Decided to googlee the AMZT66 which is everywhere. Nothing has ever fulfilled the estimations that way for both casuals and more profound ones. I'm not a bot this is just plain facts and it takes you 5 minutes to acknowledge what I'm talking about. Not too hard?
You're relying heavily on the Tensor 3 chip to be better... which at this point isn't promising considering that literally every other mobile CPU on the market is better than the Tensor chips at power per watt
When I started working at Best Buy in 2014 we had a tablet department. It was definitely weird seeing that department shrink as it whittled down to just iPads and Samsung tablets
At that time tablets were popular and Best Buy was riding the trend. As the years have passed by, we realized that companies that Android tablets weren't popular or the experience left users unhappy.
It's because who really needs a tablet besides toddlers? And who's buying $500 tablets for toddlers to break? Adults have phones that does everything a tablet can do and they're too expensive for kids. Tables are stuck in a weird middle ground with no real target audience. The only people I ever see using them are businesses and football coaches on the sidelines. There just isn't a mass market for them. But this new device gives it a whole new purpose.
One missing piece of your review is how this tablet fits and functions with the other devices from Google such as pixel phones, as an ecosystem. Good stuff.
Any specific notes on that? Just got this tablet and all my regular stuff likes photos, contacts and texts transferred over- but I'm curious as to what additional functionality there might be.
Guys, there are a ton of software features marques missed, (maybe because he hates google? 😒), anyway, you can connect your google phone (or any phone that uses chromecast) to it so you can transfer your content to the tablet seamlessly. And since the tablet has native chrome cast support, you can cast your tablet content to anything else that uses chromecast (like a tv)!
Instead of comparing it to other tablets, I think it should basically be viewed as the ultimate Nest Hub Super Max. They currently have a Nest Hub, Nest Hub Max, and this version does all the same things with no limits. Does nearly everything a Hub Max can do, but you can take it anywhere in the house with you and continue whatever it was you started using voice controls while on the dock. Great idea!
I've always hated that the Google home displays were all basically nerfed tablets with crappy OS and a modified Google Home speaker. Finally, they unleashed the tablet (in more ways than one) and almost hit a home run w the dock. This is gen1, just think what we will have by the end of this year!
What would be coolest (that I dont expect to happen) would be if they standardised the ability for android tablets to connect to the dock, so you could (eventually) just grab any android tablet and whack it on your dock - Would be such a neat hook to stay in the google ecosystem and have more android tablets in the home.
Nice thought but I am sure google does not want that they are trying to make their own ecosystem not in apple way but in a Google way not hardware focused but software focused and they are going slowly and carefully towards their goal
Only issue is unlike apple, there are many manufacturers using the android platforms which results in different hardware designs, port placement etc. But this is why I appreciate Google making their own android devices. I feel Google is the best choice for a true, pure apple competitive eco system. I appreciate what Samsung does, but it's still a skin over the google/android platform.
The reason why the majority of hardware vendors don’t make tablets, is because they don’t sell well. And the reason they don’t sell well is the poor support from 3rd party apps who adjust to the screen size.
@@TheOnlyEpsilonAlpha I am sure google is working on that and I personally wish they can make it happen because this idea actually seems the future of tablets and with Google's computational technology this thing can beat even the ipads someday
I think this would be killer for a home theater/smart home remote for my setup. Instead of using IR repeaters and having a bunch or remotes for my AVR, Shield TV, Projector, and Blu-Ray player; having this on the console table behind the sofa would look nice and hopefully allow me to split screen 3-4 apps as soon as I unlock it.
That is such a niche demographic. Like yea sure if you have the money do it but, why not just get an iPad mini for $600 instead. It's powerful as hell too. I say this time and time again, android is limited by their processor. It's like having a Lamborghini with a Honda Civic engine. And not the Honda Civic with the laptop.
@@AHOBOINTEXAS You’re not wrong haha. Home theater enthusiasts are certainly one of the smallest subsets of the tablet market. But Androids flexibility makes it ideal for such a use case. A faster processor wouldn’t be much of a factor because the apps for Control4, Denon, Marantz, Yamaha, and the like are all very light. The iPad would certainly be capable. But being able to do things like setting an android tablet to multitask 3-4 apps at the same time upon unlock would be the killer feature here.
I think that if they stick with the connector they could come out with an upgraded speaker to buy separately, or if they make a higher end tablet they could include the magnets and pins so it's compatible with the dock. It would lead the way to a really cool tablet ecosystem that is very different than what apple is doing
I'd love for Google to make a compatible wall mount dock so it could live on the wall for smart features but could detach easily to be used as a tablet.
I think it's an experiment that Google is trying perform to see if this idea works that's why they didn't added crazy specs so that the masses could go and buy and they can know if this idea is worth or not but I really hope that they succeed
If they tweaked it and basically had a nest audio you could use it as a speaker but have the dock connectors so you can still cast to the house but dock the tablet in any room! That would be perfect.
I really liked… no, loved my Nexus 7 tablet. It was lightweight, great on battery, and ran vanilla Android so wasn’t weighed down by manufacturer or carrier bloatware. Unfortunately it went “missing” from my Vegas hotel room a couple years later, but is still to this day the nicest tablet I ever owned for just how affordable it was at the time. I wish Google would give it a serious comeback and the 2nd gen Pixel Tablet may just be what I’ve been waiting for.
The problem for developers is that so few users are using their app on tablet that it's hard to justify the cost/effort. On the apps I have worked on with tablet support 98% of users were on phone. It's a chicken and egg situation.
No because many companies dont have a problem managing it on their websites. With countless window resizes from big to small and different dpis. Aswell as also having the website work well on screens as small as mobile. There are tools to do this and it is done by many many companies.
Software development around Android is cumbersome still and that is a factor into why it's not optimized as well. Because this lack of app optimization goes beyond tablets and extends to their phones as well
@@AlphaSteam2 I used react native and a lot of our devs really focused on iOS during development because the android emulator was slow. After code completion, we would test with Android. So it ended up with more edge cases being caught during development with iOS
I had a Nexus 10 back in the day. I loved that thing, but ultimately wore out the flash chip from flashing custom ROMs so much. Believe it or not, Google DID have a very worthy successor to this, the Pixel C, which is what I have now. It's quite old, but still holds up damn well, rocking the same SOC that the Nintendo Switch would eventually use. Why then was the Pixel C a flop? Because they tried to take on the Surface Pro with it, which is a completely different product. It cannot compete. But as an Android tablet, it's amazing! And the keyboard was super innovative in its design, something I wish Google or anyone else would carry forward to newer tablets. Interestingly it attaches via strong magnets similar to how the new Pixel Tablet connects to its dock. (It also allows it to stick to a fridge or a car)
I still have my tab 3 7" and tab S 8.4". I still haven't found something to replace the tab S with, 2560x1600 on a 8.4 inch amoled was insane back in the day. But sadly yt 1440p no longer works and neither does netflix in anything more than 720p
Also still rocking the Pixel C, such an amazing device. it's showing its age but it's the only on the market with a stock Android OS (I hate overlay with all my being) I kind of wanted a proper successor, maybe the Pixel Tablet will be it ?
being able to cast to the tablet is actually potentially really cool depending on a few particulars of how it's implemented. We don't have a fancy car with screens in the back, so ability to set this up as a display in the back and then put on a movie for the kids on long road trips without having to constantly be reaching back there to adjust the volume (and then unlock it after they've accidentally locked it instead of turning the volume up) or picking out a different movie when they're done: GOLD (Addendum: I realize this would require a wifi connection. For this we would either have a phone or mobile hotspot as the wifi connection as this is what we do now for streaming)
I am quite sure that that use case wouldn't work as you think. Cast devices normally don't make their own hotspot/networks. So they use an already exisiting network to be available on. So inside of the house or on wifi it all works, but probably is not castable when in transit or outside. This could be 'hacked' by creating your own hotspot but I think that will drain and isn't easily accessible for everyone.
@@uponpaul how is hotspot not easily accessible for all people? It's just a tile up there. Connect the tablet once and put it to auto connect when seen, that's it.
This is actually quite useful if you're in a kitchen and you start with a recipe on your phone and you want to move it to the bigger display to cook That's the whole point of Chromecasting to this device Most of these types of devices are always in the kitchen that's why if you notice on an Amazon device even if you have multiple Amazon shows in the home the one that's in the kitchen is always considered the master even if it's smaller or weaker than the other so you have in a home trust me I have one😅
5:18 i think it would be useful to have Bluetooth in the dock like if i watch film on the tablet in the bed the dock would be next to me on the bedside table and yes it would be nice to connect wirelessly
I see this being a decent addition to the home. I think Google has realized that they can't compete with the iPad at the moment. That said, I love my Galaxy tablet!
