# Lounge > Computers, Consoles, and other Electronics >  Android Thread

## 01RedDX

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## Xtrema

Nothing revolutionary is out with nougat. Especially qualcomm has officially ditched the driver development for Nougat for the 80* chipset and left that in the hand of open source community.

The only thing that will be interesting is if Google continuing with Nexus line or really calling it Pixel since the mission of Nexus is no longer needed due to cheap Chinese device makers like OnePlus/ZTE/Xiaomi.

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## spike98

> _Originally posted by Xtrema_ 
> *The only thing that will be interesting is if Google continuing with Nexus line or really calling it Pixel since the mission of Nexus is no longer needed due to cheap Chinese device makers like OnePlus/ZTE/Xiaomi.*



Really this is all but officially announced at this point. Android Police have had some pretty solid inside sources in the past.

It does make me sad however. I have been an avid nexus lover since the G1. I doubt the Pixel lineup is going to have the same spirit.

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## 01RedDX

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## JustinMCS

I have Android N 7.0 on my Nexus 6P and love it. Simple changes but multitasking, quick switching, quick reply, all perfect. The 128gb 6P wasn't cheap, but cheap compared to its Apple counterpart, so I wonder if Pixel phones will be more money?

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## Mitsu3000gt

> _Originally posted by 01RedDX_ 
> *Seems that no new phones will come with 7.0 as the Pixel/PixelXL are expected to ship with 7.1.
> 
> Hoping some current Nexus/Pixel C users will weigh in with their Nougat UX. Apparently the Pixel C is built in-house so an all-google phone can't be far behind.*



The LG V20 comes with Android 7.0.

I have 7.0 on my Nexus 9, I like it. Very fast as always, split screen works really well. Quick app switching is great (you can do 3 things at once in 3 different apps split screen mode), notifications have been further improved, doze is smarter, it supports Vulkan, and they rebuilt the entire section of android to make it invulnerable to anything like stagefight in the future.

Gmail, Messenger, and WhatsApp already had quick reply for ages, so I didn't notice much difference there.

Another cool thing it does is warns you if the caller is suspected spam/telemarketing and allows you to quickly block them.

It also has even more customization, you can pretty well control everything.

OTA's on the 6P's started rolling out too, so a lot more people should have it soon.




> _Originally posted by JustinMCS_ 
> *I have Android N 7.0 on my Nexus 6P and love it. Simple changes but multitasking, quick switching, quick reply, all perfect. The 128gb 6P wasn't cheap, but cheap compared to its Apple counterpart, so I wonder if Pixel phones will be more money?*



Based on the rumored US pricing, they should be about the same as the 6P ($650-750 CAD) Should undercut the competition by several hundred (hopefully). If the rumored specs are true they could easily get iPhone prices though, so I really hope they don't go down that pricing path with Pixel.

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## Mitsu3000gt

oops quoted myself haha

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## 01RedDX

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## Mitsu3000gt

> _Originally posted by 01RedDX_ 
> * 
> 
> Oh man this thing is sweet.  
> 
> Have you had the built-in spam call blocker go off yet? Seems like a great feature to have. *



Not yet because I only have 7.0 on my Nexus 9. Should have it on my 6P soon and I'm sure it will get tested then haha.

 

After the call you can easily block them, report it as spam, or mark it as a legitimate caller.

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## schocker

I thought LG is plagued with QC problems though so I would be very hesitant about the V20.
Looking forward to seeing the pixels though as I will be looking for a new phone in the new year. Should be lots of lower priced options, Axon 7, OP3, Pixel 5".

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## Xtrema

> _Originally posted by 01RedDX_ 
> *Have you had the built-in spam call blocker go off yet? Seems like a great feature to have. *



You can have the same thing if you replace your dialer with TruCaller which Cyanogen is now packaged with.




> _Originally posted by schocker_ 
> *I thought LG is plagued with QC problems though so I would be very hesitant about the V20.
> Looking forward to seeing the pixels though as I will be looking for a new phone in the new year. Should be lots of lower priced options, Axon 7, OP3, Pixel 5&quot;.*



Somehow I doubt Pixel is going to be low cost. They can continue with Nexus line if they want to do that.

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## n1zm0

> _Originally posted by Mitsu3000gt_ 
> * After the call you can easily block them, report it as spam, or mark it as a legitimate caller.*



I have just been going into the 'people & options' menu after and blocking the # after a call. 

No update on my 5X yet.

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## Mitsu3000gt

Should be a very boring event unless every rumor has been completely wrong for months on end haha. No surprises anymore these days:

Phones - Pixel 5" & 5.5" versions. Only real differences will be the body, battery, screen, and price. Flagship specs throughout (SD 820/821, 4GB ram, etc.) HTC will make both but you may not see any HTC branding. Should be another pair of great phones with flagship specs and upper-mid range pricing. 

Nexus 7 successor - Huawei made, probably similar specs to the phones.

4K Chromecast

Google Home - additional coverage

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## Mitsu3000gt

> _Originally posted by n1zm0_ 
> * 
> 
> I have just been going into the 'people &amp; options' menu after and blocking the # after a call. 
> 
> No update on my 5X yet.*



The call blocking isn't too groundbreaking, and apps can do it too. I believe what's important is it is baked into android, and it remembers your spam list across devices and after resets.

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## dr_jared88

> _Originally posted by n1zm0_ 
> * No update on my 5X yet.*



You can very easily force this update if you want. I have been running it on my 6P and my wifes 5X as well as my Nexus 9 since the day it was released. I have been very happy with 7.0.

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## Mitsu3000gt

You can side load the update if you want, takes 5 mins tops. Or you can enroll in the android beta program, then leave the program after you get 7.0. OTA's for 5X/6P started rolling out in the last day or two so it shouldn't be too long now regardless.

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## GoChris

Google needs to start making their own SoCs I think. Apple is killing Qualcomm in that department now. Has there even been a date set for the Pixel announcement? I was hoping by the end of the month. My N5 needs upgrading.

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## Mitsu3000gt

> _Originally posted by GoChris_ 
> *Google needs to start making their own SoCs I think. Apple is killing Qualcomm in that department now. Has there even been a date set for the Pixel announcement? I was hoping by the end of the month. My N5 needs upgrading.*



Apple doesn't make their own SoC, Samsung and TSMC make it. It also resulted in them having two different A9's that performed significantly different with regards to battery life. Apple and Qualcomm take different approaches and it's difficult to compare them directly. The hardware and OS' they run on are also very different. The other thing that makes comparisons difficult is vastly different release schedules. Quacomm's flagship cpu generally gets put to work in the Galaxy Sx at the beginning of the year, where Apple's cpu's debut in September, so you're never comparing technology of the same 'vintage' in a world where entire overhauls happen every year. Samsung has some pretty beastly Exynos processors of their own as well. There tends to be a leap frogging effect.

The processing power in phones these days is so far above what the average user requires, that the general responsiveness (virtually instant) has barely changed over the last few years. Where it may start to make more of a difference is with 4K screens and VR.

Oct 4 is most likely the day for the Pixel announcements.

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## GoChris

Apple designs their own chips, I know they don't manufacture them, but they sure design/make them. They aren't just a ~half year ahead, they are much further ahead.

And yes, we can compare them by running the same benchmarks and tests against them, it is done ALL the time.

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## rage2

> _Originally posted by Mitsu3000gt_ 
> *It also resulted in them having two different A9's that performed significantly different with regards to battery life.*



This was completely overblown. Pretty much only happens in 1 specific benchmark test that's not representative of real world.

http://arstechnica.com/apple/2015/10...two-apple-a9s/

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## sl888

I cracked the screen on my Note 3. Been looking for a new phone since all repair shops wants $300 for a screen replacement.  :Shock:  I'd be all over a Oneplus if it had expandable storage. 
Came across this new phone. https://www.zteusa.com/axon7/ Pre-order is up on Newegg Canada for $520. Very tempted.

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## jwslam

> _Originally posted by sl888_ 
> *I cracked the screen on my Note 3. Been looking for a new phone since all repair shops wants $300 for a screen replacement.  I'd be all over a Oneplus if it had expandable storage. 
> Came across this new phone. https://www.zteusa.com/axon7/ Pre-order is up on Newegg Canada for $520. Very tempted.*



Did you think adding pressure sensitive digitizers would make a screen cheaper to replace?

Been considering one of those BLU phones on Amazon for my parents. Reviews seem good other than zero support from manufacturer on software updates?

Also, my Nexus 6 is still on Marshmallow  :Cry:   :Cry:

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## Xtrema

> _Originally posted by GoChris_ 
> *Google needs to start making their own SoCs I think. Apple is killing Qualcomm in that department now. Has there even been a date set for the Pixel announcement? I was hoping by the end of the month. My N5 needs upgrading.*



Android is a swiss army knife.

iOS is just a knife, a really good knife.

iOS is tailor made to limited set of hardware. Android is made for all combinations out there.

This is why Android can innovate faster than iOS but when iOS execute something, it tends to have better experiences than everyone else.



> _Originally posted by sl888_ 
> *I cracked the screen on my Note 3. Been looking for a new phone since all repair shops wants $300 for a screen replacement.  I'd be all over a Oneplus if it had expandable storage. 
> Came across this new phone. https://www.zteusa.com/axon7/ Pre-order is up on Newegg Canada for $520. Very tempted.*



Axon 7 irl seems to be slower than Oneplus 3. But it could be the 2K screen. I 'm also wary of these Chinese phone makers, especially from 3rd party re sellers, which had been caught with spyware. 

But at this point, unless the manufacturer promises monthly or quarterly updates, I won't bother. So far I think only Cyanogen and Nexus/Pixel follows that.

Unless Pixel shines, I may be going back to iPhone.  :crazy nut:

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## GoChris

That Axon 7 looks like a nice phone. Updates are key though.

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## killramos

Any S7 Note users, don't worry. You can use your devices "safely" again.

You just only get access to 60% of battery capacity  :ROFL!:  




> Samsung plans to issue a software update for its recalled Galaxy Note 7 smartphones that will prevent them from overheating by limiting battery recharges to 60 per cent.



http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/sa...arge-1.3759648

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## kenny

> _Originally posted by killramos_ 
> *Any S7 Note users, don't worry. You can use your devices &quot;safely&quot; again.
> 
> You just only get access to 60% of battery capacity  
> *



Those with carrier locked phones will get the safety update via their respective carriers sometime around summer 2017.  :thumbs up:

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## bjstare

> _Originally posted by jwslam_ 
> * 
> snip
> 
> Reviews seem good other than zero support from manufacturer on software updates?
> 
> *



This is arguably one of the most important aspects of a given phone though. My oneplus gets updated quite infrequently, and that's a major driver for me to go back to Nexus (or, well, Google I guess, since they're dropping Nexus branding).

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## schocker

I had been looking at the axon, but the zte overlay and removed features would make me get the OP3 over it. Still hoping the pixel will be more reasonable priced as I am interested in the smaller one.

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## Mitsu3000gt

> _Originally posted by killramos_ 
> *Any S7 Note users, don't worry. You can use your devices &quot;safely&quot; again.
> 
> You just only get access to 60% of battery capacity  
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/sa...arge-1.3759648*



You know that's just temporary, right? So people can use their phones until a new one arrives. Seems like a very reasonable solution for the time being.

Why not post in the dedicated Note 7 recall thread?

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## killramos

Coming from the guy who litters the apple thread(s) with Android phone recommendations  :ROFL!:

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## Mitsu3000gt

> _Originally posted by killramos_ 
> *Coming from the guy who litters the apple thread(s) with Android phone recommendations *



Huh? I responded to a specific question in that thread, since the person was considering a GS7 and asked for people who have switched back and forth between apple and android in the past to chime in. My recommendation was not even to switch, but to try out both and see what he prefers. I honestly couldn't possibly care less what phones/devices people use, and I am about a 50/50 split myself.

I just think it's funny because if someone were to post about every reported Apple issue in the Apple thread, especially if there was already a dedicated thread for said issue, people would be losing their minds  :crazy nut:

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## sl888

> _Originally posted by jwslam_ 
> * 
> Did you think adding pressure sensitive digitizers would make a screen cheaper to replace?
> *



No but only my glass is cracked, the LCD and digitizer is fine. No repair shop will replace just the glass. They all want to do a whole front replacement.




