Google Pixel Slate

Last updated
Pixel Slate
Google Pixel Slate.jpg
Pixel Slate with Google Keyboard
Developer Google
Manufacturer Quanta Computer [1] (under contract)
Product family Google Pixel
Type 2-in-1 detachable
Release dateOctober 9, 2018 (2018-10-09)
Introductory priceCeleron model:
$599 USD (4 GB RAM)
$699 USD (8 GB RAM)
Core m3 Model:
$799 USD
Core i5 model:
$999 USD
Core i7 model:
$1599 USD
Operating system Chrome OS
CPU Intel Kaby Lake Celeron 3965Y, m3-8100Y, i5-8200Y, or i7-8500Y [2]
MemoryCeleron: 4 or 8 GB
m3: 8 GB
i5: 8 GB
i7: 16 GB [2]
StorageCeleron:
32 GB eMMC SSD
64 GB eMMC SSD
m3: 64 GB eMMC SSD
i5: 128 GB eMMC SSD
i7: 256 GB eMMC SSD
Removable storage USB external storage over USB-C [3]
Display312 mm (12.3 in) Molecular Display 3000x2000 (293 ppi, 115 px/cm) LTPS LCD with Gorilla Glass 5 [2]
Graphics Intel UHD Graphics 615
SoundStereo dual-coil front-firing speakers, USB-C audio, included USB-C to 3.5mm headphone jack adapter, dual microphones [2]
Input Multi-touch screen, Pixel Imprint fingerprint sensor, [2] 3-axis gyroscope/accelerometer, ambient light sensor, hall effect sensor [4]
CameraFront: 8 MP, ƒ/1.9 aperture wide FoV, 1080p 30fps video, 1.4μm pixel size
Rear: 8 MP, ƒ/1.8 aperture, 1080p 30fps video, 1.12μm pixel size [2]
Connectivity Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, 2x2 MIMO, dual-band
Bluetooth 4.2 [2]
Two USB-C ports
Pogo pin accessory connector
Power48 Wh rechargeable battery, Power Delivery over USB-C
Dimensions202.04 mm (7.954 in) (h)
290.85 mm (11.451 in) (w)
7.0 mm (0.28 in) (d) [2]
Mass731 g (1.612 lb) [2]
Predecessor Google Pixelbook, Pixel C
Related articles Pixel 3, Pixelbook Pen
Website store.google.com/us/product/pixel_slate

The Google Pixel Slate is a 12.3-inch tablet running Chrome OS. It was developed by Google and released on October 9, 2018 at the Made by Google event [5] with a price starting at US$599. [6]

Contents

Specifications

Hardware

The Google Pixel Slate features a 12.3-inch "Molecular" LCD display with a ppi of 293 and a resolution of 2000 by 3000. Pixel slate has a thickness of 7mm, a height of 202 mm and width of 290.9mm. The pixel slate features Intel processors ranging from a Celeron processor to an 8th generation core i7, ram available in 4, 8 and 16 GB and a new Titan C security chip. [7] The pixel slate is exclusively available in a midnight blue colour and all models feature a side mounted fingerprint scanner. The Pixel Slates I/O includes two USB-C ports on either side of the device, both of which can be used for charging its 48 Wh battery as well as media transfer. The Pixel slate has two cameras, one on the front and rear. The front camera is an 8 megapixel sensor with an aperture of ƒ/1.9 and a 1.4μm pixel size, while the rears setup also has an 8 megapixel sensor it has an ƒ/1.8 aperture and a 1.12μm pixel size, both are capable of recording 1080p at 30fps. [8]

Liquid-crystal display display that uses the light modulating properties of liquid crystals

A liquid-crystal display (LCD) is a flat-panel display or other electronically modulated optical device that uses the light-modulating properties of liquid crystals. Liquid crystals do not emit light directly, instead using a backlight or reflector to produce images in color or monochrome. LCDs are available to display arbitrary images or fixed images with low information content, which can be displayed or hidden, such as preset words, digits, and seven-segment displays, as in a digital clock. They use the same basic technology, except that arbitrary images are made up of a large number of small pixels, while other displays have larger elements. LCDs can either be normally on (positive) or off (negative), depending on the polarizer arrangement. For example, a character positive LCD with a backlight will have black lettering on a background that is the color of the backlight, and a character negative LCD will have a black background with the letters being of the same color as the backlight. Optical filters are added to white on blue LCDs to give them their characteristic appearance.

