Google Hardware makes cuts to laptop and tablet development, cancels products • Hacker News Board

Re: Google Hardware makes cuts to laptop and tablet development, cancels products

#111

Post by kamarg » Wed, Mar 13, 2019, 8:58 PM UTC

tannhaeuser wrote: post #103

robocat wrote: post #87

Please build me a Linux laptop for software engineering, Google. For engineers only. No software support beyond ensuring the BIOS and the drivers work and are updated. I hate Dell, but I got a Dell XPS 15 because it was the only laptop I knew would: boot Linux reliably; last two Ubuntu LTS upgrades (4 years); have a high spec (i9 etc); and was reasonably priced (Apple tax was 50% higher for worse hardware). Is it imp…

What is it about Dell that you hate? Anyways, Thinkpads are also held in high esteem for running Linux. I'm currently using a Dell XPS (2016 model) at home and a Thinkpad at my current customer project, both running Ubuntu 16.04, and I can recommend both. I chose the Thinkpad over a MacBook Pro, and would do again, but the display and touchpad is no match to Dell's, much less Apple's; that's however no problem becaus…

Three gripes with my Dell XPS13.

1) The docking station is horribly buggy. If I unplug it to take my laptop somewhere and then plug it back in, I have to do a full reboot or none of the USB peripherals on the docking station get power. Monitors, power, ethernet all still work through the docking station after being plugged back in. Dell support took 4hrs of my time installing/uninstalling drivers and firmware updates before finally giving up and sending me a new one. Which suffers the exact same issue. So I can buy a different brand of docking station, not take my laptop anywhere, or constantly reboot my machine.

2) Rebooting takes forever then fails. Every single time. After 8-10 minutes of sitting on the blue "Rebooting" screen it finally crashes and tells me something went wrong while rebooting. Every single time.

3) Sleep still doesn't work about a third of the time. If I put my machine to sleep through the Windows start menu and wait for all the various indicators to power off before closing the lid, there's a good chance that when I boot up tomorrow, the battery has fully drained and the machine has to boot back with all my applications closed down and context lost.

It makes me miss my Thinkpad.

Re: Google Hardware makes cuts to laptop and tablet development, cancels products

#112

Post by mav3rick » Wed, Mar 13, 2019, 8:59 PM UTC

ralmidani wrote: post #91

I used a Samsung Chromebook 2 (Exynos processor, 4GB RAM, 13 in. screen) as my primary laptop for a couple years. It was fast and quiet, but getting GNU/Linux running via Crouton meant jumping through hoops every time it powered off and back on. I now use a Macbook, and really wonder why any developer would buy a Pixelbook vs. a Macbook. If you want to run GNU/Linux, you can install a VM, and otherwise you still have…

Chrome OS comes with Linux VMs now. You can do most dev work with it

Re: Google Hardware makes cuts to laptop and tablet development, cancels products

#113

Post by kps » Wed, Mar 13, 2019, 9:00 PM UTC

balls187 wrote: post #104

robocat wrote: post #87

Please build me a Linux laptop for software engineering, Google. For engineers only. No software support beyond ensuring the BIOS and the drivers work and are updated. I hate Dell, but I got a Dell XPS 15 because it was the only laptop I knew would: boot Linux reliably; last two Ubuntu LTS upgrades (4 years); have a high spec (i9 etc); and was reasonably priced (Apple tax was 50% higher for worse hardware). Is it imp…

Not to start the flame war, but whats the appeal of Linux for software engineering, if you want the "it just works" approach of designed from the ground up experience? Don't Chrome books provide you what you need for software engineering?

What's the appeal of laptops for software engineering? Tiny screens and attached keyboards are a recipe for hand and spine problems.

Re: Google Hardware makes cuts to laptop and tablet development, cancels products

#114

Post by stevenwoo » Wed, Mar 13, 2019, 9:01 PM UTC

jpm_sd wrote: post #56

I'm looking forward to the upcoming announcement of a Google game console in 2019 [0], and the subsequent announcement that it has been discontinued in 2022. [0] https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2019/03/all-signs-point-to-a...

There was some hiring mini surge around 2006 or so where Google seemed to hire a lot of my game development coworkers and they already cancelled whatever they were working on within three years.

Re: Google Hardware makes cuts to laptop and tablet development, cancels products

#115

Post by broknbottle » Wed, Mar 13, 2019, 9:03 PM UTC

kamarg wrote: post #111

tannhaeuser wrote: post #103

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What is it about Dell that you hate? Anyways, Thinkpads are also held in high esteem for running Linux. I'm currently using a Dell XPS (2016 model) at home and a Thinkpad at my current customer project, both running Ubuntu 16.04, and I can recommend both. I chose the Thinkpad over a MacBook Pro, and would do again, but the display and touchpad is no match to Dell's, much less Apple's; that's however no problem becaus…

Three gripes with my Dell XPS13. 1) The docking station is horribly buggy. If I unplug it to take my laptop somewhere and then plug it back in, I have to do a full reboot or none of the USB peripherals on the docking station get power. Monitors, power, ethernet all still work through the docking station after being plugged back in. Dell support took 4hrs of my time installing/uninstalling drivers and firmware updates…

All 3 of these issues appear to be related to one common variable.. Windows. I have a Dell XPS 13 9360 8th Gen i5-8250u running Fedora 29 and I've never experienced any of these issues. Why don't you try another OS instead of blaming the hardware. If it continues with Ubuntu 18.04/18.10/Fedora 29 then contact Dell for support..

