Apple Seeds Fifth macOS High Sierra 10.13.1 Beta to Developers
Apple today seeded the fifth beta of an upcoming macOS High Sierra update to developers, three days after releasing the fourth macOS High Sierra 10.13.1 beta and a month after releasing the new High Sierra operating system to the public.
The fifth macOS High Sierra 10.13.1 beta can be downloaded from the Apple Developer Center or through the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store with the proper profile installed.
macOS High Sierra 10.13.1 focuses primarily on bug fixes, performance improvements, security enhancements, and other under-the-hood changes.
The update includes a fix for a serious vulnerability in the WPA2 Wi-Fi standard that protects many modern Wi-Fi networks. Using a key reinstallation attack or “KRACK,” attackers can exploit weaknesses in the WPA2 protocol to decrypt network traffic to sniff out sensitive information. This attack is not possible with the patch in macOS 10.13.1.
Also new in macOS 10.13.1 is a range of new Unicode 10 emoji like crazy face, pie, pretzel, t-rex, vampire, exploding head, face vomiting, shushing face, love you gesture, brain, scarf, zebra, giraffe, fortune cookie, pie, hedgehog, and more. The new emoji are also available in iOS 11.1 and watchOS 4.1.
macOS High Sierra is a major update that introduces APFS, a new more modern file system, HEIF and HEVC photo and video encoding improvements for smaller file sizes without compromising quality, Metal 2, and several new features for Safari, like autoplay blocking for videos and Intelligent Tracking Prevention to better protect user privacy.
For more on what’s new in macOS High Sierra, make sure to check out our macOS High Sierra roundup.
Related Roundup: macOS High Sierra
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Forget cars: this Ferris wheel waterslide is German engineering at its finest
Would you rather ride on a waterslide or a Ferris wheel? Tough choice — but if German waterslide company Wiegand Maelzer has its way, you might not have to choose between the two. The company is currently developing a gargantuan waterpark ride that offers the best of both worlds.
The SideWheel, as its called, is a glorious hybrid that’s part waterslide, part rotating Ferris wheel. What started out as a small body slide has evolved into a monster attraction that’s 79 feet (24 meters) high and weighs 130 tons. What’s more, the SlideWheel’s tube has a diameter of 9 feet (2.70 meters) — meaning you can ride through it on giant four-person rafts that slide, swing, and rotate as they pass through the tube’s 459-foot (140-meter) length.
Rainer Maelzer, co-founder and managing director of Wiegand Maelzer revealed to Attractions Magazine that the ride was inspired by a six-year-old boy from Switzerland in 2012, who had a vision for a rotating waterslide. The engineers and designers at Wiegand Maelzer quickly embraced the idea, and have since patented their unique design.
“The product must be grasped both in its complexity and its simplicity,” Maelzer explained. “It is plainly not possible for two rafts to collide in the tube, unless one of the teams is magically able to fly! Definitely, it is distinctive and unprecedented that a water ride and its supporting structure are rotating. One can have a tremendous influence on riders by simply adjusting the speed. The SlideWheel can be operated as a nice and mild family slide and, in the next minute, when the speed rises by five percent, as a pure adrenaline experience. This is unique and outstanding. One attraction can be operated as three different rides at least.”
The total duration of the SlideWheel ride is about two minutes, but it’s a thrilling couple of minutes as the giant contraption rotates at a maximum speed of 30 seconds per turn. Riders have reported that the ride seems twice as long as its actual duration.
Wiegand Maelzer GmbH has been in the waterpark business since 1975 and has completed over 3,000 projects — including Therme Erding, the world’s largest thermal indoor waterpark. In its trade, the company is best known for its bold combination of stainless steel and fiberglass-reinforced plastic to create completely new configurations for waterpark slides. The company has reportedly signed at least three deals already, with the first SlideWheel set to appear in China in 2018, followed by another at Therme Erding near Munich, Germany.
For more, you can check out the Slidewheel Testing and Construction Time-Lapse.
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Best iOS app deals of the day! 6 paid iPhone apps for free for a limited time
Everyone likes Apple apps, but sometimes the best ones are a bit expensive. Now and then, developers put paid apps on sale for free for a limited time, but you have to snatch them up while you have the chance. Here are the latest and greatest iOS app deals available from the iOS App Store.
These apps normally cost money and this sale lasts for a limited time only. If you go to the App Store and it says the app costs money, that means the deal has expired and you will be charged.
Data Monitor Pro
Data Monitor Pro will monitor both Cellular (4G/LTE/3G/Edge/GPRS) and Wi-Fi data usage in real time from your device. This app will let you keep control of your data usage to avoid costly overage charges.
Available on:
iOS
Sooshi
Sooshi is all about one of the most delicious foods. Whether you are new to the whole topic or you are already a fan of sushi, you will find tons of information about what sushi is, how to prepare it, and where to find the best sushi places.
Available on:
iOS
Picture Perfect
Picture Perfect is a fun and simple way to make beautiful photos in seconds. The app also brings in features such as ‘ToneCurve,’ which allows you to modify simply by clicking and dragging on the areas you wish to change.
Available on:
iOS
Safety Photo+Video
Safety Photo+Video lets you keep your most private images and videos private. This app lets you passcode protect your most sensitive media so that prying eyes never see anything you don’t want them to see.
