Items tagged with pixel
Google launched its own-branded Pixel and Pixel XL Android 7.0 Nougat flagships this past fall to generally favorable reviews. More recently, however, Google has sought input from users on how to make future Pixel devices even better. This week, Google SVP of Hardware Rick Osterloh confirmed that the second-generation Pixel flagships will arrive this year, likely carrying the flag for "Android O". “There is an annual rhythm in the industry. So, you can count on us to follow it,” said Osterloh. Even though he didn’t give a specific date, he added, “You can count on a successor this year, even if you don’t hear a date from me now.” For reference, the Nexus 6P and Nexus 5X were announced on September...
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Anyone who desperately wants to get their hands on a Chromebook Pixel better hurry up and buy one from whatever inventory is left out in the wild. There are no more Chromebook Pixels to be found on Google's website, and whether or not there will be new versions sometime in the future is very much up in the air. For the moment, Google has no plans to announce.The Chromebook Pixel was the first product to bear the Pixel branding when it was introduced several years ago. Fast forward to today and the Pixel brand is now used for Google's newest smartphones (Pixel and Pixel XL). Google has run into some supply issues with its flagship handsets, but for the most part the phones are selling well.Google...
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Google’s first generation Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones were generally well received by the media and the enthusiast community. Powered by the best hardware available at its launch in Fall 2016, the Pixel smartphones offered excellent screens, good performance, great build quality and a clean Android 7.0 Nougat experience. But no smartphone is perfect, and Google clearly understands this. So, Krishna Kumar, Product Lead for the Pixel family, took to the Pixel User Community to get some feedback on the current lineup of devices and what it could do to improve upon them in the future. “Developing a design is an exhilarating and at the same time a terrifying (Oh God, did we make the right choice???)...
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It appears that the initial euphoria stemming from the launch of Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones may be starting to wane for some owners. There have been growing complaints of hardware problems with the smartphones, with the latest being attributed to complete system freezes that leave the devices unusable. In some instances, the device freezing lasts for just a few seconds, which can be a minor annoyance. However, some report that their devices are locking up for as long as several minutes. A common thread among many of the members that have posted in Google’s product support forum is that they have the Life 360 app (which keeps you in close contact with friends and family) installed. In fact,...
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Google did a good designing (and HTC building) its Pixel and Pixel XL handsets. Perhaps too good of a job. That's evidenced by how difficult it has been obtaining one of Google's hot new flagship smartphones based on its equally new Android 7.1 Nougat operating system. The larger Pixel XL has been especially difficult to grab hold of, though as of this writing, both models are in stock from the Google Store. That is, if you're okay with 32GB of onboard storage.The Pixel and Pixel XL come with two onboard storage options: 32GB and 128GB. Unfortunately, the significantly more capacious 128GB option is listed as "Out of stock" for both phones, while the 32GB models are readily available. There's...
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Many Pixel owners woke up this week to find that their Google account had not only been suspended, but their mail, photos, documents, and anything else linked to their Google identity had been lost. Google is punishing Pixel owners who took advantage of a tax loophole in order to purchase their phones at a reduced out-of-pocket price. The affected customers bought their phones via the company’s Project Fi MVNO service. They then shipped the phones directly to a reseller in New Hampshire, who split the profit with the customers. New Hampshire is one of four states with no sales tax. Resale of the devices goes against Google’s policy which states that customers, “may only purchase Devices for your...
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Google has impressed both the media and the smartphone enthusiast community with its new Pixel and Pixel XL flagship Android 7.0 Nougat flagships. The phones features blazing fast processors and are backed by excellent cameras which rival images produced by flagship Samsung and Apple smartphones. Today, we’re learning that people that have purchased the Verizon versions of the Pixel and Pixel XL can now unlock the bootloader on their smartphones. Using a tool called dePixel8, the process to unlock the bootloader on Verizon Pixels has been automated. With an unlocked bootloader, you are then free to root the device and install your own custom ROMs on it. The developer explains: Our software works...
