In an event held by Google last September 29, 2015, together with Android Marshmallow official launch, the company surprised attendees as the former revealed Google Pixel C Tablet - a hybrid tablet touted to be better than Google Nexus 10. Set to challenge Microsoft Surface and Apple iPad Pro, the hybrid slate Google Pixel C features NVIDIA Tegra X1 CPU, Maxwell GPU USB-C Connector and more interesting specs.
According to Paul Briden of Know Your Mobile, the Google Pixel C had its origins from the Chromebook Pixel family that features an aluminum build. However, the former is an Android tablet cum notebook device that comes with a magnetic docking mechanism to which the keyboard attaches itself onto.
Digging deeper into Google Pixel C, Briden also noted that literal codes were given to Google products for specific reasons. Quoting Google's Hiroshi Lockheimer, he explained as follows: "Nexus 5X is dubbed with an "X" because it is at the 'core of the Nexus brand', being the flagship model and having "X" in the middle of its name, Nexus."
Lockheimer further added, "The Nexus 6P, rather than being a 'Phablet', is named as it is for the word, 'Premium', since it was the first all-metal Nexus phone. And finally, the Google Pixel C, in which the "C" stands for 'Convertible', since the product is indeed both a tablet and a notebook in one," he ended.
Aside from the usual bells and whistles of a new product announcement, Briden mentioned that the Google Pixel C will sport a quad-core Nvidia Tegra X1 CPU with 3 GB RAM and a Maxwell GPU. The display will come in at 10.2 inches with a 2560x1800 pixel resolution and carry a set of stereo speakers onboard.
Google hinted that the product might be available for the holidays but did not disclose exactly when it will officially launch. The company also revealed pricing to be $499.99 for the 32 GB model and $599.00 for the 64 GB model, respectively. The keyboard, however, will not come bundled with the product and costs an additional $149.00, Briden added.
More with the Google Pixel C, a Google engineer sounded off his concerns regarding faulty USB-C type adapter cables.
Jared Newman of PC World quoted Benson Leung as advising that "these cables must use a specific resistor value to meet compliance and charge safely". Leung said these in light of third-party vendors selling non-compliant USB-C type cables that pose potential charging problems or even device damage, Newman added.
Leung went on naming several non-compliant USB-C adapter cable vendors, Newman likewise reported, and some of them were CableCreation, Monba, and Juice Systems.
Newman ended by stating that early adopters of USB-C type adapters have to be extra cautious when buying additional cables from unknown brands.
And lastly, Google put to silence speculations that they will give up development of Chrome notebooks in favor of Android-based hybrid devices.
In a report from Samuel Gibbs of The Guardian, Google clarified that they have made moves to integrate both platforms and providing more desktop Chrome features for the Android version of their Chrome browser while adding features like Google Now and support for a select number of Android apps on Chrome OS.
Gibbs further quoted Google stating the company is committed to Chrome OS and is likely Android and Chrome OS will co-exist with tighter integration between the two for the foreseeable future.
The introduction of Google Pixel C in the market signals the birth of a new niche: the hybrid tablets. Together with Microsoft Surface and iPad Pro, the Google Pixel C comes in a time where competition is not yet stiff and end-users are provided excellent choices for top-of-the-line hybrid units.
Google Pixel C could potentially leave another mark in Google's history of tablet and notebook innovation; and if they play their cards right, then they might be able to give the Big Two-Microsoft and Apple-a run for their money and their products.
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