Technology Tales

Adventures in consumer and enterprise technology

TOPIC: IPAD MINI

A look at Google's Pixel C

26th December 2016

Since my last thoughts on trips away without a laptop, I have come by Google's Pixel C. It is a 10" tablet, so it may not raise hackles on an aircraft like the 12.9" screen of the large Apple iPad Pro might. The one that I have tried comes with 64 GB of storage space and its companion keyboard cover (there is a folio version). Together, they can be bought for £448, a saving of £150 on the full price.

Google Pixel C

The Pixel C keyboard cover uses strong magnets to attach the tablet, which requires extra effort when changing modes. These modes include covering the screen, attaching to the back with the screen visible, or positioning for typing. The typing mode usefully allows you to adjust the screen angle according to your preference, rather than accepting a manufacturer-set position. Unlike the iPad Pro's physical connection, the Pixel C uses Bluetooth, which works equally well in my experience. Due to its smaller size, it feels somewhat cramped compared to a full-size keyboard or even that of a 12.9" iPad Pro. The keys are of the scrabble variety, although they function well otherwise.

The tablet itself is impressively fast compared to a HTC One A9 phone or even a Google Nexus 9 and that became obvious when it came to installing or updating apps. The speed is just as well, since an upgrade to Android 7 (Nougat) was needed on the one that I tried. You can turn on adaptive brightness too, which is a bonus. Audio quality is nowhere near as good as a 12.9" iPad Pro but that of the screen easily is good enough for assessing photos stored on a WD My Passport Wireless portable hard drive using the WD My Cloud app.

All in all, it may offer that bit more flexibility for overseas trips compared to the bigger iPad Pro, so I am tempted to bring one with me instead. The possibility of seeing newly captured photos in slideshow mode is a big selling point since it functions well for tasks like writing emails or blog posts, like this one, since it started life on there. Otherwise, this is a well-made device.

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