In computing, input/output or I/O is the communication between an information processing system, such as a computer, and the outside world, possibly a human or another information processing system. Inputs are the signals or data received by the system and outputs are the signals or data sent from it. The term can also be used as part of an action; to "perform I/O" is to perform an input or output operation.

USB-C 24-pin reversible-plug serial digital connector system

USB-C, formally known as USB Type-C, is a 24-pin USB connector system, which is distinguished by its two-fold rotationally-symmetrical connector.

Model-specific specs

The Pixel Slate is Google's first tablet to be powered by Intel processors, making it more similar in hardware to the Google Pixelbook and Chromebook Pixel. It has 5 hardware configurations available, with a Celeron CPU on the low end and a Core i7 Y-series CPU on the high end, with RAM options varying from 4 GB to 16 GB.

Intel American semiconductor company

Intel Corporation is an American multinational corporation and technology company headquartered in Santa Clara, California, in the Silicon Valley. It is the world's second largest and second highest valued semiconductor chip manufacturer based on revenue after being overtaken by Samsung, and is the inventor of the x86 series of microprocessors, the processors found in most personal computers (PCs). Intel ranked No. 46 in the 2018 Fortune 500 list of the largest United States corporations by total revenue.

Google Pixelbook

The Google Pixelbook is a portable laptop/tablet hybrid computer developed by Google which runs Chrome OS. It was announced on October 4, 2017 and was released on October 30.

Chromebook Pixel laptop of Google

The Chromebook Pixel is a 2013 laptop at the high end of Google's Chromebook family of machines, which all come preinstalled with Chrome OS operating system. The Chromebook Pixel is part of the Google Pixel series of consumer electronics. It was never granted the ability to run Andoid apps, and stopped receiving software and security updates in August 2018.

Configurations [2] [9]
Price tier (USD)CPUGPURAMInternal storage
$599 Intel Celeron 3965Y Intel UHD Graphics 615 4 GB32 GB eMMC
$6998 GB64 GB eMMC
$799 Intel Core m3-8100Y
$999 Intel Core i5-8200Y 128 GB eMMC
$1599 Intel Core i7-8500Y 16 GB256 GB eMMC

Software

The Google Pixel Slate runs the most current generation of Chrome OS which receives regular updates issued by Google every 2 to 3 weeks. [10] Although Chrome OS is developed by Google it is based on a Linux kernel [11] similar to Android. Since it comes with the Google Play Store, the Slate can run Android apps natively. When the Pixel Slate shipped it featured a revamped UI, new features, and bug fixes that weren't previously available on the Slate's predecessor, the Pixelbook.

Chrome OS is a Linux kernel-based operating system designed by Google. It is derived from the free software Chromium OS and uses the Google Chrome web browser as its principal user interface. As a result, Chrome OS primarily supports web applications.

Android (operating system) Free and open-source operating system for mobile devices, developed by Google

Android is a mobile operating system developed by Google. It is based on a modified version of the Linux kernel and other open source software, and is designed primarily for touchscreen mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. In addition, Google has further developed Android TV for televisions, Android Auto for cars, and Wear OS for wrist watches, each with a specialized user interface. Variants of Android are also used on game consoles, digital cameras, PCs and other electronics.

Accessories [12]

The Pixel book has a variety of accessories sold by Google on their website or provided by third parties.

Keyboard and touchpad

The Pixel Slate doesn't come with a keyboard built-in, but Google sells a folio-style keyboard with a Touchpad designed to work with the Pixel Slate, which connects to the accessory connector by use of Pogo pins. [13] The keyboard is very similar to the standard for Chromebook keyboards, with the Caps Lock key used to open the application menu and lacking traditional Function Keys, with buttons on the function key row specifically assigned to per-application or global shortcuts. Like the Pixelbook, the Pixel Slate keyboard comes with a dedicated Google Assistant button in the location where most keyboards have a Windows key.

