I found mixed results while testing out the Pen's Google Assistant feature, where holding its button while circling an image asks the AI for help identifying the thing or person you circled. Circling multiple faces in a photo about mixed martial arts, Assistant correctly identified the athletes Anderson Silva and Ronda Rousy, but failed to get UFC honcho Dana White, instead suggesting he was John Cena (who you can't see, but that's neither here nor there).

Choose which apps have access to your microphone To limit which apps have access to your microphone, go to Settings > General > Accessibility > Microphone . Here you’ll find a list of all the apps that have permission to use your mic—including voice-activated assistants like Siri and Alexa! What we’re more excited about are the Chrome OS optimizations that Google has made exclusively for Pixel Slate. Features like a night light for blue light reduction, split screening apps and a ‘do not disturb’ feature help bring Chrome OS to parity with Windows 10 and macOS computers. The speaker setup is another key inclusion that differentiates the Pixel Slate from other Chrome OS and Windows tablets. On its front, you’ll see twin dual-speakers that Google claims are “custom-tuned to deliver industry-leading audio”. Using the tablet to watch Netflix in bed, I can confirm that there’s truth to this claim. Sadly, benchmark suites are few and far between on Chrome OS. The only semi-reliable one I could use was the Android version of Geekbench 4, which is heavily CPU-focused. Cross-platform benchmarks are also never wholly reliable. Nevertheless, the score achieved by the Pixel Slate was pretty impressive, and on a par with most competing Android tablets at the same price.

I found a pair of odd, annoying issues when listening to music on the Pixel Slate with Bluetooth headphones and use it with a Bluetooth keyboard. First of all, my music kept dying. Specifically, the connection to my headphones -- first with my Apple AirPods and then with the Bose QuietComfort 35 -- just dropped. Sometimes I'd have to manually re-pair the connection, and once, the connection fixed itself after a moment. I've reached out to Google to see if there's a fix and will update this review when one becomes available. As a result, the iPad Pro remains a better choice for creatives on the hunt for a mobile touch-up or sketch station. For desktop users who want a device that’s primarily a laptop, the Surface’s use of full-fat Windows makes it a better choice. Verdict The desktop mode has a similar application window system to regular desktop operating systems, and will be intuitive to anyone coming from MacOS or Windows 10. The Google Pixel Slate, also known as the Google Pixel Slate M3, is a 12.3-inch Chrome OS tablet. Here you can find information and specs of this powerful device at Made by Google conference. What is the Pixel Slate? Pressure sensitivity is fine for basic doodling in the preinstalled Sketch and Paint apps, although it did suffer the occasional hiccup in Adobe’s Creative Suite. Here, the Slate was unable to read the angle of input as well as the iPad does with the Apple Pencil.

The second issue is even odder: sometimes the Bluetooth setting in the options menu just disappeared. Opening the Settings app doesn't help, as Bluetooth wouldn't turn on there either. The only solution is to the reboot the Pixel Slate. The Pixel Slate is a bit of a perplexing device at first glance. It’s wrapped in a premium frame with first-class build materials and new technologies at the forefront. However, it’s also mighty expensive for what’s on offer.On the design front, I welcome the Pixel Slate’s two USB-C connections. These sit along the top and bottom edges of the device and mean that, unlike the iPad Pro, you can have a peripheral plugged in while the Slate is charging – a bonus if you plan to use the device for word processing or basic office work.

I’m also a big fan of the optional folio keyboard, which is better than that of the iPad Pro’s in nearly every way. Battery performance is based on a mix of standby, web browsing and other use. Charging time requires the battery to be at least 5% charged, the device to be inactive and use of included charger. Actual results may vary.i was doing research for quite a while - at least 2 months - looking for an upgrade. i was strongly looking at the pixelbook go but w/o the 2 in 1 form factor, i was hesitant b/c i wanted a tablet or a small footprint in bed. i didn't want a clamshell.