# Google's Pixel smartphones to be announced on Oct 4th



## editor (Sep 20, 2016)

I'm very much looking forward to this. 

"Something new to love on Oct. 4. Get in the know at google.com/tenfour"


----------



## BoxRoom (Sep 20, 2016)

Was just coming here to post about this. Am intrigued!

Edit:
Just seen someone quoting around $650 for the smaller one, will prob be around £650 here then innit. I hope it's not going to be that pricey.


----------



## pesh (Sep 20, 2016)

editor said:


>



i wonder how much that ad cost them.


----------



## editor (Sep 20, 2016)

BoxRoom said:


> Was just coming here to post about this. Am intrigued!
> 
> Edit:
> Just seen someone quoting around $650 for the smaller one, will prob be around £650 here then innit. I hope it's not going to be that pricey.


If it's £650, I'm out. Very out. More out than Orlando Out in a tutu at the Rainbow Gay Parade.


----------



## bi0boy (Sep 20, 2016)

Will it have a 3.5mm headphone jack


----------



## Chz (Sep 21, 2016)

Aye, that price rumour had better be unfounded. Otherwise I think the OnePlus is going to get a much more serious look than it has in the past.


----------



## editor (Sep 21, 2016)

bi0boy said:


> Will it have a 3.5mm headphone jack


It'll have _three_ plus built in pyrotechnics and a hum generator. Take that, Apple and Samsung.


----------



## wtfftw (Sep 21, 2016)

If they hurry up they can swoop in on all the customers who really wanted the exploding samsung.


----------



## editor (Sep 26, 2016)

wtfftw said:


> If they hurry up they can swoop in on all the customers who really wanted the exploding samsung.


They'll become collector's items soon.


----------



## MBV (Oct 1, 2016)

I was hoping for the Nexus tablet replacement to be announced but reading the Verge it doesn't sound like it will be.


----------



## bemused (Oct 2, 2016)

I was tempted by the pixal tablet until I found out it had not expandable storage, I'd like an alternative to the Surface. I'm very tempted by the pixel phones based on the rumours but if it's £650 I may as well wait until the Note 7 dips a bit.


----------



## editor (Oct 3, 2016)

Clumsy Carphone Warehouse leaks all


















Headphone socket! Hurrah!


Carphone Warehouse spills all the Google Pixel beans: Specs and images aplenty


----------



## bemused (Oct 4, 2016)

What's the price?


----------



## The Boy (Oct 4, 2016)

Not exactly a looker, is it?


----------



## Reiabuzz (Oct 4, 2016)

Looks shit. Pretty much had it with android anyway. They need to poach some of apples talent for the OS and Samsung for the form factor.


----------



## beesonthewhatnow (Oct 4, 2016)

The Boy said:


> Not exactly a looker, is it?


It's rather similar to an iPhone, isn't it?


----------



## ska invita (Oct 4, 2016)

editor said:


> If it's £650, I'm out. Very out. More out than Orlando Out in a tutu at the Rainbow Gay Parade.


Not trying to come across sarcy, but do you own more than one phone? Are you actually looking to buy a new phone or are you out in a window shopping way?
How often do you buy a new phone?

I'm just curious, not having a go.


----------



## mwgdrwg (Oct 4, 2016)

Google really pushing their Assistant and Allo it seems.


----------



## BoxRoom (Oct 4, 2016)

mwgdrwg said:


> Google really pushing their Assistant and Allo it seems.



I tried Allo, it wasn't all that.
Am interested in what else might be revealed today though. The phones are a given now, anything else forthcoming?


----------



## The Boy (Oct 4, 2016)

beesonthewhatnow said:


> It's rather similar to an iPhone, isn't it?



Actually thought it looked like the Samsung SII's ugly sister.


----------



## Greebozz (Oct 4, 2016)

Not sure about that dodgy looking fingerprint reader on the back, if that's what it is.  That idea hasn't set the world alight in the past.  It's basically in a position where your fingertip never is when you hold the phone.  In my opinion the Sonyz5 fingerprint reader because it's easy to unlock in your hand  and also when on a table.

More importantly, where is modular phone we have been promised.  Any phone with a sealed in battery will more than likely end up in landfill three or four years.  The wastefulness is absolutely obscene but the craziness goes on.  You can bet all the eco-types will be buying things like this on the iPhone to post their save the planet messages.


----------



## kabbes (Oct 4, 2016)

Is this an announcement that there is going to be an announcement?