Pogo pin

A Pogo pin is a device used in electronics to establish a connection between two printed circuit boards. Named by analogy with the pogo stick toy, the pogo pin usually takes the form of a slender cylindrical receptacle containing a sharp, spring-loaded pin. Pressed between two electronic circuits, the sharp points at each end of the pogo pin make secure contacts with the two circuits and thereby connect them together.

Caps Lock computer key

Caps Lock is a button on a computer keyboard that causes all letters of Latin-based scripts to be generated in capital letters. It is a toggle key: each press reverses its action. Some keyboards also implement a light, so as to give visual feedback about whether it is on or off. Exactly what Caps Lock does depends on the keyboard hardware, the operating system, the device driver, and the keyboard layout. Usually, the effect is limited to letter keys; letters of Latin-based scripts are capitalised, while letters of other scripts and non-letter characters are generated normally.

Google Assistant intelligent personal assistant

Google Assistant is an artificial intelligence-powered virtual assistant developed by Google that is primarily available on mobile and smart home devices. Unlike the company's previous virtual assistant, Google Now, Google Assistant can engage in two-way conversations.

Google's keyboard was criticised for lapability - the ability to use the device on your lap, [14] though not all reviewers found it problematic. [13] Brydge also sells the G-Type, a clamshell-type keyboard for the Pixel Slate, which connects via Bluetooth. [15] The G-Type is very similar to their keyboard for the Surface Pro, and is able to be used with other devices that accept Bluetooth.

Surface Pro

The Surface Pro is a first generation 2-in-1 detachable of the Microsoft Surface series, designed and manufactured by Microsoft. The device ran a 64-bit version of Windows 8 Pro operating system with a free upgrade possibility to Windows 8.1 Pro, and eventually also Windows 10. Initially announced as Surface for Windows 8 Pro on June 18, 2012, at a Los Angeles event, Microsoft later renamed the device to Surface Pro, and launched it on February 9, 2013.

Pixelbook Pen

The Pixel Slate is usable with the Pixelbook Pen, [2] an active Stylus originally released by Google for use with the Pixelbook. Google made the pen available in midnight blue to match the Pixel Slate. The Slate also works with several third-party styluses.

Other accessories

Many of Google's Pixel branded accessories such as the Pixel Buds work with the Pixel Slate, but some third party manufacturers have made accessories for the Slate, including rubber cases, [16] screen protectors, [17] [18] [19] and folio cases and stands. [20]

Reception

The Pixel Slate received mixed reviews, with Gizmodo claiming it to be "a nearly perfect Chrome OS device" [21] and The Guardian saying it "makes a very convincing argument for the death of Android tablets", while also noting that there were some issues with the Android experience. [22] Marques Brownlee said of it "This ain't it chief!" [23] and devoted a large portion of his review to the lag he experienced on his device. Brownlee's review was criticised online for having unrealistic expectations of the lowest-end model, though responses generally admitted the lag he experienced to be unacceptable. [24]

Many reviews praised the Pixel Slate as being more of a crossover device than the iPad Pro or Surface Pro 6, while not quite matching up to either device's strengths. [25] [21] Other reviews compared it unfavourably to the HP Chromebook X2. [26] Several also criticised the price, noting that devices like the Chromebook X2 were significantly cheaper for similar hardware. ZDNet's Matthew Miller followed up his generally positive review [4] with an article noting that he had made it his primary device, while still providing a wishlist of additional features. [27]

Reviews were also generally positive about the build quality of the device, [28] [22] the display, [26] and the sound quality. [25] The primary negative review points were to do with software lag. It was reported in late December of 2018 that Google were working on the issues reported, which affect all ChromeOS devices in tablet mode. [29]

Related Research Articles

Netbook category of small, lightweight, legacy-free, and inexpensive laptop computers

Netbook is a generic name given to a category of small, lightweight, legacy-free, and inexpensive laptop computers that were introduced in 2007. Netbooks compete in the same market segment as mobiles and Chromebooks.

A pixel is the base element of a digital image in computer graphics.

A mobile operating system is an operating system for phones, tablets, smartwatches, or other mobile devices. While computers such as typical laptops are 'mobile', the operating systems usually used on them are not considered mobile ones, as they were originally designed for desktop computers that historically did not have or need specific mobile features. This distinction is becoming blurred in some newer operating systems that are hybrids made for both uses.

