Pixel 2 Stuff

[Anubis]

looks fine to me

 

[Commodus]

Could this be?

https://www.gizmochina.com/2017/07/23/qualcomm-snapdragon-836-debut-pixel-2/

Looks way too dodgy to me. I'd rather trust the Android Police render.

 

[Zaap]

That's actually the Essential phone from Andy Rubin. I wouldn't mind a design like that for the Pixel 2, as long as the top "bezel" is symmetrical with the bottom one.

Opps, I assumed that was the P2. Agree 100% about the symmetry.

As for Note 8 with stereo speakers: I sure hope not. A better/louder speaker, sure- but listening to audio of any quality on phone-size speakers is a joke to begin with, no need to make the joke a larger part of the phone. To me, it's akin (on a much smaller scale) to wishing for stupid speakers built into a flat screen TV, when even at their best they will sound like crap compared to a proper audio system, and just make the TV look like junk.

 

[BW86]

 

[Yakk]

Oooooh hope they do keep the headphone jack. Also the only use I have for the speaker(s) on a phone is for speakerphone use, they can put as many of them as they want long as it's clear and LOUD.

 

[Zaap]

Oooooh hope they do keep the headphone jack.

Oh man! Is Google going to jump on that bandwagon, I wonder?

I just can't wait for the day when reaching for a pair of headphones means "wait, do I need my lightning headphones or my USB-XYZ flavor of the moment pair...? or do I need a this to that, that to this dongle...? or wait... I have my BT headphones but oops forgot to charge them... So now I have my headphones for my stereo and everythibg else, and then my headphones for each type of smartphone, Apple/Android...that is until they decide to change the connector type again! And of course my ever growing dongle collection!"

Something that was bone simple and universal for the last, what, 35 years or so, made complicated and stupid because... reasons.

 

[you2]

They claim it is a major design issue to stick in that jack. No clue if the claim is just marketing bullshit.

 

[Anubis]

marketing BS

 

[skriefal]

They claim it is a major design issue to stick in that jack. No clue if the claim is just marketing bullshit.

Of course it's marketing BS. The only "major issue" that might be present is a major beancounter issue. And if they claim that the phone is too thin for a headphone jack, well... stop it! That's a sign that the phone is too d**n thin.

 

[sweenish]

While the Pixel 2 will still be my device of choice, I will be quite disappointed if the jack disappears. I'll get by with a dongle, I guess. Wireless headphones have never been on my radar.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Excited for the Pixel 2 XL. Looks like they've addressed everything that the Pixel XL was missing. I'm a Android stock fan. Will be nice to also have free Google Photo storage for camera pics. 128/256gb will be fine and no need for a SD card since I can upload all of my photos and free up storage which I currently do with my 64gb Nexus 6P.

These cases were found on Amazon - http://bgr.com/2017/07/31/pixel-2-release-date-nears-cases-on-amazon/

Pixel 2

Pixel 2 XL

 

[Red Storm]

Question on the free Google Photo storage for Pixel users: Does it apply only to pictures/videos taken on the Pixel itself, or does it apply to any and all photos and videos tied to that account?

 

[obidamnkenobi]

Question on the free Google Photo storage for Pixel users: Does it apply only to pictures/videos taken on the Pixel itself, or does it apply to any and all photos and videos tied to that account?

Isn't free unlimited photo storage included with every google account (they use it to train their AI after all..)? With compressed upload I didn't think there was a limit? Though I rarely take phone pictures so maybe I haven't noticed it yet.. I set my wife up with google photo backup on her iphone precisely because apple charge for it (and it don't work very well).

So all we have are pixel 2 renders? Surprise; it's a slab with a screen... Most important must be price? If it's $700 like the last one no thanks. I really hope for another <$400 phone like the all the nexus before it! If not there's no upgrade from my N5x, not if I want to stay on Fi.

I also don't understand the Essential phone. Rubin started this company to revolutionize smartphones, by making a smartphone that looks identical to all the others..?

 

[Red Storm]

Isn't free unlimited photo storage included with every google account (they use it to train their AI after all..)? With compressed upload I didn't think there was a limit? Though I rarely take phone pictures so maybe I haven't noticed it yet.. I set my wife up with google photo backup on her iphone precisely because apple charge for it (and it don't work very well).

So all we have are pixel 2 renders? Surprise; it's a slab with a screen... Most important must be price? If it's $700 like the last one no thanks. I really hope for another <$400 phone like the all the nexus before it! If not there's no upgrade from my N5x, not if I want to stay on Fi.

I also don't understand the Essential phone. Rubin started this company to revolutionize smartphones, by making a smartphone that looks identical to all the others..?

Owning a Pixel gets you unlimited original quality storage, which is different from the free for everyone compressed storage. I'm wondering if it only applies to pictures/videos taken by the Pixel itself.

Slab with a screen is a bit generic, there's a world of a difference in appeal and style between say the Pixel and the S8. Reducing those bezels is the biggest step Google could take to make the Pixel look like an actual modern smartphone. And the $400 bargain phones are gone (at least from Google), so don't get your hopes up.

How exactly does the Essential phone look identical to all the others? It's anything but identical. Still waiting to hear of any cool software features though.

 

[obidamnkenobi]

Owning a Pixel gets you unlimited original quality storage, which is different from the free for everyone compressed storage. I'm wondering if it only applies to pictures/videos taken by the Pixel itself.

