Items tagged with pixel
Considering that nearly every detail about the Google Pixel 3 smartphone family has leaked at this point, it seems rather appropriate that the actual launch date would also be revealed ahead of schedule. According to a new report, the Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL will be revealed at an event in New York City on October 9th. For reference, the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL were launched last year on October 4th. This news of the early October launch comes courtesy of Bloomberg, which slipped the information off-handily in its earlier piece on the 2018 Apple iPhone lineup. If Apple’s September release schedule sticks to previous years, the Google devices will debut just a few...
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The Pixel 3 family is likely still weeks away from being "officially" unveiled, but a constant stream of leaks has given us excellent looks at the upcoming Android 9 Pie flagships. In particular, the Pixel 3 XL has been especially prone to posing for the camera. The Pixel 3 XL has leaked once again, this time in a high-quality unboxing video that has been posted to YouTube. In the Russian video, we see that the Pixel 3 XL comes with a pair of Pixel Buds-style headphones that attach to the bottom-mounted USB-C port. Also in the box are a USB-C to USB-C adapter, USB-C to 3.5mm adapter, a USB-C to USB-A adapter and a wall plug. The video gives a good look at the Pixel 3 XL from all...
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Google decided to take Android 9 Pie out of the oven a little early, and while there are certain parts that could use a bit more baking, it is out of beta and ready to install on Pixel and Pixel 2 handsets. Well, sort of. Google is not pushing Android 9 Pie out to the masses yet, but has made available the source code to the Android Open Source Project (AOSP). What that means is you can download and install Android 9 Pie on your Pixel, Pixel XL, Pixel 2, or Pixel 2 XL by manually sideloading it onto your device. That is a different process than just heading into settings and fetching it as an over-the-air (OTA) update. There is some prep work involved, especially if you have never done this sort...
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If you're looking for a great [and aging] flagship Android smartphone, B&H Photo is currently running a pretty good deal on the original Google Pixel. The Pixel launched in late 2016 and brought with it a sleek new design direction for Google's first-party smartphones and introduced us to Google's spectacular camera system. Right now, you can grab the 32GB variant for $329.99, while the 128GB variant rings in just $399. Both of those prices include free expedited shipping and you'll only pay tax if you live in the state New York. While these smartphones no longer feature bleeding edge hardware, their specs are nothing to scoff at. Both smartphones feature a Qualcomm Snapdragon...
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The wearables market might not be exactly booming right now, but regardless growth is expected in the segment. Apple is currently leading with its Apple Watch. However, Google is aiming to take the wearables fight directly to Apple, and hinted back in May that it could be rolling out a Pixel Wearable running its Android Wear OS to directly combat Apple. We have some detail on what to expect from Google for its forthcoming wearable and at the heart of the smartwatches will be a Qualcomm chip. Qualcomm chips haven't exactly been confirmed, but there were strong hints from Qualcomm's Pankaj Kedia, senior director and business lead for Smart Wearables, that they are coming. CNET reports...
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A new class action lawsuit was filed this week against Google by owners of the original Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones. In the lawsuit, plaintiffs claim that the microphone in the original Pixel devices was defective from the start. The suit alleges that Google knew about the defect and continued to sell the devices anyway. The complaint implies that Google knew of the microphone defect from launch due to widespread complaints. Another allegation in the lawsuit is that some of the smartphones were replaced under warranty due to the mic issues, but the replacement devices suffered from the same defect. A Google employee posted previously on the support forums that the problem with the mic...
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Four months after announcing a $1.1 billion agreement to acquire most of HTC's phone division, and specifically the company's Pixel division, Google today announced that it has officially finalized the deal. The team that is now a part of Google is the same one that Google work with in developing its newest flagship phones, the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL, as well as its previous generation Pixel handsets. "I’m delighted that we’ve officially closed our deal with HTC, and are welcoming an incredibly talented team to work on even better and more innovative products in the years to come. These new colleagues bring decades of experience achieving a series of 'firsts' particularly in the smartphone...