Available on:
iOS
Boba
A browser and mobile safari extension that lets you speed read your favorite web content, including NYTimes, HuffPo, ESPN, blogs, or any other web site.
Available on:
iOS
Stacheify
It’s a mustache mirror! Just hold up the app and go mustache crazy trying tons of different “follicle-accurate” stache styles.
Available on:
iOS
Editor’s Recommendations
- Best iOS app deals of the day! 6 paid iPhone apps for free for a limited time
- Best iOS app deals of the day! 6 paid iPhone apps for free for a limited time
- Best iOS app deals of the day! 6 paid iPhone apps for free for a limited time
- Best iOS app deals of the day! 6 paid iPhone apps for free for a limited time
- Best iOS app deals of the day! 6 paid iPhone apps for free for a limited time
AMD crams desktop performance into ultra-thin laptops with its new Ryzen APUs
Why it matters to you
AMD is looking for a piece of the ultra-thin laptop market with its new Ryzen APUs now that it’s made a huge splash with Ryzen and Vega in the desktop market.
On Thursday, October 26, AMD revealed its eighth-generation APU lineup along with the first three laptops that will rely on these chips. Short for accelerated processing unit, the latest APUs are all-in-one chips camming AMD’s new Ryzen processor cores and its new Vega graphics cores together into one solution. Right now, there are only two processors in the new eighth-generation family slated to arrive before the end of 2017.
Here are the specifications of the new Ryzen APUs:
Ryzen 7 2700U
Ryzen 5 2500U
Ryzen cores:
4
4
Ryzen threads:
8
8
Base speed:
2.2GHz
2.0GHz
Boost speed:
3.8GHz
3.6GHz
Vega stream processors:
640 (10 compute units)
512 (8 compute units)
Vega boost speed:
Up to 1,300MHz
Up to 1,100MHz
Power usage (in watts):
12W to 25W configurable
15W nominal
12W to 25W configurable
15W nominal
L1 cache (per core):
64K instruction cache
32K data cache
64K instruction cache
32K data cache
L2 cache (per core):
512K
512K
L3 cache (shared):
4MB
4MB
Supported memory:
Dual-channel DDR4
at 2,400MHz
Dual-channel DDR4
at 2,400MHz
AMD’s new APUs follow the company’s seventh-generation “Bristol Ridge” chips released in the middle of 2016. The new APUs promise up to 200 percent more CPU performance than the Bristol Ridge generation, up to 128 percent more graphics performance, and up to 58 percent less power consumption. The Ryzen cores are based on AMD’s new “Zen” CPU core design that was built from scratch to generate higher performance on a lower power draw, and a lower price tag.
If you’re looking for gaming on the go, laptops with these two new APUs can provide decent framerates without a secondary discrete GPU. AMD says the Vega cores can generate an average rate of 43 frames per second in Quake Champions using a 1,280 x 720 resolution and high graphics settings. The chips can also manage an average of 66 frames per second in Overwatch (1,280 x 720 / low), and 59 frames per second in League of Legends (1,920 x 1,080 / medium).
The two new APUs include AMD’s new SenseMi technology suite that adjusts the APU’s power consumption per workload so it’s not constantly draining your battery. This suite also includes an updated, second-generation Precision Boost component that will adjust the clock speed when needed in 25MHz increments using a new algorithm. This component provides the highest possible speed to achieve the maximum performance in games and other heavy workloads.
According to AMD, the new APUs are capable of boosting their performance beyond their out-of-the-box boost speed with the proper cooling system installed (aka Mobile XFR). That means you may see “overclocked” chips served up in certain laptops. Artificial intelligence is baked into each Ryzen core for mapping power and consumption for better application behavior.
Finally, in the 3DMark Time Spy benchmark, AMD shows that its Ryzen 7 2700U APU outperforms the GeForce GTX 950M discrete graphics chip and Intel’s Core i7-7500U processor for laptops. Ultimately, the bottom line is that AMD is targeting desktop performance for ultra-thin laptops using a thin, all-in-one processor solution that shouldn’t break your wallet in the end.
Here are the first three laptops sporting AMD’s new APUs:
HP Envy X360
Lenovo Ideapad 720S
Acer Swift 3
Screen size:
15.6 inches with Touch
13.3 inches
15.6 inches
Resolution:
1,920 x 1,080
1,920 x 1,080
1,920 x 1,080
Processor:
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
AMD Ryzen 7 2700U
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
AMD Ryzen 7 2700U
Memory:
Up to 8GB DDR4
at 2,400MHz
(dual channel)
DDR4 (unknown amount)
at 2,133MHz
(single channel)
Up to 8GB DDR4
at 2,400MHz
(dual channel)
Storage:
Up to 512GB SSD or
Up to 1TB HDD
Up to 512GB SSD
Up to 256GB SSD
Battery:
55.8Wh
48Wh
48Wh
Dimensions (inches):
14.17 x 9.80 x 0.76
12.04 x 8.38 x 0.53
15.27 x 10.03 x 0.70
Weight:
~4.73 pounds
~2.51 pounds
~3.96 pounds
Editor’s Recommendations
- Dell at PAX West: Inspiron 7000 Gaming serves quad-core and GTX 1060 for $1,000
- Another 12-core Ryzen Threadripper desktop CPU is listed by motherboard makers
- Everything you need to know about Vega: Prices remain high due to limited supply
- AMD’s Ryzen Threadripper 1950X CPU gets chilly, blows through 5GHz ceiling
- AMD Ryzen Threadripper 1920X and 1950X Review
AMD crams desktop performance into ultra-thin laptops with its new Ryzen APUs
Why it matters to you
AMD is looking for a piece of the ultra-thin laptop market with its new Ryzen APUs now that it’s made a huge splash with Ryzen and Vega in the desktop market.
