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Sorry, iPads and foldable phones! Pixel Tablet is the best tablet Apple and Samsung never made
Tablets have always been the “middle child” in a world of smartphones and laptops. Depending on who you ask, they are either “like a bigger screen phone”, or a noticeably less practical, less powerful alternative to a “real computer/laptop”.
Respectively, when creating a new tablet, companies like Apple, Samsung, Xiaomi, Lenovo, etc. can go in two directions:
- Create a tablet tablet that you would use to watch videos, listen to music, draw, make video calls, play games – in other words, a tablet that doesn’t try to fully replace your laptop (if you have one)
- Create a tablet that openly tries to be a more “portable, touch-enabled” alternative to a laptop – this approach usually includes an ecosystem of accessories such as a stylus, keyboards, adjustable stands and even mice
And as someone who tried to be “an iPad person,” I can tell you that the 11-inch iPad Pro (2018) didn’t seem to do enough to replace my MacBook, which I use for work and other creative things. programs/tasks that require “a real computer”. Entertainment-wise, playing games on the larger screen compared to my phone was fun, but noticeably less immersive than taking things to the next level (with an Xbox and a TV). Oh, and I’m not one to watch a movie while holding a tablet in my hands, so that’s out of the question. Aside from that, the most awkward moments of my relationship with the iPad were when we weren’t seeing each other. In other words, when I didn’t even remember to use it because it wasn’t near me, or because the battery was dead. In fact, my iPad Pro ended up in a drawer for months before I thought, “Hey! What about that iPad, which I haven’t used in ages? I should probably get rid of it.” So I did.
And it’s almost like mine The Google Nest Mini listened to me and told Sundar Pichai & Co exactly how to make me a tablet – a tablet that would allow me to give tablets a second chance. And Google did it! The new Pixel Tablet is perhaps the most obvious, yet most useful take on a tablet we’ve ever seen, whether you’re on team Android or Apple.
So, is this the big comeback of the Android tablet? I don’t want to spoil it, but as far as I’m concerned it could be!
Pixel tablet and Android’s big comeback: Unlike Apple, Google isn’t trying to turn the tablet into a laptop; The Pixel tablet charging dock is the best tablet accessory Apple has never made
There are two types of tablets: those that don’t try to replace your laptop, and Apple’s iPad Pro.
And it all starts with a dock…
Despite the exciting dock, which makes it a 2-in-1 tablet-Nest Hub combo, the Pixel Tablet’s biggest superpower is arguably the Google Assistant – the smartest voice assistant on the planet. As a Google Nest Mini user, the smallest Bluetooth speaker with assistant from Google proves to be a great help around the house. I’m pretty sure I’d appreciate an upgrade, which would give me an 11-inch detachable screen for watching videos, better speakers (hopefully), video calling capabilities, and much more.
Since they are usually just a large sheet of glass with no special input methods, tablets offer many accessories for added functionality. But I think Google just made the one accessory that can rule them all. It’s what we in the tech space like to call a “game-changer.” We like to use the term loosely, so use it as you please…
Five reasons why the Pixel tablet’s charging dock is a game changer: The Pixel tablet is also your Google Nest Hub – a more practical combination than a foldable phone-tablet?
- Sure, the dock can charge your Pixel tablet wirelessly, but the wireless charging aspect isn’t even the most convenient; the main point to note is that the dock doubles as your Pixel Tablet’s station/stand, meaning you’re much less likely to find your Pixel Tablet dead; I think of it as a tablet that “never runs out of battery” (don’t worry, the Pixel tablet also has a USB-C charging port)
- The dock means you always know where to find your Pixel tablet, as it serves as a home base for a device that usually always gets lost or ends up in a drawer when not in use; anyone who has a tablet, which he mainly uses/keeps in and around the house, knows what I’m talking about
- One of the biggest selling points for those who like the whole “smart home” is the fact that once docked, the Pixel tablet transforms into an entirely different device: a Google Nest Hub; this means your tablet functions as a clock, Bluetooth speaker, security camera and more, even when you’re not actually using it – if that doesn’t sound familiar to you, it’s because no other tablet can
- I’m not sure this one deserves a separate bullet point (and I don’t like to waste it), but one of the Pixel Tablet’s superpowers is that it combines two completely separate devices into one (a tablet and a Nest Hub), but this means also that they offer even more added functionality – for example, the Nest Hub-esque dock is also a speaker, which should make the Pixel Tablet (technically) the best-sounding tablet; I already mentioned the fact that the Pixel tablet will also be your clock, security monitor (if you have a Nest Cam), and standalone video calling device
- Last but not least, one of the biggest selling points of the new Pixel tablet might quite literally be its $500 price tag — it seems Google thinks tablets shouldn’t cost as much as laptops, and I totally agree. ; the icing on the cake (which might be a bit controversial – more on that later), is that the Pixel tablet comes with the dock, making it the exciting device it is
You know how every once in a while you find a restaurant where the food is so good you think it could cost more? That’s how I feel about phones like the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7a – given the current state of the smartphone market, I think they’re overpriced. And that’s how I feel about the Pixel Tablet. No, I don’t think it should cost more, but I can see how an Apple version starts at $700-800. Like the iPhone.
Is Google playing it safe or cheap? Pixel tablet won’t be as “perfect” as expected: a very basic screen, lack of full Nest Hub functionality and high prices outside the US
The Pixel tablet means that Google has started to solve real problems here. Not necessarily through smart software (so as not to undermine that) but through innovative hardware – something that is extremely rare in smart technology. The fact that the Pixel Tablet & Dock (it’s so important) bring innovation to Android tablets, a category forgotten by most, is even more impressive.
Tablets are usually always dead/misplaced, and Pixel Tablet promises to provide a solution for this through its innovative docking station. Honestly, I find it more exciting than the Pixel Fold. There, I said it.
Of course, like any phone, tablet, earbud, or smartwatch ever made, the Pixel Tablet doesn’t look like a “perfect” device. Here are some potential deal breakers, which we may discuss in detail in a future story:
- The first potential deal-breaker (for display junkies) will be Google’s decision to equip the Pixel Tablet with an old screen, which is not only an LCD (rather than OLED) but also runs at 60Hz – I don’t even know what’s less “bad” here
- This one can be attributed to our high expectations (as Google never promised anything), but it turns out that the speaker driver in the Pixel Tablet’s dock measures 43.5mm (the same size as the one in the smaller Nest Hub), which is unknown stands for its incredible sound; we don’t know any other details about the speaker situation, such as the output power in watts, and whether or not Google has made any improvements to the speaker unit (assuming it’s the same one from the Nest), so don’t be disappointed just yet, I’m guessing
- What is quite disappointing is the limited dock functionality; apparently the dock itself can’t do much (like a Nest Hub); Google’s website says the Charging Speaker Dock cannot connect to a second dock (for a more immersive sound experience), or to other Google speakers/Nest Hubs; this tells us that the dock probably doesn’t even support a standard Bluetooth connection
- High prices – ironically, unlike the great price for the Pixel tablet in the US, people in Europe, the UK and the rest of the world won’t be able to enjoy the same great deal – the Pixel tablet costs a whopping € 680 here in Germany, which makes no sense since the difference in the price of the Pixel 7a in the EU and US is only $10; speaker of high prices, the price of the dock alone (if you were to buy an extra or a replacement) is $129, which seems ridiculously high considering the dock doesn’t have the functionality of a Nest Hub ($99); the brilliant stand case Google introduced is also quite expensive ($80)
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