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One of the distinguishing features of Google's Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL flagship Android Oreo smartphones compared to their predecessors is the inclusion of Portrait Mode. Portrait Mode allows the main cameras on the Pixel 2 family to produce a synthetic shallow depth effect in photos with a single camera lens, whereas most competitors use a dual-camera setup to achieve the same results. "For shallow depth-of-field, synthetic defocusing is not the same as real optical defocusing, but the visual effect is similar enough to achieve the same goal, of directing your attention towards the main subject," wrote Google engineers Marc Levoy and Yael Pritch in a research blog back in October. While Portrait...
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Estimating your available battery life on your Pixel smartphone is getting a lot smarter. A New York-based Google product manager just revealed that the company has made changes to the way that that Pixel devices determine how much battery life is remaining once you unplug from the wall. According to Google, Pixel smartphones previously used rigid assumptions to calculate how much battery life was remaining at any given time. "If you’ve used about 10% per hour over the past few hours, we would guess you will keep using 10% per hour," wrote Michelle. "As you might expect, this wasn’t always very accurate." Google has now switched to an on-device model that will continually monitor...
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Google has been designing and building premium Android smartphones for many years, co-branding with various hardware partners since back in the days of the company's Nexus devices. More recently with its first generation Pixel series, the Mountain View team has taken more prominent ownership of the brand, with devices specifically underscored as "Made By Google." And indeed the design signatures of the first generation Pixel and Pixel XL were distinctly different from any other handset on the market, as are the latest Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL that Google is launching today, along with a redesigned Daydream View VR headset. Designed by Google but manufactured by HTC (Pixel 2) and LG (Pixel...
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One the primary benefits to owning a Google-branded phone is that new versions of Android are made available immediately, as opposed to waiting for a third-party manufacturer to customize and qualify the code. Unfortunately for some owners of Google's first generation Pixel phones, this perk turned into sideways with the release of Android 8.0 Oreo, which seems to have busted the ability to receive text messages. This has been an issue for affected users for nearly a month, dating back to September 20 when a frustrated Pixel XL owner on Verizon complained of the "absurd issue." The user went on to explain the troubleshooting steps he had taken, including the uninstallation of all apps that were...
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Are you a little too anxious for the upcoming launch of Google's highly anticipated Pixel 2? If so, or you simply love the idea of getting an early look at how Google setup Oreo on its new flagship smartphones, we think we have a new weekend project for you. But don't fret, this one couldn't get much easier. As long as you own an Android phone, at least. In fact we set it up ourselves in just a few minutes. Google's upcoming Pixel 2 XL Android Flagship Smartphone In advance of next week's Pixel 2 launch, an APK of the same launcher used for both the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL has hit the Web. Now, we normally don't recommend you download APKs from just anywhere, and even if you download from...
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News broke Wednesday morning that HTC had suspended trading ahead of a major business announcement, and now we're learning the details of this blockbuster move. While Google is definitely the other party in this new venture, it's not exactly the arrangement that was rumored earlier this month. Google announced that it will give HTC a $1.1 billion cash infusion in exchange for some key members of the company's smartphone team. According to Google, many of these HTC employees have already gotten a taste of the “Googler” life as they have been involved in the development of its flagship Pixel family of smartphones. If you recall, HTC manufactured both the Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones that debuted...
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We've seen plenty of leaks regarding the Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL over the past few months, but this might be the most fruitful of them all. We have what are claimed to be images of both new flagship Android Oreo devices. According to Droid-Life, the Pixel 2 XL (not Pixel XL 2 as it has previously been referenced), will be available in two different color options. The first is black, while the second is primarily white, with a black glass panel on the upper backplate. Overall, the design of the smartphone adheres very closely to what we saw with the Pixel and Pixel XL. This time around, however, the device is being made by LG. As with previous leaks, it's clear that the Pixel 2 XL will only...
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Hurricane Harvey decimated the Houston, Texas area with many people losing everything they own. It is still a true disaster area and many people are still wading through flooded areas. Google wants to do its part to help those hurricane victims using its Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones to communicate regularly with loved ones and emergency assistance if needed. Google has announced that it will be offering free repairs of Pixel and Pixel XL devices that were damaged by flood waters for owners in the Houston area. Google is working with uBreakiFix to repair the devices; this is the same company that Google has been working with to offer same day repairs across the U.S. and Canada. Both the Pixel...