On Thursday, October 26, AMD revealed its eighth-generation APU lineup along with the first three laptops that will rely on these chips. Short for accelerated processing unit, the latest APUs are all-in-one chips camming AMD’s new Ryzen processor cores and its new Vega graphics cores together into one solution. Right now, there are only two processors in the new eighth-generation family slated to arrive before the end of 2017.
Here are the specifications of the new Ryzen APUs:
Ryzen 7 2700U
Ryzen 5 2500U
Ryzen cores:
4
4
Ryzen threads:
8
8
Base speed:
2.2GHz
2.0GHz
Boost speed:
3.8GHz
3.6GHz
Vega stream processors:
640 (10 compute units)
512 (8 compute units)
Vega boost speed:
Up to 1,300MHz
Up to 1,100MHz
Power usage (in watts):
12W to 25W configurable
15W nominal
12W to 25W configurable
15W nominal
L1 cache (per core):
64K instruction cache
32K data cache
64K instruction cache
32K data cache
L2 cache (per core):
512K
512K
L3 cache (shared):
4MB
4MB
Supported memory:
Dual-channel DDR4
at 2,400MHz
Dual-channel DDR4
at 2,400MHz
AMD’s new APUs follow the company’s seventh-generation “Bristol Ridge” chips released in the middle of 2016. The new APUs promise up to 200 percent more CPU performance than the Bristol Ridge generation, up to 128 percent more graphics performance, and up to 58 percent less power consumption. The Ryzen cores are based on AMD’s new “Zen” CPU core design that was built from scratch to generate higher performance on a lower power draw, and a lower price tag.
If you’re looking for gaming on the go, laptops with these two new APUs can provide decent framerates without a secondary discrete GPU. AMD says the Vega cores can generate an average rate of 43 frames per second in Quake Champions using a 1,280 x 720 resolution and high graphics settings. The chips can also manage an average of 66 frames per second in Overwatch (1,280 x 720 / low), and 59 frames per second in League of Legends (1,920 x 1,080 / medium).
The two new APUs include AMD’s new SenseMi technology suite that adjusts the APU’s power consumption per workload so it’s not constantly draining your battery. This suite also includes an updated, second-generation Precision Boost component that will adjust the clock speed when needed in 25MHz increments using a new algorithm. This component provides the highest possible speed to achieve the maximum performance in games and other heavy workloads.
According to AMD, the new APUs are capable of boosting their performance beyond their out-of-the-box boost speed with the proper cooling system installed (aka Mobile XFR). That means you may see “overclocked” chips served up in certain laptops. Artificial intelligence is baked into each Ryzen core for mapping power and consumption for better application behavior.
Finally, in the 3DMark Time Spy benchmark, AMD shows that its Ryzen 7 2700U APU outperforms the GeForce GTX 950M discrete graphics chip and Intel’s Core i7-7500U processor for laptops. Ultimately, the bottom line is that AMD is targeting desktop performance for ultra-thin laptops using a thin, all-in-one processor solution that shouldn’t break your wallet in the end.
Here are the first three laptops sporting AMD’s new APUs:
HP Envy X360
Lenovo Ideapad 720S
Acer Swift 3
Screen size:
15.6 inches with Touch
13.3 inches
15.6 inches
Resolution:
1,920 x 1,080
1,920 x 1,080
1,920 x 1,080
Processor:
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
AMD Ryzen 7 2700U
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
AMD Ryzen 7 2700U
Memory:
Up to 8GB DDR4
at 2,400MHz
(dual channel)
DDR4 (unknown amount)
at 2,133MHz
(single channel)
Up to 8GB DDR4
at 2,400MHz
(dual channel)
Storage:
Up to 512GB SSD or
Up to 1TB HDD
Up to 512GB SSD
Up to 256GB SSD
Battery:
55.8Wh
48Wh
48Wh
Dimensions (inches):
14.17 x 9.80 x 0.76
12.04 x 8.38 x 0.53
15.27 x 10.03 x 0.70
Weight:
~4.73 pounds
~2.51 pounds
~3.96 pounds
Editor’s Recommendations
- Dell at PAX West: Inspiron 7000 Gaming serves quad-core and GTX 1060 for $1,000
- Another 12-core Ryzen Threadripper desktop CPU is listed by motherboard makers
- Everything you need to know about Vega: Prices remain high due to limited supply
- AMD’s Ryzen Threadripper 1950X CPU gets chilly, blows through 5GHz ceiling
- AMD Ryzen Threadripper 1920X and 1950X Review
NASA will test its weird ‘space igloo’ martian habitat in orbit next year
Why it matters to you
This prototype space habitat certainly beats Matt Damon’s sad, derelict potato tent in The Martian.