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T-Mobile isn’t too happy that Verizon is the exclusive wireless carrier partner for the hot new Google Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones in the United States. While it’s true that anyone can buy a Pixel smartphone from the Google Store unlocked (at full price) for use on any carrier, only Verizon customers can take advantage of attractive leasing options and installment payment plans. To combat the misconception that Google’s Android Nougat flagships are only available from Verizon, T-Mobile is offering a new promotion that will give any Pixel owner who brings over their phone a $325 credit when you sign up for T-Mobile ONE. And it doesn’t have to be a Pixel that you bought from Verizon; you can...
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Google unveiled its Pixel and Pixel XL Android 7.0 Nougat smartphones earlier this month, and the first round of reviews for the two devices have been refreshingly positive. Praise for the devices has been especially concentrated on the main camera, which while not incredibly competitive on the specs front, actually uses some special software magic to spit out excellent photographs. Now that some of the first customers that pre-ordered the Pixels are starting to receive them, it should come as no surprise that the folks at iFixit are already tearing into the device. In this case, iFixit has turned its attention to the larger Pixel XL, which features a 5.5-inch QHD display. Before iFixit even...
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Last week, many people were taken aback when it was announced that Verizon Wireless would be taking control of Android OS updates for Google Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones. Given that carriers are notoriously slow when it comes to providing major OS updates for smartphones, news that a Google-branded phone could be at the mercy of Verizon for updates was met with utter shock. While those initial fears were definitely warranted giving past performance, it appears that everyone was getting worked up over nothing. Verizon confirmed in a statement today to Ars Technica that Verizon-branded Google Pixel devices will receive OS updates at the same time as unlocked versions that can be purchased directly...
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Google just can't seem to get out of its own way when it comes to fragmentation among its Android platform. We're not saying there's an easy solution, but in giving Verizon exclusive rights among wireless carriers in the United States to offer its new Pixel and Pixel XL handsets, it also agreed to let Verizon be in charge of Android system updates.That was the biggest question on everyone's minds when Google announced the arrangement with Verizon, and the Mountain View firm confirmed to 9To5Google what most people hoped wouldn't be the case."Monthly security updates will come from Google (for all models), and system updates will be managed by Verizon for Verizon models, and Google for unlocked...
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Google came out with guns blazing yesterday with the unveil of its latest take on the flagship Android smartphone. Google retired its Nexus branding and launched the Pixel and Pixel XL Android Nougat smartphones. Both smartphones come with impressive specifications that are worthy of Android flagship status. The Pixel features a 5-inch 1080p display, while the Pixel XL counters with a 5.5-inch QHD display. The smaller Pixel comes with a 2,770 mAh battery, while the larger Pixel XL crams in a 3,450 mAh battery. All other hardware specs between the two remain the same, which means that you get a Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor (underclocked from 2.4GHz to 2.15GHz), 4GB of RAM, and either 32GB...
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Google just announced its Pixel smartphones, but unfortunately for Google, the beans were already spilled prior to the official debut. As expected, the Pixel and Pixel XL represent Google’s new approach to smartphones with 5- and 5.5-inch displays respectively and attractive aluminum unibody designs. HTC may have built both smartphones, but Google is taking full credit for the design. Google also is pushing HTC branding aside, and instead brands each as a “Phone by Google”. So what about the hardware lurking inside these phones? Let’s get to it, shall we? The Pixel’s 5-inch display has a 1080p resolution, while the larger Pixel XL’s 5.5-inch display gets the full QHD (2560x1440) treatment. Both...
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Google is no stranger to smartphones, given that its Nexus line has been tantalizing Android enthusiasts for half a decade. However, Google for the most part hasn’t taken a hands-on approach to its Nexus line, instead allowing OEM partners to take over the bulk of the heavy lifting (that will change with the unveiling of Pixel and Pixel XL later today). In addition, Nexus devices haven’t exactly been breakout sales successes in the way that we’ve seen with smartphones like Apple’s iPhone and Samsung’s Galaxy family. Google is looking to change its approach to smartphones, and it has tapped a former Amazon exec with an esteemed resume to lead it in the right direction. According to a new report...
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Almost anything you might have wanted to know about the Pixel and Pixel XL has been revealed in an extensive leak by Carphone Warehouse, a popular mobile phone retailer in the U.K. We say "almost anything" because some of the entries on the spec list appear to be generic placeholders, though much of what was leaked aligns with previous rumors. The leak includes a bunch of official looking press renders and product shots. Keeping things simple, the tagline at the top for both the Pixel and Pixel XL reads, "Introducing Pixel. Phone by Google." This is followed by marketing shots and descriptions that are typical of a Google product page—there are various renders and descriptions for the different...
