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Google Pixelbook Is Google’s New Chromebook

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Re: Google Pixelbook Is Google’s New Chromebook

#131

Post by cat199 »

bubblethink wrote: post #91

Is there any real technical reason to have soldered RAM and storage ? A well built $1200 linux laptop would still be OK if it weren't artificially gimped. M.2 ssds are already quite thin. So the form factor argument doesn't hold. The storage markup on these devices is huge considering that a 1 TB nvme pcie m.2 ssd goes for under $350 (even less during sales).

> The storage markup on these devices is huge considering that a 1 TB nvme pcie m.2 ssd goes for under $350 (even less during sales).

Looks like you answered your own question..

Re: Google Pixelbook Is Google’s New Chromebook

#132

Post by IntelMiner »

jimmytidey wrote: post #10

Would it run an actual Linux OS?

From what has been seen, all Chromebooks (from Google and other vendors)run the open source "Coreboot" BIOS, which they allow to be user-flashable

Beyond that, they seem to mandate a strict policy of no binary blobs, and code seems to get merged into the mainline kernel pretty quickly

My Chromebook 13 worked OOTB with Linux after I flashed the BIOS. The only piece of hardware that didn't work was the keyboard backlight control, which was added in Kernel 4.9

Re: Google Pixelbook Is Google’s New Chromebook

#133

Post by pjmlp »

diebir wrote: post #120
j7ake wrote: post #40

Cool dev machine but for 1200 dollars I want to be able to run Microsoft office when people send me documents without asking them to reformat and also edit and modify images with standard software when necessary. In a collaborative world it is not worth the pain to pay 1200 and not be able to work with people who do not code. Chrome books are acceptable at the 200 dollar price point (I have one that dual boots archli…

Wow, who uses Office these days? I thought everyone has migrated to the cloud docs. Have not seen a Office file in years now...

Every single working day.

We don't put classified data in the hands of third parties and Google Docs just doesn't support the features our users rely on.

It is nice to take notes or Lotus 1-2-3 like features.

Re: Google Pixelbook Is Google’s New Chromebook

#134

Post by cat199 »

tacomonstrous wrote: post #28
champagnepapi wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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?

In my experience, 'just install Linux on it' is only enjoyable till the first piece of hardware that fails to work as you expected it to (usually Bluetooth or the touchpad). Crouton on Chrome OS quite literally 'just works' and is at least as easy to install as Linux on a PC. Also, why would I want worse specs? I'd rather get the best hardware I can, and if it looks good, even better.

Definately mixed milage here I agree..

That said on the low end I bought an Acer CloudBook (Win-10 competitor to chromebook) about 2y back and literally everything works, including suspend, wifi, and all the rest.

When a linux install goes right, it's pretty great.

Re: Google Pixelbook Is Google’s New Chromebook

#135

Post by cat199 »

coldtea wrote: post #69
pjmlp wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For me it certainly isn't spare change, and given that I was able to buy an Asus laptop with Ubuntu LTS pre-installed with about 300 euros, I don't really see the appeal.

As if the target audience for Chromebooks is seasoned systems developers with a thing for obscure 60s-90s programming languages? I mean, let's get real, obviously it wouldn't appeal to you (doesn't appeal to me either). But at least I can pretend to understand the proposition -- it's about never caring for backups and stuff, and having all your stuff in the Cloud, in a Google curated computing experience. Not about s…

> obscure 60s-90s programming languages?

care to clarify?

Most of the new languages are written on unix-like systems first..

Re: Google Pixelbook Is Google’s New Chromebook

#136

Post by cat199 »

baybal2 wrote: post #68
pimlottc wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Could you elaborate on why this name would be hard to trademark in China?

There was a somewhat well known Chinese brand around 2007-2009 that was making rather decent laptops. The core of the company's collective went to found the BYD's consumer electronics unit and were the ones who made BYD's Vaio P clones. Their makes were rather stylish for a Chinese CE company

Hmm yes. China is well known for it's fierce regulatory regieme with respect to intellectual property.

Perhaps they can just rebrand them as Mac and sell them at one of the fake apple stores instead if this becomes a problem..

Re: Google Pixelbook Is Google’s New Chromebook

#137

Post by RussianCow »

IntelMiner wrote: post #129
nickjj wrote: post #73

I think I'll stick with my Toshiba Chromebook CB35. - It runs native Linux - Works awesome for every day web development - 1080p IPS display - $350 bucks total If anyone wants to see how to set that up (it requires installing GalliumOS which is a native Linux OS for Chromebooks) and read a full review it's over at https://nickjanetakis.com/blog/transform-a-toshiba-chromeboo... .

Just to add to this. If you want something a little more "beefy" The Dell Chromebook 13 also checks almost all those boxes - Runs Native Linux (GalliumOS or otherwise. Mainline kernel support was added for all hardware in 4.9) - Works awesome for every day use. Coding, browsing etc - 1080P IPS display (touch screen model also available, apparently?) - Intel Core i5 - 8GB memory - 8-10 hour battery depending on usage

> 8GB memory

Is this actually accurate? I'm on the Dell website[1] and all the Chromebook models seem to only have 4GB. Or am I looking at the wrong product?

[1]: http://www.dell.com/en-us/work/shop/dell-laptops-and-noteboo...

Re: Google Pixelbook Is Google’s New Chromebook

#139

Post by gisenberg »

patwolf wrote: post #4

As someone who has attempted to use the original Chromebook Pixel as a development machine, I'm glad to see they've added more storage options. The original Pixel had 32GB of storage, and this one offers 512GB. For those unfamiliar with ChromeOS, it allows you to run Linux application using Crouton/chroot, so it really has a lot of potential as a Linux dev machine. However, I ultimately ran out of storage space, and…

When the Chromebook Pixel is configured to run Linux through Crouton/chroot, it displays a warning on reboot and will automatically reflash the machine to stock ChromeOS without intervention. Not a great option if there's a chance someone non-technical will try to use the machine.

Re: Google Pixelbook Is Google’s New Chromebook

#140

Post by redial »

sowbug wrote: post #33
FussyZeus wrote: post #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?

Yes. My wife and I have three kids. We have at least four Chromebooks sitting around the house for anyone to pick up and use. We used to have a couple OS X machines, but other than occasional video editing that we now do in the Instagram app, they were never used for anything a Chromebook couldn't do. My kids' schools all use Chromebooks, too, so it's easy for them to resume work when they get home. I am an engineeri…

> I am an engineering manager at Google.

Well then, not biased at all.

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