Chromebooks

Google CFO denies Samsung conflict

Google CFO Patrick Pichette played down reports that his company's relationship with Samsung was becoming strained and noted that "journalists love big headlines that sell newspapers."

Pichette was referring to a Wall Street Journal report this week noting Google was worried about Samsung's dominance.

Speaking at a Morgan Stanley investment conference, Pichette fired back:

We have a terrific relationship with Samsung. They've been very successful with the Android platform. They benefited just like the rest of the ecosystem. We welcome all of the partners that we have on our Android platform and continue to innovate. … Read more

Why Google built the pricey, powerful Chromebook Pixel

It's been a week now since Google unveiled the Chromebook Pixel, and the reactions have settled into a rough consensus: nice laptop, but not for you.

"The Chromebook Pixel is just too much machine for the software," the Wirecutter's Nathan Edwards writes in a representative take. At CNET, Seth Rosenblatt's review makes a similar point: "the Chromebook Pixel's high price and cloud OS limitations make it impossible to recommend for the vast majority of users."

All of which raises the question -- why release it? Surely Google knew that by introducing a … Read more

Analyst: Google's Chromebook Pixel succeeds on image

Google had already achieved a measure of success with the Chromebook Pixel, according to an analyst at Gap Intelligence.

"[It's] a fantastic ploy to get people to think about Chrome differently," said Deron Kershaw, an analyst Gap Intelligence who follows retail sales of laptops.

The Pixel is now being sold by Best Buy at a starting price of $1,299.

Kershaw continued. "In addition to drawing a line in the sand with Apple on touch, they're trying to craft the sense that premium hardware and a web-centric OS aren't incompatible with each other. And … Read more

The incredible, unscalable screen of the Chromebook Pixel

As a MacBook Pro Retina user, I can attest that Google's Chromebook Pixel rivals the quality of Apple's Retina display. But the Chromebook falls short in not allowing you to sacrifice some quality in favor of seeing more on your display.

Based on the tech specs floating out there, you might be forgiven in thinking that both the MacBook Retina and the Chromebook Pixel have similar screens. After all, Apple talks about the 13-inch Retina having "spectacular" 2,560x1,600 resolution, while Google cites the Chromebook Pixel having a 2,560x1,700 screen.

Display resolution versus … Read more

Google laptop shows Apple a thing or two

Thank you, Google. For obsoleting my MacBook.

Question: What two killer hardware features are missing on MacBooks? My answer: a touch screen and 4G.

What a coincidence. Just what Google is offering on the Chromebook Pixel. And in a package that comes close to matching the MacBook's aesthetics.

Not everyone may agree with that. Take the laptop flat-earthers. They will say touch is stupid (or "pointless" as one columnist said) on a laptop. Yeah right, just like the mouse was a stupid idea.

Then there's Apple's your-arm-wants-to-fall-off on vertical touch surfaces excuse. That will eventually … Read more

Questions remain after PS4 event

Thursday's CNET Update will beat the game for you:

The PlayStation 4 dominates today's tech roundup. Sony hinted at what the new system will be able to do, but held back from actually showing what the console looks like. (It's just a hunch, but I'd say it's a black box.) Also, Google releases its first touch-screen Chromebook, but the price is also a touchy matter.

Google's Chromebook Pixel elevates Chrome OS ambitions

In an attempt to satisfy cloud-computing power users, Google today launched its Chromebook Pixel, a $1,299 laptop with a high-resolution touch screen that's now the flagship of the Chrome OS fleet.

"The goal was to push the boundary and build something premium," Sundar Pichai, the senior vice president of engineering in charge of Chrome and the Google Apps online services, said in an interview. Google engineers set out on the "labor of love" project two years ago, asking themselves, "What could we do if we really wanted to design the best computer possible … Read more

Google said to release touch-screen laptop this year

As the divide between laptops and tablets continues to shrink, word is that Google has already developed its first Chrome-powered touchscreen laptop.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the tech giant's new device would come with cloud computing and could go on sale as soon as this year.

This endeavor would put Google in closer competition with Microsoft, which has already developed its own Windows touch-screen laptops. According to the Wall Street Journal, 25 percent of all Windows 8 laptops sold in the U.S. last month had touch screens.

Microsoft also has a major claim on the low-cost … Read more

Maker of Chromebook Pixel video: It's real. But is he?

The Chromebook Pixel is real, according to the man behind the promotional video that leaked last week -- and, he told CNET in an exclusive interview, "it's going to be fantastic."

But contrary to Victor Koch's claims on various social media profiles, Google says it is unaware of him ever working for the company, throwing new doubt on his story.

Koch, the 25-year-old co-founder and CEO of Slinky.me, denied that the video was part of a hoax and said the Pixel was a device worth waiting for.

"No fake, no hoax," he said … Read more