Yeah the Galaxy S8 tablets are where it's at at the moment. Even iPad kinda sucks by comparison. You get the best software and features, and also some of the best hardware and at a good price.
When I'm at home, my go to device is a tablet (Galaxy S7FE). I use it way more than my phone because of the screen size. Watching youtube on 12 in screen is godsend, for example. Some apps are terrible, just like Marques noted. I just use the Web version of them. Problem solved.
@@marcuscoster6529sure, Samsungs s23s got this years iPhones beat but the iPad Pro absolutely trashes on the tab s8 plus in power, screen quality and even apps cuz developers prefer to develop ipad apps and optimise it for them more
This is super smart. I may have a niche situation but I currently use a tablet as a hub. I'm bluetoothed to a home speaker system so don't need the speaker but the combo of a dock, a functional tablet (as opposed to these useless nest hubs) but also the ability to fully run google home/nest, unlike some older tablets, is great.
I preorder it because of that feature to dump my second monitor for my laptop AND gain tablet that isn't work laptop. I wish it was usbc display as an option, but that's asking for stars+moon.
I was thinking I could use that for my daughter (less than 5). She can watch her videos. We still have full control since it's being used as a Chromecast. Even that feels a bit weird though lol The extra screen is a better idea
@@vandeljasonstrypper6734 yeah it's actually better than on Android which restricts it to only mirroring(idk things like dex don't work with it) It works like a proper wireless display
Main complaint: The fact that the dock is not it's own stand alone Google Hub is a bit of a deal breaker for me. I was looking to replace my kitchen Google Home with this. but I don't want to lose the ability to play music in the kitchen if I was to pick up the tablet to use it. Second complaint: Wish there was a wall mount option. Would be awesome to mount this on the wall in a room to display things like calendars and grocery lists.
I'm really excited to get mine. I think Google safely played it smart here, entering the tablet market in a more cost-effective way while giving us something unique. Plus, the software looks pretty smooth for a mid-range device. I bought one because I want to support this in hopes of the line maturing into a Pro offering at some point in the future.
I had a Pixel C (the first pixel tablet by google, based on pure android 7 then 8, back in 2015), and it was amazing for the time ! tegra x1 (same processor that the switch), great screen (2k ltps), a magnetic keyboard without any pins (only bluethooth). The only drawbacks were the lack of support (the gpu driver was nouveau driver, which were BAD, real bad) and google being google, so removing the widewine L1 support of the tablet. From what i understood at time, it was partially due to the jalibreak of the switch : the tablet was used to find ways of circumventing the security of the tegra x1 processor, and so it was not that secure after the release of the switch and the massive amount of tech to crack the console. Without that, i think I would be using it nowadays. It was such a great product.
I was looking forward to seeing how this tablet would turn out and if it would be a suitable replacement for my Tab S7+, which I think is too large, but that turned out to not be the case. Large bezels, no OLED and just 60 Hz refresh rate, for a minimum of roughly $730 (here in Sweden). Not a price I'm willing to pay for those specs.
This what I find strange. The target user seems to be people who want a smart hub that doubles as a workable tablet, but that seems like such a niche group. Maybe I’m wrong.
i’m surprised no one is comparing the Pixel Tablet to the Pixel Slate from a couple years ago. it’s funny how everyone has completely forgotten about that.
Because it was shit it did run slow even the i7 version did run slow google showed and told every android developer that android tablets where dead and that chrome os was the future with the pixel slate and now they all in with android tablets
As a pixelbook pro owner (the foldable google chromebook/table that was discontinued), I am really looking forward to some traditional app upgrades for the tablet UX.
3:24 - The "pins that retract" a little bit when you touch them" are the same style as the FitBit Sense charger. The springs on the pin will break causing the pin to fall into the charger, rendering the charger useless. Huge design flaw. my fitbit charger pins fail in about 6 months, im on my 3rd charger now
This is the exact reason I bought if for my wife. She actually ran our " go to bed" routine last night without me having to. She has been slow to take to our automations and prefers locking the doors by hand rather than asking our assistant to do it so hopefully this helps.
The Pixel Tablet is great to me, because it's the most secure tablet, because it allows me to install GrapheneOS and it also has the Titan Security chip.
I'll be picking up one of these for sure. As someone who has google home mini's in each room, as well as a bunch of google TV's, and home hubs, this makes perfect sense. Also having kids be able to switch to their profile is an awesome feature. And at a price that is fair. I guess I am the target demographic.
I suppose the idea for them moving forward, is that they could release a V2 of either the base or the tablet, if they keep the compatibility for the docking port, that way you could choose to upgrade either or both. I'm not too fussed with a mid range tablet, would really only use it in the kitchen, but a dock with better speakers, can also act as an access point, fast charging, USB ports for charging other devices, bluetooth connectivity for music, while I'm cooking, that's very appealing.
This is always what those Nest Hub smart home displays should have been. Was always amazed when I reviewed the Home Hub that you couldn't just pickup the tablet and do stuff with it - the whole device was even designed to look like you should be able to do that.
@@edwardchester1 I have similar dilemma. I already have a Nest Hub but I need a replacement tablet as my 1st gen iPadAir no longer being updated and I can't use some of the apps on it. So it's either getting a new tablet and have it next to the Nest Hub with a separate cable or replace everything with this new all-in-one. I hope there will be some holiday sales on this.
Still have Nexus 10 in a box in the closet and a Samsung Tab Pro 12 which still works but apps no longer update on it. But my IPad Pro 12.9 is my daily driver. I would love official software updates to those both. Hardware is still good but the lack of software support makes them useless.
Dock should have worked as a google home mini with voice assistance and should have worked as a Bluetooth speaker. Even if they release this as a accessory later on I think the users will buy into it.
Such a missed opportunity to allow the base to be a nest speaker, that would also incentivise people to buy multiple and move the tablet around rooms using the empty dock as a speaker
@@peteannson1098 the whole idea of a dock is to put tablet in a visible and accessible place while its not in use. Why would you put a wifi range extender on your bedside stand or on your work table or on your living room table or on your kitchen island?
I LOVED the Nexus 7. Best tablet experience I ever had. Amazing. Lost in at a random house party in the Bronx. My girl started throwing up in the bathroom, put the thing down, helped her outside and spontaneously decided to call a cab, got her home and realized I left it in the bathroom. I think about that tablet more than I do her…..lol
But like he said most people would not buy it Most people have iPhones in the United States if this is outside the United States yes that's would definitely sell if it was a more higher inversion but like he says the target demographic is so small
And this is coming from an Android user It's just how the United States says if you look around every news station they all have Apple Base products every celebrity has Apple Base products Apple is a really good marketing company that's what they really are
@@A_Well_Traveled_Man "Most people have iPhones in the United States" Is a completely false statement. At the most, apple is slightly above 50%. But even now I bet Android has moved up to the majority this year.
Going back 10 years is not sounding old, it is giving people context on stuff that simply has been a thing for a long time now. A lot of reviewers should do that more often because there are a lot of us who are tech savvy and are old enough to remember 2010. That’s plain old good information, so please never hold back on going back like that
I would really like to see Google publish an app that allows you to 'convert' an old phone or tablet into a Google hub display, I've got a couple of older tablets that I would love to just plug in and have as a digital photo display or cast device
If you have multiple people using it, like at home, does it unlock the person's account on fingerprint scan? Because that's pretty cool as like a home device for everyone.
This is exactly what I want in a tablet. Basically a detachable nest hub max, actual apps (the ones I use work fine), decent video chat, and support for multiple users. I just wish I hadn't bought an iPad last year.
Something im very confused about is why tablets have to have 2 or more cameras now, I mean, people are not using their tablets camera enough to warrant adding 2 or 3 cameras, I think the fact that the Pixel Tablet only has one camera makes a lot of sense, great way to bring down the cost
Depends, I use the iPad a lot for interior design at work, and the ultrawide helps me a lot in smaller apartments when I have to calculate distance / take pictures .etc
9:50 "Just a Giant Phone App". Why didn't you rotate the tablet to show the apps in their appropriate geometry? At least try to show if it works or not. It is a Tablet after all.
This really needed to be about $300. That would have placed it in a good place to complete with the IPad and hopefully get it in to a lot of homes. At $500 I don't think that many people will buy it and it won't help the app ecosystem move forward.