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Exactly one week from today Google will unveil a handful of electronic devices. Among them will be a pair of new flagship smartphones, the Pixel and Pixel XL, otherwise known by their internal codenames Sailfish and Marlin. Rumors have been circulating about both new phones for months, and now we have our first look at what appears to be an official press render of the smaller handset (Pixel). The folks at VentureBeat obtained the photo along with a confirmation that Google will in fact unveil the Pixel and Pixel XL at its hardware event on October 4, though there's no mention of the source of the leak (someone at Google, no doubt). That's not really a surprise, given the amount of information...
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[Image Source: Houang Stephen/flickr]If you were a fan of the ASUS-made Nexus 7 tablet, which was released way back in 2013, then it looks as though Google finally has a worthy successor in the pipeline. According to famed (and usually right on point) gadget leaker Evan Blass, the tablet will arrive later this year. Blass posted the following in a tweet: Google's Huawei-built 7-inch tablet, with 4GB RAM, on track for release before the end of the year.— Evan Blass (@evleaks) September 5, 2016 Huawei is no stranger to Nexus-esque Google hardware, as the company built last year’s Nexus 6P, which was well received by reviewers and the enthusiast community. The only details that Blass was able to...
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Don't get too attached to Google's codenames for its next flagship phones, Marlin and Sailfish. Cool as they are (especially if you're into deep sea fishing), rumor has it Google will market and sell the devices as Pixel and Pixel XL. If true, it means a departure from the familiar Nexus branding that's been in place the past few generations.The folks at Android Authority say they've heard from two independent sources that Pixel will be the name for Google's 5-inch Sailfish device and Pixel XL for its 5.5-inch Marlin handset. One of those sources has apparently been "exceptionally reliable in the past," and given that Google's already established Pixel branding with its Chromebook line, it seems...
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The days when camera phones were novelties that shot blurry, low-res photos seem so far away that it’s ridiculous. Innovation in that space has exploded, and Samsung is pushing the envelope even more with a new advanced pixel technology for CMOS sensors in cameras called ISOCELL. ISOCELL is designed to increase the light sensitivity of the CMOS sensor and result in better color fidelity in low-light situations. More technically, “ISOCELL technology forms a physical barrier between neighboring pixels – isolating the pixel. This isolation enables more photons to be collected from the micro-lens and absorbed into the correct pixel’s photodiode minimizing undesired electrical...
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Earlier this year, Google did something almost ground-breaking when it introduced the Chromebook Pixel. Sure, the Chromebook line as a whole has existed for years, but the entire premise of such a range of notebooks revolved around only a couple of design goals. One of those was accessibility, and almost by default, the other was affordability. The original Chromebooks were priced at $500 or less -- in some cases, far less. The reason seemed obvious: Chrome OS was a great operating system for those who did little more than browse the Web and connect to cloud-based services such as Evernote, but it served less of a purpose in the productivity-minded "real world." The Chromebook Pixel on the other...
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Earlier this year, Google did something almost ground-breaking when it introduced the Chromebook Pixel. Sure, the Chromebook line as a whole has existed for a few years, but the entire premise of such a range of notebooks revolved around only a couple of design goals. One of those was accessibility, and almost by default, the other was affordability. The original Chromebooks were priced at $500 or less -- in some cases, far less. The reason seemed obvious: Chrome OS was a great operating system for those who did little more than browse the Web and connect to cloud-based services such as Evernote, but it served less of a purpose in the productivity-minded "real world." The Chromebook Pixel on...
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Ever heard of an Optical Sensor in Pixel panel? Now you have. Samsung just announced that it began mass production of 40-inch 'Optical Sensor in Pixel' LCD panels, which feature highly advanced optical sensors, in November this year. The Optical Sensor in Pixel LCD panel detects reflected images of an object on the panel using Infrared sensors that are built into the panel. With optical sensor in each pixel of the panel, the new panel can much more accurately assess touch sensitivity compared to existing touch panels. Using next-generation image sensing technology, the Optical Sensor in Pixel panel can detect more than 50 touch points simultaneously and can display images with Full HD resolution...
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