Welcome to the modern world.


----------



## editor (Oct 4, 2016)

beesonthewhatnow said:


> It's rather similar to an iPhone, isn't it?


The Apple Reality Distortion Field strikes again! It looks just as much like HTCs designs, which seemed to _inspire_ Apple so much a while back. Or maybe it just looks like a modern smartphone where all manufacturers borrow ideas from each other and advances in technology are reflected in the design.

Oh but wait. Apple think they invented curved corners and flat screens.


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Oct 4, 2016)

editor said:


> Oh but wait. Apple think they invented curved corners and flat screens.


----------



## beesonthewhatnow (Oct 4, 2016)

editor said:


> The Apple Reality Distortion Field strikes again! It looks just as much like HTCs designs, which seemed to _inspire_ Apple so much a while back. Or maybe it just looks like a modern smartphone where all manufacturers borrow ideas from each other and advances in technology are reflected in the design.
> 
> Oh but wait. Apple think they invented curved corners and flat screens.


----------



## editor (Oct 4, 2016)

beesonthewhatnow said:


>


Thing is, you actually believe half of the daft pro-Apple.anti everything else stuff you write. You've joined the Apple Borg. You are one of Them.

Repeat after me: Apple are the best. They invented everything. All other machines are inferior. All other computers crash all the time. Apple know best and if you are not one of us, then you are inferior. You must be Apple-assimilated.


----------



## beesonthewhatnow (Oct 4, 2016)

editor said:


> Thing is, you actually believe half of the daft pro-Apple.anti everything else stuff you write.


Whereas you are a beacon of impartiality and balance when it comes to them, yeah?


----------



## editor (Oct 4, 2016)

beesonthewhatnow said:


> Whereas you are a beacon of impartiality and balance when it comes to them, yeah?


I praise them when their stuff is good, but you won't hear me uncritically going on and on about one single brand at the expense of all others.


----------



## dervish (Oct 4, 2016)

The pixel looks pretty good, gonna be pricey though. 

They have missed a trick by not having it ready to buy on the play store as they announce though. 

I really like look of the daydream view. A comfortable vr headset would be nice.


----------



## bemused (Oct 4, 2016)

It looks a bit expensive, also I have the sinking feeling it doesn't have expandable storage - I point blank refuse to buy devices I can't expand the storage.


----------



## dervish (Oct 4, 2016)

$79 for the headset? 

Going to have to have a play with one first. I also want to know if my G5 is going to be compatible.


----------



## Reiabuzz (Oct 4, 2016)

editor said:


> Clumsy Carphone Warehouse leaks all
> 
> 
> 
> ...



This 'leak' made the splash pages of the guardian and the NYT. And god knows how many others. Methinks it wasn't an accident.


----------



## bemused (Oct 4, 2016)

I love that they record the google home demo rather than do it live.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Oct 4, 2016)

I must say I'm feeling less and less inspired to get a top end phone when there are many decent mid range alternatives. The wow factor has gone.


----------



## editor (Oct 4, 2016)

Specs:



> Google Assistant
> The camera, which it claims is the best ever. As you might expect from Google, its camera incorporates a lot more computational photography than most, such as a burst-shooting best-shot chooser (Smart Burst); HDR+ which works in any light and uses multiple short exposures for better exposures and has "zero" shutter lag and fast processing; and better-than-average digital stabilization. (We have a lot more details about the Pixel camera.)
> Unlimited Google Photos storage.
> Google Duo, the company's video calling app announced at Google I/O.
> ...


----------



## editor (Oct 4, 2016)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> I must say I'm feeling less and less inspired to get a top end phone when there are many decent mid range alternatives. The wow factor has gone.


The performance differences are so marginal these days, that unless you really need a particular good camera or some other aspect, a £200 phone does just about everything. I'd say the S7 Edge still has the wow factor, but that's about it.


----------



## Mr Smin (Oct 4, 2016)

I would really like to get one but my 3 year old nexus 5 is still going strong. Also, the nexus 5 was about £330 when it came out. This is looking like it will be nearly double that, which puts me off even though I could find the cash.


----------



## editor (Oct 4, 2016)

Mr Smin said:


> I would really like to get one but my 3 year old nexus 5 is still going strong. Also, the nexus 5 was about £330 when it came out. This is looking like it will be nearly double that, which puts me off even though I could find the cash.


