Fly Or Die: Google Chromebook Pixel

Screen Shot 2013-03-07 at 4.35.58 PM

Google’s new Chromebook Pixel is a curious device. While its beautiful, seamless hardware nearly justifies its $1,299 price tag, the Chrome OS (which only offers access to a limited pool of third-party apps and Google products, plus the Internet) does not.

In the specs department, both John and I are impressed. The Pixel has a 12.85-inch 2560 x 1700 touchscreen. To be exact, that’s 4.3 million pixels (not 4.1 billion, like I mentioned in the video). As MG points out in his review, the touchscreen is truly beautiful. I find myself longing for it at this very moment, while I type this out on my MacBook Air.

The Pixel powered by an Intel Core i5 processor, and comes with 1 terabyte of free storage on Google Drive over three years. If you prefer, Google is also coming out with an LTE-capable version of the Pixel soon, which will come with 100MB/month for two years courtesy of Verizon.

And boy is the Pixel a beauty! It’s possible that the Pixel is one of the best looking laptops I’ve ever set eyes on, and John seems to agree (albeit less enthusiastically).

The main obstacle between the Pixel and two flies is how caged-in the user will eventually be. If you use all Google services, exclusively, then please don’t hesitate to pick up the Pixel. However, if you’re fond of Skype or Microsoft Office or TweetDeck, you’ll find yourself quite displeased the moment you realize you can’t download any of that.

Of course, Google has its own answers for those services with Docs, Hangouts, Drive, etc. But we all have our preferences, and no one likes to feel restricted while at the computer.

As we move toward life entirely in the cloud, the Pixel will become increasingly relevant. For now, however, you either need to adore Google products exclusively or be ready to install Linux.

Fly Or Die: Microsoft Surface Pro

Screen Shot 2013-02-05 at 1.12.31 PM

The gap between a full-fledged PC and a touchscreen tablet has finally found a bridge in the Microsoft Surface Pro. The Windows 8 device will be available for purchase on February 9, but we got a sneak peek with the Surface Pro and took it for a test spin in the Fly Or Die studios.

So what’s the verdict?

Well, both John and I agree that this is some of the best work we’ve ever seen out of Microsoft. The company sent some mixed messages with the Surface RT, which was more of a web-browsing, email tablet with a cute keyboard than a full-fledged computer.

But the Surface Pro steps up where the RT fell short, letting users load up any programs they want. It’s the difference between a working, usable computer and a pet project by Microsoft engineers.

As it stands, we’re both very excited about the prospect of a real and powerful Win8 machine to finally stand alongside similarly powerful OS X devices.

We’re both still a bit hesitant towards Windows 8. The Surface Pro rides the line between old, Classic Windows and the new “Metro” UI. The developer base needs time to figure out the Metro side of Windows 8, and having the desktop model as a backup helps ease the transition.

Will it be the most popular consumer gadget on the market this year? No.

But does it prove that Microsoft can be a powerhouse in the hardware realm? Absolutely.

Two flies.

Fly Or Die: Amazon Kindle Fire HD

photo-1

The Kindle Fire HD is a big deal. Big.

It has rather excellent specs — a 1280×800 7-inch display, TI OMAP processor, dual stereo speakers, and dual-antennae Wifi (with MIMO) — and it comes at a ridiculously low price: $199.

If the original Fire was competitive (and trust me, it was), this one is about to entirely disrupt the tablet space. We all agree. For the perhaps the first time ever, John, Matt and I all believe that the Kindle Fire HD is a fly.

The build quality is superior to the Nexus 7, which is the tablet’s only direct competition. The display resolution is on par (but doesn’t quite beat) the new iPad. The form factor is all the rage. Plus, it has a bevy of new features including Whispersync for Games, X-Ray for movies, and Parental Controls. Why wouldn’t this tablet be a fly?

Oh, and let’s not forget, it’s hooked into Amazon’s incredibly bountiful ecosystem. Winning on all counts.

Until the iPad Mini…


Fly Or Die: Ploom Pax Botanical Vaporizer

pax-hero1

For those of us who enjoy the occasional puff of sumptuous greenery, whether that’s flavored tobacco, leaves of mint, or good ol’ wacky tobacky, the Ploom Pax may be just what you’re looking for.

It’s a botanical vaporizer, meaning that it doesn’t combust the materials you intend to smoke, but rather vaporizes them offering a much cleaner, less smelly smoking experience. Since the Ploom Pax is a botanical vaporizer, you can’t put any smoking oils in its vaporizing chamber, but it’s a small price to pay for a state-of-the-art piece of stoner gear.

It’s an entirely closed vessel, meaning that you can’t bust in and fix a chamber or mouth piece, but that’s likely what makes it so glamorous. It’s made of aluminum, with a little LED light to display when the materials have been vaporized and how you’re doing on battery life.

It retails for $249, which is a reasonable price for this type of equipment, so both John and I felt that the Pax will do nothing but fly.

Fly high, for sure.


Fly Or Die: Google Nexus 7

Screen shot 2012-07-28 at 4.55.38 PM

Ever since I/O and the unveiling of Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, the blogosphere has been measuring Google’s new Nexus 7 tablet. The verdict in almost every case is good, including our very own iPad lover’s take.

John and I thus found it only fitting to bring the little 7-inch tablet into the studio for Fly or Die. The tablet, with a 7-inch IPS 1280×800 display, a Tegra 3 quad-core processor, and the latest version of Android, didn’t fail to impress.

And the specs have very little to do with it. Sure, that Tegra 3 proc probably contributes quite a bit to the snappiness of the tablet, but the display isn’t anything to write home about, nor is the measly 8GB of on board storage. (I know there’s a 16Gb model, but without external memory you’ll be walking around with a rather “light” amount of content.)

What makes the tablet great is that it’s the first truly premium tablet available in this size and price range. Amazon’s Kindle Fire is great but it isn’t really a computer replacement the way the iPad is, but rather a mobile Amazon content portal. And the iPad, though exceptional in performance and usability, is a little large and way too expensive to fit into the category.

The Nexus 7 fills that gap, and so we believe it’ll fly and fly into many a home. It’s already sold out once.

The real question is whether or not it’ll still have such high demand once Apple unveils that long-awaited iPad mini. September will be here before you know it.


Fly Or Die: Retina MacBook Pro

Screen shot 2012-07-02 at 10.39.08 AM

Fly or Die: The MacBook Pro With Retina Display

The new MacBook Pro with Retina Display. Sure, it stands to fudge up the Internet, but boy is it pretty!

The display boasts 5.1 million pixels, with a bump from 1440×900 (on the 15-incher) to a full 2880×1800 resolution. It brings Apple’s laptops into the display big leagues with the iPhone and iPad, and gets a bit thinner to boot. Plus, you’ll get an HDMI port instead of that optical drive.

But is the lofty price tag enough to replace your current MBP? The question can be answered in two parts: first, do you have the cash, and second, how much do you love the Internet?

If your laptop is mostly for creating projects, etc. using Apple’s software, then the Retina display will change your whole perspective on pixels. If, however, you’re mostly a web surfer, you may find yourself sourly disappointed by the resolution bump. The Internet, according to Biggs, looks fuzzy and will need to undergo a bit of a revamp to be where it should be on the new MacBook Pro.

Then, of course, there’s the price to contend with. With the 15-inch model starting at $2,200, this is, by far, one of the most expensive laptops on the market.