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

arstechnica.com

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

#181

Post by merb »

mc32 wrote: post #139
kamarg wrote: post #122

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's almost certainly a driver issue. Drivers that are provided by Dell. I'm not at all blaming the hardware for the issues. I'm blaming Dell. To answer your question, I don't switch OS because the machine belongs to my employer and they set the rules. They say everyone runs Windows so I run Windows. It's actually a very usable OS. You also seem to have missed the part where I spent 4 hours on the phone with Dell sup…

In the thunderbolt docks the issue is firmware updates.

not always. they actually removed a dock already because it was too faulty. it was the tb15. my colleague needed a motherboard upgrade and they replaced the tb15 with the new tb16 because it just couldn't handle what it should have. 2x 4k monitors, ethernet, usb and power over a single thunderbold cable. btw. the tb16 is mostly fine

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

#182

Post by ahmedalsudani »

curry-castaway wrote: post #144
ahmedalsudani wrote: post #131

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you don't like Dell, three options are Lenovo, Purism, and System76. I'm personally quite happy with my thinkpad.

Do any of these options have a case that feels sturdy? It seems a little silly describing it this way, but one of the reasons I keep coming back to macbooks is the aluminum case. I want good specs, but my lizard brain also wants a laptop which doesn't feel like a flimsy plastic toy.

Ah, fair enough. I think Purism cases are all-metal. I have not touched one though -- going to once they release a 32GB model.

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

#183

Post by Wowfunhappy »

kamarg wrote: post #122
broknbottle wrote: post #115

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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..

It's almost certainly a driver issue. Drivers that are provided by Dell. I'm not at all blaming the hardware for the issues. I'm blaming Dell. To answer your question, I don't switch OS because the machine belongs to my employer and they set the rules. They say everyone runs Windows so I run Windows. It's actually a very usable OS. You also seem to have missed the part where I spent 4 hours on the phone with Dell sup…

Not sure how far up the thread you've read, but this thread began because a person wanted a Laptop for running Linux. Hence the discussion of whether your complaints are Windows-only.

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

#184

Post by rconti »

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…

The Dell thunderbolt docks apparently simply don't work. I have a friend who's gone through a ton of Latitude hardware. Dell just can't make it work, period.

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

#185

Post by balls187 »

mrdoops wrote: post #165
balls187 wrote: post #121

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not following. OP asked for a linux based software engineering laptop. The ones available are not hitting the mark. Why?

You want a couple things for an engineering laptop: Linux support, good hardware (screen, keyboard, build, trackpad, etc), and enterprise guarantees. XPS sort of does that, but you're still dealing with Dell which has it's own hiccups (variable build quality, archaic sales methods, etc.), also the XPS line isn't quite commercial grade. Thinkpads typically have good Linux support, but sometimes as with these last 6th…

I had assumed people who wanted to run linux were okay with dealing with driver hardware jank, and were more or less comfortable with the tuning and customization required to get the hardware to work as they desired.

For those who just wanted a machine that "just worked" Windows based and Apple laptops would suffice, the latter having the power of a unix based OS underneath.

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

#186

Post by 52-6F-62 »

oceliker wrote: post #167
robocat wrote: post #150

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is simply that my time is expensive. For the $1000 it costs for a faster laptop, work gets many thousands of dollars back due to more efficient development. I could waste time optimising disk space, waiting for compiles (the developer tools we use need single-core CPU performance), enchancing the performance of development tools, waiting for VMs to boot, waiting for Windows VM to update, waste time shutting down t…

> For the $1000 it costs for a faster laptop, work gets many thousands of dollars back due to more efficient development. In that case, why are you looking for a “reasonably priced” laptop? The Apple tax is indeed 50% or more, but it should be a straightforward decision if it fits your other requirements. Sure, there are diminishing returns; but I don’t see why you wouldn’t spring up $3000 for a maxed out Macbook, co…

Not OP, but: This is actually why I’m looking at used/refurb MBP for my next purchase probably within the next few months.

At home I’m still on an i5 13” 2013. It’s still running great for everyday uses. Probably aiming for a 2015-ish era 15” i7 or so with double the RAM.

They run in the neighbourhood of $1400 or $1900 CAD. I imagine there are even more resources for that kind of purchase in the US.

I might bite the bullet yet for a newer machine but the Touch Bar is honestly a big turn off for me. Or rather the Touch Bar is fine but the lack of dedicated function keys is a turn off. Have considered adapting by remapping some keys but the price is also a factor.

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

#187

Post by humblebee »

kps wrote: post #113
balls187 wrote: post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

I work remotely and travel a lot for work. At home and at my office (coworking) I have a keyboard and monitor.

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

#188

Post by mkozlows »

Rebelgecko wrote: post #174
dragonwriter wrote: post #162

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Does Google kill hardware often? Its killed several hardware projects (Nexus Q comes to mind immediately, though that only got into anyone's hands as a prerelease version at I/O 2012), but I don't know that any of those have involved bricking devices already sold (though cutting off software support and associated services may have reduced the potential lifespan for some, but that happens for old models from most m…

If we look at Alphabet and not just Google, there's the Revolv hub that was bricked. However they assured us that it's not the end... just the beginning of a new wonderful chapter in the journey of home automation, and sorry that the hardware we sold you doesn't work any more http://revolv.com/

That's a product that was made by a failed company that Google acquihired people from. And Google supported it well past when that company would have if they had died on their own.

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

#190

Post by DangitBobby »

curry-castaway wrote: post #144
ahmedalsudani wrote: post #131

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you don't like Dell, three options are Lenovo, Purism, and System76. I'm personally quite happy with my thinkpad.

Do any of these options have a case that feels sturdy? It seems a little silly describing it this way, but one of the reasons I keep coming back to macbooks is the aluminum case. I want good specs, but my lizard brain also wants a laptop which doesn't feel like a flimsy plastic toy.

System76's Oryx Pro has an aluminum case.
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