Yeah  - the camera looks ace but it seems well bloody pricey.


----------



## Mr Smin (Oct 4, 2016)

editor said:


> Yeah  - the camera looks ace but it seems well bloody pricey.


I've put a lot of time and money into SLR shooting this year and I rarely shoot anything on my phone.
Navigation matters to me so I was interested in the OnePlus Three which looks like it works off GPS, GLONASS and the Chinese (?) navigation satellites all at once. I notice their ad is top result when I search for 'pixel phone'


----------



## editor (Oct 4, 2016)

Here's the promo guff:


----------



## editor (Oct 4, 2016)

The camera does look amazing 






Pixel smartphone camera review: At the top | DxOMark


----------



## Bahnhof Strasse (Oct 4, 2016)

Pixel phone £700. Won't bother cancelling my 7+ order


----------



## tangerinedream (Oct 4, 2016)

I'm still gutted they shelved aria. Don't wholly see the purpose of this phone to be honest. The whole appeal of android is to smugly chuckle at people on stupid contracts paying a daft amount for a phone which does the same as mine more or less.


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Oct 4, 2016)

ooof - how much!?!?


----------



## bemused (Oct 4, 2016)

No SD card slot, that's a deal breaker for me.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Oct 4, 2016)

It would have been better if they focused on making decent mid priced phones that got all the updates rather then trying to compete head on with Samsung.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Oct 4, 2016)

bemused said:


> No SD card slot, that's a deal breaker for me.



I guess I could live without it, providing they don't totally take the piss for the 128gb model like Apple do.

I don't really change my SD card. I just massively resent paying more for the extra memory then the equivalent memory card.


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Oct 4, 2016)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> I don't really change my SD card. I just massively resent paying more the extra memory then the equivalent memory card.



aye ^^^this^^^ - takes the piss innit


----------



## twentythreedom (Oct 5, 2016)

Just ordered a 128GB 5"


----------



## editor (Oct 5, 2016)

twentythreedom said:


> Just ordered a 128GB 5"


Blimey. Lucky you! How much is that going to set you back?


----------



## BoxRoom (Oct 5, 2016)

twentythreedom said:


> Just ordered a 128GB 5"


Jealous!


----------



## twentythreedom (Oct 5, 2016)

editor said:


> Blimey. Lucky you! How much is that going to set you back?


£700ish  It better be fucking good!


----------



## souljacker (Oct 5, 2016)

My upgrade date is 25th October which is coincedentally the day they ship. I don't think I can really afford it though. Might go for the 6P instead.


----------



## BoxRoom (Oct 5, 2016)

souljacker said:


> My upgrade date is 25th October which is coincedentally the day they ship. I don't think I can really afford it though. Might go for the 6P instead.


6P's arent on the Google Store anymore. Might still be available through your mobile provider mind.


----------



## kabbes (Oct 5, 2016)

Today's Guardian cryptic -- 2 down.

"Climbing record broken by English team" -- small picture feature (5)

Seems apposite.  Maybe change "small picture feature" to something like "now mobile".


----------



## editor (Oct 11, 2016)

Hell's bells the camera looks bloody amazing
















Does the Google Pixel really have the best smartphone camera? Judge for yourself



More photos here https://photos.google.com/share/AF1...?key=SW1QRHhINTlZQ1F1MVFCY3BHM0E0MTZaZzhPbzFB


----------



## twentythreedom (Oct 21, 2016)

My Pixel has arrived


----------



## twentythreedom (Oct 21, 2016)

Bloody hell this phone is lovely! So slick, and the latest Android is fantastic


----------



## twentythreedom (Oct 21, 2016)

This phone is just so nice to use, am extremely impressed! Only just scratched the surface so far (not literally, I'm pleased to say).

Not going to put it into full service until I get a case for it though.

Absolutely lovely piece of kit


----------



## MBV (Oct 21, 2016)

Which did you get? Regular or XL?


----------



## twentythreedom (Oct 21, 2016)

dfm said:


> Which did you get? Regular or XL?


Regular - the XL is just a bit too big for my tastes.


----------



## twentythreedom (Oct 24, 2016)

The latest version of Android is brilliant, just really smooth and fast, looks better too. Love it!

Google Assistant is scarily effective and efficient


----------



## ruffneck23 (Oct 24, 2016)

is this the nougat ( SP?? ) version of Android  ?