Earlier this year, NASA announced details about its strategy to send astronauts to Mars, including specifics on a future manned lunar “pit stop.” And if Elon Musk plans to follow through on populating the red planet with one million earthlings, we are certainly going to need a space pad or or two to house these folks. Fortunately, NASA will soon be sending its prototype martian habitat to the International Space Station for a trial run.
Simply put, our reddish celestial neighbor is a rather inhospitable place for us delicate humans. Beyond the extreme temperatures — ranging from nearly negative 300 degrees Fahrenheit (F) to a crisp 86 F — the thin Martian atmosphere will not sufficiently shield astronauts from radiation. To protect humans from the elements, NASA has developed an inflatable domicile known as the Mars Ice Home: a shelter that predominantly utilizes — you guessed it — ice.
NASA’s Langley Research Center, Clouds Architecture Office, and Space Exploration Architecture teamed up to create this glorified igloo. The structure is essentially a big inflatable torus featuring a water ice shell. Water was chosen for the overall design for two reasons: Water is an exceptional shield against cosmic radiation and it’s also relatively abundant just beneath the martian surface.
As an added bonus, seeing as this water could be easily be converted into rocket fuel, such a habitat would act not only as a shelter but also an in-situ gas station of sorts — a regular twofer. It has been estimated that this structure could be filled with water extracted on site at a rate of 35.3 cubic feet per day.
To test how such an apparatus performs in the unforgiving vacuum of space, NASA plans to send materials of said Ice Home to the ISS in November 2018. These samples will be placed on the exterior of the ISS for a year and will then be returned to Earth for analysis.
While NASA may have recently found a lovely subterranean lava tube on the moon to place a long term lunar base, this Martian bachelor pad should be at least slightly more aesthetically pleasing inside.
“All of the materials we’ve selected are translucent, so some outside daylight can pass through and make it feel like you’re in a home and not a cave,” explains Kevin Kempton, a principal investigator with the project.
Home sweet second home, indeed. (Never mind the terrifying global dust storms.)
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- Elon Musk wants SpaceX to rocket you anywhere in the world — in under an hour
Harvard’s new RoboBee can swim and even ‘jump’ out of the water
Why it matters to you
The RoboBee may help bees pollinate plants even as their colonies collapse.
With colony collapse disorder impacting bee populations around the world, robots may play a vital roll in the future of food. These micro aerial vehicles (MAVs) are small enough to perform pollination tasks usually left to insects, but may also help keep humans out of harms way by accessing hard-to-reach areas during search-and-rescue missions.
Last year, engineers in the Harvard University Microrobotics Lab and the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering unveiled a robotic bee that could fly around and perch on objects, a feature that enabled it to reserve its limited store of energy when it wasn’t in transit. Now, the Harvard team has revealed the latest version of its RoboBee, an aerial-to-aquatic device that can fly, dive into water, and even propel itself from the water’s surface back into the air.
“This is the first microrobot capable of repeatedly moving in and through complex environments,” said Yufeng Chen, the first author of the study, who was a graduate student in the Harvard lab at the time of the research. “We designed new mechanisms that allow the vehicle to directly transition from water to air, something that is beyond what nature can achieve in the insect world.”
RoboBee is small, measuring in at millimeters and micrograms. At that scale, taking off from the water’s surface is tricky, since surface tensions is more than ten times the weight of the robot and three times its top lift.
To overcome this problem, the team equipped the RoboBee with buoyant outriggers, like little water wings, and a gas-collection chamber that allows the robot to convert water into a combustible gas fuel. By increasing the RoboBee’s buoyancy, the gas helps its wings emerge from the water as the outriggers keep the robot stable. Once stabilized on the surface, a small spark inside the gas chamber sends the RoboBee into flight.
“Because the RoboBee has a limited payload capacity, it cannot carry its own fuel, so we had to come up with a creative solution to exploit resources from the environment,” said Elizabeth Farrell Helbling, co-author of the paper and a graduate student in the Harvard lab. “Surface tension is something that we have to overcome to get out of the water, but is also a tool that we can utilize during the gas collection process.”
The newest RoboBee is still far from ready for the real world. The little machine lacks onboard sensors and, with its limited motion-tracking system, can’t return to flight immediately after emerging from the water. But these developments are designed to the robot more resilient, so it can help ease the burden of bees and humans alike.
A paper detailing the latest generation of the RoboBee was published this week in the journal Science Robotics.
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- Chemists figure out how to strip 99 percent of BPA from drinking water
Google Pixelbook review: Finally
The next generation of mobile, done Google-style.
Meet the Pixelbook, or as Google calls it, “the laptop reimagined”.
It’s the latest Chromebook from Google and it’s a lot different than anything we’ve seen from them before. It’s thin and light and futuristic in design, filled with powerful, over-the-top specs, works great as a laptop or a tablet, and has Google Assistant on board. You can even buy a dedicated Pixelbook Pen, and paired together with the Pixelbook you can do some pretty cool stuff.
After you use it for a while you come to a simple understanding: the Pixelbook is a mobile device. It’s the natural evolution of the netbook when people with grand ideas are the ones designing it.
That’s the broad interpretation of the Pixelbook, but it’s far too simplified. It’s amazing hardware matched with Google’s vision of computing and built — simply to show what can be done. So it’s not really too far away from Google’s efforts with the previous two Chromebook Pixels. These aren’t built to sell by the millions. They’re built because they’re cool.
