Ever since Google announced the pixel branding it has started to grow more and more into a franchise. First the Pixel smartphones and Tablets and now what seems to be a crossover between a Chromebook and a Pixel C.
The market for tablets has been quite awkward since forever. They tend to fit between a very tiny gap between smartphones and mainstream laptops which really nullifies their actual job. Google isn’t really trying hard enough to keep all this information from leaking out. First, the Pixel 3 and now the first-ever look at the Pixel Slate. Thanks to “mysmartprice” once again for the leak which paints an awkward picture.
The Pixel Slate takes the approach of a Surface Pro and the Google Chromebook. Right off the first glance, we notice the Pixel pen or stylus which has been the trend with iPad Pro and Galaxy Note series. Now the device itself looks pretty basic with everything needed to be present. We see a USB-C port at the sides and a magnetic attachment module. The bezels seem fairly thick, too thick for 2018 I suppose. The mandatory front and rear-facing camera setup are also present.
One thing which did come to mind was the headphone jack, now anyone buying a tablet PC would want to have proper functionality for his work and especially media consumption. Now one could argue that in 2018 the removal of the headphone jack is not that big of a deal but when it comes down to Tablet PCs then it sure leaves a mark. The removable keyboard and trackpad seem to be pretty ordinary with soft and non-clicky keys along with a flap cover for the tablet itself.
The software could be and should be Android running a skin designed for productive usage but it is going to be a huge task for Google to actually make a device which competes with the Surface Pro and the iPad.