I drunkely bought a nexus 9 off ebay the other evening ( but got a good deal all being said ) and am hoping it will get the update..

eta i think its only marshmallow at the sec but cant seem to d/load it on my nexus 7


----------



## Ponyutd (Oct 24, 2016)

Nothing but rave reviews as far as I can see. The Google assistant sounds bang on the money, just watched a video. For that sort of money it's entitled to be. All you need now is an app to stop you dropping the effing things.
I may get to work on that app as it goes. Call it something like "be more careful you clumsy dimwit"


----------



## editor (Oct 25, 2016)

Looks like it's OK with a bit of water. Or a lot of water. Google Pixel submerged under water for one hour, watch full video - Android Community


----------



## TheHoodedClaw (Oct 27, 2016)

I was in Carphone Warehouse earlier - to hand in my beloved LG G3 for manufacturer repair, poor thing died 8 weeks short of end of contract - and somehow, _somehow _I left the shop with a Pixel. I went for the smaller one, even though it's a step down in screen size from the G3. The XL just seemed a bit too big to be comfortable in the hand.

First impressions:

- it's a wee smasher so it is
- I'll miss double-tap to awake for a while I think, it's muscle memory by now
- the notification LED is disabled by default, which seems an odd choice tbh
- it charges very, very quickly using the supplied wart


----------



## TheHoodedClaw (Oct 28, 2016)

TheHoodedClaw said:


> First impressions:
> 
> - it's a wee smasher so it is
> - I'll miss double-tap to awake for a while I think, it's muscle memory by now
> ...



- it's stutter free. A twitter feed with autoplay enabled (and with everyone posting their favourite vines #RIPVine) is seamless even when scrolling fast
- the camera is superfast to come on and focus
- I still miss double-tap. All phones should have this
- Eh, my ham fisted attempt to cut down my SIM to nano size did not go well. I hardly use voice calls anyway, so I can wait a few days for a nano SIM to arrive.
- the screen doesn't have the *wow* factor that my G3 did (honestly LG hit that out of the park) but it is still great. I don't miss the extra screen estate, even when using the kindle app
- I'm not keen on Google Keyboard - I've been using Swiftkey for years, so changed the default to it. I'm probably missing some functions, but Swiftkey really knows me by now, and seems more forgiving of my thick-thumbed mistypes
- the supplied cables are good - USB type C to type C, a type A to type C, and there's type A to C converter in the box too. This thing charges fast.
- stay tuned for more banal "Claw gets a new phone" updates, featuring call quality early next week, hopefully!


----------



## twentythreedom (Oct 28, 2016)

Ponyutd said:


> Nothing but rave reviews as far as I can see. The Google assistant sounds bang on the money, just watched a video. For that sort of money it's entitled to be. All you need now is an app to stop you dropping the effing things.
> I may get to work on that app as it goes. Call it something like "be more careful you clumsy dimwit"


Assistant is brilliant 

Ask it all kinds of random shit


----------



## TheHoodedClaw (Oct 28, 2016)

twentythreedom said:


> Assistant is brilliant
> 
> Ask it all kinds of random shit



I haven't set it up yet. I'm assuming it's just the next iteration of Google Now?


----------



## twentythreedom (Oct 28, 2016)

TheHoodedClaw said:


> I haven't set it up yet. I'm assuming it's just the next iteration of Google Now?


Miles better, very impressed so far


----------



## TheHoodedClaw (Oct 28, 2016)

twentythreedom said:


> Miles better, very impressed so far



It's my project for tomorrow to play about with it, I think. I admit to feeling awkward talking to a device though.


----------



## twentythreedom (Oct 28, 2016)

TheHoodedClaw said:


> It's my project for tomorrow to play about with it, I think. I admit to feeling awkward talking to a device though.


She is very polite and helpful


----------



## TheHoodedClaw (Oct 29, 2016)

twentythreedom said:


> She is very polite and helpful



I really should get over my minor phobia. I think it's partly because I can get a wee bit self-conscious about my very strong accent.


----------



## twentythreedom (Oct 29, 2016)

TheHoodedClaw said:


> I really should get over my minor phobia. I think it's partly because I can get a wee bit self-conscious about my very strong accent.


She won't judge you


----------



## TheHoodedClaw (Oct 29, 2016)

twentythreedom said:


> She won't judge you



She won my heart when I asked her to play Stereolab, and French Disko started playing


----------



## twentythreedom (Oct 29, 2016)

TheHoodedClaw said:


> She won my heart when I asked her to play Stereolab, and French Disko started playing


She's great


----------



## TheHoodedClaw (Oct 29, 2016)

Well, the new nano sim came this afternoon, so well done Talktalk for that - much quicker than the advertised 3-5 working days.

