There is a strange paradox about tablets. What started with the idea of having a super portable big-screen device, ended up in a product that spends 90% of its life gathering dust on idle somewhere in your home.
Sure, you do use them for that occasional YouTube binge, but you usually don't carry one with you everywhere like your phone. You also typically don't spend 8 hours every day working on a tablet like you would on a laptop or desktop computer.
So if a tablet would just sit around doing nothing most of the time, doesn't it make sense to make it somehow useful?
A tablet that does something useful when you're not using it
This idea pushed Google to enter the tablet space several years ago with its first Pixel Tablet, coming bundled with the Pixel Tablet Speaker Dock.
Sadly, the industry completely ignored this idea, and Google never released a second generation, but I am still convinced this was brilliant in many ways.
First, here is how it works:
Drop the tablet on the dock
It starts charging automatically
It transforms into a smart display
You can set it to work as a digital photo frame
It can also work as a smart home hub
You can also use it as a hands-free media device
Now, all of a sudden, your tablet has transformed in an Amazon Echo of sorts, making it much more useful for all of that time that it would otherwise just sit idle in a drawer.
This comes with one more underrated benefit. With your tablet docked, you always know that you will pick up a charged device. Just how many times does it happen that you pick up a gadget you have left idle for a few days (or weeks), only to realize its battery is dead.
You not only always get a charged device with the dock, you also always know where to find it. Call me old, but I've been forgetting gadgets for years and having a set place to let a device rest is big for me.
A smart speaker too
The dock also comes with a built-in speaker that elevates the audio levels above the typical tablet quality.
Don't expect to have your mind blown by this speaker, but this could certainly be an upgrade for the never-released second generation.
The dock is also coupled with far-field microphones, which makes it great for also taking calls on the speakerphone and having your hands free.
Recommended Stories
Come to think about it, this eliminates the need to buy some of these popular devices: a Nest Hub, an Amazon Echo device or a smart display. And this bring me to...
Why Apple never adopted this idea
Apple has started making the iPad a better laptop, but what about the time it spends idle?
There is a very practical (and very Apple) theory about why the iPad never got a speaker dock.
Just imagine an iPad turning into a smart display / HomePod with a simple dock.
How would this affect Apple's lineup of devices? Well, first of all, fewer people would need a HomePod Mini or that expected robotized display-on-arm thing that Apple is rumored to release this year. Of course, fewer people would buy HomePods for their homes.
And about that supposedly upcoming HomePad, Apple's new smart screen for the home? Well, of course, it would be another device to buy and yet millions in profits. Why put that in jeopardy, right?
From Apple's perspective, selling two products (an iPad and a HomePod-style device) is more profitable than just selling one mightier iPad.
Of course, that's just a theory, but it does explain why the industry never followed the Pixel Tablet adn its dock — it starts overlapping too many product categories.
It's a 3-in-1 a-ha moment for tablets
Let's recap: a docked Pixel Tablet becomes a 3-in-1 device: a more powerful tablet, a smart speaker and a smart display.
Remember that moment when Steve Jobs unveiled the first iPhone? That kind of powerful 3-in-1 analogy could be an important moment to boost tablet growth.
And remember that even though the Pixel Tablet launched three years ago, today we still don't have that dock functionality in the latest iPads or Galaxy Tabs.
The real tragedy is that nobody ever picked up this idea, and Google was too uncommitted with tablets to follow it through.
I think that giving tablets a purpose for the 90% of their life that they spend lying in a drawer is great. It's a real shame that neither Apple, nor Samsung or Lenovo picked up on this.
Unlimited plans for $15/mo at Mint!
$180
$360
$180 off (50%)
Mint Mobile is also offering an incredible bargain for those seeking unlimited data! The carrier's latest deal lets you grab any unlimited plan for just $15/mo, bringing the 12-month Unlimited plan to $180 instead of $360.
Victor, a seasoned mobile technology expert, has spent over a decade at PhoneArena, exploring the depths of mobile photography and reviewing hundreds of smartphones across Android and iOS ecosystems. His passion for technology, coupled with his extensive knowledge of smartphone cameras and battery life, has positioned him as a leading voice in the mobile tech industry.
A discussion is a place, where people can voice their opinion, no matter if it
is positive, neutral or negative. However, when posting, one must stay true to the topic, and not just share some
random thoughts, which are not directly related to the matter.
Things that are NOT allowed:
Off-topic talk - you must stick to the subject of discussion
Offensive, hate speech - if you want to say something, say it politely
Spam/Advertisements - these posts are deleted
Multiple accounts - one person can have only one account
Impersonations and offensive nicknames - these accounts get banned
To help keep our community safe and free from spam, we apply temporary limits to newly created accounts:
New accounts created within the last 24 hours may experience restrictions on how frequently they can
post or comment.
These limits are in place as a precaution and will automatically lift.
Moderation is done by humans. We try to be as objective as possible and moderate with zero bias. If you think a
post should be moderated - please, report it.
Have a question about the rules or why you have been moderated/limited/banned? Please,
contact us.
FCC OKs Cingular\'s purchase of AT&T Wireless
Things that are NOT allowed:
To help keep our community safe and free from spam, we apply temporary limits to newly created accounts: