Six Months With My Google Pixelbook Go

I've long been a believer that native mobile apps - for a majority of use cases - will be a thing of the past. For many years I've exclusively used browser versions of social media apps like Twitter and LinkedIn on mobile. Less bloat, less updates, faster experiences. I'm all-in on a web-first world.

We spend more time in mobile web browsers than we think, but we also spend more time in desktop web browsers than we think. We're surrounded by SaaS, a majority of which is delivered "as a service" through browsers. Yes, there are desktop apps for Slack and Email. But do you need them?

Back in 2015, after a decade of Apple fanboy-ism, I broke up with the Clan of Cupertino. I'd invested in the full gamut: a Macbook Pro, every iPhone (ever), iPads, accessories, and the Apple Watch. The watch was the straw that broke the camel's back. It died 2 weeks after I bought it. Unrepairable.

I sold all things Apple, and invested in Android Phones and Chromebooks instead. A game changer.

Everything just... works. Any time I upgrade my devices, they just work. No messy syncing, no crazy migration times. Instant gratification. Every device is fast. I've had phones and laptops from OnePlus, Asus and Samsung. All amazing. But the best laptop by far is the Google Pixelbook Go.

It's a sturdy thing of beauty. Built from beautifully painted magnesium, it has survived plenty of knocks and bumps over the past 6 months. Even an eager 2 year old boy hasn't managed to interfere with its greatness - it's basically toddler proof. And less than 1kg, incredibly light.

This is the fastest laptop I've ever used, and lasts longest. It charges quickly - I've never had a "dammit, my laptop ran out of battery" moment. A full working day, and full evening's worth of use in a charge. It boots up super fast. I fondly remember those Windows and Apple boot screens. Not.

By far the best part of it - like any Chromebook - is Chrome OS. On the Pixelbook Go it seems to be even better than usual, which says a lot. I never wait around for updates to happen. They just happen. I never think about antivirus or security software. It just works. I never get locked out of it.

Yes, if you really love apps, you can still install Android apps. But you really don't need to. Trust me.

If you're a developer, I know what you're thinking. And again, no, you don't need an app for that.

I write code in Gitpod, through my browser. It's better that way - I can have any environment I need set up or restored in less than a minute. Netlify and Render look after my git workflow for me. Pixlr and Canva beautify images for me. Slack and Discord work beautifully in browsers.

Check out the Google Pixelbook Go and give it a try. Especially if you're one of those people that constantly complains on Twitter about the latest Apple whatever, but doesn't do anything about it.