Review: Google laptop impressive, but not for all

Well written review, but it contains a big mistake.

Each machine also comes with a three-year subscription for 1 terabyte of online storage through Google Drive. It’s normally $50 a year.

The 1TB Google Drive option is actually $50($49.99) a month. This means that if you were planning on getting a large Google Drive anyway, then the Pixel actually becomes a very good deal.

Google Drive price plan (https://support.google.com/drive/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=2375123)

With offline access, youre able to access and edit documents.

Wow. what an innovation. I was able to do that extremely easily in 1992 with my DOS laptop running Wordstar. It's laughable how some parts of the IT industry deprive consumers of basic services and conveniences for the sake of selling new types of devices with higher profit margins.

but every now and then, my document would disappear, replaced by Googles Aw, Snap error message .

Ah, ok, so actually my 1992 technology was way more useful, productive and reliable, evidently.

For that price why would you not just buy a standard Windows laptop, which by all said in this article is vastly superior.

It works well when you have a steady Internet connection, but can’t do much once you lose that connection.

Noobie, all of google's app work offline, even maps!

Completely cloud based architecture not very practical for a laptop. Operating cost would be expensive too, since you have to subscribe to all of these google cloud services to make any real use of it. I don't this taking off unless Google offers a more attractive cloud package at a better price, or allow for locally ran apps....but I guess that would turn it into an expensive Android with a keyboard

No thanks. Google sniffs our private life cause they have control of our M$ OS. Imagine what will they do with their own hardware/software.

It's difficult to see the advantage of having all your applications and data in "the cloud". All it means is that there will be times when you won't be able to access something you need and your laptop becomes useless.

If you need to access the same data from multiple computers there is a case for cloud storage. Or you could do what I do and set up a backup computer as a server. At the end of every working day I update the backup computer with new and changed data from my main work computer. Then, if I need to access the data from home or anywhere else I can get a copy from the backup computer. All this is controlled by me, not Google or some other company.

Another advantage is if I mess up or accidentally delete a file on my main computer I can replace it with the copy on the backup computer. That won't be possible if there is only one copy in the "cloud".

Chromebooks are the easiest to use and most secure computers out there. It's perfect for "grandmas" and others who don't do much with their computers. I don't recommend the Pixel but the $250 Chromebooks are perfect for many of my relatives. I want a Pixel for myself when the price drops.

@akoppa,

If you have given Google control over your M$ OS, you are doing something wrong.

It would be a much more interesting story if he'd gone to a North Korean prison camp with it.

How does the Chinese market look for these babies?

Looks like an overpriced netbook. The review showed that a netbook could do more, so scratch that.

Looking at a Lenovo W510 or W520 for a replacement of my current machine. Give me a dedicated video card and the ability to run AutoCAD anytime. I can even appreciate my current Lenovo Tablet PC in comparison to this waste. Ah well

Buy a used computer. Second hand systems work fine and you don't pay the idiot fee. It also means you can upgrade your computer more often to get new features and still be cheaper than new when you add them all up. I used ebay, added a squaretrade warranty, and I end up with computing that upgrades every few years for 1/5 the cost or more.

@SquidBert Don't worry about me. You must be worried about yourself. Get GoogleClean and see what they do in your machine.

It's basically a really expensive browser with a great screen, isn't it?

I don't get it.

@Bertie,

The machine is quite capable, although not enough to warrant the high price, unless you consider the 1800$ worth of Google Drive included in the deal. Chrome OS still leaves a lot to desire for serious users, but you can always install Linux on it and get some serious work done.

@Akoppa, So first you let Google install toolbars and what have not on your PC, then you got paranoid an trusted some random software provider with full system access to 'fix the problem'?

Thanks SquidBert,

Saying that Chrome OS leaves a lot to desire is being kind.

For less money, I'd go for a MacBook. You could then install Linux, Windows or use the MacOS it came with, or all three. I'm afraid Google Drive doesn't interest me. With Google, you never know when they're going to dump it.

I appreciate your explanation, but I still don't get it.

I mean...it's utterly ridiculous, isn't it? Or is it just me?

What on earth is Google thinking? For $1200 you can get a pretty kick ass PC. Or you can choose this Google thing has a fraction of the functions. Next they'll come out with the Google car that has a max speed of 25 miles per hour, only works when you are near Wi-Fi, and costs as much as a Camry.

Google is going to kill this concept before it even gets off the ground. They are making a big mistake by releasing something so expensive before it can do much of anything. Anyone who buys this will regret it in less than a week.

@SquidBert Again, don't worry about me. Worry about yourself. BTW, did you read the news about Eduard Snowden?