- nano sims, fucking hell they are tiny. I struggled to read the number on the thing - glasses on, glasses off, pressed up against eyeball, but got there eventually
- call quality is really good, _much_ better than my last couple of phones
- Google assistant seems cool. I never really used Google Now on my G3, so I'm new to this sort of thing, but I dictated my appointments for next week to her and they are all present and correct in the calendar app, with the descriptions and times exactly as dictated. My slightly pissed, strong Scots accent troubled her not. I'll see what the notifications are like. Really quite impressed.
- battery life seems very solid. I took it off charge 7 hours ago, putting the new sim in etc. So with that antenna active now, a few calls, some video, some music, a fair bit of wifi browsing in the pub and it's still at 73%, with an estimated 20 hours left. That'll do handsomely for my typical use case. 
- when connecting to the pub wifi, I got a popup about WiFi Assistant. This is intriguing. It will automatically connect you to any public wifi that Google knows about and has verified as secure (how is this done?), connecting you via a Google-managed VPN. Hmmmm, this is potentially handy, but living in the sticks I'm not sure how often I'll encounter such a network, but hey why not.


----------



## twentythreedom (Nov 9, 2016)

Absolutely loving this phone


----------



## TheHoodedClaw (Nov 12, 2016)

It's been a couple of weeks now, so some further impressions:
- battery life is consistently very good
- the back of the thing, both the metal and glass parts, gets very grubby
- Over the years on my regular commute I've become very aware of where there are gaps in data coverage eg round this corner it dips to 3G, Edge or below until we go up the next hill sort of thing. Now, unless the local network was upgraded just as I got a new phone, the coverage is miles better. The antennae/radio software on this just seems better than I've had before. Voice call quality too.
- I'm not so keen on the notifications - I'd like them to be a bit more insistent. They only briefly appear, and the LED only flashes very occasionally. I can't find a setting to change this, which is a bit annoying. Ideally, for certain email and messaging notifications, I'd like the screen to stay on. There's maybe a third party option for this.


----------



## TheHoodedClaw (Dec 6, 2016)

TheHoodedClaw said:


> - I still miss double-tap. All phones should have this



With the 7.1.1 update which i got today, double tap to wake is now back in my life.


----------



## teuchter (Jan 9, 2017)

Is the regular size version of this actually ok to use comfortably one-handed?


----------



## TheHoodedClaw (Jan 9, 2017)

teuchter said:


> Is the regular size version of this actually ok to use comfortably one-handed?



I've found it to be, but I've got fairly big hands.


----------



## editor (Jan 20, 2017)

I just got a really, really cracking deal on a shop display 5" Pixel which should be arriving on Tuesday. I got it through Amazon but it seems remarkably cheapo for a phone that is supposed to be unused so I'll believe it when I see it!


----------



## editor (Jan 20, 2017)

See this thread: Kestronics Ltd - order cancelling, apology-lacking wankers


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Jan 20, 2017)

If it's to good to be true etc...


----------



## editor (Jan 20, 2017)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> If it's to good to be true etc...


Well, it was Amazon and an established trader....


----------



## chilango (Jan 18, 2018)

Just got myself one of these.

Happy.

As an "object" it's not quite up there with an iPhone. The feel and look of it fall just short. But only just. If I hadn't had both phones side by side I doubt I'd notice.

The size is just right. Finger print sensor well-positioned and works every time.

The screen is great. Better imo than the iPhone6s.

Ditto the camera. Not used in anger yet, but playing around, the results are good.

Battery life is better thus far. Easily making it thru the day.

Everything works fast. The Assistant is actually useful, unlike Siri.


----------



## TheHoodedClaw (Sep 4, 2019)

Surprised to see my OG Pixel is offering an update to Android 10 - Google only guaranteed two major versions, so I thought 9 would be that last. I'm going in blind...


----------



## TheHoodedClaw (Sep 5, 2019)

Well that went smoothly. The only problem is that it borked my alarm app Timely. Can you guess how I found that out? Timely is owned by bloody Google too


----------



## cybershot (Sep 14, 2019)

Google Pixel 4 XL revealed in full in three new hands-on video leaks | TechRadar


----------

