The 11-inch Google Pixel Tablet excels as a mid-range priced media player and smart home hub. However, when it comes to general productivity, it falls short of some of the best tablets for work. These failings result from a lack of official accessory support, especially with keyboard cases. As details about the Pixel Tablet 2 emerge, it’s clearly aiming to be a more well-rounded device. Among other upgrades, Android Authority recently reported that the new tablet would connect to a Google-branded keyboard.
Ironically, an accessory included with the original Pixel Tablet is one of its strengths. Its dock keeps the device charged and doubles as a surprisingly capable speaker. When on the stand, the Pixel Tablet is a unique combination of a smart speaker and smart home hub. Still, when taken off the dock, third-party manufacturers struggled to design keyboards that made typing more practical. Unlike the first Google tablet, the Pixel Tablet 2 is expected to have attached pogo pins, inviting a secure connection to a keyboard. The accessory would also keep the new tablet upright, although the stability of the first tablet’s charging dock will be hard to match.
Google Pixel Tablet with Charging Speaker Dock
The Google Pixel 11-inch Android tablet is a game-changer complete of resources and grants users access to endless apps and games from the Google Play Store. The unique charging dock doubles as a speaker and is powerful enough to push sound through an entire room. It has smart home controls, a long-lasting battery and a storage space of either 256GB or 128GB.
- Brand
- Storage
- 256 GB
- CPU
- Google Tensor G2 chip
- Operating System
- Android
- Camera (Rear, Front)
- Front and rear cameras: 8MP, f/2.0
- Size
- 11 inches
- Measurements
- 10.2 x 6.7 x 0.3 inches
- Weight
- 3.6 pounds
- RAM
- 8GB DDR4 SDRAM
Another reason the Google Pixel Tablet initially stumbled during work projects is its software. Fortunately, with recent updates, Android has featured enhanced support for external keyboards and input recognition from stylus pens. Along the same lines, desktop windowing provides a more Windows-like interface, improving multi-tasking and enabling the resizing of windows. Combined with connecting points for a keyboard case, the Pixel Tablet 2 would be a better tablet for notetaking through a stylus or typing.
Details on other Pixel Tablet 2 upgrades are scarce. Even so, it would be surprising not to see it use a newer chip like the Tensor G4 or G5 found in recent Pixel phones. This boost in processing performance should make the new tablet handle intensive tasks more like a business laptop or desktop. A newer processor would also ensure that the Pixel Tablet is compatible with Android updates for years to come.
Tablet cameras are often scorned, excelling more during video chats rather than studio-grade photographs. Buyers shouldn’t have unrealistic expectations with the Pixel Tablet 2, but the same leaks suggest the preceding tablet’s 8 MP camera will see a bump in resolution. The Pixel Tablet performs shockingly poorly in low-light conditions, so the new hardware needs to be more adaptable.
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Keyboard support would address a major shortcoming of the Pixel Tablet. Even so, with the Pixel Tablet 2, Google needs to build on the advantages of the first device. Having a control panel for the constantly growing selection of smart light bulbs, security cameras, thermostats, and more gives it mainstream appeal. Other Android tablets perform the same functions but aren’t devoted to the task, like the Google Nest Hub. Attaching a keyboard to the Pixel Tablet 2 shouldn’t prohibit securing it in a charging dock with an integrated speaker.
The Pixel Tablet 2 likely won’t arrive until next year, as an official announcement has yet to come. Hopefully, we won’t have to wait much longer to learn how accommodating the new tablet will be towards essential accessories.
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