See at Best Buy
About this review
I’ve been using the Pixelbook for about a week. A week isn’t long enough to find everything you love or everything you hate, but it does give me enough time to form an opinion and share it. That’s what this review is — some thoughts on the Pixelbook from someone who uses a Chromebook most of the time, and is all-in with the Chrome OS experience. Essentially, I’m the type of person Google made the Pixelbook for.
In video form
Google Pixelbook Video review
There’s nothing like a good video to give you a feel for a product. The Pixelbook is no exception. Watch as Jen Karner, Russell Holly and Jerry Hildenbrand become fans of this great device.
Bold and risky
Google Pixelbook Design
The first thing you’ll notice about the Pixelbook is how different it looks. Side by side with a Microsoft Surface Book you’ll see they are actually pretty similar, but the white glass section of the back and the very squared edges draw your eyes. They almost look out of place, as it’s rare to see a thin aluminum laptop be anything but aluminum. It’s polarizing — you’ll either love it because it’s different, or you’ll think it’s just different and strange.
Like Google’s Pixel phones, there’s a wide band of glass that covers the top fourth behind the screen. In this case, it’s white glass and stands out. It’s a design choice, but it’s also functional. Like the Pixel phone, glass is used to cover radio antennas to boost reception. The Wi-Fi and Bluetooth antennas sit behind the glass rather than behind a section of plastic on the edge or bottom like we see in other aluminum laptops.
When you open the Pixelbook, you’re also faced with a large white band across the front fourth of the keyboard deck. The trackpad sits in the center and it’s surrounded by a strip of white silicon-like material. It’s soft but not thick, and a little sticky or tacky. Functionally, it provides three benefits: it’s a great wrist or palm rest, it keeps the screen away from the keyboard or any aluminum parts and acts as a sort of non-skid surface when you have the Pixelbook in its tent or tablet mode.
So far, it’s stayed clean and white, but I have some reservation about the materials choice. Eventually, white silicon (or whatever silicon-like material is being used here) is going to show some dirt. A cursory test using a sprinkle of ash from the fireplace wiped away with a damp cloth, but I wasn’t trying to grind it in. Hopefully, Google did its homework here and the material will prove to be stain-resistant and easy to keep clean.
Built for user input
Centered in its cushiony nest is the trackpad. Trackpads on Chromebooks have a mixed history; we’ve seen plenty of sub-par ones. The Pixelbook carries the trend of great trackpads the Pixel line of Chromebooks is know to have used, thankfully. The trackpad is spacious and glass covered (white, of course), and I’m finding it great to use. It’s smooth but has just a hint of friction, much like a MacBook after you’ve used it a while and the ultra-slickness has been tamed by a bit of finger oil and dirt.
The keyboard itself outperformed my initial reaction, which is good. My first impression, as someone who uses a stiff mechanical keyboard on the desktop, was not great. Surprisingly, it didn’t take very long to “train” my hands to use it and the typing experience is a lot better than I expected. It’s certainly not my favorite way to put some words on the screen, but there’s nothing I can single out as bad. You’ll probably need some adjustment time with the Pixelbook keyboard, but I’m betting you won’t have any lasting complaints.
The future of the convertible
The hinges seem sturdy and completely functional without standing out and spoiling the smooth rectangular look. They’re 360-degree solid hinges and you can fold the Pixelbook over completely to use it in tablet mode. The Pixelbook is also designed to be used in tent mode, where both sides are folded over and it stands like a tent, and in “Entertainment mode” where the keyboard is folded behind the screen so it’s out of the way for watching movies. The hinges are smooth and fairly stiff. You won’t have any problems flipping the screen over in any configuration, but it’s not going to flip on its own from gravity.
The hinges also house a set of disappointingly average speakers. They sound muffled and muddy, even at full volume. The placement in the hinge certainly contributes to this, and while using the Pixelbook in laptop mode, it’s not something you’ll want to use to listen to your music all day. It seems like the speakers were designed to be at their best while the Pixelbook is in Entertainment mode and the keyboard is folded behind the display. I understand this move and it’s smart to have speakers that work best while watching a movie, but I still was wanting more.
Just laptop things
To round out the external features and design are a handful of ports and controls along the edges. On the right side you’ll find a USB-C port and a charge indicator LED, and on the left, you’ll see another USB-C port with indicator light as well as a 3.5-millimeter standard audio port that supports headphones and a mic in any combination) along with a volume rocker switch and a power button.
USB-C ports and no SD card mean you’re probably going to need some adapters.
Both USB-C ports confirm the Power Delivery standard. you can use either to charge the Pixelbook, use the Pixelbook to charge your phone, connect a USB-C headset, or connect any device that uses USB-C to communicate or transfer data. To compliment them a 45-watt power adapter that can provide two hours of use after 15-minutes of charge time thanks to the USB-C Power Delivery standards comes in the box.
One thing missing is any type of SD card slot, so you’ll need an adapter of some sort to transfer photos from your camera or copy any files from an SD card to the Pixelbook. Likewise, any peripherals you have that use the long-standing USB-A connection will need an adapter.
Above the display, while in laptop mode, you’ll find a 720p 60FPS camera. It’s perfect for things like Hangouts or other video chatting applications and captures movement nicely with little to no blur. You’ll probably not want to use the Pixelbook as a camera for taking stills even if you find an app that makes this easy to do, but for its intended purpose, it’s great. Rounding it all out are four microphones that are designed with video conferencing in mind. Their placement and noise cancellation deliver exactly what was advertised, even in noisy environments.
