Opinion: I wanted a Pixelbook, but Google gave up instead

I feel you. That familiar flicker of excitement you get when you stumble upon that one piece of tech destined to make your life better…only to have it vanish into thin air? Google knows how to serve up a special kind of heartbreak.

Pixelbook, oh Pixelbook. Why did you have to go and get canceled right when I was ready to ditch my clunky Windows laptop and hop on the Chromebook train? It’s not even that I’m surprised – Google does this a lot. But as a diehard Android fan, it hurts more this time.

Let’s be honest, I’ve been trapped in the Windows world for years. It gets the job done, sure, but every time I pick up my Android phone or tablet, I feel that twinge of envy towards my Apple friends. Sure, there’s the occasional app compatibility hiccup, but those ecosystems, they sing. Tasks flow from one device to another like magic. I’ve looked longingly across the Apple fence with its pricey, perfectly integrated tech, but the price tag always made me wince.

Finally, a beacon of hope. The Pixelbook promised the Apple-esque seamlessness I craved but in a Google-backed ChromeOS package I could actually afford. Reviews were glowing: a sleek design, lightning-fast performance, and that legendary Google touch. This explains why Android Authority‘s Rita El Khoury still uses the Pixelbook over six years later. It’s why the folks at Android Central want a Pixelbook 2. Heck, even The Verge crowned it the emperor of Chrome in their review back in 2017. So I thought to myself that this was it. My chance to break free from Microsoft’s aging empire and build my own little slice of tech nirvana.

I’m not into first-gen products, so I was obviously hesitant about the Pixelbook when it came out in 2017. But having read so many glowing reviews, I set my eyes on the Pixelbook 2. I saved up, did the research, read a lot about ChromeOS, and mentally prepared for the glorious switch. And then…bam. Like a cruel magician, Google made my dreams of a perfect Pixelbook poof away. Canceled. Just like that.

Am I being too dramatic? Maybe a little. But it’s the principle of the thing. Google has a habit of this — remember Google Reader? Google+? What about Inbox by Gmail? Stadia? And more recently, Google Podcasts? Great services, building a loyal fanbase, only to get axed at a moment’s notice. It’s like they get us hooked on the promise of something amazing and then yank the rug out from under us. This pattern makes me wary, and this extends to the Pixel 8’s promise of 7 years of support. I want to love Google hardware, I really do. But what’s the point in investing my time, energy, and hard-earned cash in a product that could vanish without warning? Google constantly tells us to trust them, to join their ecosystem, but then they pull stunts like this.

It’s a shame too. The Pixelbook really did seem special. That smooth integration with Android? It would’ve been a game-changer. Instead, I’m left adrift, my Windows laptop chugging along like it’s still the 2000s. I’m back to longingly eyeing my perfectly synced iPhone and Samsung Galaxy-wielding friends. Apple and Samsung each offer a cohesive ecosystem: Apple with the iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, and Macbook, and Samsung with its Galaxy phones, Galaxy Watch, tablets, and both Windows and ChromeOS laptops. Their laptops are designed for seamless integration with their other devices, extending the user experience across the entire product line.

Google has their well-established Pixel phone, the surprisingly solid Pixel Watch, the Pixel Tablet that also doubles as a smart display, those nifty Pixel Buds, even the Pixel Stand and smart home devices to go with. These could have formed the foundation for something truly special. Imagine a world where your Google Pixelbook synced seamlessly with your Pixel phone and Pixel Tablet, beamed notifications to your Pixel Watch, and connected to your Pixel Buds without any hassles. A symphony of devices working together, Apple-style.

Instead, the potential for this integration now feels squandered. The Pixelbook could have been the missing link, the hub that brought everything together. Sure, a Pixel phone works decently with a generic Chromebook, but it’s clear Google was building toward something more. Think of the way your AirPods automatically switch between your iPhone and Mac, or the ease with which you can drop content between Apple devices. Don’t even bring up the rebranded Quick Share, because I’m yet to see it on all of my Windows and Android devices. Google was inching towards that with the Pixelbook, but now, we’re left with a bunch of third-party products to deal with.

It makes you wonder, doesn’t it? Why build an array of hardware without a clear way to tie them together at the center? It feels like starting a puzzle and then tossing half the pieces out the window.

Now, I’m left even more hesitant to embrace Google’s hardware fully. It’s one thing to have your favorite messaging app discontinued, but another entirely to invest in a phone, watch, tablet, and earbuds that might never reach their full harmonious potential. Decisions like rehashing the Pixel Tablet make you wonder how serious Google is with its line of hardware. The promise of Google’s integrated tech future was the key reason I considered the Pixelbook in the first place. Without it, I’m right back where I started, cautiously dipping my toe into the world of Google products, unsure if they’ll ever truly play nicely together.

Google, you were so close. You were almost tempting enough to pull even a Windows diehard like myself into your corner of the tech universe. But now, with the Pixelbook dead and gone, that enticing vision of a cohesive Android-powered experience outside of the Apple ecosystem has faded. It’s a huge missed opportunity; one that leaves me disappointed and searching for alternatives yet again.

Maybe it’s naive to expect consistency from a tech giant like Google. Innovation is messy, and sometimes projects get abandoned, I get it. But for those of us outside the Apple bubble, wanting a taste of a cohesive tech experience at a reasonable price, the Google Pixelbook was more than just a laptop. It was the possibility of something better, something simpler.

Now I’m not sure what to do. Maybe try out one of the other Chromebooks on the market, but will it ever be the same? That glimmer of promise the Pixelbook held feels extinguished. So, farewell Pixelbook, we hardly knew ye. And Google, please, next time think harder before you shatter our dreams again.