Credit: Michael Simon/IDG
While I already reviewed the Pixel Slate at considerable length as a Chromebook, I also wanted to take a look at it as an Android device. Since Chrome OS can run Android apps now, the Pixel Slate should be a contender for Android tablet of the year.
OK, maybe that’s not saying much, but with a 2,000x3,000 screen, Core Intel processor, and up to 8GB of RAM, the Pixel Slate is a fantastic piece of hardware that any Android fan would love. But how does it perform as a tablet? The answer: just OK. Apps are buggy, performance is lackluster, and the tablet-PC hybrid interface just doesn’t work.
And that’s a shame. I really wanted the Pixel Slate to be the ultimate hybrid device: a Chromebook when I wanted to type and an Android tablet when I wanted to touch. Sadly, it’s not quite there yet. Check out the latest episode of Android Confidential, where I take a look at how the $999 Core i5 version of the Pixel Slate can hack it as an Android tablet and how Google can improve it with future Chrome updates.