The gorgeous display
The Pixelbook’s 12.3-inch display is stunning. It carries the tradition of previous Pixel Chromebooks with a 3:2 aspect ratio and delivers a bright picture with great color depth and separation. With a resolution of 2400×1600, the LCD has a density of 235 pixels per inch and provides excellent detail. Casual testing shows it has a wide viewing and several people will be able to get a distortion-free look at any sensible angle.
This display. Wow.
There’s a wide bezel all around the Pixelbook’s screen, and this is by design. Every step of the design process was done with tablet functionality in mind, and like a tablet, there is room to hold the screen without touching it on all sides. It can be a little distracting, depending on what you’re doing, but the configuration does work well when you use the Pixelbook as a tablet. And Google thinks you’ll be doing a lot of it.
Of course, it’s a full multi-touch screen, and as expected the touch response is excellent. Whether you’re running an Android app, using any of Google’s suite of office applications or just playing a game on the web the touchscreen performs flawlessly each and every time.
Google has always gone all-out with the display on their Pixel line of Chromebooks. The Pixelbook is no exception. It’s amazing at full brightness, and completely usable in a power-sipping dimmed setting. You will love this display.
Delicious excess
Google Pixelbook specs
The Pixelbook will come in three different configurations.
The base $999 model, which is what we’re reviewing here, has a seventh-generation Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM and 128GB of SSD storage. This gives you a Chrome experience that’s as flawless as you’ll ever find and the extra storage is great for installing Android apps or your own videos. Chrome is designed for the cloud, but there are still things that need some local storage. Managing that storage because you only have 16 or 32 GB of it can be frustrating, but that won’t be an issue here.
Stepping things up to $1,199 gives you 256GB of storage space, and for the ultimate power-user a Core i7, 512 GB storage, 16GB RAM model will be available later in the year for $1649. The full specs as tested here:
| Operating System | Chrome OS |
| Display | 12.3-inch 2400×1600 (235 ppi) Quad HD 72% NTSC color LCD Multi-touch with Google Pixelbook Pen support 400 nits brightness |
| Processor | Intel Core i5 processorSeventh Generation (Kaby Lake) |
| RAM | 8/16GB |
| Storage | 128/256GB SSD |
| Battery | 41 Wh (Use time of up to 10 hours) 45W charger (5V/3A, 9V/3A, 15V/3A, 20V/2.25A) Fast charging: up to 2 Hrs in 15 min., or 7.5 Hrs in 60 min USB-C Power Delivery compliant |
| Keyboard | Full-size with 19 millimeter pitch 0.8 millimeter travel Fully backlit |
| Trackpad | Etched glass edge-to-edge trackpad |
| Camera | Full color 720p @ 60FPS |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, 2×2 (MIMO), dual-band (2.4 GHz, 5.0 GHz) Bluetooth 4.2 |
| Additional features | Pixelbook Pen active stylusGoogle Assistant with one-touch button |
| Colors | Silver Aluminum unibodyCorning Gorilla Glass detail |
| Platform updates | Years of free OS updates |
| Dimensions | 11.4 x 8.7 x 0.4 in290.4 x 220.8 x 10.3 mm |
| Weight | 2.4 lb1.1 kg |
Great at multitasking
The Pixelbook Pen
A $99 accessory, the Pixelbook Pen offers a great way to draw on the screen, take notes, or interact with Google Assistant.
It’s virtually lag-free. This is a big deal for anyone who wants to create digital art and also a must-have for any type of handwriting input. Its 10 millisecond response time pairs well with 2,000 levels of pressure sensitivity and full tilt sensing to make the Pen a natural extension of your arm when it comes to any type of input.
The pen is powered by one AAAA battery, which should last a full year. As an active stylus, it can communicate with the Pixelbook’s display so the position and distance can be carefully monitored. The Pen’s body is nice and full for easy holding and the point is very fine for precise drawing and annotation.
With 2,000 levels of sensitivity and full tilt support, the Pixelbook Pen really is worth $99.
Note-taking is easy with apps like Squid or Nebo, and at release, an update for Google Keep not only works great with the Pixelbook Pen but also will show on the lock screen for easy note taking and time management. The Infinite Painter app was recommended by Google to test the drawing capabilities, and we’ll second that recommendation as it offers great support for pressure sensitivity and brush tilting. Screen capture and annotation work directly through the operating system and apps like Nebo will easily convert handwriting into text when you feel like being creative.
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The circle is complete
Google Assistant meets Chrome
The showcase feature of the Pixelbook and the Pixelbook Pen is Google Assistant. It’s the same Google Assistant you’ll find on your phone or inside a Google Home, but there are a few extra touches.
The Pixelbook Pen’s button links you to Google Assistant with a configuration that’s part Google Now and part Google Lens. Press the button and draw around any portion of the display and Assistant springs to life to offer details on whatever you’ve captured. Public figures will be identified, words will be looked up in the dictionary, and it can look at a picture of everyday things, like your phone for example, and define them as well as provide a direct link to Google search results.
