Items tagged with pixel
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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Google seems to be interested in everything even tangentially associated with their main business, which is selling web ads to display while they find stuff you're looking for. They've been granted an interesting patent recently, one that shows just how far down the road they think about things: Google Magazine.Consumers may purchase a variety of publications in various forms, e.g., print form (e.g., newspapers, magazines, books, etc.), electronic form (e.g., electronic newspapers, electronic books (”e-Books”), electronic magazines, etc.), etc. The publishers define the content of such publications, and advertisers define which advertisements (ads) may be seen in the publications. Since consumers...
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Kodak is one of those companies that had problems adapting to changing technologies. The death of film cameras- you remember film cameras, don't you? -sorely tested Kodak's reason to exist. Now researchers from Kodak have made a 2 - 4 times improvement in the light sensitivity of the image sensor in any digital camera using what they call "panchromatic" technology. When the shutter opens on a digital camera, an image is projected onto the sensor, which converts light into an electric charge. Most sensors use the Bayer mask: Half of the millions of cells on a checkerboard grid are filtered to collect green light and a quarter each are filtered to let through red and blue light. A computer...
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Inbox awash in unread messages? Find yourself clicking "Save As New" over and over thinking you'll write a more intelligent reply later, but "later" never seems to come? Do you have a Post-It note stuck to your screen to remind you to buy more Post-It notes? Are you the Haley Joel Osment of personal communication, because there are messages so old in your in-box they're from dead people now? If so, perhaps you should try "e-mail bankruptcy." Those declaring bankruptcy are swearing off e-mail entirely or, more commonly, deleting all old messages and starting fresh. E-mail overload gives many workers the sense that their work is never done, said senior analyst David Ferris,...
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The crummy camera in your phone would have been considered a multi-megapixel wonder just a few years ago. But advances in cramming megapixels into cameras have run up against the limits of what's usable. Wired has some suggestions about how to choose a digital camera, now that they're all powerful enough. But piling on pixels can actually hurt the quality of your photos, because manufacturers typically just squeeze more little diodes into the same space on the image sensor. That means the physical size of each pixel shrinks, causing them to pick up more digital artifacts, such as colored flecks. The larger you print the photo, the more...
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With shrinking feature sizes, smaller and smaller form factor devices are coming to market. Imagine this little image processor coupled with bluetooth embedded in such devices as key chains, pens and other small form factor devices. James Bond would have a ball with this type of technology. I wonder what the power requirements will be? The new Micron image sensor (product number MT9M019) captures 30 frames per second (fps) at full 1.3-megapixel resolution (1,280 by 1,024 pixels) or 60 fps at VGA resolution (640 by 480 pixels), allowing for high-quality, seamless video. Additionally, another critical design factor is its small 1/5-inch form factor, allowing it to fit into applications requiring...
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For the average person, the workings of a computer and digital camera can be a bit mystifying and confusing. To combat this problem in the retail market, advertisers have been creating easy ways to judge the power of a product using fairly easy to understand terms like "Megahertz", and "Megapixel". The Megahertz rating system has been phased out for some time now, first starting with AMD and then with Intel following, but the problem with digital cameras remain. Thankfully Dan has some advice to give on shopping for the right camera. "Well, if you're shopping for an ordinary digicam, bear in mind that money spent on higher...
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