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Android 7.x Nougat was first made available nearly a year ago; August 22nd 2016 to be exact. Since that time, we’ve seen a slew of new smartphone ranging from budget devices to mid-range models, to chest-thumbing flagships like the Galaxy S8 and LG G6. However, despite the fact that Android is the most popular operating system on the planet, the number of devices running the most recent publicly available version is relatively small. Google recently updated its developer portal, which indicates that Android Nougat is installed on just 13.5 percent of all devices. At this point, the most popular version of Android among all devices is Marshmallow, which is holding firm with 32.3 percent. Lollipop...
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Patience is not only a virtue, it is also a good tool for saving money. Consider this—if you waited all this time to finally decide to buy a Pixel or Pixel XL handset from Google, you will be rewarded for your patience with up to a $200 discount from the original price. Not bad, right? Google will even toss in a free Daydream View VR headset. Both the discount and free VR headset offer is part of Google's Back to School promotion.The biggest discount ($200) applies to the Pixel XL. Originally priced at $769, it can now be bought from Google starting at $569 for the 32GB model, and $669 for the 128GB SKU. If desired, you can tack on a 2-year device protection plan for another $99. It comes in...
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It's starting to look like Google's upcoming Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones could become some of the most alluring Android phones the company - or any company, for that matter - have released in a long time. A couple of weeks ago, we pored over the details of what was believed to be an accurate render, and today, we see another collection of renders from a party that seems to agree on most of the devices' visual cues. Credit: MySmartPrice In the aforementioned post, the design seen was believed to be the XL model, but based on these new renders, it would have actually been the non-XL. The differences are subtle: on the XL, the rear glass isn't as tall, and the camera lens is found to the...
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A current smartphone trend has seen vendors put fingerprint readers on the backs of our devices, which also might beg the question, "what else could we put back there?" According to a newly granted Google patent, a touchpad could be in the cards for the Android creator's future branded Pixel smartphone devices. If that sounds a bit bizarre, bear in mind that many patents may appear odd at first glance, but often are the sparks of true innovation. Google foresees the use of a touchpad on the back of a smartphone to grant the user additional interaction possibilities. As seen in the example image from the patent below, the touchpad would settle below the camera, and could be of equal size. It'll...
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There is only so much top-level talent to go around in Silicon Valley. That is part of the reason why engineers and technology bigwigs make obscene amounts of money. It is also why poaching employees from competitors is so common. This happened yet again with Google convincing Manu Gulati, a veteran chip architect who had been in charge of Apple's chip development efforts for nearly a decade. to jump ship.According to Gulati's updated LinkedIn profile page, he now carries the title of Lead SoC Architect at Google. It is the latest title in what is an impressive resume that includes being a member of the technical staff at AMD, followed by serving as an engineering manager and later a senior engineering...
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The Google Pixel and Pixel XL were launched to great fanfare late last year. The flagship Android Nougat smartphones were praised for their build quality, crisp displays, and excellent rear cameras (despite the lack of image stabilization). However, all good things must come to an end in Android land when it comes to software support. Back in June, Google provided the following guidance for updates relating to its first-party Nexus hardware: Nexus devices get security updates for at least 3 years from when the device first became available on the Google Store, or at least 18 months from when the Google Store last sold the device, whichever is longer. After that, we can't guarantee additional...
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If you’re having microphone issues with your Google Pixel or Pixel XL smartphone, you are not alone. A quick trip over to the official Pixel support forum shows over 800 replies in a thread dedicated to the problem. “After a few hours of use and set up the microphone stopped working entirely, except when recording video upon which it'll record audio fine as if nothing were wrong,” wrote Joseph, the thread originator. “I factory reset the phone and the issue still persists everywhere but the camera app.” Numerous other users have chimed in with their own microphone issues that either mirror Joseph’s experience, differ ever so slightly, or are even worse. The reason for the varying degrees of severity...
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