I agree, plus the docks not working on their own as a Google mini is a huge deal breaker for me, as say I want to use the tablet on the couch, or throw it in my bag for work with my keyboard/mouse, but my wife walks through the kitchen to turn on the carport light as she has gotten use too over the years to put the cats out, and it does not work, she is going to be frustrated/mad, so that means still having our Nest Hub, and the Pixel tablet in the same spot chewing down power, and when the tablet is on charge they get confused as to which one will answer. It's bad enough with all the hubs, and minis around my house now, so yeah this is a no sale for me, and I'll stick to having a stand alone tablet, and keeping my hubs/minis for as long as they continue working.
Glad I purchased a Oneplus Pad. It simply is a superior tablet in every way. Google has not made a great tablet since the Nexus 7. And the bonus was Oneplus included a magnetic keyboard and case for nothing on preorders. This was a no brainer buying decision.
I think the biggest thing is that the table's screen is made to be in landscape mode, instead of the portrait mode, which means tiny laptops and handheld laptops and handheld console-like PCs can use that screen instead of dealing with installing things in portrait mode and then rotating the screen to be in landscape mode in the OS.
I could see this in my work setup, especially if I can cast to it. Ideally if Chrome figured out how to use this as an extra monitor that'd be fantastic.
Nice review! Google definitely going outside the box with this one. Haven’t looked it up yet but wonder if it’s has a thread border router built in with the emergence of Matter
Excellent review - Calling out the tablet as it is rather than trying to make it compete against the iPad Pro! One thing I am sincerely hoping though is developers do develop proper tablet apps for Android. Google's apps look awesome on tablets in their new designs. If not others, devs should at least target the Pixel and Samsung S series tabs.
The Power cable that connects to the Speaker/Charging dock should have been a USB-C charger so you could have taken the cable with you when your traveling. I find that a huge missed opportunity for improvement. The speaker would have been nice if it was like a Nest Speaker that connects via WiFi so you could continue using the speaker if the tablet isn't docked to the charging dock. The whole concept of a tablet having a dedicated dock for charging and adjusting your smart home devices is perfect. That is spot on the coolest feature and reason i love this device. Hopefully second generation will have a higher quality version of the device as well as a lower end device such as what we see with the first generation but with improvements like better microphone placement, etc. Wishlist improvements for the Pixel Tablet. 1. 4K display 2. 120hz display 3. Better biggers speakers in the dock. 4. Front firing stereos soeakers in the tablet for enjoying watching movies and TV shows. 5. Better microphone placement 6. USB-C charger that connects to the dock so you can take the chaeger with you for traveling purposes. 7. Make the dock a Nest Speaker that connects via WiFi so you can use the dock speaker when the tablet isn't docked. 8. Bigger battery
@@Santiagosony Bluetooth has to much delay for a great experience in the home. Maybe it should have both Bluetooth and WiFi. That would be better. I'd definitely pair a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse to the Tablet if I need to do any type of documentation. I only see Bluetooth being a last resort if the person didn't have a home WiFi network around the device at the time.
I actually love this idea and I don't think the tablet needs to be sick. Here's how I would use it: as a second screen to the TV in the bedroom so I can fall asleep to streaming videos/podcasts, also use it like I currently am with the Nest Hub (even sans the sleep sensing, as I used it a lot for a few weeks then have just forgotten about it to be honest), and keep my iPad as a tablet. The Google tablet can be mobile as I'm walking through the house and need to do Nest stuff. This all works if you have a primary tablet that is dope, and this is just (for me) a screen next to my bed that I can look up a quick thing or fall asleep with. I think this is perfect. HOWEVER, I have learned, with Google, wait until about gen 99 for it to be done right. 😬
The app situation is unfair because even some of those apps aren't optimized for ios either (like Instagram). I think Android apps will get more optimized as ChromeOS grows though. You also didn't mention that the pixel tablet does support USI pens too. Which we a home dock can be fairly beneficial. Say you on the couch, get a phone call and need to jot down some info. Grab the Pixel Tablet and jot away in Google Keep rather than having to search for a pen and paper.
Instagram is a bad example but the app gap is a very real thing, not just in terms of what's available but what apps are actually optimized for tablets. Maybe you don't personally care about it, and that's fine, but I seriously doubt the situation is going to change. It definitely isn't going to change because of ChromeOS which has been able to run android apps in some capacity for the better part of a decade. If that was going to change the ecosystem we would've seen that by now.
It’s totally fair. The vast majority of iOS apps are optimized for the iPad (instagram is by far the most famous outlier) whereas it’s surprising when an android app is optimized for tablets.
@@Wizerud But imo, a non-tablet optimized app is more usable on android than a non-tablet app on the ipad. Atleast android apps scale up to the display resolution properly.
Chrome OS devices COULD run Android apps for a while, but up until even just 5 yrs ago, they weren't running Android apps natively through the Play store on most Chrome OS devices. It was still very hit or miss. For most Chrome OS devices you had to enable developer mode and sideload apps which 90% (or more) or ppl wont do. Also, even 5 yrs ago Chromebooks werent looked at as a viable laptop for anyone. The education space was really just getting into Chrome OS for the masses. There was some school systems using it, but not a ton. In 2023 though and post COVID, people have realized they don't use regular Windows based applications like they thought they did and/or there are viable Android/Web apps to use and so chromebooks have taken off very well. I do agree that the Android Tablet app situation needs to get better. But part of the reason it hasn't is because big Android tablets (9"+) have only recently become more popular than than small Android tablets. That's why I think now that chromeos is running Android apps on ALL of its devices (which isn't going away, I'm not sure why someone said it is), developers will have more of a reason to make apps more optimized for 10"+ displays
Loved the original nexus7, both price and form factor. I had two of them. But my $130 Teclast tablet runs pretty current android plenty fast and integrates well with Google home, casting and home control. It even looks very similar to this tablet. I'm not taking a chance on Google abandoning tablets again at that price point.
I'm a tablet guy. Went from the nexus 7 to the Samsung galaxy tab s1 (I remember my uncle and I marveling at how it was an OCTACORE processor lol) Used that for around 3.5 years then got the s5e and was blown away (after discounts and trade ins I think it was like £250 at the time) . That lasted me 4 years and so about a month ago I got the Lenovo Xiaoxin pad pro 2022 (aka lenovo P11 pad pro gen 2, but the snapdragon variant) - £350. Something I quickly noticed is that despite being 3.5 years newer than the s5e, the speakers are a noticeable downgrade, which was a bummer for me. But aside from that it's been great so far. I feel like with these specs and performance if you stuck a Samsung logo on it it would retail for double the price. Point is I think there was a period from like 2015-2021 where android tablets were basically useless outside of the very top end segment which comprised a whopping 1 or 2 tablets... But now the midrange segment is getting pretty big if you know where to look. When looking for my new tablet there was something like 12 tablets I was deciding between, all good offerings from xiaomi, lenovo, vivo, oppo. All way better on paper than Samsung's equivalent.
The S1 was definitely the best tablet I owned, I loved the fact that the 8.4 inch version had the same resolution as the 10 inch which resulted in a pixel density I've not seen again on a similarly priced tablet.
I pre-ordered one and got to play with it yesterday and I agree with most of what MKHD says but as a regular user, it's outstanding for me! I am loving the multiple users and you can even set up a child account with kids UA-cam and everything. Perfect fit for me pairs nicely with some of the high end styluses so and makes for a nice drawing experience as well. Looking forward to the accessories third parties come up with because you know someone will make a dock with nice speakers
You should post some drawing videos with your stylus, that's what I mainly want it for and can't seem to find videos showing how well styluses work on it.
I miss my Nexus 7 2013, that thing was peak Android tablet. Great screen, respectable battery life, actually usable processor and a small enough size that apps formatted fine on it
I still use one in my 04' STi with Timur's custom kernel and build to super deep sleep when the key is off. The people that I bring company cars to for glass replacement still use one for square payments. I'm not sure if they can fight apple in the 10 inch arena but I think they might be able to undercut the mini at the 8 inch size. I have a mini 6 despite being an android and Windows user. It's just such a great tablet to actually take with you and do things on. Apple pricing it similarly to the iPad air leaves room for Google to get in there and throw some punches.
I'm a professional musician and I'd like to replace my laptop with a reliable tablet. I use mostly handwritten charts that I scan into PDFs. I also DJ and I would use it for running some cocktail hour music occasionally. What would you suggest?
It's hard to say. Google left the tablet scene for years. The market has changed so much that it would be hard to catch up. Look at what happened with Microsoft with their branded mobile devices. Unless Google pours in billions of dollars and incentivizes developers it might be a lost cause.
