Every product displays the period it’s born into, and Windows 8 was no exception. Launched a 12 months and a half after Apple’s iPad, the successor to Windows 7 was designed to fight the so-called finish of the PC.

Part of the battle concerned getting Windows 8 on tablets, not simply bigger laptop-like slates such because the Microsoft Surface. For a handful of years, light-weight eight-inch Windows tablets had been a factor. Maybe not ubiquitous, however frequent sufficient, and with extra highly effective {hardware} than a lot of their competitors (and a better price ticket to match). The initiative stretched into the primary a part of the Windows 10 period—then abruptly burned out.

It was these ashes I discovered myself poking by way of in the course of the first months of 2020. Most folks hadn’t needed an eight-inch Windows pill (thus their loss of life), however I positive did. It was the right companion for minimalist journey. Watching Netflix reveals or listening to Spotify offline? Check. Reading any and all books? Double examine. Editing paperwork through a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse? Triple examine.

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But the killer characteristic (and the explanation why an Android pill or an iPad wouldn’t go well with): Browser tabs acknowledged as precise desktop tabs? CHECK. I’d skilled one too many journeys the place I’d left my laptop computer at residence, assuming that I’d truly unplug for a change, solely to waste chunks of time attempting to resolve a difficulty {that a} cellular app didn’t cowl—and a cellular browser lined poorly in desktop mode. Conversely, I’d additionally skilled many journeys of lugging round my laptop computer and solely utilizing it as soon as.

So I purchased a used Dell Venue 8 Pro 5855 from an eBay vendor. With 64GB storage and 4GB reminiscence, it could maintain up in the course of the mild use I had deliberate. And by my calculations, the pill plus a folding Bluetooth keyboard and a freebie stylus added only a pound to my bag—and took far much less area.

I used to be stoked for my coming journey plans. But you recognize the place the story goes subsequent: The pandemic steamrolled proper over all of us.

Microsoft

Now it’s 2023. My Venue 8 Pro’s Cherry Trail chip is lengthy within the tooth. But there’s nothing to interchange it. The smallest screens for Windows slates begin at 10 inches. The identical applies to Chromebooks, which might work as a effective different for my functions. I even purchased a Chromebook pill out of curiosity—a Lenovo 10e that dropped to $90 throughout Black Friday 2021. But at two kilos with its folio, I’d simply pack my Windows laptop computer of equal weight, given the latter’s built-in keyboard. It’s additionally not at the moment attainable to flash ChromeOS Flex on Android tablets.

I’m caught. And finally, I’ll have to maneuver the Venue 8 Pro off of Windows, both to ChromeOS Flex with out official assist or to Linux. (The touchscreen assist will seemingly be wonky, although.) It’s a tragic thought that I gained’t be capable to as a substitute discover a substitute with extra trendy {hardware}. But outdoors of Zac Bowden over at Windows Central, I’m the one particular person I do know nonetheless pining for a contemporary 8-inch pill. 

Actually, no. I’m fairly positive Zac’s since moved on. I’m #foreveralone.