> _Originally posted by schocker_ 
> *I had been looking at the axon, but the zte overlay and removed features would make me get the OP3 over it. Still hoping the pixel will be more reasonable priced as I am interested in the smaller one.*



Which features?

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## schocker

> _Originally posted by sl888_ 
> * 
> No but only my glass is cracked, the LCD and digitizer is fine. No repair shop will replace just the glass. They all want to do a whole front replacement.
> 
> 
> Which features?*



One of the big ones is that you can't view lock screen notifications without interacting with the lock screen and then if you are doing that, why not just unlock the phone.

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## spike98

> _Originally posted by sl888_ 
> * 
> No but only my glass is cracked, the LCD and digitizer is fine. No repair shop will replace just the glass. They all want to do a whole front replacement.*



Because they can't. They are laminated together as one assembly due to the race to be the thinnest. 

Mobile phones have literally been like this since 2012 or so. As the tech shrinks in thickness while the desire for increased resolution, the price is going to grow.

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## 01RedDX

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## Xtrema

> _Originally posted by 01RedDX_ 
> *A really good knife that gets dull really fast and costs as much as 2-3 similar Android knives.*



Again that's why I'm not trusting all these Chinese Android phone makers. I have always been on Nexus devices and only tried OnePlus because of Cyanogen.

So many reports international version of these ROMs are littered with backdoors and spyware.

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## sl888

> _Originally posted by spike98_ 
> * 
> 
> Because they can't. They are laminated together as one assembly due to the race to be the thinnest. 
> 
> Mobile phones have literally been like this since 2012 or so. As the tech shrinks in thickness while the desire for increased resolution, the price is going to grow.*



It is possible to separate the glass from the rest. Probably not recommended but it can be done.

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## Mitsu3000gt

Here are the Google Pixel Phones according to leaks from Bell and Carphone Warehouse:

5" 1920 X 1080 (Pixel) or 5.5" (Pixel XL) 1440 X 2560 
Identical other than a larger battery on the XL (3,550 mAh vs 2,770 mAh)
Snapdragon 821
4GB RAM
32 or 128GB
12MP camera with OIS / 8MP selfie camera
SD card slot (questionable - probably a mistake by the carrier)
USB - C / fast charging (obviously)
Headphone Jack
Made by HTC (hopefully with HTC's audio goodies, both speaker and headphone)
Free unlimited full-resolution photo/video cloud storage with Google Photos
Google Allo (smart messaging app) & Duo (video calling like Hangouts) debut
Android 7.1 with new Pixel launcher
Expect price to go up  :Cry:  

So basically no surprises whatsoever  :ROFL!:  

Nice to see the flush camera though - that's rare these days.

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## BigDL

> _Originally posted by sl888_ 
> * 
> It is possible to separate the glass from the rest. Probably not recommended but it can be done.*



A little late to the party but http://www.hightain.com/ will fix just the glass, I like the one above Sun BBQ. They fixed mine and it was pretty good work until i dropped it face down on a gravel alley a few months later  :Frown:

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## rage2

> _Originally posted by Mitsu3000gt_ 
> *Free unlimited full-resolution photo/video cloud storage with Google Photos*



That's huge, and kudos to Google for giving this one away. One thing I don't like about iOS is while their iCloud Photos works really well and gives me access to all my photos anywhere with data/wifi, Apple's Cloud storage plan gets pretty expensive.

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## Mitsu3000gt

> _Originally posted by rage2_ 
> * 
> That's huge, and kudos to Google for giving this one away. One thing I don't like about iOS is while their iCloud Photos works really well and gives me access to all my photos anywhere with data/wifi, Apple's Cloud storage plan gets pretty expensive.*



Yeah they do it currently, but they cap it at 16MP and it's "High Quality" rather than original. The move to full/original quality is certainly welcome. If you choose "Original" quality right now it just goes against your google data quota, whatever that may be.

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## kenny

Back of the phone looks so weird. I wonder why only the top part is shiny...selfie mirror?  :ROFL!:

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## BigDL

> _Originally posted by kenny_ 
> *Back of the phone looks so weird. I wonder why only the top part is shiny...selfie mirror? *



That part is glass, it is for a better signal. I read that in an article somewhere. I wonder if they only did that part to save costs.

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## GoChris

I'm hoping Super AMOLED means no pentile pixel layout. If so then I might consider it for an upgrade from my N5. However if it doesn't have any water proofing (unlikely), the Axon 7 seems like a better deal.

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## 01RedDX

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## Mitsu3000gt

> _Originally posted by 01RedDX_ 
> *Specs are on par I guess. If they got the 5&quot; down to $450 I would not hesitate, otherwise I'm not in dire need. Having a 4K out would be nice tho.
> 
> Just got my first cardboard, anyone know how to get the magnet to work on the LG G3? Wish I still had my N5 around.*



I'm going to bet it is more like $699/$799 (XL) CAD, possibly even more. Maybe $599 for the smaller one. There is no way it's going to be $450. Specs are directly in line with, if not above, pretty well every other flagship. The Nexus 5X which was well below the 6P spec was $499 at launch.

Last time around we did not get a break on the exchange rate, so I would expect a hefty price tag around 25-30% higher than US pricing which is unfortunate.

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## Xtrema

> _Originally posted by GoChris_ 
> *I'm hoping Super AMOLED means no pentile pixel layout. If so then I might consider it for an upgrade from my N5. However if it doesn't have any water proofing (unlikely), the Axon 7 seems like a better deal.*



They are not going for the value route. Pixel will mean guaranteed monthly patches and new OS for at least 3 years. 

Now the question is if the Camera has any trick up it's sleeves. I really don't care about the rest if camera sucks.

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## Swank

Anyone else get an OS update offered on the weekend? I'm on Rogers with my Sony Z5, and I updated my device, but I'm not clear on what the update was. I'm still on 6.0.1, and now I have a couple icons with a new look (calendar, mail), main screen can now rotate, and messaging has different colors  :dunno:

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## kenny

It was probably the "monthly" security patches. I put it in quotes since Rogers holds them back and you probably only see it a few times a year.

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## Mitsu3000gt

> _Originally posted by Xtrema_ 
> * 
> 
> They are not going for the value route. Pixel will mean guaranteed monthly patches and new OS for at least 3 years. 
> 
> Now the question is if the Camera has any trick up it's sleeves. I really don't care about the rest if camera sucks.*



Probably the same or similar to the GS7 camera which is the best available at the moment. I doubt it has any tricks other than OIS, probably just a really solid camera.

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## Swank

> _Originally posted by kenny_ 
> *It was probably the &quot;monthly&quot; security patches. I put it in quotes since Rogers holds them back and you probably only see it a few times a year.*



My previous Sony got 1 update in 2 years, Rogers does the bare minimum at best for releasing updates for sure  :thumbsdown:

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## schocker

Come on less than 600 dollarsssss  :ROFL!:  
Since it is supposed to be flagship quality and specs, I am a little worried, but hopefully it is not $649 USD as expected as I would like to upgrade from my GS6, preferably to the 128gb.

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## Mitsu3000gt

> _Originally posted by schocker_ 
> *Come on less than 600 dollarsssss  
> Since it is supposed to be flagship quality and specs, I am a little worried, but hopefully it is not $649 USD as expected as I would like to upgrade from my GS6, preferably to the 128gb.*



Yeah I think it will be more like 6P pricing, which was flagship quality & specs for $699.

Who knows, maybe they will cut us a break on the exchange rate. $649 USD = roughly $849 CAD  :Cry:  They would still be undercutting the iPhone 7 Plus by $200 at that price which is unfortunately probably good enough justification for them haha.

5" one might be $599 or $699...probably $699 and then it stays $200 under the iPhone 7 as well.

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## JustinMCS

> _Originally posted by kenny_ 
> *It was probably the &quot;monthly&quot; security patches. I put it in quotes since Rogers holds them back and you probably only see it a few times a year.*



I get the monthly security patches on my Nexus 6P on Rogers

Do the heavily skinned Android phones (HTC, LG, Samsung, Sony etc) have monthly security patches? I know that was a big think for Android when the 6P came out.

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## flipstah

I thought this was a fake render of the iPhone 7 that was so outdated.  :ROFL!:

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## Xtrema

> _Originally posted by JustinMCS_ 
> * 
> 
> I get the monthly security patches on my Nexus 6P on Rogers
> 
> Do the heavily skinned Android phones (HTC, LG, Samsung, Sony etc) have monthly security patches? I know that was a big think for Android when the 6P came out.*



Nexus get monthly patches regardless of carrier.

Everything else requires carrier approval so between the lack of releases from manufacturer and lack of QA from carrier, is why you get only 2 updates a year on other Android phone if you are lucky.

Even Cyanogen only release a stable one every quarter or so, unless you load the nightlies yourself.

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## kenny

> _Originally posted by JustinMCS_ 
> * 
> 
> I get the monthly security patches on my Nexus 6P on Rogers
> 
> Do the heavily skinned Android phones (HTC, LG, Samsung, Sony etc) have monthly security patches? I know that was a big think for Android when the 6P came out.*



I have the Sept 2016 security patches on my S6, but can't speak to the other mfgs. Prior to that I think I was on the July 2016 patches. Nexus devices are always up to date with no delays.

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## 01RedDX

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## schocker

I am getting pretty excited still, will likely be buying a chromecast 4k and google home regardless. As long as we get the home in canada......  :Smilie:  
Would be so crazy if they would do something from left field and announce android pay for Canada.

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## JustinMCS

They did say end of year for Canada! Would be cool.

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## schocker

^^^Yeah, hopefully they meet that. Had been waiting forever also for samsung pay which has been 'coming soon' all year.

Link to the livestream:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4y0...ature=youtu.be

woof, pixel starts at $649 USD so hopefully not $899 when it goes up for preorder.

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## Xaroxantu Zero

» Click image for larger version

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## Mitsu3000gt

Looks pretty good. They claim the best camera on any smartphone (according to DXO as well) and the shortest capture time of any smartphone camera. Zero lag HDR as well. Not going to be cheap though  :Cry:  My prediction of $849 CAD is probably at least what they will cost based on US pricing.

$79 USD for the VR headset including remote.

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## rage2

All depends on the exchange rate that google uses. Does google usually a decent exchange and not ripoff exchange like Apple at 1.4?

Google Wifi is nice. $300 for 3 APs. Can't tell if it's wireless only or wireless+wired mesh.

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## Mitsu3000gt

They used 40% for the 6P ($499 USD and $699 CAD), so I don't think they are any better with the exchange rate.

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## schocker

> _Originally posted by rage2_ 
> *All depends on the exchange rate that google uses. Does google usually a decent exchange and not ripoff exchange like Apple at 1.4?
> 
> Google Wifi is nice. $300 for 3 APs. Can't tell if it's wireless only or wireless+wired mesh.*



They have been using the apple style exchange since the Nexus 6 iirc. Risky move pricing at the same price as the iphone without including the extra features such as knowing it is built well and water proofing.

The wifi looks cool if it includes mesh. Probably worth the extra money though to get the Amplifi based on the fact that they never unlocked any further features of the onhub.

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## rage2

> _Originally posted by schocker_ 
> *They have been using the apple style exchange since the Nexus 6 iirc. Risky move pricing at the same price as the iphone without including the extra features such as knowing it is built well and water proofing.*



I dunno, from the presentation, it's basically a 1:1 of the iPhone 7 on it's core features. Samsung has already shown that Android users are as willing as Apple users to shell out big bucks, so I don't think it's that risky going straight for the iPhone 7.




> _Originally posted by schocker_ 
> *The wifi looks cool if it includes mesh. Probably worth the extra money though to get the Amplifi based on the fact that they never unlocked any further features of the onhub.*



It's 100% mesh. Makes zero sense if it's not. Only question is if it can handled wired backend on the mesh.

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## Xaroxantu Zero

Pixel phones Canadian pricing:

*Google Pixel:*
32GB: $899 (CAD)
128GB: $1,029 (CAD)

*Google Pixel XL:*
32GB: $1,049 (CAD)
128GB: $1,179 (CAD)

http://mobilesyrup.com/2016/10/04/go...n-availability

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## schocker

That pricing is insane. I can't see this selling well much like the 6, 6P and 5X before price cuts.

Ordering is up now:
https://store.google.com/config/pixel_phone

VR headset is $99
CC Ultra $90
No google home or google wifi listings. Maybe US only for now.

