Google is officially taking on Microsoft, with a new convertible hybrid designed to rival the Surface Range.
Like the Surface series, the Pixel C features a full-size smart' keyboard. Not only is it detachable like Microsoft's SmartCover keyboard, the Pixel C's version also attaches to the rear of the device, sliding in and out as needed.
Rather than partnering with an OEM as it has for the Nexus series, the Pixel C is entirely developed and manufactured in-house by Google, much the same as stablemates like the regular-issue Chromebook Pixel.
One thing it does lack over competitors like the Surface Pro 3 and iPad Pro is a stylus. This could limit its usefulness for rapid-fire productivity, as well as potentially turning creative types off it.
The Pixel C features a USB Type C port (see what they did there?), which means it'll be compatible with charging and transfer cables from the new Nexus phones. Google has also promised that future Chromebooks and Android devices will use Type C too, so users will be able to cut down on the amount of chargers needed for their various different devices.
With a 2560x1800 screen, the Pixel C should provide ample screen space for both enterprise and entertainment functionality, with a ratio that's apparently equivalent to A4 paper size. With a Maxwell-based desktop-grade processor and an Nvidia GPU, it should also have more than enough horsepower.
The Pixel C also has an attractively angular frame, with an aluminium frame running round the outside. The keyboard is finished in matte black plastic, and boasts fully adjustable display angles between 100 and 135 degrees, allowing for optimum ease of use.
The US price for the Pixel C is set at $499 for the 32GB version, and $599 for the larger 64GB model. If the Pixel C can match its competition in the hardware department, these figures may prove to be a key selling-point for Google's device.
One slight fly in this ointment is that Google has taken one of the more objectionable leaves out of Microsoft's book, and is selling the Pixel C's keyboard accessory separately for $149.
UK pricing is yet to be announced, but Google has promised that it's launching "in time for the holidays", so expect to see details coming within the next couple of months.
The Pixel C is beginning to look like a real competitor to pro' tablets from Microsoft and Apple, and based on what we've seen so far, we can't wait to get our hands on it.
