As noted earlier today by Android Police, Google has stopped selling the Pixel C through its online store. It’s a quiet and not unexpected end for the company’s well-received tablet, designed to make room for Google’s latest and greatest.

The company confirmed with TechCrunch that the end of sale also represents the end of life for the device, though Google added that it plans to continue supporting the hardware moving forward.

“As is common when a device has been out for a few years, we’re now retiring Pixel C and it is no longer available for sale,” the company said in a statement. “However, we are committed to updating and supporting it, including the recent update to Android 8.0, so customers can continue to get the best out of their device.”

And, of course, the statement wouldn’t be complete without a plug for its new premium Chromebook. “Our newly launched Google Pixelbook combines the best parts of a laptop and a tablet for those looking for a versatile device.”

Frederic gave the tablet good marks in a review back in 2015, but noted, “There is a market for the C, but I think it’ll be a small one.” That seems to be the case with many of the Google-branded devices, which means the company is essentially competing against itself for a relatively small slice of market share.

The shift from the C to Pixelbook does represent something of a larger trend for the industry in recent years, as many have moved from slates to convertibles. The Pixelbook isn’t as slim as a standalone tablet, and there are certain sacrifices when shifting between any form factors, but it’s a pretty solid tablet replacement for most instances. It’s also a much more well-rounded computing device.

The one big caveat here, however, is the price. The Pixel C started at $599 (plus keyboard); the Pixelbook’s lowest SKU is $999. The tablets of the future are going to be much more versatile than their predecessors — and it’s definitely going to cost you.

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Tech reviewers, who have had the device for about two weeks, noticed “burn in” on the display, while others noted “muddy” discolouration on the screen.

Google said it was investigating the issue, which it took “very seriously”.

Google’s new line, the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL, are its attempt to break into the smartphone market dominated by Apple and Samsung.

Last year’s Pixel was well-received by reviewers, but sold poorly. It accounted for just 0.5% of the global market.

The Pixel 2 was made by HTC, while the Pixel 2 XL was made by LG.

A Pixel 2 XL review unit provided to the BBC by Google suffered from mild burn-in – the term given to when a screen is permanently marked by images that have been on screen for an extended period of time.

Burn-in is typical of old screens, but should not happen on a new high-end smartphone.

On the Google device, the navigation bar that is often at the bottom of the screen could be seen faintly when it should not have been visible.

“We take all reports of issues very seriously, and our engineers investigate quickly,” said Mario Queiroz, Google’s vice president for the Pixel range.

“We will provide updates as soon as we have conclusive data.”

The worst case scenario for Google would be a halt to production of the Pixel – which has already seen shipping delays of up to a month – and potentially a recall for devices already shipped.

“Not a great start for sure,” said Carolina Milanesi, a Silicon Valley-based analyst for Creative Strategies.

“This was Google’s big step into really going for the devices market, broadening the breath of the products. It raises the question of whether they can actually take on this much.”

The news follows complaints over a separate Google product, the Google Home Mini voice assistant.

It was discovered to have been listening in to conversations without users’ knowledge because of a faulty button. Google has since disabled the feature.

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Source: BBC

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Two of the bodies were discovered underground, the other six were found on the surface of an abandoned mine.

All eight had been shot in the upper body and have not been identified, police spokesman Lungelo Dlamini said.

Correspondents say there is fierce rivalry between competing groups of illegal miners.

The land around the town of Benoni, about 30km (18 miles) east of Johannesburg, is dotted with disused mine shafts that attract men from around the region, including Lesotho, Mozambique and Zimbabwe, with the promise of remaining gold deposits.

The bodies of the miners were discovered by security guards on Saturday and Sunday.

“There are eight bodies which were shot execution style,” Paul Ramaloko, of an elite police unit, told the AFP news agency.

Lt-Col Dlamini told the South African Press Association that the motive behind the killings was not known.

The abandoned mine is in the same area where more than 20 illegal miners were rescued in February after being trapped underground for several days.

Those miners, who were reportedly trapped by a rival gang, were arrested after they emerged from the shaft.

According to South Africa’s Department of Mineral Resources, a 2008 study of the gold sector found that an estimated $509m (£309m) in revenue was lost a year as a result of illegal mining.

South Africa has some of the world’s deepest gold mines and safety is a major issue.

Source: BBC

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