For the most part, this gets all of the easy things — circling a photo of Lucille Ball will identify her every time — and misses many of the difficult things. For example, a photo of the Essential Phone is recognized as a Pixel. We’re not sure how well Assistant will be able to learn things like this, but it’s using the same methods as Google Lens so there’s definitely a learning component at play.
You can also bring up Google Assistant with its dedicated keyboard button. This opens the Assistant window and you use it the same as any other Assistant-ready product, but one feature unique to the Pixelbook is a standout and has doubled my use of Assistant: You can type your query as text instead of speaking, and the response will also be silent. This is great for times you’re out in public where Assistant might have trouble recognizing what you’re saying or you just don’t want to be that person who is talking to their laptop or tablet. For someone who types all day for a living, it’s also a natural way to ask Google for any answers.
Assistant is even more useful when it stops talking.
Assistant on the Pixelbook isn’t very different from Assistant on any other device. The unique Chromebook features are a nice touch, and hopefully they roll out for any Chromebook with a pen and it can be mapped to the search button once Google is satisfied with the way it all works. A unified experience is key for any software that purposes you use it throughout your daily routine.
Same as it ever was
Chrome is still Chrome
The Pixelbook comes with Android app support through Google Play out of the box. The onboarding experience is great: Follow the normal Chrome sign-in process, and once your desktop is displayed you are prompted to sign into Google Play. Any updating or installing support applications is automatic and once finished you’ll have a Google Play icon in your app tray.
Plenty of Android apps work on Chromebooks, but few are great.
The apps themselves are a mixed bag. You’ll find plenty that work great. They resize properly, the windows are movable and shrink to the taskbar or go full screen exactly as expected, and really feel like a native application. You’ll also find other older apps that don’t resize and hang when you try to minimize them or just want to misbehave in a desktop environment. The biggest issue with Android apps on the Pixelbook is also the biggest issue for Android apps on a tablet — they were designed for a small phone-sized screen.
This has always been, and may always be, a pain point for Android. Companies like Samsung have made some wonderful tablets, and Google has a few of its own. But developers aren’t forced to add features that directly support a much bigger screen. Android apps are infinitely scalable, and finding an app that works as intended on the Pixelbook isn’t difficult, but finding with elements that properly scale or layouts designed for this much real estate is a little more difficult.
Let’s try this again
Your new Android tablet
It’s clear that the Pixelbook was designed not as a Chromebook with a flippy convertible screen, but as a device that’s equally good in either configuration. The touchscreen is as responsive as any tablet you’ll find, the display was built to allow you to hold it as a tablet in any direction, and the 10-millimeter thickness and 2-pound weight mean it’s not going to feel exceptionally bulky or heavy.
Being a convertible isn’t an afterthought; the Pixelbook is as much tablet as laptop.
I’ve been using the Pixelbook pretty equally divided between laptop mode and tablet mode. I can work at my desk and type away (of course, I wrote this review using it) or sit back with my feet up for an hour or two using it as a tablet when I don’t need to type. The wireless connections seem fine, though I’m not sure how much the glass has to do with it. Bluetooth headphones work across my house just like they do on any other good Chromebook and I have a great Wi-Fi signal inside as well as on my small workspace on the porch.
Google claims you can get 10 hours of battery life with the Pixelbook, and they’re not too far off the mark. Without caring about brightness or how many things I’m doing and CPU speeds, I get between seven and eight hours of usage before I really need to plug things in. The two hours of use on a 15-minute charge is also an accurate statement and a few small top-ups can keep me going all day and all night until I fall asleep reading.
The Pixelbook is comfortable to use and blazing fast while doing anything I have thrown at it so far.
Apps done well feel natural in tablet mode.
Google needs to find a way to entice developers to build apps that work great on a tablet, not just work on a tablet. The Pixelbook could be that incentive, as it would allow a developer to experience the best of both a tablet world and a Chromebook world, as Android is now a permanent part of Chrome. Should a company build a similar device without the over-the-top specs and prohibitive price tag, this configuration just might take off. Instead of thinking the Pixelbook is competing with the Surface line or a MacBook, we should be thinking it competes with the iPad Pro.
Apps done well feel especially natural with the Pixelbook in tablet mode, and being able to read a book while holding the screen in my hands as well as being able to send a long email using a real keyboard on the same device is great. We just need more than Play Books and Gmail to be great.
A $1,000 halo
Should you buy the Pixelbook?
Ask yourself a simple question — does anyone really need to spend $1,000 on a Chromebook? Your answer should be no. Samsung and ASUS both make very powerful Chromebooks that will do anything you can do with Chrome and do it well. They tear through Android apps, can render and display even the most intricate web page or app, and most importantly, have a price tag about $500 cheaper than the Pixelbook. Nobody needs the Pixelbook. But Google most certainly doesn’t think this is a product anyone needs.
These aren’t built to sell by the millions. They’re built because they’re cool.
No, the Pixelbook is the very definition of a halo device. The term gets overused, but really — Google made the Pixelbook because they want to show what’s possible. Seeing how great Chrome can be on excessive (yes, I’ll go that far) hardware is the hallmark of the Pixel line of Chromebooks, and it’s continuing on the new Pixelbook as a true mobile hybrid device. Google built it because they can.
It’s an amazing device and lives up to all the hype that has surrounded it since we first heard of it. And there are people who will buy it, but not because it’s something anyone needs. It’s that thing that you want. It was built for people like me, who have changed their digital life to be all-in with Chrome and really want the shiny beautiful thing. If you’re also that person, you’ll love the Pixelbook as much as I do.
