So, this is a device that could easily have been delivered with ChromeOS, but instead is running Android. In fact, I don't think the Pixel line has ever had an Android device, am I correct?
My gut is that rumors of ChromeOS's demise were not overblown, which is tough in my house -- all but one household computer runs on Chrome right now.
We'll see what the future brings, but I don't have faith that Android devices scaled up to desktop size are going to bring the same quality of experience my family gets right now with their Chromebooks.
So, this is a device that could easily have been delivered with ChromeOS, but instead is running Android. In fact, I don't think the Pixel line has ever had an Android device, am I correct?
OTOH, Google has not ever released a device that was intended to operate without a keyboard and pointing device as a main interaction mode with ChromeOS. One of those
"not ever before" things was going to have to fail with with a Pixel tablet.
Honestly, I'm entirely unclear as to what "Pixel" as a brand is now (it used to be a brand-modifier in the Chromebook line), but branding without clear semantics is probably better than putting an OS that is less proven in a touch-first role on a tablet.
I have to mostly agree on this. I don't know why MS & Google feel the need to create a one OS fits all mentality. Some concepts just don't work for a tablet, phone or desktop. Some need to be different. I also don't like productivity with a touch screen... smudges and blurry parts of the screen don't work so well.
I've been a pretty big fan of ChromeOS... I only hope that the Android experience doesn't really destroy things here. On tablets, I find the android experience starts to break down a little, mostly in the system menus (slide down from top)... Other apps may or may not scale well. The GMail app does better than most, but some are just bad.
It's not easy to make an app that scales from all sizes/orientations, and this will just muddy things imho.
"Nexus" means this is an Android developed with a partner to be a developer device, and to have no crapware and punctual updates.
Android and ChromeOS are very different. Both will continue. In art because a ChromeOS touch device would be as bad at being touch-first as a Windows device. Ne'er the twain shall meet.
Then there's "Google Play Edition" which is... what? Nexus-ish?
And "Silver." And "One."
Did they hire the people from Sun who thought up *beans? Or maybe Microsoft's technology branding guru?
Android is a hit with youth, and the less technical interface compared to the desktop is very welcome to older generations and those who are less technically saavy. Believe it or not, there are many people out there who still struggle with a mouse. Though ChromeOS supports touch, the apps they run generally are built around a mouse, whereas Android apps are ALWAYS built around touch.
Also note that the 6.0.1 update for Android introduced a slightly different tablet UI again.
Since 4.3-4.4, tablets have sported a bottom bar with 3 buttons centered. Now two of them (back and home) are found in the bottom left corner, while the "switcher" button has landed in the bottom right.
While this seem to be nice when holding a tablet with both hands, it also works well with "Fitts' law" as corners are easy to hit with a mouse.
Comments
So, this is a device that could easily have been delivered with ChromeOS, but instead is running Android. In fact, I don't think the Pixel line has ever had an Android device, am I correct?
My gut is that rumors of ChromeOS's demise were not overblown, which is tough in my house -- all but one household computer runs on Chrome right now.
We'll see what the future brings, but I don't have faith that Android devices scaled up to desktop size are going to bring the same quality of experience my family gets right now with their Chromebooks.
OTOH, Google has not ever released a device that was intended to operate without a keyboard and pointing device as a main interaction mode with ChromeOS. One of those "not ever before" things was going to have to fail with with a Pixel tablet.
Honestly, I'm entirely unclear as to what "Pixel" as a brand is now (it used to be a brand-modifier in the Chromebook line), but branding without clear semantics is probably better than putting an OS that is less proven in a touch-first role on a tablet.
I have to mostly agree on this. I don't know why MS & Google feel the need to create a one OS fits all mentality. Some concepts just don't work for a tablet, phone or desktop. Some need to be different. I also don't like productivity with a touch screen... smudges and blurry parts of the screen don't work so well.
I've been a pretty big fan of ChromeOS... I only hope that the Android experience doesn't really destroy things here. On tablets, I find the android experience starts to break down a little, mostly in the system menus (slide down from top)... Other apps may or may not scale well. The GMail app does better than most, but some are just bad.
It's not easy to make an app that scales from all sizes/orientations, and this will just muddy things imho.
Too much kremlinology.
"Pixel" means this is a Google designed device.
"Nexus" means this is an Android developed with a partner to be a developer device, and to have no crapware and punctual updates.
Android and ChromeOS are very different. Both will continue. In art because a ChromeOS touch device would be as bad at being touch-first as a Windows device. Ne'er the twain shall meet.
Then there's "Google Play Edition" which is... what? Nexus-ish?
And "Silver." And "One."
Did they hire the people from Sun who thought up *beans? Or maybe Microsoft's technology branding guru?
The Pixel "line" has consisted of one device: The Chromebook Pixel, which has had two revisions, the most recent just earlier this year.
Android is a hit with youth, and the less technical interface compared to the desktop is very welcome to older generations and those who are less technically saavy. Believe it or not, there are many people out there who still struggle with a mouse. Though ChromeOS supports touch, the apps they run generally are built around a mouse, whereas Android apps are ALWAYS built around touch.
Also note that the 6.0.1 update for Android introduced a slightly different tablet UI again.
Since 4.3-4.4, tablets have sported a bottom bar with 3 buttons centered. Now two of them (back and home) are found in the bottom left corner, while the "switcher" button has landed in the bottom right.
While this seem to be nice when holding a tablet with both hands, it also works well with "Fitts' law" as corners are easy to hit with a mouse.