Should i get a Pixel C or Other Android Tablet?

[Matthew_Dodwell]

Does the Keyboard have to be attached to the tablet to work?

Sometimes i use my current iPad where I move the iPad to eye level but keep the keyboard on the desk and type with it.

This is not something that is a must for me, but I am curious if the Pixel C has to be attached to its keyboard for it to work.

I just saw a YouTube review which picked up on the benefits of the USB C port for using external devices. Wow, that is a huge + over the iPad.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[Aquila]

Yes the keyboard has to be connected. Otherwise the on screen keyboard is displayed.

 

[WClark57]

I think there is a difference between "connected" and "attached". So to be clear, if the keyboard is separated from the tablet but still connected over Bluetooth, will it work?

 

[Aquila]

I will try to test that when I get home but I believe that the physical keyboard is active only when the magnets tell the tablet that it is there.

 

[Rowlette]

I believe it automatically connects to the BT and charges when attached but since the KB is BT based it should still be able to connect manually.

 

[Aquila]

Testing this morning there was no connection no matter the proximity until the KB was connected.

 

[Wildo6882]

The Pixel C would do everything you want. The only issue I have seen from anyone has to do with wifi. I wish we could get some confirmation on it from Google.

 

[Matthew_Dodwell]

Right I've decided to buy a Pixel C, but only when we have a clear answer on if the wifi issue is Hardware or Software.

I don't want to pay £399+£119 for something that might only work upstairs in my house near the WiFi hub and then slow right down when in my living room.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[Wildo6882]

Right I've decided to buy a Pixel C, but only when we have a clear answer on if the wifi issue is Hardware or Software.

I don't want to pay £399+£119 for something that might only work upstairs in my house near the WiFi hub and then slow right down when in my living room.

Posted via the Android Central App

I'm pretty much in the same boat. But I feel like I've been waiting forever already.

 

[Aquila]

I've never experienced the wifi issue so I have no idea if it is hardware or software. Not having it doesn't lend evidence towards either.

 

[Rowlette]

I am going to wait for the next update, change in color, next release, better speakers, N-OS etc. There is always some reason not to buy a device. So if your are interested just buy it and find out. Worst case scenario you can send it back, the best case scenario it was just a bunch of hullabaloo when the first came out.

 

[WClark57]

Testing this morning there was no connection no matter the proximity until the KB was connected.

Sounds like a good argument for not getting the keyboard. I'm sure there's a good reason they made it function this way, but its hard for me to imagine what that reason was.

 

[Aquila]

Sounds like a good argument for not getting the keyboard. I'm sure there's a good reason they made it function this way, but its hard for me to imagine what that reason was.

I'm having a hard time imagining a time that you would want to use the keyboard without the tablet, unless you're wanting to use it with a different tablet. Otherwise what is holding the tablet up if not the keyboard?

 

[WClark57]

I'm having a hard time imagining a time that you would want to use the keyboard without the tablet, unless you're wanting to use it with a different tablet. Otherwise what is holding the tablet up if not the keyboard?

I would like the flexibility to use it with any tablet I support, and to use it at a bit more distance from my tablet--how the user would make the tablet stand-up is an implementation detail best left to the user since there are several non-technical mechanisms that can be employed. Most of us repressed hillbilly's are good at finding those mechanisms.

[added]

I guess this is magical thinking since it doesn't have a touch pad.

 

[Aquila]

The Pixel C does work with third party BT keyboards, but obviously they're different.

 

[WClark57]

The Pixel C does work with third party BT keyboards, but obviously they're different.

I was betting that was true, nice of you to confirm though. Always wanted a keyboard but couldn't stand the idea of yet another thing to charge. So will in reality probably get one of these if I decide to get one at all--still considering.

 

[WClark57]

So being willing to subject myself to loosing causes, I did some looking around on the google support forum thread for the WiFi issue. While I don't want to start a flame war or get into a back-and-forth with those who mandate that you don't get one of these, I thought I would add some to the discussion in general.

Before I begin, I should say that I am, and have been, sympathetic to the issue and believe there is some problem here for Google to address.

So first off, there continue to be people who claim their Pixel C is as good as or better than other tablets when it comes to WiFi. That's an important thing to consider since people with problems are more likely to post than are people without problems. In my mini analysis, I find that these are not all folks with an ax to grind and they are not all folks who have failed to do some testing.

WiFi issues can be notoriously hard to get to the bottom of over a forum to begin with due largely to the diversity of hardware, firmware, and settings in use. Still many of those reporting problems purport to have conducted a side-by-side comparison of performance with other tablets and phones. I wouldn't call many of the reports from people with problems or people without problems, scientific--in other words, troubleshooting is a science and many are responding with more emotion than raw fact. That always makes me more suspicious because I, perhaps cynically, believe that some things on the internet come from those with agendas--and they are usually the ones who start shouting first. It is also far too easy to loose all perspective on the intertubes.

This is a frustrating issue for those with the problem, but would you still be beating up the forums if you had this problem? Or would you return it and move on? I'm not asking people to justify themselves, I would be unhappy also. Further, as I said up-front, I think Google has an issue it needs to address. But consider the question for yourself and decide for yourself.

So I place in your capable hands, the link to the support forum thread with the admonition to consider all sides equally and don't get all caught-up in the emotion. For my part, I'm buying one in a month or two.

https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/nexus/CM9tv3pjTfQ;context-place=topicsearchin/nexus/pixel$20c

 

[DMS_02]

For my part, I'm buying one in a month or two.

Me too. I've been doing some market research for the last few years never finding a tablet that I utterly liked. Now I've found it so despite I'm a bit concerned about this wifi issue I think I'm buying one in a two month period at the most.

 

[WClark57]

I received my Pixel C last night and set it up. Will test WiFi tonight.

Initial observations:

It is barely bigger than my Note 2014, and barely thinner. As others have said, it looks and feels premium. Setup was more or less straight forward, it downloaded a large update during setup, but it was still charging so no big deal.

During WiFi setup, I noted that both my 2.4 and 5 ghz bands appeared to have equal strength. That doesn't mean a whole lot because what you are looking at is a rather crude graphical representation of signal strength, and I was fairly close to my router, but I haven't seen them look so close to each other on other devices. So I will let you all know what I find as I test tonight.

I got the folio keyboard. Since they apparently only work on the Pixel C, I figured it may as well be attached full time. The magnets that hold it in place are the strongest in any consumer device I can remember having. It isn't all that easy to remove it from the case once it's in. Also once you have the tablet set at an angle, it takes an intentional tug to pull it away. That brings me to my largest conundrum of the night. I initially thought the keyboard was faulty because I couldn't get the tablet to see it. Turns out you have to have it set at an angle to pair it. To be more clear you have to place the bottom of the tablet so that it magnetically snaps into place in order to make a Bluetooth connection. So you cannot lay the keyboard and tablet flat and expect to use the keyboard. I am sure this is so that occasional key presses during handling do not cause issues, but it seems rather anal to me.

 

[WClark57]

I do indeed appear to have the WiFi issue. I compared with one of the Samsung tablets and it appeared to have a better signal. I spent last night scrubbing my router settings to confirm that nothing untoward is set. I also played with some settings to see if I could favorably impact the results. I will do more comparisons with WiFi Analyzer on both tablets since it gives me a fairly good indication of signal strength.

At this point, I'm going to play around with it a couple days, report the problem and see what Google says. From what I gather, some tablets may have the issue and others may not, but I don't recall anyone with the issue getting any resolution after having the tablet replaced--which could indicate some issue with specific routers....