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## rage2

No dual camera on the XL at the same price as 7S? Bold.

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## Mitsu3000gt

Pricing isn't too much of a surprise. Appears to be as high end of a phone as anything else, and (apparently) the best camera. These aren't Nexus phones anymore. Camera has both laser AF and PDAF.

They are including a USB adapter (C to A) and a USB OTG cable as well.

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## Mitsu3000gt

> _Originally posted by rage2_ 
> *No dual camera on the XL at the same price as 7S? Bold.*



It looks like they dropped the ball a bit on the camera this time around:

https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/ima...34560965857144

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## rvd

At those prices CDN sales will be terrible.


Google Pixel:
32GB: $899 (CAD)
128GB: $1,029 (CAD)

Google Pixel XL:
32GB: $1,049 (CAD)
128GB: $1,179 (CAD)

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## 01RedDX

.

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## Mitsu3000gt

> _Originally posted by 01RedDX_ 
> * 
> 
> My $1 Cardboard from China is blowing my mind already. Can't wait for all the new VR stuff to pour out after this. Hope they part out the motion remote! haha
> 
> 
> » Click image for larger version
> 
> Sweet, your personal little mesh cloud.  So I guess the OnHub is dead now?*



Haha yeah definitely not at cheap as cardboard. Look like it will be $99 in Canada.

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## D'z Nutz

> _Originally posted by Xaroxantu Zero_ 
> *http://mobilesyrup.com/2016/10/04/go...n-availability*






> Google has officially dismantled its Nexus smartphone lineup to make way for a new era that involves pixels.



Has Google officially announced this or was this a conclusion the author is selling as fact?

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## rage2

> _Originally posted by D'z Nutz_ 
> *Has Google officially announced this or was this a conclusion the author is selling as fact?*



This was speculation as far back as July. With no Nexus announcement at this event it's pretty clear Pixel is the replacement.

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## Mitsu3000gt

The only possible Nexus I think is going to be the rumored Nexus 7 replacement made by Huawei. Even that one might be a Pixel though, if the rumors are even true.

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## rage2

Pretty decent presentation by Google. Clearly they're going directly after Apple, and focusing on usability over just pouring over specs and features. More of a Nougat presentation than just on the Pixel. Well, except the headphone jack.  :ROFL!: 

Basically on par with context aware Siri (and even better than Siri because of Google's strength in search backend), Homekit/Echo, AppleTV Siri. It just works!

----------


## rage2

Some details on Google Wifi:

http://www.theverge.com/2016/10/4/13...hotos-hands-on




> The key, for Google, is that its using machine learning in the cloud to optimize the mesh network. Most devices arent very good about switching from one access point to a better, closer one on the same network. (iPhones, by the way, are better than most at this, Google tells me). So Google Wifi points keep an eye on whats connected to them and then force the handoff themselves. Google says its targeting transitions that take less than 150 milliseconds, which should be virtually invisible to the user.



So basically the exact same as the Unifi setup. Disconnects users on an AP to forcibly connect to a stronger AP, and no 802.11r support (hence 150ms handoff time).

----------


## rage2

And finally, an answer.




> _Originally posted by D'z Nutz_ 
> *Has Google officially announced this or was this a conclusion the author is selling as fact?*



http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articl...droid-partners




> Bloomberg: Are you killing the Nexus program?
> 
> Lockheimer: One of our most popular Nexus devices was the Nexus 5 from two, three years ago now. The reason it was so successful was because we were able to provide a phone with LG that hit the sweet spot in terms of price and performance. Fast forward to 2016, there are many manufacturers out there who are doing that. Now, if Google were to have an opinion about phones what would we do? Its the deep integration of Google technologies. Thats where Pixel will be different. Android manufacturers have their own ideas about what they want their phones to be about and we respect that. *I dont want to close a door completely, but there is no plan right now to do more Nexus devices.*

----------


## schocker

Looks like the Pixel has only 2 years of OS updates and 3 years of security updates which is a lot less than say an equivalently priced iphone.

To summarize:
Good
Google assistant
Cheap VR capable
Good materials/looks/sleek
Unlimited full res video/photo storage through google
Great specs
Decent battery
Great Camera
No camera bump

Bad
Not waterproof
Unproven build quality
Google designed but why that chin so big
Single speaker
No OIS
No dual camera on 5.5"
2 years of OS updates only
1080p on 5" compared to other android flagships at 1440p
Price
Also it doesn't come with any headphones at all  :ROFL!: 


How is carplay looking vs android auto these days  :ROFL!:

----------


## GoChris

Looks like an Axon 7 for me based on the Pixel pricing.

----------


## Xtrema

Pixel phone. Nothing really stands out. No dual camera, camera is as good as S7 as they claimed which basically par. Assistant is just Siri/OK Google rehash. And I'm sure all Android will get access to these updates eventually.

The only bright spot is unlimited raw storage of video and picture. Which I assume will only be available to Pixel devices. 

VR headset is cool. I have to see one in person to see if $99 cool. Seems to be a better system than Gear VR.

----------


## schocker

> _Originally posted by GoChris_ 
> *Looks like an Axon 7 for me based on the Pixel pricing.*



For some reason I was thinking the axon was a 5", but at 5.5" it is pretty close to the XL in specs and features while being half of the price at $520 for 64gb vs the Xl 32gb at $1050  :Shock:

----------


## JRSC00LUDE

I won't spend 1000 bucks on a phone.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

The Chinese brand phones are pretty awesome these days, no doubt. Makes it harder to see the value proposition in the Apple, Samsung, and now Google phones.

The Axon 7 is a phenomenal phone for the money, and you get 2 years warranty.

----------


## GoChris

> _Originally posted by Mitsu3000gt_ 
> *The Chinese brand phones are pretty awesome these days, no doubt. Makes it harder to see the value proposition in the Apple, Samsung, and now Google phones.
> 
> The Axon 7 is a phenomenal phone for the money, and you get 2 years warranty.*



And ZTE is working with CyanogenMod to provide them with what they need to make roms for it. So basically it will get Nougat.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

Has anyone been able to order/preorder one of these? The order button is greyed out on Google Play but there is nothing suggesting I shouldn't be able to order.

Also I noticed pretty much every carrier is getting these, even (gasp!) Fido. Only downside is you don't get the amazing Google warranty for free like you do when you buy from Google.

----------


## Escape

> _Originally posted by Mitsu3000gt_ 
> *Has anyone been able to order/preorder one of these? The order button is greyed out on Google Play but there is nothing suggesting I shouldn't be able to order.
> 
> Also I noticed pretty much every carrier is getting these, even (gasp!) Fido. Only downside is you don't get the amazing Google warranty for free like you do when you buy from Google.*



I am able to order it from Google

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> _Originally posted by Escape_ 
> * 
> 
> I am able to order it from Google*



Hmm, weird. I don't know what's going on then.

What's the expected delivery date?

Edit: Works now, weird. Says they dispatch by Oct 20.

----------


## Xtrema

> _Originally posted by GoChris_ 
> * 
> 
> And ZTE is working with CyanogenMod to provide them with what they need to make roms for it. So basically it will get Nougat.*



That's good news.

----------


## kaput

.

----------


## firebane

No its not a virus just a shitty website.

----------


## KrisYYC

Any Samsung Galaxy Note 7 owners on here?

Looks like Samsung halted production of the Note 7 in light of several cases of the so-called "safe" Note 7's catching fire. These are models that replaced the recalled ones. 

Most US carriers have pulled the Note 7 completely and are offering returns/exchanges. 

This will probably be the end of the Note 7. No way carriers will sell it again after a second major recall. 

As per usual nothing from Canadian carriers as they're probably clueless as to what's going on. 

I considered getting a Note 7 when it came out but the price turned me off and I went with an LG G5 instead for half what the Note 7 cost. Dodged a bullet there.

----------


## rage2

Samsung has been brutal with this recall. They haven't really stated what was wrong but independent tests have pinpointed the problem. Apply enough pressure to the phone, battery gets compromised, and bam.

http://bgr.com/2016/10/07/note-7-rep...photos-recall/

I'm guessing the more you sit on the phone in your pocket, the greater chance it has of compromising the battery.

----------


## firebane

The problem was actually addressed. The problem was a flaw in the battery manufacturing where traces were either touching or could be compromised.

----------


## schocker

> _Originally posted by firebane_ 
> *The problem was actually addressed. The problem was a flaw in the battery manufacturing where traces were either touching or could be compromised.*



But now the replacement is starting on fire and being recalled and there has been a stop work order on the 7, while many US carriers are dropping it now completely.

----------


## rage2

Once a replacement Note 7 burst into flames on a plane, it was game over for the Note 7. Honestly, even if it's completely fixed technically, it'll be tough to recover from such a PR disaster.

My gf's been flying a lot the last 2 weeks, and every flight she's on they're banning either all Samsung phones (WestJet) or banning Note 7's (AC). What a nightmare for Samsung.

----------


## schocker

Yup looks like the note will have to die. Wonder what the actual issue is because the bad batteries sure seemed like it. Maybe both model of batteries were bad. Banning all Samsungs on wj seems dumb though like a rule made by a mom. I learned that I can trade in my S6 to the Apple Store so I might do that  :ROFL!:

----------


## rage2

The argument for banning all Samsung phones (at least with US airlines) is that flight attendants had problems identifying Note 7 properly.

----------


## ZenOps

The main problem in my opinion is the Lithium polymer specialized shape (rectangular) batteries.

The chances of a tried and true cylindrical Lithium ion battery having problems is very low, so trustworthy - that I tend to look for it in netbook purchases. A lot of them are now in a long bar, that's the one you want - not the ones that look like the battery is a thin rectangle of some sort.

Nothing goes wrong with an 18650.

Sure they tend to be slightly thicker - but not having to worry about the house burning down trumps it for me.

----------


## bjstare

So. I have a OPO, and really wasn't overly impressed with the phone (coming from a Nexus 5, and previously Galaxy Nexus). 

I was set on replacing it with the next gen Google phone, but after finding out the outrageous price, I've decided that won't be happening.

Anyone want to give me a compelling argument for (or against) any of these phones?

OP3
Axon 7
Nexus 6P (assuming I can still get one from google)

TIA!

----------


## Xtrema

> _Originally posted by cjblair_ 
> *So. I have a OPO, and really wasn't overly impressed with the phone (coming from a Nexus 5, and previously Galaxy Nexus). 
> 
> I was set on replacing it with the next gen Google phone, but after finding out the outrageous price, I've decided that won't be happening.
> 
> Anyone want to give me a compelling argument for (or against) any of these phones?
> 
> OP3
> Axon 7
> ...



Pro:

OP3 - Price
Axon 7 - price
Nexus 6P - frequent updates

Con:

OP3 - 1080p weak OLED screen in sunlight.
Axon7 - Slower benchmark given the spec (probably the 1440p display), ZTE products are still banned by US government. So make sure you don't ever work for any government agencies with it.
Nexus 6p - huge. That 0.2" does add a lot of bulk.

Out of the 3, I will go OP3. But if Axon 7 gets Cyanogen, I will go that route instead.

That said, as I said earlier, I'm beginning to be wary of Roms from Chinese manufacturers. So having Cyanogen or official Google behind the rom/os put my mind at ease a bit.

http://www.phonearena.com/news/Huawe...-China_id35269




> _Originally posted by rage2_ 
> *The argument for banning all Samsung phones (at least with US airlines) is that flight attendants had problems identifying Note 7 properly.*



I doubt flight attendants will take the time to figure out if you have Note 7, S7, or S7 edge. So a blanket ban on Samsung brand is probably the easy way out.

The fun part is that now airlines has brought in BYOD in flight entertainment systems, I wonder what kind shit show they are going to get when they have to tell someone with Samsung to power off their device for a 4+hr flight.

----------


## CompletelyNumb

That Axon phone would be great with Cyanogen on it. I currently have a Nexus 6, was thinking of upgrading this year. 6P is pretty cheap to get now with the pixel release, but it doesn't seem like a huge upgrade from the 6. Never been a fan of Samsung's software so I doubt I would do the S7.

Maybe struggle through life with a 2 year old phone until the spring when more are announced.

----------


## KrisYYC

Looks like the end of the Note 7... http://www.androidcentral.com/samsun...185.1472152867

Samsung themselves telling owners to stop using their device and power it down. 