Google I/O computer software and hardware developer conference hosted by Google

Google I/O is an annual developer conference held by Google in Mountain View, California.

Mobicip is a cloud-based Internet filter and parental control service that works on all major platforms of mobile Internet devices. Mobicip is supported on various types of devices used by families such as the iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android, Windows, macOS and Chromebook. Mobicip was launched in 2008. Mobicip used to be a safe browser app but is now a VPN on iOS & Android that filters any browser. Mobicip is a parental control application that protects internet, regulates screentime, allows/blocks apps and tracks location as well, while allowing parents to customize the configuration and view activity reports. Using the web-based or mobile applications, parents can customize the filter to set up whitelists and blacklists, block categories of websites, and manage users and devices. In addition, the application lets parents monitor the Internet activity on the device, group the activity by user, by allowed or blocked websites, sort by time etc.

Index of Android OS articles

A list of Android -related topics

Outline of Google Overview of and topical guide to Google

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Google:

2-in-1 PC portable computer that shares characteristics of both tablets and laptops

A 2-in-1 PC, also known as a 2-in-1 tablet, 2-in-1 laptop, 2-in-1 detachable, laplet, tabtop, laptop tablet, or simply 2-in-1, is a portable computer that has features of both tablets and laptops.

Chromebox Thin-client desktop computer developed by Google running Chrome OS

A Chromebox is a small form-factor PC running Google's Chrome OS operating system. The device debuted in May 2012.

The HP Slate 7 is a 7-inch Android 4.1 tablet that was announced on February 24, 2013 and that started shipping in April 2013. It has a stainless-steel frame, black front, and gray or red soft-touch back. A key feature of this small tablet is the microSDHC slot. It is HP's second Android device.

ThinkPad Yoga

The ThinkPad Yoga is a 2-in-1 convertible tablet from Lenovo unveiled in September at the 2013 IFA in Berlin, Germany. It was released in the United States in November 2013.

Google App Runtime for Chrome

Android Runtime for Chrome (ARC) is a discontinued compatibility layer and sandboxing technology for running Android applications on desktop and laptop computers in an isolated environment. It allowed applications to be safely run from a web browser, independent of user operating system, at near-native speeds. It has since been discontinued after Google developed another method to run Android apps on Chrome OS devices.

Pixel C Android tablet by Google, unveiled in 2015

Pixel C is a 10.2-inch (260 mm) Android tablet developed and marketed by Google. The device was unveiled during a media event on September 29, 2015, On October 9 2018, it was succeeded by the Pixel Slate.

Google Fuchsia capability-based, real-time operating system (RTOS) being developed by Google

Fuchsia is a capability-based operating system currently being developed by Google. It first became known to the public when the project appeared on GitHub in August 2016 without any official announcement. In contrast to prior Google-developed operating systems such as Chrome OS and Android, which are based on the Linux kernel, Fuchsia is based on a new microkernel called Zircon.

