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The Chromebook Pixel: leaked Google product, or clever hoax?

The Chromebook Pixel: leaked Google product, or clever hoax?

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Google Pixel
Google Pixel

Google already has several partners participating in its Chromebook program, but it seems the company may be planning to release a laptop designed by its own engineers. At least that's the takeaway from a mysterious video that appeared on the web today, which points to a so-called Chromebook Pixel that will reportedly match Apple's Retina MacBook Pro with a resolution of 2560 x 1700. It certainly takes after Cupertino's high-end portable in looks. "The more pixels we add, the more wonderful the world," says the video's narrator. Even more tantalizing are hints that this high-res display is in fact a touchscreen.

Still, it's not entirely clear whether we're seeing something that's the direct work of Google or an extremely impressive fan-made concept, but there's at least some evidence pointing to the former. The video was apparently lifted from Slinky, an agency that appears to have done work for Google in the past. Further, developer François Beaufort insists this laptop — known to him under the name "Link" — is undergoing testing at Google's Mountain View campus. Though we're left without the slightest hint of hardware specifications (or what GPU is driving such a pixel-dense display), Google could choose to unveil Pixel as one of its surprises at this year's I/O conference. Are Chromebooks about to go premium? Stay tuned.

Update: The connection between Slinky.me and Google seems a bit flimsy at this stage. CEO Victor Koch has posted a public apology on Google+ claiming his company's servers were "attacked by hackers." Google co-founder Sergey Brin is tagged in the note, though the fact that Koch would make such a public apology — seemingly trying to tip off the product's authenticity — strikes us as strange; Google may well be working on its very own Chromebook, but we may not be looking at it. We've reached out to the company for comment.