I wonder if this will be the end of the Note line in general? I hope not. 

Such a shame. The Note 7 is such a beautiful phone.

----------


## Xtrema

Now the question is, will low end Chinese phones start picking these defunct batteries up for cheap and put it in their phones.

Or use them in other applications (battery banks?) where a more rigid casing is the norm?

----------


## Sugarphreak

...

----------


## OTown

Just bought myself a OP3. Seems to be the best value for great features. 

Upgrading from a nexus 5. I love the N5 but this battery barely gets 9 hours of very light use, even after a battery change.

----------


## holden

> _Originally posted by Xtrema_ 
> *Now the question is, will low end Chinese phones start picking these defunct batteries up for cheap and put it in their phones.
> 
> Or use them in other applications (battery banks?) where a more rigid casing is the norm?*



But is it really the battery as Samsung believes, or a design flaw in the phone? The fact that it happened with a battery that was believed to be good doesn't look good for Samsung's engineering department.

----------


## eblend

In japan right now with a note 3....been using it super heavily on data for online radio... While navigating all over Kyushu and Mie Prefecture (woot Suzuka F1) with Google maps. And every evening using phone as hotspot for 3 tablets... Been rock solid.. Never had issues with it... Used it on my cheap ass air Canada rouge flight to Japan... 11 hours with no built in entertainment system.... Wtf.. Didn't know they still had this shit... Anyways.. Used my phone for whole flight to watch stuff over their WiFi entertainment system... If I can't do this on the way back because of a blanket ban... On my old school phone... Going to be mad haha.

----------


## bjstare

The 6P seems to have disappeared from the play store. 

Anyone know if it will be available directly from Google, alongside the Pixel (they've done this in the past, not sure why they wouldn't now).

----------


## jwslam

> _Originally posted by CompletelyNumb_ 
> *That Axon phone would be great with Cyanogen on it. I currently have a Nexus 6, was thinking of upgrading this year. 6P is pretty cheap to get now with the pixel release, but it doesn't seem like a huge upgrade from the 6. Never been a fan of Samsung's software so I doubt I would do the S7.
> 
> Maybe struggle through life with a 2 year old phone until the spring when more are announced.*



My N6 is still on Marshmallow  :Whipped:  

I'm also thinking to go N6P but I'm so invested into micro-usb chargers I'd like to ride it out for a while. Plus my work phone is also micro-usb.

The struggle is real.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> _Originally posted by cjblair_ 
> *The 6P seems to have disappeared from the play store. 
> 
> Anyone know if it will be available directly from Google, alongside the Pixel (they've done this in the past, not sure why they wouldn't now).*



From what I have read they are completely gone from the Play Store to make way for the Pixel.

My 6P will be for sale soon, few months old, as-new condition.






> _Originally posted by jwslam_ 
> * 
> My N6 is still on Marshmallow  
> 
> I'm also thinking to go N6P but I'm so invested into micro-usb chargers I'd like to ride it out for a while. Plus my work phone is also micro-usb.
> 
> The struggle is real.*



You can buy a multi-pack of USB C/A adapters or USB C to Male Data cables for for like $20, it's a total non issue even if you have to replace every cable. You can keep the charge blocks. Also every new phone will be USB-C, so it makes little difference if you switch now or later.

----------


## schocker

Yeah, it was weird to remove the 5X and 6P as soon as the pixel was announced. I have been checking out the iphone but I think I will just wait for the first sale/price drop on the pixel as I don't really like ios based on use of my ipad.

----------


## jwslam

> _Originally posted by Mitsu3000gt_ 
> * You can buy a multi-pack of USB C/A adapters or USB C to Male Data cables for for like $20, it's a total non issue even if you have to replace every cable. You can keep the charge blocks. Also every new phone will be USB-C, so it makes little difference if you switch now or later.*



You don't understand. I literally have 40 cords. At the price they are now that's a lot tougher to swallow than the ~$1.50/cable I've paid for these.

Plus there's the whole wrong resistor issue and the odd cables that are USB-C double ended.

----------


## Xtrema

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product...-078-_-Product

It's too late now but Huawei Honor 8 was on sale yesterday for $460 with a $150 JBL BT headset and clear case thrown in.

This is the original dual camera phone with bokeh effects before Apple and really sharp pictures. Downside is no 4K video and no OIS and MIUI is shit. It's on par or faster than OP3 but less battery life by about 10%.

It's a good compromise at 5.2", ppi is great.

The other downside is Kirin proc instead of Snapdragon, custom rom development is lacking.




> _Originally posted by schocker_ 
> *Yeah, it was weird to remove the 5X and 6P as soon as the pixel was announced. I have been checking out the iphone but I think I will just wait for the first sale/price drop on the pixel as I don't really like ios based on use of my ipad.*



Pixel is a mission change. You don't want people to have cheaper options when you go premium. Android already has 80% of market, the reason for Nexus to be around is no more.




> _Originally posted by jwslam_ 
> * 
> You don't understand. I literally have 40 cords. At the price they are now that's a lot tougher to swallow than the ~$1.50/cable I've paid for these.
> 
> Plus there's the whole wrong resistor issue and the odd cables that are USB-C double ended.*



I literally said the same 8 years ago on mini and micro switch. It is what it is. Just more cables for my cable graveyard drawer.

----------


## kenny

> _Originally posted by firebane_ 
> *The problem was actually addressed. The problem was a flaw in the battery manufacturing where traces were either touching or could be compromised.*



That was one, the other problem that I've seen mentioned is that the battery is slightly thicker than the Note 7 case was designed for. 

Looks like the Note 7 production has been shut down permanently now. Maybe Samsung will go back and release the properly fixed version as the Note 6 that they skipped  :ROFL!:  

I think this is probably the death of the Note branding. Consumers have short term memory but this will be tough to recover from.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> _Originally posted by jwslam_ 
> * 
> You don't understand. I literally have 40 cords. At the price they are now that's a lot tougher to swallow than the ~$1.50/cable I've paid for these.
> 
> Plus there's the whole wrong resistor issue and the odd cables that are USB-C double ended.*



40 cords! Haha. I guess that is more of an issue.

What did you do with the change from Mini to Micro?

If the worst thing you have to do is keep a different cord with you though, I wouldn't let that hold me back from getting a phone I wanted.

----------


## bjstare

> _Originally posted by jwslam_ 
> * 
> You don't understand. I literally have 40 cords. At the price they are now that's a lot tougher to swallow than the ~$1.50/cable I've paid for these.
> 
> Plus there's the whole wrong resistor issue and the odd cables that are USB-C double ended.*



Just curious. How many of those 40 cords do you actually use/need? For mine, I have a couple in different spots in the house, 1 in the car, 1 in the office, 1 in my carry-on. I guess a couple more if you have a couple cars, but how many more can you possibly use? haha

----------


## jwslam

> _Originally posted by cjblair_ 
> * Just curious. How many of those 40 cords do you actually use/need? For mine, I have a couple in different spots in the house, 1 in the car, 1 in the office, 1 in my carry-on. I guess a couple more if you have a couple cars, but how many more can you possibly use? haha*



Consistently carry 2 around, sometimes 3 - Phone, Work Phone, Tablet
Plus there's all the other random things in the house that charge by Micro USB as well: battery bank, wireless mice (yes I have multiple), bluetooth headset, noise cancelling headphones... And then there's ones that are permanently affixed like Chromecast, Android TV, etc.

So where are the cords? 
-Work office
-Home office
-Bedroom
-Living room
-Kitchen
-Car x 2
-Office work bag
-Field work bag

So yes. A load of cords because I have a bad tendency to forget to bring them (hence why they stay in bags) / lose them / misplace them / lend them out and not get them back.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

So if you already carry around so many cords, sounds like you would just need like 3 new cords if you got a USB-C phone, no? All your other devices can continue using their existing cords and you obviously have no problem having a ton of them haha.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

Google is showing my delivery window between October 21 - 24.

In the USA they get a free VR headset coupon with the pre-order of a Pixel XL - us Canadians just get the 40% exchange rate  :Cry:

----------


## schocker

> _Originally posted by Mitsu3000gt_ 
> *Google is showing my delivery window between October 21 - 24.
> 
> In the USA they get a free VR headset coupon with the pre-order of a Pixel XL - us Canadians just get the 40% exchange rate *



Oh it is both pixels in the US that get a free day-dream. If we had that here, I probably would have ordered one. Now I wait for a promo like that here or like $100 off because warranty + 128gb is like $1200  :Shock:

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> _Originally posted by schocker_ 
> * 
> Oh it is both pixels in the US that get a free day-dream. If we had that here, I probably would have ordered one. Now I wait for a promo like that here or like $100 off because warranty + 128gb is like $1200 *



Yeah if you go all out with max storage and warranty the prices are nuts now on anything from the major brands (they are high regardless). At least they are offering the best specs at the moment, but I could have done without the 10% extra exchange rate gouge. Hopefully they don't drop the price too soon, that would suck for anyone who got one early, and kill their pre-orders for next year.

I don't even fill a 32GB phone, so I went with 32GB XL in Black. It's the same screen as the Note 7/Galaxy S7 apparently, which is awesome.

I don't buy the drops & spills warranty because Google's basic 1 year warranty is already so good, but if I somehow destroy the phone I will be quite upset  :ROFL!:  I've turned down enough warranties over the years that if I have to buy something twice, I won't be happy about it but I'll still be ahead haha.

----------


## schocker

I checked the N6 and it looks like it came out in Nov 15 and had it's first discount in Feb 16. Based on how this sells, I am hoping for that again. I am thinking I need the warranty because I am seemingly hard on phones.

----------


## Xtrema

> _Originally posted by schocker_ 
> *I checked the N6 and it looks like it came out in Nov 15 and had it's first discount in Feb 16. Based on how this sells, I am hoping for that again. I am thinking I need the warranty because I am seemingly hard on phones.*



N6P is $50 off right now at Newegg.ca

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

XDA posted a good article on the sensor the Google Pixels use:

http://www.xda-developers.com/sony-i...-its-features/

----------


## schocker

> _Originally posted by Xtrema_ 
> *N6P is $50 off right now at Newegg.ca*



If they are discontinued, you would think it would be even cheaper. Way too big for me though, I want around 5" now based on seeing these giants.

----------


## KrisYYC

Michael Fisher did a quick comparison of some mid-range ($400 USD) Android phones some of you may be considering:

----------


## schocker

^^^Forget about the moto. Terrible update support/security patches and the phone is like an extra $80 here over the USD price.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

Pixel breakdown image...interesting the battery looks like it's in it's own case, surprisingly robust - could just be the diagram though:

» Click image for larger version

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

I got my Pixel XL today, if anyone has any questions you think I can help with let me know.

----------


## Strider

> _Originally posted by Mitsu3000gt_ 
> *I got my Pixel XL today, if anyone has any questions you think I can help with let me know.*



Assuming you sell your 6P for $450, do you feel like it's worth the $600 upgrade?  :Shock:

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> _Originally posted by Strider_ 
> * 
> 
> Assuming you sell your 6P for $450, do you feel like it's worth the $600 upgrade? *



For me, yes - I've never had trouble justifying annual phone upgrades, even with outright purchases. It's less than $2/day (until next year's release) to have the latest tech in my single most used and relied upon possession on a daily basis. It's a no-brainer for me personally, but I can certainly understand how some people wouldn't feel the same way. The 6P is still an awesome phone, definitely the best Nexus device Google has produced.

----------


## Kg810

> _Originally posted by Mitsu3000gt_ 
> *I got my Pixel XL today, if anyone has any questions you think I can help with let me know.*



Where did you purchase yours from?

I pre-ordered through Rogers and there has been no updates on the order  :Frown: .

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> _Originally posted by Kg810_ 
> * 
> 
> Where did you purchase yours from?
> 
> I pre-ordered through Rogers and there has been no updates on the order .*



Direct from Google and I paid $17 for overnight shipping. They shipped it a day early (yesterday at 6pm I got the notification) and it arrived first thing this morning. I'm going on vacation soon and just wanted to make sure I had it before then.

----------


## Xtrema

> _Originally posted by Mitsu3000gt_ 
> * 
> 
> Direct from Google and I paid $17 for overnight shipping. They shipped it a day early (yesterday at 6pm I got the notification) and it arrived first thing this morning. I'm going on vacation soon and just wanted to make sure I had it before then.*



Love to hear your take on the "best cell phone ever".

