It's been a while since I bought a new tablet. That's kind of unusual for me because I usually love tablets but seeing as we're currently living through a world-spanning crises, one can probably be forgiven for not keeping up with the latest tech. There was also that uncomfortable period last winter where I was out of work and couldn't afford fucking food but aside from those hiccups, it has been a while since I held a new piece of tech in hand.
The last tablet I bought was a Chuwi brand Windows/ Android combo back at the end of 2018. It actually wasn't a bad product but I didn't do as much research as I should have before buying it and the processor proved a little too under-powered for my needs. I didn't give the thing it's fair shake and it spent most of its time in a closet before I sold it off in one of my very few Ebay transactions. Adieu, my sweet Chuwi, I hardly knew ya.
I haven't been using my beloved 10-inch Kindle for the past six months because I haven't been able to find the damn thing. I have a strong suspicion I know exactly where it is but because that location is in enemy territory at an unfriendly's, I think I'll just have to write it off. A shame because I've loved the entire Kindle line, that model especially.
In fact, it's my 8-inch Kindle from about three generations ago that I've been using to read during this quarantine and for my simple needs, it's been a champ during this crises. Despite missing that faster, better 10-inch, I believe an 8-inch is that perfect sweet spot for all of our most basic tasks - reading, browsing, shopping on Amazon. Despite being over 3 years old, it runs anything from the Google Play store just fine. And that's the entire Kindle line in a nutshell, isn't it: they just work. So pick yourself up one or three while you're thinking of it; you can never have too many.
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| Google Pixel Slate, currently $499 at Best Buy. |
Anyways, my point of this article was that this boy's life needs some upgraded tech and barring any delivery disasters, I should have some new stuff arriving over the next few days. A new "slate," what Google's calling it's tablets nowadays and a bunch of other stuff should enliven these premises a little throughout this week. Because Best Buy seemingly couldn't get rid of their Google Pixel Slate inventory fast enough, they knocked off $300 from the tablet itself
and threw in the $199 keyboard and $99 Google Pen
at no charge whatsoever.
. Keyboard, case, stylus. Yep, without thinking I ever, ever needed one in my life, I got a Chromebook system coming and actually can't wait to dig in and explore that ecosystem for the first time in my life. Chrome OS shouldn't be too hard to figure out, right? It's basically just the Chrome browser.
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| The Slate w/ $99 pen. |
After that Google excursion into the void, there should be something else on the way, too, something even more exciting. But in these uncertain times, let me not over promise too much today. It's bad enough I got three Google items coming in on three different deliveries with three different carriers on three different days. Never mind that these three things are from the same store and the same goddamned transaction, even. Despite being told that the slate shipped yesterday, checking in on its status two days later reveals exactly one line of progress:
"label created"
I'll be delighted to see that batch of stuff arrive unscathed before June. If my first batch of goods survive that, I promise something even more exciting for next week.
This is Rich, last survivor of the starship Nostromo, signing off...
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| The Slate w/ $199 keyboard. |
Items discussed in this article:
Google Pixel Slate 12.3" Tablet, Midnight Blue
Best Buy sale link
Google - Pixelbook Pen - Midnight Blue
Best Buy
Google - Keyboard for Pixel Slate - Midnight Blue
Best Buy
Delivery expected: before end of
June 1, 2020.