At the same time, do people really use the tablet camera all that much? Sure, you might use it take a photo or a video occasionally, but you're unlikely to go and use it for regular photography, like you might use a phone for. Personally, I would rather they save money on the camera, and spend it on some other part of the tablet, like the speakers, or a headphone jack.
@@techno1561 but it could be argued that people don't really use tablets for photos or videos because the cameras always objectively suck compared to a phone...
@@Samsonfs I'm not sure that it is much of an issue of camera quality, since the cameras are still okay, even if they're not top of the line. A tablet is just big and unwieldy if you're trying to use it as a camera. It's like trying to aim an open book at arm's length.
Would've been great if you covered video calling, especially now that WhatsApp is supported on Android Tablets. Does the centre-stage like auto-framing work with video calls? How's the quality of video and microphones. I feel as a home device that would be a major use of this, given devices like Portal have been shut down, and no equivalent competitors in the space.
I think it was reviewed from it not being a high end like the iPad as in there is nothing wow about it. It didn't get the love it deserve. What you are asking for is what this tablet was designed for. I thought the price would give away what this tablet was intended for.
12:50, and, it can never be good. It is partially dependent on the apps, and the apps are not going to come overnight. What google needs to do is to show app developers they are committed to this project like apple has been. Nit only by investing, but communicating with app developers what their intentions are for the tablets on pixel, android, and what they will do to win over developers and make it a better offering than apple’s
I got mine a few days ago. I had a nest hub max and really liked it so I figured I'd upgrade to this. It's my first real android device. Once it's set up and running it seems fine, but the initial impression it gives you through the setup is... truly appalling. It took almost an hour to set up. Android's network connectivity during the setup phase has some critical flaws (I ended up having to go to a different location with other Wi-Fi to begin setup), then there are endless configuration questions, multiple software patches, other downloads, asking the same questions several times. The flow of pages during setup sometimes doesn't work and it repeats the same set several times without any indication as to why. Every screen or app you open has irritating popups and there are ads during setup for streaming services... Ugh. Anyway, once you get past all of that it seems alright. It's good for what I'm using it for, though I am surprised to learn just how poor it is for browsing the web. It's actually kind of unpleasant, mainly due to the screen. The aspect ratio means Chrome's upper bar takes a fair whack of the screen so you're either viewing the web through a slot or in portrait mode it's far too narrow. So my 2c. would be, don't buy this if you're after a tablet. If you're looking for a big nest hub then it's a solid choice. If you want a tablet, same answer as always... get an iPad :). I'm always keen to see Android improve and have no hate for it, but Apple really has the tablet thing nailed down hard.
10:46 Why did you say that? If developers optimizes their app for landscape use, it will surely work on all Android Tablet and folding phones as well. I don't know how you came to that conclusion.
The design will make it more widely used than a lot of tablets. People often get a tablet because it is better for web browsing, viewing photos or simple games than a phone is. But when people come to do those things their tablet is in a drawer or out of sight and they revert to using the phone and getting an inferior experience. By having the tablet out and visible in the home they will be more inclined to grab it when these situations arise. It's clever and I think will make this more widely used than most other tablets. It will help change people's behaviours and is more important for most people than having a bigger processor or better camera.
Really hope that google continues developing awesome features for tablets, and they make a gen 2, 3, etc. Of these. Especially hearing that the speakers are "meh" on this, i wouldn't actually buy it...but if they made a flagship tablet, WITH the dock, I'd be all in. Especially if they packed the dock with even better speakers over time, too.
Honestly, while tech enthusiasts might scoff at this device, it seems like a fantastic piece of kit for family homes. Just grab the tablet off one of the stands around the house and bring up recipes, PDFs, scan QR codes, play ambient music, take pictures of the dog doing something cute, display pictures, cast a movie to it to entertain the kids, act as a portable Google Home interface and, arguably more importantly, sever that life support tether to our phones while at home. The fact that it's scalable depending on your needs is very cool.
So the takeaway is that if Google doesn't give up on tablets again within the next 12 months, the gen 2 version of this device will be pretty sweet.
I give Google 1 month until it gives up. Google definitely has ADHD.
Decided to googlee the AMZT66 which is everywhere. Nothing has ever fulfilled the estimations that way for both casuals and more profound ones. I'm not a bot this is just plain facts and it takes you 5 minutes to acknowledge what I'm talking about. Not too hard?
Agree! Also, if the hub is as "stupid" as the reviews say, it would be awesome to see other manufacturers produce better alternative hubs/ speakers.
You're relying heavily on the Tensor 3 chip to be better... which at this point isn't promising considering that literally every other mobile CPU on the market is better than the Tensor chips at power per watt
no, because the app ecosystem for android tablet is not there.
When I started working at Best Buy in 2014 we had a tablet department. It was definitely weird seeing that department shrink as it whittled down to just iPads and Samsung tablets
In walmart they have an iPad team but not an Android tablet team.
Weird? Id say predictable, just look at the competition.
At that time tablets were popular and Best Buy was riding the trend. As the years have passed by, we realized that companies that Android tablets weren't popular or the experience left users unhappy.
I remember those days. Competition is good but so many of those were so bad.
It's because who really needs a tablet besides toddlers? And who's buying $500 tablets for toddlers to break?
Adults have phones that does everything a tablet can do and they're too expensive for kids.
Tables are stuck in a weird middle ground with no real target audience. The only people I ever see using them are businesses and football coaches on the sidelines. There just isn't a mass market for them. But this new device gives it a whole new purpose.
One missing piece of your review is how this tablet fits and functions with the other devices from Google such as pixel phones, as an ecosystem. Good stuff.
Does Google pixel phones work better somehow with their tablets?
Nice 👍
Any specific notes on that? Just got this tablet and all my regular stuff likes photos, contacts and texts transferred over- but I'm curious as to what additional functionality there might be.
Guys, there are a ton of software features marques missed, (maybe because he hates google? 😒), anyway, you can connect your google phone (or any phone that uses chromecast) to it so you can transfer your content to the tablet seamlessly.
And since the tablet has native chrome cast support, you can cast your tablet content to anything else that uses chromecast (like a tv)!
@@thetechrealist I have noticed similar thing with most of his reviews on android devices, especially Google.
Can we just appreciate, in the speaker review part, how perfectly timed the switch to the hub speakers was. It was perfect
Couldn’t tell because of the AD break that happened right when he pulled it.
@@ronthorn3 That’s too bad, it was sooo satisfying 🤌
We are physically capable, yes, if that's what you're asking.
Instead of comparing it to other tablets, I think it should basically be viewed as the ultimate Nest Hub Super Max. They currently have a Nest Hub, Nest Hub Max, and this version does all the same things with no limits. Does nearly everything a Hub Max can do, but you can take it anywhere in the house with you and continue whatever it was you started using voice controls while on the dock. Great idea!
He has to make money that’s why
He said the speakers were only on par with nest mini. Not very good at all
I've always hated that the Google home displays were all basically nerfed tablets with crappy OS and a modified Google Home speaker.
Finally, they unleashed the tablet (in more ways than one) and almost hit a home run w the dock. This is gen1, just think what we will have by the end of this year!
The Hub Max speakers are actually super loud compared to what he showed us on this model.
But it’s a whopping $499 device. If it was priced at $349 I would find it very attractive as a hub. At this price point, not so much.
What would be coolest (that I dont expect to happen) would be if they standardised the ability for android tablets to connect to the dock, so you could (eventually) just grab any android tablet and whack it on your dock - Would be such a neat hook to stay in the google ecosystem and have more android tablets in the home.
Zabardast dear
That's this if the Dock was USB C
Nice thought but I am sure google does not want that they are trying to make their own ecosystem not in apple way but in a Google way not hardware focused but software focused and they are going slowly and carefully towards their goal
Only issue is unlike apple, there are many manufacturers using the android platforms which results in different hardware designs, port placement etc. But this is why I appreciate Google making their own android devices. I feel Google is the best choice for a true, pure apple competitive eco system. I appreciate what Samsung does, but it's still a skin over the google/android platform.
That's not too farfetched, this seems like it can easily be replicated with Qi2 charging and a "docked mode" massively built into Android
I actually would love to see more tablets in this category
Nice 👍
The reason why the majority of hardware vendors don’t make tablets, is because they don’t sell well. And the reason they don’t sell well is the poor support from 3rd party apps who adjust to the screen size.
@@TheOnlyEpsilonAlpha I am sure google is working on that and I personally wish they can make it happen because this idea actually seems the future of tablets and with Google's computational technology this thing can beat even the ipads someday
@@TheOnlyEpsilonAlpha the support is not as bad as you think, most apps work fine
Why does apple not have a calculator app?