----------


## Strider

> _Originally posted by Mitsu3000gt_ 
> * For me, yes - I've never had trouble justifying annual phone upgrades, even with outright purchases.*



Me neither, when it was $200-$300 incremental to upgrade... but there's a line where the new phone doesn't perform any better or do any more to justify the cost. We see this all the time with iPhones.

Curious about which "latest tech" aspects of the Pixel XL make it worth it, to see if I can justify making the leap myself.
Assistant is now on Nougat phones
Better camera?
Faster processor? I don't think I've ever had my 6P bog down or been left wanting more.
Daydream?

----------


## BigDL

I think the only thing that I find lacking on my 6P is expandable storage, I only have the 32 gb model  :Frown:  Wish I forked out more for a larger one, but I got it through rogers.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> _Originally posted by Strider_ 
> * 
> 
> Me neither, when it was $200-$300 incremental to upgrade... but there's a line where the new phone doesn't perform any better or do any more to justify the cost. We see this all the time with iPhones.
> 
> Curious about which &quot;latest tech&quot; aspects of the Pixel XL make it worth it, to see if I can justify making the leap myself.
> Assistant is now on Nougat phones
> Better camera?
> Faster processor? I don't think I've ever had my 6P bog down or been left wanting more.
> Daydream?*



Yeah I can't argue with that. For a couple generations now, phones have basically been lightning fast for all but the most demanding tasks. The performance is better than the 6P, but the 6P absolutely flies as well, so how much you will notice it will depend on your usage. The SD 821 also uses 50% of the power compared to the SD810, so I'm expecting even better battery life. That said, my 6P regularly lasted me 60 some odd hours between charges which is already excellent.

The camera is noticeably better - it is truly outstanding. I don't think you can look at one specific feature and try and justify $300, but as a collection of some smaller things I think the difference is there, give or take. Every high end phone is hugely overpriced these days, so it's hard to look at them as getting any sort of value haha. Video stabilization is dramatically improved, the image quality is better, and every aspect of the camera app is zero-lag, even when shooting rapid fire HDR. It's probably my favorite upgrade at the moment.

Free unlimited full resolution photo and video storage (including 4K) is worth $10/mo or so compared to other manufacturers. 

Most obvious things coming from the 6P is it's actually significantly smaller, more so than online photos seem to show. It's surprisingly light as well, but extremely solid feeling - hard to describe but pretty much ideal IMO. Hardware appears top notch, good tolerances, feel, etc. HTC has always made some of the highest quality phones.

Screen is good as it gets, it is a 5.5" version of the Note 7 screen from what I read (and they probably have plenty of spares now haha). The white point is a little cooler than the 6P, but it's not nearly as over-saturated as some other phones. You can turn on sRGB mode as well which according to reviews makes it the most accurate display tested. The screen seems incredibly resistant to fingerprints and oil, I have been using it all morning and it's been pressed up against my face once, there is literally nothing on the screen that I can see even under bright light.

Yes there is a notification light, it's on the left hand corner of the ear speaker and it defaults OFF in the settings, so you need to turn it on.

Everything is instant from a performance/touch perspective, no surprises there. Fingerprint reader is instant, it feels faster than the 6P in the sense that you can just tap it rather than hold your finger on it for a split second. I love the swipe-down on the fingerprint reader to get the notifications bar, and another swipe down to read them. 

Double tap on the currently running apps button instantly switches to the previous app, which is very handy. You can use it in split-screen mode too to "triple task". Anyone with Android 7.0 or above can do this though.

Can't test speaker volume/quality until I get home. I read it is very good, but I don't expect it to go as loud as the 6P. Call quality is great, though I've never thought any phone was bad in that department.

Google's new wallpapers are a million times better than before, and you can either have live wallpapers, or have them automatically change every day based on a category you choose.

I do wish it had "double tap to wake", especially since that is an HTC thing. That would be cool.

Has not exploded and/or started on fire yet.

----------


## jwslam

So I ended up picking up a PRIV. Forgot how much I miss the keyboard; definitely disabled the BB HUB features and etc.

On an side note if anyone is interested I'll probably be selling this as I can't see it being too useful to me nowadays. Probably looking to get $250ish. The shipping was killer...
https://getsuperbook.com/

Mine is configured as:
Gold
1080p
US Adapter
1 Micro USB OTG, 1 USB-C OTG
Non-Backlit keys
Suberbook Sleeve

----------


## BigDL

> _Originally posted by Mitsu3000gt_ 
> * 
> Double tap on the currently running apps button instantly switches to the previous app, which is very handy. You can use it in split-screen mode too to &quot;triple task&quot;. Anyone with Android 7.0 or above can do this though.
> 
> *



Didn't realize that was a new 7.0 feature, man this is so handy.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> _Originally posted by BigDL_ 
> * 
> 
> Didn't realize that was a new 7.0 feature, man this is so handy.*



Yeah I went from not knowing about it to using it many times a day haha. It's much faster than opening the task manager an selecting the last app. It's especially handy in split screen mode.

----------


## Xtrema

> _Originally posted by Mitsu3000gt_ 
> * Free unlimited full resolution photo and video storage (including 4K) is worth $10/mo or so compared to other manufacturers.*



This to me is the only game changer for Pixel.

As we are within weeks away from SD821 version of OnePlus 3 and LeEco Pro 3 coming out at almost 1/2 the price so Pixel hardware is nothing special.




> _Originally posted by Strider_ 
> * Curious about which &quot;latest tech&quot; aspects of the Pixel XL make it worth it, to see if I can justify making the leap myself.
> Assistant is now on Nougat phones
> Better camera?
> Faster processor? I don't think I've ever had my 6P bog down or been left wanting more.
> Daydream?*



Other than the Pixel Launcher (which you can sideload on other Android phone if you dare) and potential better software/hardware integration of camera and free cloud storage, nothing else really stands out from all the other Android offerings.

Axon 7 is already Daydream ready. New OP3s with SD821 will as well.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> _Originally posted by Xtrema_ 
> *
> 
> This to me is the only game changer for Pixel.
> 
> As we are within weeks away from SD821 version of OnePlus 3 and LeEco Pro 3 coming out at almost 1/2 the price so Pixel hardware is nothing special.
> *



Camera and screen quality I think are still two areas where the cheaper manufacturers aren't competing, but there is no denying there are some awesome values to be had like the Axon 7. The Pixels also use UFS 2.0 storage, I am not sure what these cheaper phones use.

----------


## Xtrema

> _Originally posted by Mitsu3000gt_ 
> * 
> 
> Camera and screen quality I think are still two areas where the cheaper manufacturers aren't competing, but there is no denying there are some awesome values to be had like the Axon 7. The Pixels also use UFS 2.0 storage, I am not sure what these cheaper phones use.*



Yup. One plus 3 uses ufs with similar spec as Galaxy S7.

----------


## Kg810

If anyone knows of someone selling their 128gb XL, send me a PM. I don't really care which color.  :thumbs up:

----------


## Xtrema

> _Originally posted by Xtrema_ 
> * 
> 
> Yup. One plus 3 uses ufs with similar spec as Galaxy S7.*



Androbench on storage start showing up, I hope these number is from a 32GB version because its slower than op3 and galaxy S7.

https://plus.google.com/+ArtemRussak...ts/QkF1nn1fWti

Galaxy is 2x faster in both seq read and write.

----------


## The_Rural_Juror

I am thinking of ordering a LeEco Pro 3 to play with even though I have an S7. Not a ton of reviews out there.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

Looks like the Pixels may be more waterproof than advertised - here it survives 1 hour in water (skip to the end haha it's an hour long):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YojQneS6Yts

The iPhone 7 failed the same test, despite it's waterproof rating.

Just a basic test, submerged in a bowl of water, nothing crazy for either. Didn't see one for the GS7.

----------


## Xtrema

oh mi
https://www.engadget.com/2016/10/25/xiaomi-mi-mix/

91% screen real estate.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

Charged the Pixel last night for the first time after a full charge, experienced just over 3 full days battery life with ~4 hours SoT, mixed usage, lots of group chats, music/podcasts during commute, sports notifications, Snapchats, few phone calls, light lunchtime browsing, etc. Seems as expected so far in that department. Should get a little better yet when the battery has a few more charges through it. 


Pixel XL camera also finally added to DPreview's scene comparison tool:

Link to Comparison

----------


## civic_stylez

Was super excited for some of the big dog Chinese phones to hit the market. Had my heart set on the new Huawei Mate 9 until i saw that they want $1300.00 for it! (pro model). There are so many good phones that offer aggressive specs to compete with these at a fraction of the price. 

http://bgr.com/2016/10/24/huawei-mat...te-9-pro-gtfo/

----------


## Xtrema

> _Originally posted by Mitsu3000gt_ 
> *Charged the Pixel last night for the first time after a full charge, experienced just over 3 full days battery life with ~4 hours SoT, mixed usage, lots of group chats, music/podcasts during commute, sports notifications, Snapchats, few phone calls, light lunchtime browsing, etc. Seems as expected so far in that department. Should get a little better yet when the battery has a few more charges through it. 
> 
> 
> Pixel XL camera also finally added to DPreview's scene comparison tool:
> 
> Link to Comparison*



A soon to be release LG v20 seems to have a better camera. But so far all testers only have pre-prod copies.




> _Originally posted by civic_stylez_ 
> *Was super excited for some of the big dog Chinese phones to hit the market. Had my heart set on the new Huawei Mate 9 until i saw that they want $1300.00 for it! (pro model). There are so many good phones that offer aggressive specs to compete with these at a fraction of the price. 
> 
> http://bgr.com/2016/10/24/huawei-mat...te-9-pro-gtfo/*



Honor 8 is good bang for the bucks at $400US. How the hell can they justify 3x the cost for Mate 9?

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> _Originally posted by Xtrema_ 
> * 
> 
> A soon to be release LG v20 seems to have a better camera. But so far all testers only have pre-prod copies.*



The magic in the Pixel camera is with exactly how the HDR+ mode works (posted detailed info earlier), and also how it deals with noise. Also nothing else seems to come close to it's stabilization (so far). If LG is doing something similar that will be awesome.

----------


## civic_stylez

> _Originally posted by Xtrema_ 
> * 
> 
> A soon to be release LG v20 seems to have a better camera. But so far all testers only have pre-prod copies.
> 
> 
> 
> Honor 8 is good bang for the bucks at $400US. How the hell can they justify 3x the cost for Mate 9?*



Considering they have such a small market share... would you not want to come in at a lower price and try and flood the market a bit before pricing yourself out of the market altogether? Just seems like a poor starting point for a great phone.

----------


## Xtrema

Pixel pulled a JJ Abram?  :ROFL!:  

https://www.engadget.com/2016/10/26/...ve-lens-flare/

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

Update starting to roll out for 7.1 which adds "raise to wake" and "double tap to wake" to quickly check notifications or unlock the phone sitting on a flat surface. Definitely for the Pixel, not sure about other models.

----------


## Strider

> _Originally posted by Mitsu3000gt_ 
> *Update starting to roll out for 7.1 which adds &quot;raise to wake&quot; and &quot;double tap to wake&quot; to quickly check notifications or unlock the phone sitting on a flat surface. Definitely for the Pixel, not sure about other models.*



I think the 6P always had "raise to wake" as Ambient Display?

Double tap to wake is an HTC thing, the Nexus 9 had it, doubt the 5X or 6P will get it.

----------


## Xtrema

OnePlus hand double tap to wake since the One.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> _Originally posted by Xtrema_ 
> *OnePlus hand double tap to wake since the One.*



Lots of devices have had it in the past...my N9 has it too - HTC has used it for a long time.

I'm not saying it's new, just an interesting point that it's being added. They are combining 6P (raise to wake) and HTC (tap to wake) features it seems.

The update also seems to only be rolling out to Canadians it seems at the moment.

----------


## roopi

My Priv has lift to wake and double tap to wake. Go BB!  :ROFL!:

----------


## jwslam

> _Originally posted by roopi_ 
> *My Priv has lift to wake and double tap to wake. Go BB! *



It doesn't double tap to sleep  :Frown:

----------


## jwslam

Has anyone successfully used a Canadian Tire Mastercard on Android Pay? I don't remotely understand.

