A little follow-up after looking into this some more...

This Googlebook story caught my attention because I'm already heavily invested in the Google and Android ecosystem. I use an Android phone all day long, Gmail and Google Calendar are essential for me, and a lot of my website administration and customer service can now be done directly through a web browser because I've specifically built my website that way. But after reading more about Googlebook, I'm left wondering: where exactly does a $899 Googlebook fit? When I travel, I really don't need much. I need Gmail, Calendar, a web browser, my website, and the usual assortment of Android apps. A basic $300 Windows Tablet PC or Chromebook can already handle most of that. For that matter, an Android tablet with a decent keyboard can handle most of it too.

The one big exception for me is Microsoft Access. Obviously I'm not running Access on a Chromebook, Android tablet, or Googlebook. But I almost never develop Access databases while I'm traveling. That's something I do at the office on a real Windows desktop with my normal setup. On the rare occasion that I need Access while I'm away, I leave my office PC running and use Chrome Remote Desktop. With a decent high-speed Internet connection, that works extremely well. I can connect to my actual office computer and have Access, SQL Server, all my files, and everything else exactly where I left it.

So for my particular use case, I'm having trouble seeing what a $899 Googlebook gives me that I don't already have with a much less expensive Chromebook or even an Android tablet with a keyboard. And if I'm going to spend $900 on a laptop, why wouldn't I just buy a good lightweight Windows laptop? You can get perfectly capable Windows laptops for well under $500. Then I still have Chrome, Gmail, Calendar, my Android phone, all my websites, and Chrome Remote Desktop, but I also have the option of installing Access and my other Windows software locally if I ever need it. Personally, when I travel, I have a Windows Tablet PC. It does everything I need, plus I have Access installed on it. It's not the fastest, but it works fine for "on the road" use.

I'm certainly not knocking Android. I'm in the Android ecosystem all day, every day. I always have my Samsung Flip 6 phone with me and use it constantly. I like Android tablets too. But for me, phones and tablets are primarily fantastic consumption and communication devices. They're great for email, reading, watching videos, browsing the web, checking things, and handling quick tasks.

When it's time for serious production work, though, I still want Windows, a real keyboard and mouse, multiple windows, my desktop applications, and preferably my giant wide-screen monitor because my vision ain't so great. A Windows laptop is the compromise when I need that capability on the road.

That's why the Googlebook leaves me scratching my head a little. It looks like a really nice machine, and I'm sure there are people for whom the tighter Android integration will be valuable. But for $899, it feels to me like a premium, glorified Chromebook solving a problem I don't really have. Maybe I'm missing the killer feature. If you've looked into Googlebook or you're considering buying one, I'd genuinely like to hear what you think. What does it give you that makes it worth $899 compared with a Chromebook, Android tablet with a keyboard, or similarly priced Windows laptop?

LLAP
RR

Full disclosure: Yes, I've included a couple of Amazon affiliate links. I'll get a commission if you purchase anything. My rule stands: I only post affiliate links to products that I personally own, personally use, and personally recommend. That is why I didn't link to any Google Chromebooks or Googlebook, because I don't own one and I've never used one. I'd be curious for any of you who have to get your take.