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- The best Chromebooks
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LG G6 joins Amazon Prime Exclusive for $399 as the G6+ and Q6 make their U.S. debut
LG G6, G6+, Q6, and X charge join Amazon’s Prime Exclusive lineup.
Amazon offers ad-subsidized versions of popular budget phones via its Prime Exclusive lineup, with the likes of the Moto X4 selling for $329, $70 off it retail price. The lineup also includes the Alcatel Idol 5S, Nokia 6, and the Moto G5 Plus, and starting today, LG’s phones — notably the LG G6 and the G6+ — are joining the list.
LG G6
The Prime Exclusive version of the LG G6 is now available for just $399, a discount of $50 from its retail price of $449. Like the standard model, the Prime Exclusive variant is unlocked for use on AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon, but the main difference is that you’ll get lock screen ads.
As a refresher, the LG G6 features a 5.7-inch FullVision QHD+ display with an 18:9 ratio, Snapdragon 821, 4GB of RAM, 32GB internal storage, microSD slot up to 2TB, dual 13MP cameras at the back, 5MP front shooter with a 100-degree field of view, IP68 dust and water resistance, and a 3300mAh battery with wireless charging.
It also has a MIL-STD-810G rating that allows the device to withstand tumbles, and gives it added protection against the elements.
See at Amazon
LG G6+
The LG G6+ has similar specs as the standard G6, but the internal storage gets a boost to 128GB. The G6+ also has a 32-bit Quad DAC, a feature that’s missing from the standard LG G6 in the U.S.
The price for the increased storage and the Quad-DAC? $499. Like the LG G6, the Prime Exclusive variant of the G6+ is unlocked for use on AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon.
See at Amazon
LG Q6
Meanwhile, the LG Q6 is a budget variant of the G6 (think of it as the G6 Lite). The phone has a similar design with a 5.5-inch FullVision 18:9 panel, but the resolution is FHD+ (2160 x 1080). Other specs include a Snapdragon 435, 3GB of RAM, 32GB storage, microSD slot, 13MP camera at the back, 5MP front shooter, and a 3000mAh battery.
The Prime Exclusive version of the LG Q6 will retail for $229, or $70 off its retail price. The phone will work on AT&T and T-Mobile, with shipping kicking off in a few weeks.
See at Amazon
LG X Charge
Finally, the LG X Charge is a budget device with a huge 4500mAh battery. The phone features a 5.5-inch 720p display, MediaTek MT6750 SoC, 2GB of RAM, 16GB storage, microSD slot, 13MP camera at the back, and a 5MP front camera.
The phone costs $199 outright, but the ad-subsidized variant is available for $149. It’s unlocked for use on AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile.
See at Amazon
All four phones will be going on sale starting November 9. Interested in knowing more about all the devices in Amazon’s Prime Exclusive lineup? Head to the retailer from the link below to find out.
See at Amazon
You might want to hold on to your 2016 Pixel a little longer
Last year’s Pixel is still a great phone, and this is why some of our forum users are choosing to keep their’s rather than upgrade to the Pixel 2.
Unless you’ve been living under the world’s largest rock for the past few days, you’ve probably heard a thing or two about the Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL. Google’s latest flagships do bring a lot to the table, but between potential screen burn-in on the XL model, hissing/clicking sounds with the regular Pixel 2, and plenty more, the decision to hand over $650 or $850 for either phone might be more difficult than you were initially anticipating.
Last year’s Google Pixel is still an incredibly good phone, and although it may not be the newest or flashiest device around, there’s an argument to be made for holding onto it for at least another year if you already own one.
Some of our forum users recently dived into this very conversation, and here’s what some of you had to say.
Technocratic71
10-24-2017 09:53 PM“
I don’t have an OG Pixel XL, but I’m thinking of getting one, especially with all of the screen issues with the 2XL
Reply
Rocketsaucev2
10-25-2017 05:07 AM“
Definitely keeping mine. Software is more important to me than hardware and this phone can’t be beat. Theming with Andromeda is such a treat to use without root and it really gave the look something extra especially since I wasn’t a huge fan of the white out everywhere
Reply
Amb312
10-25-2017 06:17 AM“
I had pre-ordered but kept flipping on whether I want a pixel2 XL or note 8. I cancelled my order Monday. I was involved in the note 7 fiasco and I just can’t do it again. My OG Pixel works great so I will hold on to it for awhile longer. We’ll see if anything excites me or if there is a good deal down the road.
Reply
Gdraft#WN
10-25-2017 11:54 AM“
Keeping mine. As the saying goes “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”
My XL is not broke, and runs like it did on day 1 (over a year ago).
I can count on one hand the number of times I have turned it off (usually when I am not paying attention and trying to quickly turn the volume up or down and hold the wrong button) but I am sure a Sammy Troll will say that this is a bug and that I should…
Reply
There’s still plenty more that can be said here, so we’d like to know – will you be keeping your 2016 Pixel/Pixel XL for another year?
Join the conversation in the forums!
Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL
- Pixel 2 FAQ: Everything you need to know!
- Google Pixel 2 and 2 XL review: The new standard
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- Google Pixel 2 vs. Pixel 2 XL: What’s the difference?
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