What I did:
-Add CT MC to Android Pay
-Went to go buy stuff
-Got to self checkout counter
-Looked stupid because Android Pay wanted me to install the CT app
-Paid with another card like a peasant because I was holding up the line

-Go home and install CT app
-CT app makes me add the card again
-The "pay" function in the app is a barcode where the cashier has to call for manager approval?!?!

----------


## sabad66

What did you choose for payment option? My guess is you chose mobile... you should have just chosen MasterCard 

*disclaimer: I don't use android pay but I assume it's similar to Apple Pay which I have successfully used at CT

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

Pixel XL2 leaked a while ago:



- Snapdragon 836
- 4GB RAM
- 128GB Storage
- 5.99" OLED (2:1 aspect) 1440p
- LG made
- Waterproof (even more than the original)
- Squeezable bezel
- Likely dual/stereo speakers
- Probable loss of headphone jack (boo)
- Non-XL version won't have quite as nice of a design and is expected to look more like the current pixel


Cases and screen protectors:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073WGXSH8?tag=b0c55-20
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073CC16M1?tag=b0c55-20
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07458X5HL?tag=b0c55-20
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073WGXSH8?tag=b0c55-20
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07458X5HL?tag=b0c55-20
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073CC16M1?tag=b0c55-20

----------


## jwslam

> What did you choose for payment option? My guess is you chose mobile... you should have just chosen MasterCard 
> 
> *disclaimer: I don't use android pay but I assume it's similar to Apple Pay which I have successfully used at CT



It's not on the store end, it's in the app I'm having issues with.

----------


## Xtrema

> It's not on the store end, it's in the app I'm having issues with.



My experience with PC Mastercard is much nicer adding to Android pay. Takes 2 mins, get a email notification. I have not used my credit card or cash since except for purchases at Superstore (PC Points doesn't work on the virtual MC numbers generated by Android Pay).

----------


## Xtrema

> Pixel XL2 leaked a while ago:



Nice. But it's gonna be expensive.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> Nice. But it's gonna be expensive.



Every good phone is already ridiculously expensive, the exchange rate is devastating. $1000 is basically the entry point these days if you want a flagship phone. $500 or so to upgrade every year though is pretty reasonable considering the smartphone is often people's most used devices.

----------


## firebane

> Has anyone successfully used a Canadian Tire Mastercard on Android Pay? I don't remotely understand.
> 
> What I did:
> -Add CT MC to Android Pay
> -Went to go buy stuff
> -Got to self checkout counter
> -Looked stupid because Android Pay wanted me to install the CT app
> -Paid with another card like a peasant because I was holding up the line
> 
> ...



Android Pay in Canada straight up sucks and is highly dependent on the card company to support it. My Capital One credit card does not work.

----------


## spike98

> Android Pay in Canada straight up sucks and is highly dependent on the card company to support it. My Capital One credit card does not work.



My ATB MC workers perfectly every single time  :dunno:

----------


## schocker

> Android Pay in Canada straight up sucks and is highly dependent on the card company to support it. My Capital One credit card does not work.



Yeah because the separate companies have to support it. Capital One is looking into it currently when I asked. I want them added as the costco card is my primary CC. Amex was added soon after it launched so I currently use a CIBC Visa and my Amex. Only issue is amex as a default card does not allow it to work at most places since no-one takes amex.

----------


## Xtrema

> Yeah because the separate companies have to support it. Capital One is looking into it currently when I asked. I want them added as the costco card is my primary CC. Amex was added soon after it launched so I currently use a CIBC Visa and my Amex. Only issue is amex as a default card does not allow it to work at most places since no-one takes amex.



Also, seems like tap limit is set by vendor? I couldn't tap for a $80 dim sum bill, dude said $50 or under only.

----------


## flipstah

My Android Pay has been working flawlessly. Doesn't accept MBNA yet.

Where the fuck can I buy USB-C that doesn't cost more than a fancy lunch?

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> My Android Pay has been working flawlessly. Doesn't accept MBNA yet.
> 
> Where the fuck can I buy USB-C that doesn't cost more than a fancy lunch?



Amazon or Monoprice  :dunno:  They are dirt cheap, I have several now. Monoprice has some for $0.65 at the moment.

https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=14929

or $1.83 if you need C to C:

https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=15100

----------


## spike98

> Amazon or Monoprice  They are dirt cheap, I have several now. Monoprice has some for $0.65 at the moment.
> 
> https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=14929
> 
> or $1.83 if you need C to C:
> 
> https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=15100



Make sure you check them out before you order them: http://bensonapproved.com/

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

I have these two that I could find easily, they work great:

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B01...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00Y9IXA74/...088100_TE_item

----------


## davidI

Google just dropped the price on the Pixel / Pixel XL.

I want to order a new phone as I'm traveling to Canada in 10 days (phones are crazy expensive in South America).

What would you choose and why?

OnePlus 5 @ $650
Pixel @ $774 (including Daydream VR)
Pixel XL @ $850 (including Daydream VR)

----------


## yellowsnow

you can get a Pixel XL with Koodo for about $600

http://forums.redflagdeals.com/32gb-...rvice-2114188/

----------


## davidI

Thanks but I don't live in Canada anymore so I'm just looking for an unlocked phone I can pick-up without hassle.

Although the Pixel XL camera seems better I think I'm just going to go with the OP5 and save the $200.

----------


## Xtrema

> Google just dropped the price on the Pixel / Pixel XL.
> 
> I want to order a new phone as I'm traveling to Canada in 10 days (phones are crazy expensive in South America).
> 
> What would you choose and why?
> 
> OnePlus 5 @ $650
> Pixel @ $774 (including Daydream VR)
> Pixel XL @ $850 (including Daydream VR)




Totally different classes but could boil down to this:

You want latest specs, OP5.

You want latest patches, Pixel.

Both has 2 years of update left. Pixel will get O (2017) and P (2018) and get patches until 2019. OP5 may get O only given their track record of stop updating after 2 years.

Cameras are on par (after OP5 fixed a lot of crap in their firmware). Screen is 1080p OLED vs 2k LCD.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

^^ Camera on the pixel is still a fair bit better, particularly with how it handles HDRs both in high contrast situations and also for noise reduction. It's done in a fairly unique way, fed through the Hexagon DSP on the SD821. The electronic video stabilization on the Pixel is also amazing, and outperforms the OIS units. You also get free, unlimited full resolution original quality photo and video (including 4K) cloud storage if you buy a Pixel, which is a big deal if you take lots of photo/video.

The Pixel XL would be an easy choice for me from that list. It's already so fast that there would be little to no no real-world difference compared to the OP5 or similar. Everything is pretty well instant as it is (phones these days are so over-spec'd for typical usage). The screen is also much better (on the XL) which is a big deal for me at least, since it's what you look at 100% of the time. Battery life on the XL is insane, the best I have seen in any flagship phone to date. I average 48-60ish hours between charges depending on usage. I have never killed it in a day. The Pixel XL also gives you the option of a decent VR experience if you want to try out the Daydream headset. If you prefer smaller phones though, go with the Pixel.

The OP5 currently has some issues that I would want worked out before going down that road at all.

----------


## spike98

> ^^ Camera on the pixel is still a fair bit better, particularly with how it handles HDRs both in high contrast situations and also for noise reduction. It's done in a fairly unique way, fed through the Hexagon DSP on the SD821. The electronic video stabilization on the Pixel is also amazing, and outperforms the OIS units. You also get free, unlimited full resolution original quality photo and video (including 4K) cloud storage if you buy a Pixel, which is a big deal if you take lots of photo/video.
> 
> The Pixel XL would be an easy choice for me from that list. It's already so fast that there would be little to no no real-world difference compared to the OP5 or similar. Everything is pretty well instant as it is (phones these days are so over-spec'd for typical usage). The screen is also much better (on the XL) which is a big deal for me at least, since it's what you look at 100% of the time. Battery life on the XL is insane, the best I have seen in any flagship phone to date. I average 48-60ish hours between charges depending on usage. I have never killed it in a day. The Pixel XL also gives you the option of a decent VR experience if you want to try out the Daydream headset. If you prefer smaller phones though, go with the Pixel.
> 
> The OP5 currently has some issues that I would want worked out before going down that road at all.



This. Picking one up from koodo for cheaper than the OP5 makes this a no brainer.

----------


## mzdspd

I just got in on this deal for the Pixel XL from Koodo. I wanted the smaller Pixel but that deal ended yesterday..

----------


## davidI

Tough decision but I went with the Pixel XL through the google website ($900 after tax) for the better camera, free cloud hosting, android updates and free Daydream VR.

I'd love to support OnePlus (I had the OP1 & OP2) but have read there are a lot of WiFi connectivity issues with the OP5 so it seems worth the extra money for the Pixel XL. Hopefully I don't regret my decision once the new Pixel is released.

----------


## Buster

when is it being rleased?

----------


## davidI

> when is it being rleased?



Not announced but likely within the next 2-3 months.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> when is it being rleased?



End of September or early October - google does all their phone announcements then. All important details are known, it's just a matter of time.

----------


## Xtrema

> I'd love to support OnePlus (I had the OP1 & OP2) but have read there are a lot of WiFi connectivity issues with the OP5 so it seems worth the extra money for the Pixel XL. Hopefully I don't regret my decision once the new Pixel is released.



I have to say the 1st month with OP5 had been a bit of a disaster. Latest update, they fucked up doze or power draw on sleep and it's been withdrawn and rereleased.

The new EIS for 4K video is good tho and wifi is mostly fixed. I have not had as many noticeable issues since 4.5.8.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

Anyone else running 8.0 / Oreo? Just forced my OTA and I'm impressed with it so far on the Pixel XL. It also freed up a bunch of space on my phone somehow, must be an even lighter OS than 7.X. Screen real estate looks slightly modified too, the screen looks bigger with everything pushed closer to the edges.

----------


## davidI

^ How do you force OTA on Pixel XL?

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> ^ How do you force OTA on Pixel XL?



Join beta program, Android 8.0 comes to your phone immediately (like 1 second after you click 'join'). Update phone, and leave the beta program right after you're done. Voila, you now have OTA 8.0 and aren't tied to any beta versions. I do this with all my devices.

----------


## FraserB

Is there any more news on the Lenovo Tab 4? 

Seeing rumors about a mid-September US release, was hoping someone might have an idea on when we might see it in Canada.

----------


## dj_rice

Purchased a HTC 10 cause it was on sale for $499. But damn that new Galaxy Note 8 teaser looked good

----------


## Xtrema

> Purchased a HTC 10 cause it was on sale for $499. But damn that new Galaxy Note 8 teaser looked good



Note 8 is too long. And S8 and S8+ being heavily discounted now, it's hard to justify the pen and and bigger screen for over $300 difference.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> Note 8 is too long. And S8 and S8+ being heavily discounted now, it's hard to justify the pen and and bigger screen for over $300 difference.



There are more differences than just that...

----------


## Xtrema

> There are more differences than just that...



Yeah, a dual camera that's zoom instead of wide. Something you already can have with other phones.

----------


## jampack

I think I will wait for the announcement of Pixel 2 on Oct 4th to figure out if I will get the X.

----------


## Xtrema

> I think I will wait for the announcement of Pixel 2 on Oct 4th to figure out if I will get the X.



Chances are it's basically will be an upgraded G6 or gimped V30 with pure Android O for the Pixel XL 2.

Pixel 2 will just be Pixel from last year with updated internals by HTC.

Nothing exciting here. I'm more excited about the LG V30 than Pixel.

----------


## Xtrema

http://www.androidauthority.com/goog...-images-801629

Even with edge to edge screen up front, looks boring and a bit of price increase for Pixel this year.

----------


## schocker

> http://www.androidauthority.com/goog...-images-801629
> 
> Even with edge to edge screen up front, looks boring and a bit of price increase for Pixel this year.



$849 USD is currently $1042 though which is less than the current Pixel XL, so we will have to see how hard they will dick us. At $649 again on the normal pixel, we will see if they will make it $800 cdn as it should be. Dollar is much improved over this time last year.

I think I am more excited about the google home mini though so I can get a couple to put around the house to control my lights
http://www.droid-life.com/2017/09/19...ini-exclusive/

----------


## dj_rice

Just picked up an HTC 10. Has Quick Charge 3.0 and uses a USB Type C cable but I've read you have to get the specific HTC OEM one only as other Type C's are built different and caused the phone to overheat? This really sucks as I've had many HTC phones and built up a collection of wall plugs and USB cables  :Frown:

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> http://www.androidauthority.com/goog...-images-801629
> 
> Even with edge to edge screen up front, looks boring and a bit of price increase for Pixel this year.



