Here's your daily tech digest, by way of the DGiT Daily newsletter, for Friday, June 21, 2019!
1. Google officially ends its line of tablets, and it's all a little weird
Google is waving the white flag on its tablet line, killing off the Pixel Slate within less than eight months. Google doesn't hesitate to axe its failed products — here's a list of 50 failed products – but this is fast even for it.
What's happened:
- Business Insider had the scoop that Google had halted production of its own upcoming tablets, the next generation of the Pixel Slate tablet line.
- The Slate line was a flop. Reviews all more or less noted that while the tablet wasn't bad, per se, it did have significant software issues as a Chrome OS/Android-hybrid software monster and it was damn expensive – starting at $599 for a Celeron-powered device, and after that was killed off, starting at $799.
- You can still buy one at that price, but you shouldn't unless you want a collector's item that probably won't ever appreciate in value.
- Google's hardware boss, Rick Osterloh, confirmed the report, tweeting: "Hey, it's true…Google's HARDWARE team will be solely focused on building laptops moving forward, but make no mistake, Android & Chrome OS teams are 100% committed for the long-run on working with our partners on tablets for all segments of the market (consumer, enterprise, edu)"
- And: "Some articles have made this a bit unclear so wanted to clarify. And of course, we will fully support Pixel Slate for the long-term as well."
- It will continue to receive regular software updates until 2024.
- Google also elaborated that it had actually killed off two in-development tablet products.
- It's quite amazing for a major tech company to announce it is canceling a product before people even knew about it.
- But Google has recently been playing the game a little differently. After Pixel 4 smartphone leaks showed off designs, Google went and released its own product images of the Pixel 4.
What went wrong? Slate problems:
- Google has never shied away from Apple-level pricing for its hardware.
- The problem is that Google couldn't drive demand – the Slate was a flop.
- As a tablet it was bad, as a laptop it was imperfect, especially when the Pixelbook (a Chromebook laptop) is actually good.
- I used a higher-end Pixel Slate for two days a few months back and it was somewhat like driving a BMW built with a lawnmower motor: pretty, solid, high-end build quality, but bad if you're trying to do anything with it.
- Competing with the iPad is not easy – manufacturers are not making good Android tablets apart from Samsung. The list of tablets that you might want to buy that are not an iPad is thin.
- The lack of Android or Chrome tablets seems like a genuine failure for consumers, but that's not the fault of Apple which has kept the tablet space alive.
- The future of computing is still attached to a keyboard, for now. And it does at least mean that Google is continuing to work on its good hardware: Chromebooks and the Pixelbook in particular, and the Pixel line of smartphones of course.
2. "We went behind the scenes with the OnePlus camera team, here's what we learned" (Android Authority).
3. There's a little sneak peek at Gmail's coming dark mode (AA).
4. Huawei Nova 5 series launched: New chipset, quad camera, 40-watt charging, more (AA). (Ignoring the Huawei elephant in the room…)
5. Google Maps is filled with millions of false business addresses pretending to be nearby (WSJ).
6. Apple recalls 15-inch MacBook Pros because the batteries could catch fire – some models made between 2015-2017 (The Verge).
7. Survey: Autopilot name causes people to overestimate Tesla capabilities(Ars Technica). 6% think it's ok to nap while the feature is engaged.
8. Also: the downfall of the virtual assistant (so far) (ComputerWorld).
9. GE admitted its 14-step lightbulb factory reset method isn't good: "We know technology can be complicated and are aware that our current factory reset process isn't ideal. We're finding simpler methods for our users and appreciate the patience." (Gizmodo)
10. It is now illegal to drink and drone in Japan (DP Review).
11. European Space Agency probe to intercept a comet (BBC).
12. KFC announced it will have a Cheetos sandwich, for some reason, on July 1 (Twitter).
13. "I am a Superyacht Chef who has traveled to over 100 countries – AMA!" (r/IAmA)
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