Google Pixelbook offers 'instant tethering' to access internet

The search giant's new laptop has a feature to seamlessly pair with your Pixel phone when no Wi-Fi is available.

Ben Fox Rubin Former senior reporter

Ben Fox Rubin was a senior reporter for CNET News in Manhattan, reporting on Amazon, e-commerce and mobile payments. He previously worked as a reporter for The Wall Street Journal and got his start at newspapers in New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts.

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Ben Fox Rubin

Oct. 4, 2017 10:05 a.m. PT

100417-google-event-pixelbook-2 — The new Pixelbook
Screenshot/CNET

For Google's new Pixelbook, setting up a hotspot on the go got a lot simpler.

At a hardware launch event Wednesday, Google unveiled its new Pixelbook 2-in-1 laptop.

The device can automatically pair with your Pixel phone to offer internet access when no Wi-Fi is available. The company calls the feature "instant tethering" and says it's easier to use than creating a hotspot with your phone then connecting to it on your laptop.

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