Google Inc. (GOOG) Unveils High-End Chromebook Pixel

Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) has developed a modest market in the tablet and laptop spaces with low-priced Nexus tablets and Chromebook laptops. With Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) making strides with iPads and Macbook Airs, and Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) developing a hybrid with the Surface Pro that has a keyboard cover but a tablet-like touchscreen, Google now is apparently ready to move up a level and directly compete with premium-priced devices.

Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) announced the introduction of the new premium-priced Chromebook Pixel this week, which apparently is designed to compete with MacBook Airs and the  128-gigabyte iPad which was just released in the last few weeks.  This new Chromebook was quietly launched in San Francisco, will be available for pre-order in the Google Play store and would be shipped in April.Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG)

The Chromebook Pixel (Photo courtesy of Mashable.com)

The Pixel will come in two versions – the $1,299 version that is a Wi-Fi only version, while the $1,449 version can hook up with the LTE network of Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ). This new Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) device boasts an Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) dual-core i5 processor, a 12.85-inch touchscreen with a 239-ppi resolution (the best Macbook Air with Retina, by comparison, boasts 227 ppi of resolution), 4 GB of RAM and either 128GB or 256GB of storage along with five hours of battery life. The device also has two microphones near the embedded camera, plus a laser microphone by the keyboard that helps provide some noise cancellation. Either Chromebook comes with 1 TB of free Google Drive cloud storage for three years.

“This is for power users who live in the cloud,” said Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) Chrome chief Sundar Pichai at the San Francisco launch event. “Our goal was to have the hardware disappear,” in terms of how users favor the touchscreen over the keyboard.

What do you think? Would you be open to a Chromebook Pixel by Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG)? We’d like your thoughts about this is the comments section below.

DISCLOSURE: I own no positions in any stock mentioned.

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