bought a Google device was a Pixel C end of 2016 as present for my dad. It was supported up to Android 8, released in 2017, and then Google decided this device was obsolete and would never get the next Android release. I am done with Google hardware. I bought my dad an iPad Mini since, as a replacement, I sure it will be updated for much longer.

My Pixel C is running great. I basically just use it as a netflix machine for camping/road trips/hostels. If I download offline on WiFi and then stick on airplane mode I can watch 10-12 hours on one charge even after all these years. Considering i'd only watch 1-2 hours a day that's a week of TV per charge. I love it.

As a rule me and my family don't use devices that don't get software updates. As soon as they're not patching it the devices as good as dead to us. The most we will do with it is play video games on it. Even my very computer illiterate parents understand this well.

Re: Pixel Tablet

#440

Post by jeroenhd »

spoiler wrote: post #357
JohnTHaller wrote: post #260

Earlier quoted context omitted.

US pricing is basically identical to Apple: Pixel Tablet: 128GB for $499 or 256GB for $599 Current iPad: 64GB for $449 or 256GB for $599 If you want to use a pen with the Pixel Tablet, you can use any USI 2.0 stylus you'd like. And the Pixel Tablet has a laminated screen unlike the 10th gen iPad, which makes for an arguably better stylus experience. I personally hate non-laminated tablet screens.

Oh, I was actually lamenting the lack of a stylus for Android tablets, mostly because I never "heard" of one. Do you know if it's worthwhile getting an Android tablet (like the Pixel Tablet) and the USI2 pen for digital painting? I mostly used Krita and a graphic tablet (although recently I'm doing it more traditional media to "unplug", so maybe getting a tablet is a step in the wrong direction)

I've never used an Apple stylus but my experience with the Samsung stylus is quite good, especially the higher end tablet models. Not having to charge the stylus and the fact they come bundled with their tablets is a nice bonus (often skewing many price comparison websites because they don't take the extra $100 for the stylus into account).

Software support in all art apps I've tried has been excellent. The Android version of Krita on tablets is just the desktop version repackaged into an app, for better or for worse.

I'd assume a USI2 pen will be equally good if not better, as it will also work with other models and brands. That said, I haven't tried these active pens myself, but if my Samsung tablet experience is anything to go by, I'd definitely be willing to give it a go.

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