References

  1. ↑ Brangers, Gabriel (2018-09-02). "Pixel Slate Pops Up In FCC Filing. Early Arrival?". Chrome Unboxed. Archived from the original on 2019-01-04. Retrieved 2018-12-31.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Bradshaw, Kyle (2018-10-09). "Google Pixel Slate specs, explained". 9to5Google. Archived from the original on 2019-01-04. Retrieved 2018-12-31.
  3. ↑ Horaczek, Stan (2018-11-29). "The Google Pixel Slate mixes great hardware with a slight identity crisis". Popular Science . Retrieved 2018-12-31.
  4. 1 2 Miller, Matthew (2018-11-27). "Pixel Slate review: Google tablet vs iPad or Surface? It's beyond compare". ZDNet . Archived from the original on 2019-01-04. Retrieved 2018-12-31.
  5. ↑ Li, Abner (2018-10-09). "[Update: Starting soon] Watch Made by Google's 2018 launch event for the Pixel 3, Home Hub [Livestream]". 9to5Google. Retrieved 2019-01-20.
  6. ↑ "Pixel Slate". Google Store. Retrieved 2019-01-20.
  7. ↑ Palladino, Valentina (2018-11-29). "Pixel Slate review: Paying the "Google" premium for Chrome OS". Ars Technica. Retrieved 2019-01-20.
  8. ↑ "Compare Google Pixel Slate Specs, Weight, and Dimensions - Google Store". store.google.com. Retrieved 2019-01-20.
  9. ↑ Horowitz, Jeremy (2018-10-12). "Making sense of Pixel Slate's crazy CPU options". VentureBeat . Archived from the original on 2019-01-04. Retrieved 2019-01-01.
  10. ↑ Raphael, J. R. (2018-09-27). "6 important things you might not know about Chrome OS upgrades". Computerworld. Retrieved 2019-01-20.
  11. ↑ Telecom News(No last name provided), INAS. "Google's 'Pixel Slate' may come with 2 operating systems - ET Telecom". ETTelecom.com. Retrieved 2019-01-20.
  12. ↑ "Google Device Accessories". Google Store. Retrieved 2019-01-20.
  13. 1 2 Casey, Henry (2018-11-27). "Google Pixel Slate Review". Laptop Mag. Archived from the original on 2019-01-04. Retrieved 2019-01-04.
  14. ↑ Wong, Raymond (2018-10-09). "Hands on with Google Pixel Slate". Mashable . Archived from the original on 2019-01-04. Retrieved 2019-01-04.
  15. ↑ "Review: Brydge's G-Type keyboard for Pixel Slate solves the problems with Google's version". 2018-09-28. Retrieved 2019-01-04.
  16. ↑ Joe Maring (2018-11-28). "These are all the official accessories for Google Pixel Slate". Android Central. Retrieved 2019-02-17.
  17. ↑ "Google Pixel Slate Screen Protector - ArmorSuit". Archived from the original on 2019-02-17.
  18. ↑ "Google Pixel Slate Screen Protector". Archived from the original on 2019-02-17.
  19. ↑ "Moshi iVisor Anti-Glare Screen Protector for Google Pixel Slate". Archived from the original on 2019-02-17.
  20. ↑ Ara Wagoner (2018-11-28). "Best Stands for Google Pixel Slate". Android Central.
  21. 1 2 Cranz, Alex (2018-11-28). "Google Pixel Slate Review: a Nearly Perfect Chrome OS Device". Gizmodo . Univision Communications. Archived from the original on 2019-01-04. Retrieved 2019-01-04.
  22. 1 2 Gibbs, Samuel (2018-11-27). "Google Pixel Slate review: a strong case for death of Android tablets". The Guardian . Archived from the original on 2019-01-04. Retrieved 2019-01-04.
  23. ↑ Brownlee, Marques (2018-12-21). "Google Pixel Slate: This Ain't It Chief! - YouTube" . Retrieved 2019-01-04.
  24. ↑ Tofel, Kevin (2018-12-22). "Pro tip: The Pixel Slate with Celeron doesn't reflect the whole product line". About Chromebooks. Archived from the original on 2019-01-04. Retrieved 2019-01-04.
  25. 1 2 Larsen, Luke (2018-11-27). "Google Pixel Slate Review - Digital Trends". Digital Trends . Archived from the original on 2019-01-04. Retrieved 2019-01-04.
  26. 1 2 Stein, Scott (2019-01-02). "Google Pixel Slate review: Google's pricey vision of a tablet-meets-Chromebook doesn't quite gel". CNet . Archived from the original on 2019-01-04. Retrieved 2019-01-04.
  27. ↑ Miller, Matthew (2018-12-20). "One month with the Google Pixel Slate: Productivity unhinged". ZDNet . Archived from the original on 2019-01-04. Retrieved 2019-01-04.
  28. ↑ Hildenbrand, Jerry (2018-11-27). "Google Pixel Slate review: Pro tablet, mediocre laptop". Android Central . Archived from the original on 2019-01-04. Retrieved 2019-01-04.
  29. ↑ Payne, Robby (2018-12-30). "Chromebook Tablet Mode Lag, Jank Getting A Fix". Chrome Unboxed. Archived from the original on 2019-01-04. Retrieved 2019-01-04.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.