Re: Google Hardware makes cuts to laptop and tablet development, cancels products

#116

Post by mooman219 » Wed, Mar 13, 2019, 9:06 PM UTC

spectramax wrote: post #102

robocat wrote: post #87

Please build me a Linux laptop for software engineering, Google. For engineers only. No software support beyond ensuring the BIOS and the drivers work and are updated. I hate Dell, but I got a Dell XPS 15 because it was the only laptop I knew would: boot Linux reliably; last two Ubuntu LTS upgrades (4 years); have a high spec (i9 etc); and was reasonably priced (Apple tax was 50% higher for worse hardware). Is it imp…

Have you looked at Thinkpad? You could run linux on Carbon X1 and have ultra-mobile package with i7. $1500 but you have one of the best laptops in the market in my view - keyboard, screen, size, weight, feel, specs, battery life, etc. I own the latest Macbook Pro 15 and Carbon X1 6th gen. I want to pick up my thinkpad more than the MacBook. I find Aluminum not a good material for laptops - it is uninviting, heavy and…

Mac comments aside, ThinkPads are fantastic for Linux. I'm running Arch on my T460. You can find a used ThinkPad in pretty much every price range on eBay.

Re: Google Hardware makes cuts to laptop and tablet development, cancels products

#117

Post by tdfx » Wed, Mar 13, 2019, 9:08 PM UTC

compiler-guy wrote: post #83

konschubert wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Google inbox. Please. Anyone?

Although I love Inbox, it had no chance of being a $100 million dollar business. It would have been lucky to clear $10 million, even ignoring the fact that nearly all of its revenue would be cannibalized from gmail itself.

The odd part is that they developed a successful blueprint for how to beat their existing Gmail product and are apparently walking away from it. Anecdotal, but I don't know anyone who I introduced Inbox to that does not prefer it to standard Gmail. I wish they would focus their consolidation efforts on their awful messaging mess and leave Inbox alone.

Re: Google Hardware makes cuts to laptop and tablet development, cancels products

#118

Post by stevenjohns » Wed, Mar 13, 2019, 9:09 PM UTC

spectramax wrote: post #102

robocat wrote: post #87

Please build me a Linux laptop for software engineering, Google. For engineers only. No software support beyond ensuring the BIOS and the drivers work and are updated. I hate Dell, but I got a Dell XPS 15 because it was the only laptop I knew would: boot Linux reliably; last two Ubuntu LTS upgrades (4 years); have a high spec (i9 etc); and was reasonably priced (Apple tax was 50% higher for worse hardware). Is it imp…

Have you looked at Thinkpad? You could run linux on Carbon X1 and have ultra-mobile package with i7. $1500 but you have one of the best laptops in the market in my view - keyboard, screen, size, weight, feel, specs, battery life, etc. I own the latest Macbook Pro 15 and Carbon X1 6th gen. I want to pick up my thinkpad more than the MacBook. I find Aluminum not a good material for laptops - it is uninviting, heavy and…

How do you compare the battery life against the two?

Re: Google Hardware makes cuts to laptop and tablet development, cancels products

#119

Post by saagarjha » Wed, Mar 13, 2019, 9:10 PM UTC

ralmidani wrote: post #91

I used a Samsung Chromebook 2 (Exynos processor, 4GB RAM, 13 in. screen) as my primary laptop for a couple years. It was fast and quiet, but getting GNU/Linux running via Crouton meant jumping through hoops every time it powered off and back on. I now use a Macbook, and really wonder why any developer would buy a Pixelbook vs. a Macbook. If you want to run GNU/Linux, you can install a VM, and otherwise you still have…

I bought a Samsung Chromebook 3 a couple of days ago and was able to get it to dual-boot Chrome OS and Linux with a little bit of effort. Overall, I'm reasonably satisfied with it, given that I put less than $200 into it.

Re: Google Hardware makes cuts to laptop and tablet development, cancels products

#120

Post by turbinerneiter » Wed, Mar 13, 2019, 9:11 PM UTC

mohaine wrote: post #53

akhilcacharya wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I loved my Nexus 5... but the pixels have been incredibly disappointing in all respects save for the camera.

The price is high but they are really nice. I bought Pixel 1 on launch day and still have no desire to upgrade. (To be fair I have replaced the device a few times due to cracked glass but still a Pixel 1). This could just be a slowdown in hardware needs thought. Good enough is sometimes good enough.

My Pixel 1 died for no reason 4 months after the warranty ended. Google Support basically said: "lol sucks". Repairing means dealing with a shitty third party service, and even the most trivial repair costs more than the device is worth.

For me the high price was totally not worth it. I have a Pixel 3 which I bought 4 months after release for 30% less than the release price. I was considering an iPhone, but the cheapest one they sell in Germany is 850€, which is a bad joke.

I got my Librem 5 devkit tough, and maybe, hopefully something will come out of that.