They should be even cheaper if they are true to the exchange rate, and given that base storage is higher. The XL looks nothing like last year. The regular Pixel will be more similar to last year (kind of like iPhone 8 vs iPhone X strategy).

----------


## HiTempguy1

> Just picked up an HTC 10. Has Quick Charge 3.0 and uses a USB Type C cable but I've read you have to get the specific HTC OEM one only as other Type C's are built different and caused the phone to overheat? This really sucks as I've had many HTC phones and built up a collection of wall plugs and USB cables



Usually quick charge is only available when pairing the special cable with the proper wall outlet plug. You should be able to use your old stuff, it'll just charge slower.

As I've been pointing out to people, even my OP5 charges really quick on a 2.5amp car charger or using a regular iphone wall outlet plug.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> Just picked up an HTC 10. Has Quick Charge 3.0 and uses a USB Type C cable but I've read you have to get the specific HTC OEM one only as other Type C's are built different and caused the phone to overheat? This really sucks as I've had many HTC phones and built up a collection of wall plugs and USB cables



I bet the Aukey ones work unless HTC has done something weird:

https://www.amazon.ca/AUKEY-Charger-...ds=aukey+usb+c

https://www.amazon.ca/AUKEY-Charger-...ds=aukey+usb+c

Their chargers quick charge charges my iPad and Pixel, and the Pixel even identifies it as a quick charger. I don't need any special cables, I just picked quality ones with hundreds of 5-star reviews.

----------


## dj_rice

> I bet the Aukey ones work unless HTC has done something weird:
> 
> https://www.amazon.ca/AUKEY-Charger-...ds=aukey+usb+c
> 
> https://www.amazon.ca/AUKEY-Charger-...ds=aukey+usb+c
> 
> Their chargers quick charge charges my iPad and Pixel, and the Pixel even identifies it as a quick charger. I don't need any special cables, I just picked quality ones with hundreds of 5-star reviews.




http://phandroid.com/2016/05/18/htc-...pe-c-incident/

Seems like they did purposely so you are forced to buy HTC accessories?

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> http://phandroid.com/2016/05/18/htc-...pe-c-incident/
> 
> Seems like they did purposely so you are forced to buy HTC accessories?



I'm sure there are 3rd party ones that work. There are lots of good third party Apple cables, so if they can get around Apple's trickery, I'm sure they could do the same for HTC. My Pixel and 6P technically required special cables too and the quality aftermarket ones worked just fine. If you're really worried about it though you can always stick to OEM, nothing wrong with that.

----------


## 01RedDX

.

----------


## rage2

> HTC halts trading of shares in advance of tomorrow's big announcement. What do you guys think of this? I would have preferred LG's smartphone division as their in-house manufacturer but that's wishful thinking.



They can't do worse than what they did with Motorola haha.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

Hopefully they don't lose another $10B or whatever it was  :ROFL!:  Motorola put out some good phones though under Google.

----------


## Strider

Any good Android phones out right now that aren't plagued with problems common enough to be considered "common issues"?

Everything up to my Nexus 5 was great, and I stuck with Nexus phones thinking they'd have the best support and quickest bug fixes. But in 18 months of ownership, I had the Nexus 6P bootloop issue (at 11 months, mainboard replaced under warranty) and now the early shutdown battery issue (started at 15 months, no longer under warranty). My wife's Nexus 5X just got hit with the bootloop issue while on vacation at 22 months. These issues have hundreds of pages of forum posts devoted to them and class action lawsuits filed in some cases.

I thought we'd get Pixels for our next phones, but not if I'm going to end up with 2 $1000 bricks before 2 years is over. Other options with jelly scrolling, app crashes, red screens, and random reboots all sound fantastic  :facepalm: 

Any reasonably problem-free options to save me from having to jump to Apple?

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

The Pixels are pretty bulletproof, have no more issues than you can find with any phone if you go digging for isolated problems, and I haven't had the slightest problem with mine (XL) since I got it when they were first released in 2016 - it's only gotten faster with successive OS updates. It's only ever been rebooted when an OS update requires it and it never slows down. Battery life is still as good as they day I got it (2+ days depending on usage). Google also tells you up front how long they will support any given phone with guaranteed OS updates. That's what I'm getting again - it's best phone experience I've ever had and I have tried almost every brand now.

These days you can Google any phone you want followed by the word "issues" and you'll always find something. Doesn't matter if it's an iPhone, Pixel, Galaxy, etc. they are all super high margin mass produced goods that are cheaper to replace than implement better QC. 

The Galaxy S8 is also awesome, and has no common issues.

If I were you I would wait for the new Pixels, they are getting announced on October 4. If you buy directly from Google, if anything does go wrong, no matter how minor, they just send you a brand new phone for the first year and you can extend that if you want.

----------


## KrisYYC

> Any good Android phones out right now that aren't plagued with problems common enough to be considered "common issues"?
> 
> Everything up to my Nexus 5 was great, and I stuck with Nexus phones thinking they'd have the best support and quickest bug fixes. But in 18 months of ownership, I had the Nexus 6P bootloop issue (at 11 months, mainboard replaced under warranty) and now the early shutdown battery issue (started at 15 months, no longer under warranty). My wife's Nexus 5X just got hit with the bootloop issue while on vacation at 22 months. These issues have hundreds of pages of forum posts devoted to them and class action lawsuits filed in some cases.
> 
> I thought we'd get Pixels for our next phones, but not if I'm going to end up with 2 $1000 bricks before 2 years is over. Other options with jelly scrolling, app crashes, red screens, and random reboots all sound fantastic 
> 
> Any reasonably problem-free options to save me from having to jump to Apple?



A friend at work had the early battery shut down problem on his 6P and despite being out of warranty Google sent him an Pixel XL as a replacement. Have you tried pushing the issue with Google?

----------


## slick2404

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-ht..._medium=Social

google aquires HTC pixel division for $1.1B

----------


## Strider

> A friend at work had the early battery shut down problem on his 6P and despite being out of warranty Google sent him an Pixel XL as a replacement. Have you tried pushing the issue with Google?



I bought it through Koodo because it was ~$150 cheaper than direct through Google  :Frown:

----------


## Xtrema

Envy of iPhone X's notch?

https://thenextweb.com/apps/2017/09/...#.tnw_73Inpkr8

----------


## spike98

> I bought it through Koodo because it was ~$150 cheaper than direct through Google



Have you called google though? I picked up a pixel from fido and am not longer a fido customer. Google is giving me a warranty replacement. Seriously. Try and try a couple of times. Some reps are a-holes, some really want to help you out.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> Have you called google though? I picked up a pixel from fido and am not longer a fido customer. Google is giving me a warranty replacement. Seriously. Try and try a couple of times. Some reps are a-holes, some really want to help you out.



This. At least try it. Google has the best customer service I have ever experienced, but there's always a chance you get a disgruntled rep. I assumed this had already been tried but if not it's an easy phone call.

----------


## Strider

I called a couple days ago for the 5X. They're giving me a "one-time" exception on the Nexus 5X and replacing it out of warranty. Not sure whether to keep the replacement or sell it as a brand new phone and get something that's not plagued with issues.

They cockblocked me when I tried to get help/service for the bootloop issue on my 6P even when it was under warranty, had to take it up directly with Huawei. But I'll give it a shot anyways.


edit: called - no dice. Rep said that Google has a contract with Huawei that Huawei takes care of all battery related issues. Also made a point to tell me multiple times that he's documenting everything I told him and we discussed, so calling multiple times for a better rep probably won't help.

----------


## jaylo

Anyone know where I can find a deal no contract Pixel XL since the 2 is about to come out in a few weeks? Thanks!

----------


## shakalaka

> Anyone know where I can find a deal no contract Pixel XL since the 2 is about to come out in a few weeks? Thanks!



Kijiji and ebay would be my go to places.

----------


## mzdspd

> Anyone know where I can find a deal no contract Pixel XL since the 2 is about to come out in a few weeks? Thanks!



They had the 400$ off deal on the Pixel XL (unlocked) at koodo but that ended. My wife got in on that deal. She got her Pixel XL for 605$. 

But Koodo also has some kick ass deals on the S8, S8+ and the G6. 350 - 400$ off and then you cancel your service with koodo and you can use the phone with whoever you want. That is if you are not 100% set on the Pixel.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> They had the 400$ off deal on the Pixel XL (unlocked) at koodo but that ended. My wife got in on that deal. She got her Pixel XL for 605$. 
> 
> But Koodo also has some kick ass deals on the S8, S8+ and the G6. 350 - 400$ off and then you cancel your service with koodo and you can use the phone with whoever you want. That is if you are not 100% set on the Pixel.



How soon can you cancel your service and what is the minimum plan you need for those discounts? Surely they aren't just taking big hits on the phones because people would be all over that.

----------


## mzdspd

> How soon can you cancel your service and what is the minimum plan you need for those discounts? Surely they aren't just taking big hits on the phones because people would be all over that.



So the deal was you pay 100$ up front and then you owe 500$ on tab. So you sign up for whatever the cheapest plan is.. Receive phone and SIM in mail. Cancel service on day 1. 

So 1 month later, they send you the tab balance of 500$ + 1 day of service (2-3$) and that is it.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> So the deal was you pay 100$ up front and then you owe 500$ on tab. So you sign up for whatever the cheapest plan is.. Receive phone and SIM in mail. Cancel service on day 1. 
> 
> So 1 month later, they send you the tab balance of 500$ + 1 day of service (2-3$) and that is it.



Interesting, I will have to check that out, thanks. I think after December all phones are unlocked too.

----------


## Buster

What's the full size tablet to get right now

----------


## ZenOps

Just to chime in: Don't know what changed, but I finally got Chromecast screen casting working reliably (several hour stretches) on 802.11ac

----------


## schocker

> What's the full size tablet to get right now



iPad Pro  :Smilie: 
Last good tablet imo has been the Nexus 7 version 2 and the Nvidia Shield.
Samsung has the Tab 3 which I think is similar to an ipad pro at similar pricing ($799), comes with an s-pen.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> What's the full size tablet to get right now



I just bought an iPad Pro 10.5" because none of the Android manufacturers are putting their high-end hardware into tablets these days. Most of the google apps run well on it and are the most popular apps in the app store haha. 

The screen isn't that great and there is the odd bug but overall I think it's the tablet to buy right now.

----------


## Buster

damn. I just want a simple, but large format (10") tablet for the kids to pound around with educational software.

----------


## schocker

> damn. I just want a simple, but large format (10") tablet for the kids to pound around with educational software.



If you are fine with apple, the 32gb iPad (Basically the refreshed air 2) is now $449 which is pretty good pricing for that segment)
Costco has some samsung 9.7" tablets, but the cheaper ones run like crap because they are old and way behind on android version (5) while the midrange which is more than the ipad is OK but android 6 and real expensive one that is ipad pro pricing is android 7.
https://www.costco.ca/tablet-pcs.htm...e=32153+753831
https://www.apple.com/ca/shop/buy-ipad/ipad-9-7

----------


## rage2

I find my kids like the iPad mini better than a full sized iPad. Refurbed mini 2’s are dirt cheap. Only problem with them is that it doesn’t support AR.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> damn. I just want a simple, but large format (10") tablet for the kids to pound around with educational software.



For the kids I would get a Lenovo Tab 4, it's specifically designed for kids and 10". Well spec'd for the task and cheap if they break it. There is an 8" version as well if you/they prefer: http://www3.lenovo.com/ca/en/tablets...c/tab-4-series

A more expensive option is a standard iPad ($449).

----------


## Buster

> For the kids I would get a Lenovo Tab 4, it's specifically designed for kids and 10". Well spec'd for the task and cheap if they break it. There is an 8" version as well if you/they prefer: http://www3.lenovo.com/ca/en/tablets...c/tab-4-series
> 
> A more expensive option is a standard iPad ($449).



great suggestion! I'm grabbing a new thinkpad this week, so I'll just add this to the order.

edit....annnnd out of stock.

----------


## mzdspd

Does anyone have any recommendations for Message launchers? 