I enjoyed this review. Great job providing historical context and getting us to speed with this new hardware.
I think this would be killer for a home theater/smart home remote for my setup. Instead of using IR repeaters and having a bunch or remotes for my AVR, Shield TV, Projector, and Blu-Ray player; having this on the console table behind the sofa would look nice and hopefully allow me to split screen 3-4 apps as soon as I unlock it.
That is such a niche demographic. Like yea sure if you have the money do it but, why not just get an iPad mini for $600 instead. It's powerful as hell too. I say this time and time again, android is limited by their processor. It's like having a Lamborghini with a Honda Civic engine. And not the Honda Civic with the laptop.
@@AHOBOINTEXAS You’re not wrong haha. Home theater enthusiasts are certainly one of the smallest subsets of the tablet market. But Androids flexibility makes it ideal for such a use case. A faster processor wouldn’t be much of a factor because the apps for Control4, Denon, Marantz, Yamaha, and the like are all very light. The iPad would certainly be capable. But being able to do things like setting an android tablet to multitask 3-4 apps at the same time upon unlock would be the killer feature here.
I think that if they stick with the connector they could come out with an upgraded speaker to buy separately, or if they make a higher end tablet they could include the magnets and pins so it's compatible with the dock. It would lead the way to a really cool tablet ecosystem that is very different than what apple is doing
I'd love for Google to make a compatible wall mount dock so it could live on the wall for smart features but could detach easily to be used as a tablet.
@@heybravo23 that would be really cool!
Nice 👍
@@heybravo23yes I would love this. I'd much rather wall mount it than have it on a countertop.
I think it's an experiment that Google is trying perform to see if this idea works that's why they didn't added crazy specs so that the masses could go and buy and they can know if this idea is worth or not but I really hope that they succeed
If they tweaked it and basically had a nest audio you could use it as a speaker but have the dock connectors so you can still cast to the house but dock the tablet in any room! That would be perfect.
sounds like a Google home device...
I really liked… no, loved my Nexus 7 tablet. It was lightweight, great on battery, and ran vanilla Android so wasn’t weighed down by manufacturer or carrier bloatware. Unfortunately it went “missing” from my Vegas hotel room a couple years later, but is still to this day the nicest tablet I ever owned for just how affordable it was at the time.
I wish Google would give it a serious comeback and the 2nd gen Pixel Tablet may just be what I’ve been waiting for.
The problem for developers is that so few users are using their app on tablet that it's hard to justify the cost/effort. On the apps I have worked on with tablet support 98% of users were on phone. It's a chicken and egg situation.
No because many companies dont have a problem managing it on their websites. With countless window resizes from big to small and different dpis. Aswell as also having the website work well on screens as small as mobile.
There are tools to do this and it is done by many many companies.
Software development around Android is cumbersome still and that is a factor into why it's not optimized as well. Because this lack of app optimization goes beyond tablets and extends to their phones as well
@@Dogo.Ryou don't understand how development works
All apps should be responsive. I don't know how hard it is with swift and kotlin. But at least with Flutter it's really not that hard
@@AlphaSteam2 I used react native and a lot of our devs really focused on iOS during development because the android emulator was slow. After code completion, we would test with Android. So it ended up with more edge cases being caught during development with iOS
I had a Nexus 10 back in the day. I loved that thing, but ultimately wore out the flash chip from flashing custom ROMs so much. Believe it or not, Google DID have a very worthy successor to this, the Pixel C, which is what I have now. It's quite old, but still holds up damn well, rocking the same SOC that the Nintendo Switch would eventually use. Why then was the Pixel C a flop? Because they tried to take on the Surface Pro with it, which is a completely different product. It cannot compete. But as an Android tablet, it's amazing! And the keyboard was super innovative in its design, something I wish Google or anyone else would carry forward to newer tablets. Interestingly it attaches via strong magnets similar to how the new Pixel Tablet connects to its dock. (It also allows it to stick to a fridge or a car)
I still have my tab 3 7" and tab S 8.4". I still haven't found something to replace the tab S with, 2560x1600 on a 8.4 inch amoled was insane back in the day. But sadly yt 1440p no longer works and neither does netflix in anything more than 720p
Also still rocking the Pixel C, such an amazing device.
it's showing its age but it's the only on the market with a stock Android OS (I hate overlay with all my being)
I kind of wanted a proper successor, maybe the Pixel Tablet will be it ?
I had a Nexus 10 and it was an okay tablet, but it was still a play toy and never compare to anything close to an Apple Tablet.
being able to cast to the tablet is actually potentially really cool depending on a few particulars of how it's implemented. We don't have a fancy car with screens in the back, so ability to set this up as a display in the back and then put on a movie for the kids on long road trips without having to constantly be reaching back there to adjust the volume (and then unlock it after they've accidentally locked it instead of turning the volume up) or picking out a different movie when they're done: GOLD
(Addendum: I realize this would require a wifi connection. For this we would either have a phone or mobile hotspot as the wifi connection as this is what we do now for streaming)
Your use case would probably require a Wifi connection unfortunately
I am quite sure that that use case wouldn't work as you think. Cast devices normally don't make their own hotspot/networks. So they use an already exisiting network to be available on. So inside of the house or on wifi it all works, but probably is not castable when in transit or outside. This could be 'hacked' by creating your own hotspot but I think that will drain and isn't easily accessible for everyone.
@@uponpaul how is hotspot not easily accessible for all people? It's just a tile up there. Connect the tablet once and put it to auto connect when seen, that's it.
Hot spot feature exists on your phone mate. What's not easily accessible about that?
Also, the kids in the back example is pretty good, nice 👍
This is actually quite useful if you're in a kitchen and you start with a recipe on your phone and you want to move it to the bigger display to cook That's the whole point of Chromecasting to this device Most of these types of devices are always in the kitchen that's why if you notice on an Amazon device even if you have multiple Amazon shows in the home the one that's in the kitchen is always considered the master even if it's smaller or weaker than the other so you have in a home trust me I have one😅
5:18 i think it would be useful to have Bluetooth in the dock like if i watch film on the tablet in the bed the dock would be next to me on the bedside table and yes it would be nice to connect wirelessly
or have hardware for nest mini built in
I see this being a decent addition to the home. I think Google has realized that they can't compete with the iPad at the moment. That said, I love my Galaxy tablet!
Yeah the Galaxy S8 tablets are where it's at at the moment. Even iPad kinda sucks by comparison. You get the best software and features, and also some of the best hardware and at a good price.
@@marcuscoster6529Nah you are trippin'...
@@Csongor_Radai good argument apple shill
When I'm at home, my go to device is a tablet (Galaxy S7FE). I use it way more than my phone because of the screen size. Watching youtube on 12 in screen is godsend, for example. Some apps are terrible, just like Marques noted. I just use the Web version of them. Problem solved.
@@marcuscoster6529sure, Samsungs s23s got this years iPhones beat but the iPad Pro absolutely trashes on the tab s8 plus in power, screen quality and even apps cuz developers prefer to develop ipad apps and optimise it for them more
I just love how you always deliver the pros & cons in a very precise way. Good work sir.
This is super smart. I may have a niche situation but I currently use a tablet as a hub. I'm bluetoothed to a home speaker system so don't need the speaker but the combo of a dock, a functional tablet (as opposed to these useless nest hubs) but also the ability to fully run google home/nest, unlike some older tablets, is great.
6:33 the software
Expect less then of the hardware, the software is the focus.
Chrome task?
9:46 maybe developers will optomize?
The Chromecast as a target is pretty smart actually, you can easily use it as a secondary display for your laptop
Ohhhhh genius
I preorder it because of that feature to dump my second monitor for my laptop AND gain tablet that isn't work laptop. I wish it was usbc display as an option, but that's asking for stars+moon.
I was thinking I could use that for my daughter (less than 5). She can watch her videos. We still have full control since it's being used as a Chromecast. Even that feels a bit weird though lol
The extra screen is a better idea
You can cast something on windows ?, I think you only shoot video to it not a whole desktop
@@vandeljasonstrypper6734 yeah it's actually better than on Android which restricts it to only mirroring(idk things like dex don't work with it)
It works like a proper wireless display
Main complaint: The fact that the dock is not it's own stand alone Google Hub is a bit of a deal breaker for me. I was looking to replace my kitchen Google Home with this. but I don't want to lose the ability to play music in the kitchen if I was to pick up the tablet to use it.
Second complaint: Wish there was a wall mount option. Would be awesome to mount this on the wall in a room to display things like calendars and grocery lists.
