First Look at the Revamped Chrome OS on Google's Pixel Slate

With the Google Pixel Slate, unveiled on Tuesday, we finally know how Google is planning to calorie-free a fire under the currently quite boring non-iOS tablet marketplace.

When it ships later this twelvemonth, the $599 Pixel Slate will come with a significantly redesigned version of Google's Chrome operating system. It's a hugger-mugger weapon of sorts in a fight that up until now has substantially been no-contest every bit PCMag sees it: The Apple iPad is simply the best midrange tablet for most people.

I got a chance to briefly test out the new Chrome OS features, which will arrive in version 71, and it's clear that they could exist the Pixel Slate'southward cardinal advantage over the excellent and well-established Microsoft Surface Pro and the Apple iPad Pro. If they stop up trickling downward to less-expensive tablets, Google could very well accept an iPad killer on its easily.

The get-go thing you lot notice about the Chrome Os redesign is a new app shelf. Instead of relegating your oft used app icons to the lower-left corner of the screen like Windows does, Chrome now displays them prominently in the bottom centre of the screen. Information technology's reminiscent of the iOS dock, with big icons that go far like shooting fish in a barrel to launch apps.

The newly improved shelf shows upwards in both Tablet mode and Laptop manner, and as before, yous can ready information technology to automatically hibernate to maximize the real estate on the Pixel Slate's 12.3-inch display. Overall, it'south far more than intuitive than the old version, and the similarity with Apple tree's dock will likewise brand switching from a Mac or an iPad much easier.

The real star of the new Chrome OS testify is the revamped Tablet mode layout. If you happen to bound for the optional $199 Pixel Slate Keyboard, yous'll utilize the Slate in regular one-time Laptop fashion when it'southward continued, which means interacting primarily with a cursor. Simply detach the keyboard and you immediately enter Tablet mode, which banishes the cursor and pulls upwards a brand new app matrix.

The matrix is clearly borrowed from Android, Google's mobile operating system. On many Android phones and tablets, y'all can swipe up or downward from the domicile screen to reveal all of your apps. Implementing this feature in Chrome OS Tablet mode essentially ports one of the virtually useful and familiar Android features to the Pixel Slate.

Above the rows of apps, there's also a search bar and a list of suggested apps, reminiscent of Siri's suggestions on the iPhone or iPad.

The third major new Chrome Os feature is a streamlined dissever-screen view. You can swipe downward from the top-left corner of the screen to enter the app switcher, from where it's easy to elevate an app to the left or right edges and enter a dissever-screen view. Information technology's possible to brandish apps side by side in the current version of Chrome the old fashioned way, by resizing them with your cursor in desktop mode, but this is far easier.

1 of the few things missing in the new Chrome OS for tablets is the ability to forcefulness your device to stay in Tablet or Laptop mode. If the Pixel Slate doesn't detect a keyboard or mouse, it automatically enters Tablet mode, and at that place'south nothing y'all tin do virtually it. This is in contrast to Windows x, which asks you before switching.

That said, the lack of a Tablet manner/Laptop mode option volition be less of a drawback in the new Chrome OS, which handles Tablet mode ameliorate than the current version does.

The new features are simply the first footstep in making a worthy competitor to the iPad, withal. Right now, the Pixel Slate's high price, which jumps to $800 when you add the keyboard folio, makes it more of an iPad Pro competitor than an iPad competitor. It could very well be worth the money, with slick features like a power button that doubles every bit a fingerprint reader, a brilliant display, pen support, and dual 8MP cameras.

I specially appreciate the magnetic cover for the keyboard, which sports rounded backlit keys that were very comfortable to type on during my brief demo. The touchpad is sturdy and pleasing to employ as well, no small feat considering how sparse the cover is. Yous can even prop up the Pixel Slate in infinite angles using the potent magnets in the keyboard cover's back.

Still, these niceties pale in comparison to the potential of the revamped Chrome OS, which volition exist well-nigh attractive to would-exist iPad owners if it's bachelor on more compelling cheaper devices. There's promise here, since the Chrome 71 will be available on 3rd-party devices in addition to the Pixel Slate in one case it rolls out, according to Google. But there just aren't besides many Chrome tablets yet, with notable exceptions like the HP Chromebook x2 and the Acer Chromebook Tab 10, which is only bachelor for institutional purchases.

Perhaps Google will one day brand a $399 version of the Pixel Slate. Until then, your all-time bet for a mainstream, midrange tablet is however the iPad.