The Pixel Tablet, Google’s newest tablet, is finally out, and it can now be used as a smart display thanks to its docking station.
The tablet is Google’s first own-brand offering in years (since 2015’s one-off Pixel C), and it was announced with the Pixel 7a and the Pixel Fold at Google I/O.
Although competitors such as Lenovo have already introduced convertible tablets that double as smart displays, Google’s offering may be the most compelling of its kind.
The Pixel Tablet, When Will It Be Available?
Thanks to the Google I/O developer conference, we now have all the information we need to announce that the Pixel Tablet will be released on June 20.
Pre-orders have opened in several countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, France, and Germany.
How Many Functions Does the Pixel Tablet Have?
Since Google first teased the Pixel Tablet at last year’s I/O, we’ve had some idea of what to expect; now that the tablet and its docking station are officially available, we can give you the whole rundown.
Let’s begin with the tablet itself, which features an 11-inch screen (actually 10.95 inches due to the rounded corners) but can’t be purchased separately. It’s an LCD screen with a resolution of 2560×1600, an aspect ratio of 16:10, and an anti-smudge coating (no OLEDs here).
Pixel Tablets, like Next Hubs, have an ambient light sensor that allows for automated adjustment of brightness and color using Ambient EQ. The normal brightness of a Pixel Tablet is 500 nits.
That’s a lot of real estate for watching media, and with four speakers (two per side in landscape mode), the sound should be nice and powerful as well.
The Pixel 7 smartphones use Google’s own Tensor G2 CPU and Titan M2 security chip. There has a storage capacity of either 128 or 256GB and 8GB of RAM. There isn’t a place to insert your own microSD card.
At least in the United Kingdom, said hood can be purchased in your option of two colors: Porcelain or Hazel. The given specification sheet also includes Rose, therefore I assume it will be offered in limited markets. In the Porcelain version, the front bezel is white, whereas, in the Hazel version, it is black.
The nano-ceramic coating on the main body and the over 30% recycled content (by weight) make this product environmentally friendly, as does the 100% recycled aluminum used in the housing. It’s 493g and 8.1mm thick.
The power button doubles as a fingerprint reader, and there are four metal contacts on the back that serve as a Pogo pin link with the dock. Unusually for a tablet, the Pixel Tablet has three far-field microphones; these are activated when the tablet is docked and transformed into a smart display.
Even though the Pixel Tablet has an 8MP front-facing camera (and an identical 8MP rear-facing camera), it doesn’t appear to have the Face Match capability that’s available on Google’s larger smart display, the Nest Hub Max.
A personalized experience (such as your calendar events) and gestures (such as putting out a palm to pause music) are both possible thanks to this’s ability to recognize individual users. It appears there is no physical button to disable the tablet’s recording capabilities or camera.
Google claims the cameras are optimized for video and Meet with features like continuous framing and focus, smart lighting changes, and 360-degree virtual backdrops.
Additional features include a long-lasting battery (good for watching videos for 12 hours), Wi-Fi 6, and Bluetooth 5.2. The device reportedly incorporates an Ultra-Wideband processor, while Google has only commented on this feature in the context of “accurate ranging.”
Not only does the gadget ship with Android 13, but the manufacturer also promises OS updates for at least the next five years. Because it is the first Android tablet to include Google Cast, the Pixel Tablet may receive content streamed from a mobile device or another tablet.
The catch is that it must be in Hub Mode, albeit casting is rarely necessary when the ship is not docked. One distinction between the Pixel Tablet and the Nest Hubs is that the former runs the complete Android operating system while the latter uses the bespoke Fuchsia OS.
This brings us to the Charging Speaker Dock, which, as its name implies, charges speakers. This speaker dock charges your Pixel Tablet while you listen to music or audiobooks. It magnetically attaches to your tablet, transforming it into a Nest Hub smart display.
The tablet may serve as a clock by the bed, a cookbook in the kitchen, a music system in the living room, and an appointment book in the office thanks to the availability of separate docking stations.
Google believes that when you put your tablet into Hub Mode, it becomes a useful, hands-free home gadget. Put it to work as a digital picture frame, a voice-activated assistant, a music player, or a controller for your smart home.
With its 15W of charging power and 43.5mm full-range speaker, the Charging Speaker Dock provides “four times the bass of the Pixel Tablet alone” and a smooth music experience when docking the tablet.
What is the Price of the Pixel Tablet?
The Pixel Tablet with Charging Speaker Dock can be purchased for a starting price of $499/£599. The tablet itself is currently unavailable for purchase alone, but extra docks may be purchased for $129/£139 each.
That’s pricier than the current “standard” iPad from Apple, the 10th generation, which retails for $449 or £499.
The official Pixel Tablet Case will be available as an accessory, and it will be dockable and feature a stand made of polished metal (see below). The price is $79 / £89.
For $599/£599, you can buy a 128GB variant; if you need more space, the 256GB model will set you back an additional $100/£100.
Contents