Saaammmeeee!
wall mount 😂😂😂 would you also like it to levitate and follow you around the house? 😂
@@alek.andonova wall mount is not that far fetched of an idea
I'm really excited to get mine. I think Google safely played it smart here, entering the tablet market in a more cost-effective way while giving us something unique. Plus, the software looks pretty smooth for a mid-range device. I bought one because I want to support this in hopes of the line maturing into a Pro offering at some point in the future.
@@iceman315 nope but I'm on 3 hours of sleep so probably
@@steve_EO get some sleep bro
You’re weird this device is cheap and pointless
@@EtherealGoddess_Ent I'm soooooo weird 😂
I had a Pixel C (the first pixel tablet by google, based on pure android 7 then 8, back in 2015), and it was amazing for the time ! tegra x1 (same processor that the switch), great screen (2k ltps), a magnetic keyboard without any pins (only bluethooth). The only drawbacks were the lack of support (the gpu driver was nouveau driver, which were BAD, real bad) and google being google, so removing the widewine L1 support of the tablet. From what i understood at time, it was partially due to the jalibreak of the switch : the tablet was used to find ways of circumventing the security of the tegra x1 processor, and so it was not that secure after the release of the switch and the massive amount of tech to crack the console. Without that, i think I would be using it nowadays. It was such a great product.
I would have liked to the see the pixel C compared to this tablet, because it really was amazing.
What I was more amazed was the magnet paper than any technology in the video 😂😂
4:59 The perfectly synced drop, I'm sure that was taken in more than one take. How did no one else notice it yet?
At 11:16 when praising the calculator and saying "Your move Apple" now we know that Apple's move was a direct checkmate haha
Yeah an iPad Air Gen 5 you can get for same price and TOTALLY SMOKES AND BURIES this piece of junk.
@@Äpple-pie-5kTwo completely different objectives per tablet.
@1:55 that flip was nerve wrecking!
You're watching MKBHD not Linus Tech Tips lol
MKBHD reviews are always spot-on!!!
ratio
@elfrjz 😮
I was looking forward to seeing how this tablet would turn out and if it would be a suitable replacement for my Tab S7+, which I think is too large, but that turned out to not be the case. Large bezels, no OLED and just 60 Hz refresh rate, for a minimum of roughly $730 (here in Sweden). Not a price I'm willing to pay for those specs.
Yea looking more likely I'll be upgrading to the upcoming tab s9
This what I find strange. The target user seems to be people who want a smart hub that doubles as a workable tablet, but that seems like such a niche group. Maybe I’m wrong.
European price seems a little out of line imo.
It's just software someone should port it
@@loansharks47 Yeah the price in Sweden is bonkers, not worth it at all unfortunately
The pixel table looks so cool and great video man :]
i’m surprised no one is comparing the Pixel Tablet to the Pixel Slate from a couple years ago. it’s funny how everyone has completely forgotten about that.
Because it was shit it did run slow even the i7 version did run slow google showed and told every android developer that android tablets where dead and that chrome os was the future with the pixel slate and now they all in with android tablets
People should! I still got mine the i7 version and it's amazing! They updated it and it works amazing
A better comparison is the Pixel C Tablet. Same SOC that's in the Nintendo switch.
As a pixelbook pro owner (the foldable google chromebook/table that was discontinued), I am really looking forward to some traditional app upgrades for the tablet UX.
It's a decent addition to a smart home, but I would love if it would have a flat wall mount variant.
3:24 - The "pins that retract" a little bit when you touch them" are the same style as the FitBit Sense charger. The springs on the pin will break causing the pin to fall into the charger, rendering the charger useless. Huge design flaw. my fitbit charger pins fail in about 6 months, im on my 3rd charger now
It would be interesting to see how this actually works with home automation - which I think is where they're aiming this for.
This is the exact reason I bought if for my wife. She actually ran our " go to bed" routine last night without me having to. She has been slow to take to our automations and prefers locking the doors by hand rather than asking our assistant to do it so hopefully this helps.
The Nexus 7 was the only Google Tablet worth its price. I loved mine back in the day.
ratio
@@9ico this ain't Twitter bruh
My favourite tablet is the Asus Nexus 7 2(2013). Personally i think every tsblet even cheap ones should have precise pen input.
The Pixel Tablet is great to me, because it's the most secure tablet, because it allows me to install GrapheneOS and it also has the Titan Security chip.
I'll be picking up one of these for sure. As someone who has google home mini's in each room, as well as a bunch of google TV's, and home hubs, this makes perfect sense. Also having kids be able to switch to their profile is an awesome feature. And at a price that is fair. I guess I am the target demographic.
Zabardast
Yes, yes, yes... to making a premium version of this!! 👊🏻
The concept is so good that a higher quality version needs to happen!
I suppose the idea for them moving forward, is that they could release a V2 of either the base or the tablet, if they keep the compatibility for the docking port, that way you could choose to upgrade either or both.
I'm not too fussed with a mid range tablet, would really only use it in the kitchen, but a dock with better speakers, can also act as an access point, fast charging, USB ports for charging other devices, bluetooth connectivity for music, while I'm cooking, that's very appealing.
I've had mine a couple of days and really like it. Regarding bass, Google or any manufacturer really needs to make a smart sub-woofer.
Just got mine today. Love it. It's smooth, Google docs now has handwriting which makes it perfect. It does everything I need
This is always what those Nest Hub smart home displays should have been. Was always amazed when I reviewed the Home Hub that you couldn't just pickup the tablet and do stuff with it - the whole device was even designed to look like you should be able to do that.
And quite honestly I'd buy one on the spot if I hadn't bought a Samsung tablet just six months ago (which has a really nice case and pen).
Zabardast
@@edwardchester1 I have similar dilemma. I already have a Nest Hub but I need a replacement tablet as my 1st gen iPadAir no longer being updated and I can't use some of the apps on it. So it's either getting a new tablet and have it next to the Nest Hub with a separate cable or replace everything with this new all-in-one. I hope there will be some holiday sales on this.
There is a reversal expected reason is that AMZT66 is made by Amazon and pretty hot
If they continue to develop it an continue in that direction, the Pixel tablet can be a success similar to Pixel phones.
😂😂😂😂😂
Pixel phone sucks
No 1 use them
😂😂😂😂😂😂
A leak today suggested a pro tablet in development!
Still have Nexus 10 in a box in the closet and a Samsung Tab Pro 12 which still works but apps no longer update on it. But my IPad Pro 12.9 is my daily driver. I would love official software updates to those both. Hardware is still good but the lack of software support makes them useless.
Dock should have worked as a google home mini with voice assistance and should have worked as a Bluetooth speaker. Even if they release this as a accessory later on I think the users will buy into it.
Such a missed opportunity to allow the base to be a nest speaker, that would also incentivise people to buy multiple and move the tablet around rooms using the empty dock as a speaker
And the docks by themselves should be somewhere around $75 for it to be meaningful to buy multiple of
I agree. especially for the $130 that they ask for it.
And/or a wifi range extender.
@@peteannson1098 the whole idea of a dock is to put tablet in a visible and accessible place while its not in use. Why would you put a wifi range extender on your bedside stand or on your work table or on your living room table or on your kitchen island?
I love how Marques is doing his bit for the Reddit community with the Relay Pro showcase!
I LOVED the Nexus 7. Best tablet experience I ever had. Amazing. Lost in at a random house party in the Bronx. My girl started throwing up in the bathroom, put the thing down, helped her outside and spontaneously decided to call a cab, got her home and realized I left it in the bathroom. I think about that tablet more than I do her…..lol
I really hope they will also make a higher end version of this, I think this could be really good and I'd probably seriously consinder buying it
But like he said most people would not buy it Most people have iPhones in the United States if this is outside the United States yes that's would definitely sell if it was a more higher inversion but like he says the target demographic is so small
And this is coming from an Android user It's just how the United States says if you look around every news station they all have Apple Base products every celebrity has Apple Base products Apple is a really good marketing company that's what they really are
At higher price points, you have the Samsung tabs which are really good. Don't think Google would be able to compete.
@@A_Well_Traveled_Man Apple has mastered the art of marketing cheap, non-repairable, e-waste consumer electronics as "luxury" products.
@@A_Well_Traveled_Man "Most people have iPhones in the United States" Is a completely false statement. At the most, apple is slightly above 50%. But even now I bet Android has moved up to the majority this year.
Going back 10 years is not sounding old, it is giving people context on stuff that simply has been a thing for a long time now. A lot of reviewers should do that more often because there are a lot of us who are tech savvy and are old enough to remember 2010. That’s plain old good information, so please never hold back on going back like that
Nice 👍
Well said.
