There's a lot to love about Google's new high-end Chromebook Pixel
laptop: a vivid, high-resolution touch screen, powerful speakers and
next-generation USB ports meant to standardize power chargers. All for
$300 cheaper than the original model.
But the Pixel's limitations
became clear during a cross-country flight. Machines running Google's
Chrome operating system are meant primarily for online use. Although the
Pixel promises offline access to files stored on Google's online Drive
service, it was hit or miss with files that weren't in Google's own
formats. Fortunately, I had my Mac laptop to turn to.
The Pixel goes on sale Wednesday for $999, while $1,299 gets you a version with more storage and a faster processor.
CHROMEBOOK BASICS
On
machines running Chrome just about everything works through the Web
browser. Many apps, in fact, are simply bookmarks to a service's regular
website.
Google figures you'll store most of your files in the
cloud, so Chromebooks have limited storage. The basic Pixel has just 32
gigabytes, compared with the minimum 128 gigabytes on a MacBook Air. The
pricier Pixel has 64 gigabytes.
USING IT WITHOUT INTERNET ACCESS
Some
apps do have limited offline capabilities, and they have improved since
I tested the original Pixel in 2013. Some of these functions are now
automatically enabled, and the Pixel stores your most recently opened
files automatically for offline use.
But that doesn't apply to
files you merely copied to Google Drive, as I learned the hard way. All
Google-format files are stored automatically, but what I needed were
Word and PDF documents. Next time, I'll need to open or download those
files individually ahead of time. I couldn't find a way to enable entire
folders at once.
AS AN ONLINE DEVICE
Chromebooks are
typically budget devices costing a few hundred dollars. The Pixel is the
exception, with premium performance and a premium price tag.
Still,
the Pixel offers a 13-inch touch screen and sharp display at 239 pixels
per inch for less than $1,000. Windows laptops with that performance
typically cost a few hundred dollars more. Apple doesn't make
touch-screen laptops at all. (That said, comparable Windows and Mac
laptops have more storage for the money. And many are lighter than the
Pixel's 3.3 pounds.)
The slower model I tested was speedy - more
than adequate for Web surfing, text documents and even video. Sound came
through nice and clear. Google promises up to 12 hours of use on a
single battery charge. With the battery nearly drained, I got a 50
percent charge in about a half-hour - enough for a day of meetings
Tuesday in Silicon Valley.
POWER POTENTIAL
What I like most
is the Pixel's use of the emerging Type-C standard for USB. In English,
that means faster and more flexible charging. Android phones have long
used USB for charging, but the current USB technology limits how much
power the phone can draw. That's one reason laptops, with greater power
needs, come with their own chargers.
Type-C is meant to
standardize those chargers, so you might one day need just one for all
your phones, tablets and laptops. Type-C draws more power and transfers
data faster than current USB.
You might have heard of Type-C when
Apple announced a new MacBook on Monday. Apple ditched regular USB ports
in favor of USB-C, but in addition to Type-C, the Pixel has two regular
ports and an SD slot for camera memory.
With Type-C, cords can be
inserted in either direction, much like the iPhone's Lightning
connector, so you don't have to figure out which side is up. The Pixel
goes further in having ports on both sides, so you're not left with
tangled cords if the outlet is on the wrong side.
The port also
works for display output, though you'll need a $40 adapter until TVs and
monitors start getting Type-C. I watched "The Simpsons" on my TV that
way.
APPS
Google gives Android developers an easy way to
make their apps also work on Chrome. Google says about 30 apps have been
converted, including the video-sharing app Vine.
Microsoft's
Office isn't one of them, but Google does make it easy to work with
Office files. They open in a Web browser just like Google-format files
and get saved automatically in the Microsoft formats for sharing.
The
Pixel is impressive, but consider your needs away from Wi-Fi. Many
other laptops, including the new MacBook, offer more flexibility for a
few hundred dollars more.