Slab with a screen is a bit generic, there's a world of a difference in appeal and style between say the Pixel and the S8. Reducing those bezels is the biggest step Google could take to make the Pixel look like an actual modern smartphone. And the $400 bargain phones are gone (at least from Google), so don't get your hopes up.

How exactly does the Essential phone look identical to all the others? It's anything but identical. Still waiting to hear of any cool software features though.

ah ok, wasn't aware of that. Personally I don't care about difference between original and and compressed for phone pictures anyway, but maybe someone do.

I should have said functionally identical I guess. They are all screens on slabs that do smartphone things, made of metal or silly string doesn't really matter when you use it. Does it facebook..? The essential looks like most other smartphones to me, I don't see how it's much different? Website was mainly design masturbation, saying nothing how it would be different to use.
OK here are their claims:
360 camera: wtf? why?
titanium: uhm, not really an issue. Dropped my plastic moto many times and it didn't break. Even the aluminum ones they show just get a scratch, still works
screen: ok it's edge to edge, cool i guess. But others do that, and would be hard to hold?
wireless charging; cool (though didn't Palm have this?)

Revolutionary?

 

[Anubis]

i prefer the more square non curved glass designs over the samsung S8. i actually really don't like the S8. the current design of the pixel is fine just needs less bezels

 

[Red Storm]

I personally don't care either way for the edge curves, but I do like the minimal bezels on the S8. If the Pixel does the same but keeps the flat screen, that would be cool.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Question on the free Google Photo storage for Pixel users: Does it apply only to pictures/videos taken on the Pixel itself, or does it apply to any and all photos and videos tied to that account?

I believe it's only for photos taken by the Pixel itself. I actually had a Pixel XL but returned it. I deal breaker for me was that the camera would default to Auto HDR. I had to change it to HDR+ every time I opened the camera app.

I had been paying $2/month or $20/yr for 100gb of Google storage but just went over that threshold and their next tier is 1tb for $10/month or $100/yr. Would remove photos and stuff to get me under 100gb so I can downgrade my storage plan since any photos/videos from my Pixel 2 XL would be free.

 

[Capt Caveman]

ah ok, wasn't aware of that. Personally I don't care about difference between original and and compressed for phone pictures anyway, but maybe someone do.

I should have said functionally identical I guess. They are all screens on slabs that do smartphone things, made of metal or silly string doesn't really matter when you use it. Does it facebook..? The essential looks like most other smartphones to me, I don't see how it's much different? Website was mainly design masturbation, saying nothing how it would be different to use.
OK here are their claims:
360 camera: wtf? why?
titanium: uhm, not really an issue. Dropped my plastic moto many times and it didn't break. Even the aluminum ones they show just get a scratch, still works
screen: ok it's edge to edge, cool i guess. But others do that, and would be hard to hold?
wireless charging; cool (though didn't Palm have this?)

Revolutionary?

Google says that any photo/video shot under 16 megapixels don't get affected but some folks have done before and after comparisons and some photos get ruined with the downgrading of picture quality even those taken with less than 16 megapixels.

 

[Red Storm]

I believe it's only for photos taken by the Pixel itself. I actually had a Pixel XL but returned it. I deal breaker for me was that the camera would default to Auto HDR. I had to change it to HDR+ every time I opened the camera app.

I had been paying $2/month or $20/yr for 100gb of Google storage but just went over that threshold and their next tier is 1tb for $10/month or $100/yr. Would remove photos and stuff to get me under 100gb so I can downgrade my storage plan since any photos/videos from my Pixel 2 XL would be free.

Yeah I'm currently paying the $10/month for 1TB storage. So far I've used up 300GB, but I am now getting into photography so I expect that number to go way up.

 

[BW86]

What is this garbage

 

[Anubis]

TBH i really don't care about everything people are bitching about on the pixel2 besides the lack or a headphone jack

i could not care less about the bezels

no headphone jack = no purchase

 

[Red Storm]

What is this garbage

LOL. If that's true... way to screw the pooch Google.

If the Pixel 2 turns out looking like that... there are worse things in life than having to settle for a Note 8.

 

[ericlp]

Maybe Google is going to do something EXTRAORDINARY?

Make a phone that works... Make a phone that looks like "Every other phone" out there. They are all looking the same anyway.

A vanilla plain paper phone that will do EVERYTHING great. Because it is made to work with google hardware specifications...

Now....... Here is the kicker. Yes, you can get one for 79 bucks! Grandma and Billy that mows your lawn can even get one. Matter of fact, you may be able to get one for free, if it pans out for google.

That would be radical, wouldn't it? No more phone insurance... no more worrying about someone stealing it (who would steal a cheap phone)? Heck, why even get a screen protector or case for it? We all just get a new phone every 2 years anyway.......... Two years from now any new hardware changes that are radical enough will be implemented into the next design and all for a price of you guessed it... 49.99!

A phone the masses, hardware that is "good enough" and powered by advance google OS that will constantly change to make the phone more advanced over the life of the phone.

I think the days of 600-800 phones are over.

 

[Zaap]

From that link:

VentureBeat can confidently report that, like Apple, HTC, and Lenovo, Google has opted to do away with 3.5-millimeter headphone jacks on its offerings this year.

And I can confidently report you couldn't pay me to use a Pixel. "Smart" phones minus key features for no reason other than trendiness are just big, dumb slabs of semi-uselessness.