"tame your expectations here" this got me hard lmao 😂😂😂 3:08
I would really like to see Google publish an app that allows you to 'convert' an old phone or tablet into a Google hub display, I've got a couple of older tablets that I would love to just plug in and have as a digital photo display or cast device
💡
If you have multiple people using it, like at home, does it unlock the person's account on fingerprint scan? Because that's pretty cool as like a home device for everyone.
This is exactly what I want in a tablet. Basically a detachable nest hub max, actual apps (the ones I use work fine), decent video chat, and support for multiple users.
I just wish I hadn't bought an iPad last year.
Just sell the iPad!
This thing doesn’t compare to an iPad
@@chrismichaelis7259it is not trying to yet
So are the speakers worse than the nest max hub? 5:05 because i thought it was going to have better speakers than the max hub...
Something im very confused about is why tablets have to have 2 or more cameras now, I mean, people are not using their tablets camera enough to warrant adding 2 or 3 cameras, I think the fact that the Pixel Tablet only has one camera makes a lot of sense, great way to bring down the cost
Because plenty of $150-200 tablets only have one camera. Once you start looking at spending $800-1200 on a tablet it better have a decent camera
Depends, I use the iPad a lot for interior design at work, and the ultrawide helps me a lot in smaller apartments when I have to calculate distance / take pictures .etc
@@toptiertech7291 decent or not, that depends a lot on the photo post-processing and not the hardware.
It should only have a front camera
@@maxhard0n nah, that would be so inconvenient when you need it to scan QR codes or documents
9:50 "Just a Giant Phone App". Why didn't you rotate the tablet to show the apps in their appropriate geometry? At least try to show if it works or not. It is a Tablet after all.
The tablet is meant to be used in landscape
@@bandrew8040 Not exclusively, no. Just like every tablet.
This really needed to be about $300. That would have placed it in a good place to complete with the IPad and hopefully get it in to a lot of homes. At $500 I don't think that many people will buy it and it won't help the app ecosystem move forward.
I agree, plus the docks not working on their own as a Google mini is a huge deal breaker for me, as say I want to use the tablet on the couch, or throw it in my bag for work with my keyboard/mouse, but my wife walks through the kitchen to turn on the carport light as she has gotten use too over the years to put the cats out, and it does not work, she is going to be frustrated/mad, so that means still having our Nest Hub, and the Pixel tablet in the same spot chewing down power, and when the tablet is on charge they get confused as to which one will answer. It's bad enough with all the hubs, and minis around my house now, so yeah this is a no sale for me, and I'll stick to having a stand alone tablet, and keeping my hubs/minis for as long as they continue working.
This thing is 680.- euro in Europe which is way too much to make it a succes
Glad I purchased a Oneplus Pad. It simply is a superior tablet in every way. Google has not made a great tablet since the Nexus 7. And the bonus was Oneplus included a magnetic keyboard and case for nothing on preorders. This was a no brainer buying decision.
I think the biggest thing is that the table's screen is made to be in landscape mode, instead of the portrait mode, which means tiny laptops and handheld laptops and handheld console-like PCs can use that screen instead of dealing with installing things in portrait mode and then rotating the screen to be in landscape mode in the OS.
Man I absolutely loved my nexus 7. The thing lasted for years and was super affordable
I’ll never understand why they discontinued it.
it is funny that 8:33 he changed time with his hands
05:54 - "And when it's in the bedroom... (pause to think)... It'll show you other things....." Hahaha, yeah.. ok... 🤔😉
😎🇬🇧
I could see this in my work setup, especially if I can cast to it. Ideally if Chrome figured out how to use this as an extra monitor that'd be fantastic.
Nice review! Google definitely going outside the box with this one. Haven’t looked it up yet but wonder if it’s has a thread border router built in with the emergence of Matter
Nice 👍
Excellent review - Calling out the tablet as it is rather than trying to make it compete against the iPad Pro! One thing I am sincerely hoping though is developers do develop proper tablet apps for Android. Google's apps look awesome on tablets in their new designs. If not others, devs should at least target the Pixel and Samsung S series tabs.
That magnet paper was so cool didn't know this was a thing
The Power cable that connects to the Speaker/Charging dock should have been a USB-C charger so you could have taken the cable with you when your traveling. I find that a huge missed opportunity for improvement.
The speaker would have been nice if it was like a Nest Speaker that connects via WiFi so you could continue using the speaker if the tablet isn't docked to the charging dock.
The whole concept of a tablet having a dedicated dock for charging and adjusting your smart home devices is perfect. That is spot on the coolest feature and reason i love this device.
Hopefully second generation will have a higher quality version of the device as well as a lower end device such as what we see with the first generation but with improvements like better microphone placement, etc.
Wishlist improvements for the Pixel Tablet.
1. 4K display
2. 120hz display
3. Better biggers speakers in the dock.
4. Front firing stereos soeakers in the tablet for enjoying watching movies and TV shows.
5. Better microphone placement
6. USB-C charger that connects to the dock so you can take the chaeger with you for traveling purposes.
7. Make the dock a Nest Speaker that connects via WiFi so you can use the dock speaker when the tablet isn't docked.
8. Bigger battery
Fully agree on the USB-C and Wi-Fi or BT Speaker for the dock.
@@Santiagosony Bluetooth has to much delay for a great experience in the home. Maybe it should have both Bluetooth and WiFi. That would be better.
I'd definitely pair a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse to the Tablet if I need to do any type of documentation.
I only see Bluetooth being a last resort if the person didn't have a home WiFi network around the device at the time.
I actually love this idea and I don't think the tablet needs to be sick. Here's how I would use it: as a second screen to the TV in the bedroom so I can fall asleep to streaming videos/podcasts, also use it like I currently am with the Nest Hub (even sans the sleep sensing, as I used it a lot for a few weeks then have just forgotten about it to be honest), and keep my iPad as a tablet. The Google tablet can be mobile as I'm walking through the house and need to do Nest stuff. This all works if you have a primary tablet that is dope, and this is just (for me) a screen next to my bed that I can look up a quick thing or fall asleep with. I think this is perfect. HOWEVER, I have learned, with Google, wait until about gen 99 for it to be done right. 😬
Zabardast
The app situation is unfair because even some of those apps aren't optimized for ios either (like Instagram). I think Android apps will get more optimized as ChromeOS grows though.
You also didn't mention that the pixel tablet does support USI pens too. Which we a home dock can be fairly beneficial. Say you on the couch, get a phone call and need to jot down some info. Grab the Pixel Tablet and jot away in Google Keep rather than having to search for a pen and paper.
Instagram is a bad example but the app gap is a very real thing, not just in terms of what's available but what apps are actually optimized for tablets. Maybe you don't personally care about it, and that's fine, but I seriously doubt the situation is going to change.
It definitely isn't going to change because of ChromeOS which has been able to run android apps in some capacity for the better part of a decade. If that was going to change the ecosystem we would've seen that by now.
Chrome OS is moving away from Android apps, I think if apps were going to optimise for tablets they would have done so by now.
It’s totally fair. The vast majority of iOS apps are optimized for the iPad (instagram is by far the most famous outlier) whereas it’s surprising when an android app is optimized for tablets.
@@Wizerud But imo, a non-tablet optimized app is more usable on android than a non-tablet app on the ipad. Atleast android apps scale up to the display resolution properly.
Chrome OS devices COULD run Android apps for a while, but up until even just 5 yrs ago, they weren't running Android apps natively through the Play store on most Chrome OS devices. It was still very hit or miss. For most Chrome OS devices you had to enable developer mode and sideload apps which 90% (or more) or ppl wont do.
Also, even 5 yrs ago Chromebooks werent looked at as a viable laptop for anyone. The education space was really just getting into Chrome OS for the masses. There was some school systems using it, but not a ton. In 2023 though and post COVID, people have realized they don't use regular Windows based applications like they thought they did and/or there are viable Android/Web apps to use and so chromebooks have taken off very well.
I do agree that the Android Tablet app situation needs to get better. But part of the reason it hasn't is because big Android tablets (9"+) have only recently become more popular than than small Android tablets. That's why I think now that chromeos is running Android apps on ALL of its devices (which isn't going away, I'm not sure why someone said it is), developers will have more of a reason to make apps more optimized for 10"+ displays
Good to see a fellow Relay user at MKBHD! Sad, that it's all going to end very soon :/
Loved the original nexus7, both price and form factor. I had two of them. But my $130 Teclast tablet runs pretty current android plenty fast and integrates well with Google home, casting and home control. It even looks very similar to this tablet. I'm not taking a chance on Google abandoning tablets again at that price point.
130 $? You a broakie.
@@collinsoconnor5843😮😮😮😮😮
I'm a tablet guy.
Went from the nexus 7 to the Samsung galaxy tab s1 (I remember my uncle and I marveling at how it was an OCTACORE processor lol)
Used that for around 3.5 years then got the s5e and was blown away (after discounts and trade ins I think it was like £250 at the time) .
That lasted me 4 years and so about a month ago I got the Lenovo Xiaoxin pad pro 2022 (aka lenovo P11 pad pro gen 2, but the snapdragon variant) - £350.
Something I quickly noticed is that despite being 3.5 years newer than the s5e, the speakers are a noticeable downgrade, which was a bummer for me. But aside from that it's been great so far.
I feel like with these specs and performance if you stuck a Samsung logo on it it would retail for double the price.
Point is I think there was a period from like 2015-2021 where android tablets were basically useless outside of the very top end segment which comprised a whopping 1 or 2 tablets... But now the midrange segment is getting pretty big if you know where to look. When looking for my new tablet there was something like 12 tablets I was deciding between, all good offerings from xiaomi, lenovo, vivo, oppo. All way better on paper than Samsung's equivalent.
one con: china
The S1 was definitely the best tablet I owned, I loved the fact that the 8.4 inch version had the same resolution as the 10 inch which resulted in a pixel density I've not seen again on a similarly priced tablet.
I pre-ordered one and got to play with it yesterday and I agree with most of what MKHD says but as a regular user, it's outstanding for me! I am loving the multiple users and you can even set up a child account with kids UA-cam and everything. Perfect fit for me pairs nicely with some of the high end styluses so and makes for a nice drawing experience as well. Looking forward to the accessories third parties come up with because you know someone will make a dock with nice speakers
You should post some drawing videos with your stylus, that's what I mainly want it for and can't seem to find videos showing how well styluses work on it.
7:30 my Sony Xperia z3 Compact from years ago had that feature. It was helpful since i lend my phone to people to borrow.
I miss my Nexus 7 2013, that thing was peak Android tablet. Great screen, respectable battery life, actually usable processor and a small enough size that apps formatted fine on it
I still use one in my 04' STi with Timur's custom kernel and build to super deep sleep when the key is off. The people that I bring company cars to for glass replacement still use one for square payments.
I'm not sure if they can fight apple in the 10 inch arena but I think they might be able to undercut the mini at the 8 inch size. I have a mini 6 despite being an android and Windows user. It's just such a great tablet to actually take with you and do things on. Apple pricing it similarly to the iPad air leaves room for Google to get in there and throw some punches.
4:13 This is what being an Apple User does to you. You always EXPECT to have to pay more for basic attachments
Dudes you into *AMZT66* or too lazy as usual?
I'm a professional musician and I'd like to replace my laptop with a reliable tablet.
I use mostly handwritten charts that I scan into PDFs.
I also DJ and I would use it for running some cocktail hour music occasionally.
What would you suggest?
AMZT66 gang in the house! Thanks for the breakdown!
scam
Why is this top comment. Also Marques isn't a crypto channel lol
I really hope Google doesn't give up on this product idea. If they made a good one I would so buy it
This is a good one
knowing google though........
@@squirtle88itll be dead before the weeks over
It's hard to say. Google left the tablet scene for years. The market has changed so much that it would be hard to catch up. Look at what happened with Microsoft with their branded mobile devices. Unless Google pours in billions of dollars and incentivizes developers it might be a lost cause.
@@oo0024 This tablet is SUPER overpriced.
Nobody I can find that is as descriptive, friendly, and knowledgeable in the tech industry as marques!! 💪🏻
ratio
also an apple fanboy
10:00 if you rotate the tablet, does the app go full screen? That would be super helpful for older and low vision users
The pixel tablet has impressed me as well but it would be awesome for the camera to be improved. Such as their amazing pixel phone cameras are
ratio
At the same time, do people really use the tablet camera all that much? Sure, you might use it take a photo or a video occasionally, but you're unlikely to go and use it for regular photography, like you might use a phone for.
Personally, I would rather they save money on the camera, and spend it on some other part of the tablet, like the speakers, or a headphone jack.
@@techno1561 but it could be argued that people don't really use tablets for photos or videos because the cameras always objectively suck compared to a phone...
yeah i really wonder why tablet cameras always suck i might do a video on this
@@Samsonfs I'm not sure that it is much of an issue of camera quality, since the cameras are still okay, even if they're not top of the line. A tablet is just big and unwieldy if you're trying to use it as a camera.
It's like trying to aim an open book at arm's length.
Would've been great if you covered video calling, especially now that WhatsApp is supported on Android Tablets. Does the centre-stage like auto-framing work with video calls? How's the quality of video and microphones. I feel as a home device that would be a major use of this, given devices like Portal have been shut down, and no equivalent competitors in the space.
I think it was reviewed from it not being a high end like the iPad as in there is nothing wow about it. It didn't get the love it deserve. What you are asking for is what this tablet was designed for. I thought the price would give away what this tablet was intended for.
12:50, and, it can never be good. It is partially dependent on the apps, and the apps are not going to come overnight. What google needs to do is to show app developers they are committed to this project like apple has been. Nit only by investing, but communicating with app developers what their intentions are for the tablets on pixel, android, and what they will do to win over developers and make it a better offering than apple’s
I got mine a few days ago. I had a nest hub max and really liked it so I figured I'd upgrade to this. It's my first real android device. Once it's set up and running it seems fine, but the initial impression it gives you through the setup is... truly appalling. It took almost an hour to set up. Android's network connectivity during the setup phase has some critical flaws (I ended up having to go to a different location with other Wi-Fi to begin setup), then there are endless configuration questions, multiple software patches, other downloads, asking the same questions several times. The flow of pages during setup sometimes doesn't work and it repeats the same set several times without any indication as to why. Every screen or app you open has irritating popups and there are ads during setup for streaming services... Ugh. Anyway, once you get past all of that it seems alright.
It's good for what I'm using it for, though I am surprised to learn just how poor it is for browsing the web. It's actually kind of unpleasant, mainly due to the screen. The aspect ratio means Chrome's upper bar takes a fair whack of the screen so you're either viewing the web through a slot or in portrait mode it's far too narrow.
So my 2c. would be, don't buy this if you're after a tablet. If you're looking for a big nest hub then it's a solid choice. If you want a tablet, same answer as always... get an iPad :). I'm always keen to see Android improve and have no hate for it, but Apple really has the tablet thing nailed down hard.
I'm watching this on my pixel tablet 😁
Thank you for the update AMZT66 is done right, and waiting is part of the process,
Thank you for your review. Your perspective on this product is informative and appreciated.
10:46 Why did you say that? If developers optimizes their app for landscape use, it will surely work on all Android Tablet and folding phones as well. I don't know how you came to that conclusion.
The design will make it more widely used than a lot of tablets. People often get a tablet because it is better for web browsing, viewing photos or simple games than a phone is. But when people come to do those things their tablet is in a drawer or out of sight and they revert to using the phone and getting an inferior experience. By having the tablet out and visible in the home they will be more inclined to grab it when these situations arise. It's clever and I think will make this more widely used than most other tablets. It will help change people's behaviours and is more important for most people than having a bigger processor or better camera.
So true! Looks like a dream to play games on 🍬
Decent cheap tablets are $499???
Did you forget that the $130 speaker is also in the box? Tablet itself is under $300
8:57 tablet quietly in background doing what it was simply made to do while getting roasted 🥲
One thing missed is that they should’ve added in usb support for the dock, it could probably be used as a semi work tablet.
1:23 he said it
Really hope that google continues developing awesome features for tablets, and they make a gen 2, 3, etc. Of these.
Especially hearing that the speakers are "meh" on this, i wouldn't actually buy it...but if they made a flagship tablet, WITH the dock, I'd be all in. Especially if they packed the dock with even better speakers over time, too.
Nice 👍
Awesome review! Thanks for sharing 🙏🏼
Kinda what I was expecting about it but I can tell you're telling the truth. I appreciate that.
Honestly, while tech enthusiasts might scoff at this device, it seems like a fantastic piece of kit for family homes. Just grab the tablet off one of the stands around the house and bring up recipes, PDFs, scan QR codes, play ambient music, take pictures of the dog doing something cute, display pictures, cast a movie to it to entertain the kids, act as a portable Google Home interface and, arguably more importantly, sever that life support tether to our phones while at home. The fact that it's scalable depending on your needs is very cool.