My wife has been using her pixel for a month or so and she says that it does not show the small icon to show how many unread texts she has.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> Does anyone have any recommendations for Message launchers? 
> 
> My wife has been using her pixel for a month or so and she says that it does not show the small icon to show how many unread texts she has.



Android 8.0 shows you a dot that indicates you have unread messages, but it doesn't say the number of unread messages. The default android text app is probably the best one out there (Other than WhatsApp), as long as that the message counter detail isn't a deal breaker. Moving to a crappier app just to get the counter is not something I would recommend unless that is her #1 most wanted feature. The messages also stay in the android notification bar unless dismissed, and in that bar it will tell you how many you have unread.

----------


## mzdspd

> Android 8.0 shows you a dot that indicates you have unread messages, but it doesn't say the number of unread messages. The default android text app is probably the best one out there (Other than WhatsApp), as long as that the message counter detail isn't a deal breaker. Moving to a crappier app just to get the counter is not something I would recommend unless that is her #1 most wanted feature. The messages also stay in the android notification bar unless dismissed, and in that bar it will tell you how many you have unread.



Thanks for the help, It has the dot but she wants the number.. I will try some different messaging apps and see if any are worth keeping.

Also, do you know if there is a certain way to control what shows up on the Android notification bar? She wants to still have the app dot or # on the app but for it to not pop up in the bar, if that makes sense lol.

----------


## taemo

Been thinking of jumping ship to Android from the Iphone 6s as I don't like the direction Apple is going with the 7,8 and 10.

What phone do you guys recommend that are same/better spec than the 6s that won't cost too much either? Looking to spend only around 600-700$.
I don't do anything intensive on my phone so my only requirements are:
-bigger screen than the 6s but don't want 6s plus size either
-decent camera that is comparable to the 6s
-has hotspot
-NES and SNES emulator (what do you guys recommend)

thinking of giving the Oneplus 5 a try, either 6GB or 8GB but wanted to see if there's any other ones that I should consider.
maybe Galaxy S7 edge or even S8?

----------


## spike98

> Thanks for the help, It has the dot but she wants the number.. I will try some different messaging apps and see if any are worth keeping.
> 
> Also, do you know if there is a certain way to control what shows up on the Android notification bar? She wants to still have the app dot or # on the app but for it to not pop up in the bar, if that makes sense lol.



I'd head over to Xda and ask there.

Also maybe look at nova launcher or something like that. It likely has these features baked in.

----------


## spike98

At that budget, you can get an S8. You buy it from koodo on contract ($200) then Cancel right away and pay out the tab ($504) and you walk away with a new S8. Buy the extended warranty from samsung and you are laughing.

The Pixel is also going on clearance now that the next version is going to be announced next week but i'd suggest the S8 over the Pixel.

----------


## silvercivicsir

Try Teslaunread for a SMS counter of your unread messages.. works ok for me

----------


## D'z Nutz

> Does anyone have any recommendations for Message launchers? 
> 
> My wife has been using her pixel for a month or so and she says that it does not show the small icon to show how many unread texts she has.



Try Next SMS?

----------


## mzdspd

Thank you everyone for the help!

- - - Updated - - -




> At that budget, you can get an S8. You buy it from koodo on contract ($200) then Cancel right away and pay out the tab ($504) and you walk away with a new S8. Buy the extended warranty from samsung and you are laughing.
> 
> The Pixel is also going on clearance now that the next version is going to be announced next week but i'd suggest the S8 over the Pixel.



I will second this.. By far the best deal.. We did this for my wife and she got her Pixel XL for 600$. At that time, the S8 was not on sale yet.

----------


## D'z Nutz

> The Pixel is also going on clearance now that the next version is going to be announced next week but i'd suggest the S8 over the Pixel.



Where are you seeing Pixels on clearance? I've been watching RFD for the last few weeks and have seen no mention and Koodo has been cleared out after their last promo over a month ago.

----------


## taemo

> At that budget, you can get an S8. You buy it from koodo on contract ($200) then Cancel right away and pay out the tab ($504) and you walk away with a new S8. Buy the extended warranty from samsung and you are laughing.
> 
> The Pixel is also going on clearance now that the next version is going to be announced next week but i'd suggest the S8 over the Pixel.



interesting, so go to a koodo store, get an S8 for 200$ and then cancel it out right away for 500$?
will i be able to cancel it at the store or have to call koodo?

----------


## spike98

> Where are you seeing Pixels on clearance? I've been watching RFD for the last few weeks and have seen no mention and Koodo has been cleared out after their last promo over a month ago.



I thought you could get the Koodo deal at some places. I know there was an ebay deal a few days ago to that was selling refurbs for $399. You might have to see if koodo releases any new stock or you run into one at a corp store.




> interesting, so go to a koodo store, get an S8 for 200$ and then cancel it out right away for 500$?
> will i be able to cancel it at the store or have to call koodo?



You can cancel over the phone.

----------


## taemo

> I thought you could get the Koodo deal at some places. I know there was an ebay deal a few days ago to that was selling refurbs for $399. You might have to see if koodo releases any new stock or you run into one at a corp store.
> 
> 
> 
> You can cancel over the phone.



cool thanks for the info, by cancelling will they unlock the phone then?

----------


## spike98

> cool thanks for the info, by cancelling will they unlock the phone then?



From what i have read, the samsung locks to the first sim thats put in. So if you make sure you current one is the one that goes in, you will be good to go. Else you can unlock for $20 on ebay. 

You might have luck getting them to do it to as by december, they aren't allowed to even lock anymore.

----------


## Strider

> cool thanks for the info, by cancelling will they unlock the phone then?



Apparently people have been able to get free unlock codes from Koodo/Telus by playing up the CRTC ban on unlocking fees starting Dec 1.
Here's an RFD thread on the subject
https://forums.redflagdeals.com/kood...-ymmv-2115487/

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> Thanks for the help, It has the dot but she wants the number.. I will try some different messaging apps and see if any are worth keeping.
> 
> Also, do you know if there is a certain way to control what shows up on the Android notification bar? She wants to still have the app dot or # on the app but for it to not pop up in the bar, if that makes sense lol.



Since the dot is new for 8.0, I am not 100% sure if you can control the dots individually by app. You can, however, control notifications (and detailed permissions) individually, and by app.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> Been thinking of jumping ship to Android from the Iphone 6s as I don't like the direction Apple is going with the 7,8 and 10.
> 
> What phone do you guys recommend that are same/better spec than the 6s that won't cost too much either? Looking to spend only around 600-700$.
> I don't do anything intensive on my phone so my only requirements are:
> -bigger screen than the 6s but don't want 6s plus size either
> -decent camera that is comparable to the 6s
> -has hotspot
> -NES and SNES emulator (what do you guys recommend)
> 
> ...



Pixel or GS7 / GS8 all meet your requirements and have much better cameras than the 6S. Only thing I don't know about is the emulator because I don't use those, but cameras and screens are definitely better. The Pixel's have the best cameras and HDR engine. Pixel 2 will be announced October 4 but might be just outside your budget.

----------


## mzdspd

I would consider the OnePlus 5 as well. 650 or less if you are a student. I was using a friends and I found it be smoother then the Pixel XL. Really nice phone though and she has had no issues with it. Sounds like most of the bugs are worked out on it.

----------


## shakalaka

Honestly, I've used many phones including several Android phones (newer ones as well) and I have never seen an android as smooth as the Essential phone. It's absolutely solid and feels like an iPhone in terms of flow/smoothness which I always thought no Androids ever had. Keyone was also pretty good in that regard actually. Essential got bad reviews but that didn't deter me, while I agree with the camera aspect, which they keep updating actually the UI is awesome and nothing like what some reviews mentioned. And the phone looks and feels absolutely gorgeous.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> Honestly, I've used many phones including several Android phones (newer ones as well) and I have never seen an android as smooth as the Essential phone. It's absolutely solid and feels like an iPhone in terms of flow/smoothness which I always thought no Androids ever had. Keyone was also pretty good in that regard actually. Essential got bad reviews but that didn't deter me, while I agree with the camera aspect, which they keep updating actually the UI is awesome and nothing like what some reviews mentioned. And the phone looks and feels absolutely gorgeous.



I imagine the new Pixel's (Oct 4) will be the best Android experience once they are available as they will have near identical internals, but with Google tweaks and a much better camera. The Essential phone looks really good too, and I love that it's titanium/ceramic it just has a few issues (for me):

- Screen cutout is a deal breaker
- No OLED
- Small battery for its size
- Wireless charging would have been nice
- Camera not up to the level of a Pixel
- Not waterproof

An outstanding first effort though IMO. Still a great phone.

Solidity/smoothness are also the hallmarks of the current Google Pixels, so I would expect nothing less for the replacements in a few days. My Pixel XL is as smooth/instant as they day I got it, maybe even slightly more so with 8.0 but it could be in my head.

----------


## rage2

> Solidity/smoothness are also the hallmarks of the current Google Pixels, so I would expect nothing less for the replacements in a few days. My Pixel XL is as smooth/instant as they day I got it, maybe even slightly more so with 8.0 but it could be in my head.



This. The Pixel is the first Android phone that I've played with that doesn't have the dreaded keyboard lag.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

Pixel XL2 in a Case leaked:

----------


## Buster

thank god the pixel doesnt have that stupid screen cutout thing.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> thank god the pixel doesnt have that stupid screen cutout thing.



No kidding. That would probably be a deal breaker for me unless I couldn't find a phone that was very similar otherwise. Dual speakers, waterproofing, squeeze input, etc. are all welcome additions. Removal of the headphone jack is disappointing though. Also rumor has it that you now get free unlimited Google Drive space with the Pixels, which is potentially a huge value in addition to the existing free unlimited (full resolution/original) photo and video storage. For me the pure android experience and the camera are the biggest draws to the phone.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

Haha WalMart leaked the Google Home Mini and Pixel2 XL. Availability is apparently October 19:

----------


## schocker

Pixel 2 $649 USD -> $899 CDN  :thumbsdown:  (iPhone 8 is $699 USD and $899 CDN for example)
Pixel 2 XL $849 USD -> $1159 CDN
Google Home Mini $49 USD -> $79 CDN
Google Home Max $399 USD -> i dunno like $600 CDN
Google Pixelbook $999 USD -> $1299 CDN

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

Looks like pretty normal pricing to me, and just as expected. It's a better deal than last year especially since base storage is now 64GB. They are using approximately 1.25 FX which is accurate. I would not expect them to be any cheaper than the iPhones especially with their spec sheets.

----------


## slick2404

Pretty happy with the new lineup, I'll be pre-ordering the Pixel XL 2 for myself.
Water resistant, front facing dual speakers, smaller bezels, full f stop, and huge battery offset the missing headphone jack for myself. 
Moved to the US now, hopefully the same promos back home: Free Home Mini + Unlimited google drive storage + 0% financing through google for those that need it.

----------


## flipstah

https://techcrunch.com/2017/10/04/go...e-translation/




> One of the surprises we got today from Google’s hardware event were a pair of bluetooth headphones called Pixel Buds. They’re wired behind the neck but they’re every bit a competitor to Apple’s AirPods.
> 
> They’re $159, they’re available in November and they’ll let you understand 40 different languages. Seriously.



:O

----------


## schocker

> Looks like pretty normal pricing to me, and just as expected. It's a better deal than last year especially since base storage is now 64GB. They are using approximately 1.25 FX which is accurate. I would not expect them to be any cheaper than the iPhones especially with their spec sheets.



It is almost 1.4x on the P2. Their pricing has usually much more closely reflected the exchange rate. Last years release, $649 USD was around $880 CDN, now it is only $810. Only way I would get one now is if I bought it through BHP

edit: I caved and ordered a 64gb P2. You get a code for a google home mini so there is $80 in value there and having checked the prices of the G6 ($1000), iPhone 8 ($929) and GS8 ($1030) to compare, $900 is a fair price in our market. The $130 to go from 64gb to 128gb is pretty amusing though.

----------


## JordanEG6

I don't mind the pricing on new Google phones. Seems pretty standard now to spend over a grand on a new phone. 
I am choked, however, at the fact that they decided to go the Apple route by getting rid of the headphone jack.  :thumbsdown:

----------


## rage2

> I don't mind the pricing on new Google phones. Seems pretty standard now to spend over a grand on a new phone. 
> I am choked, however, at the fact that they decided to go the Apple route by getting rid of the headphone jack.



I don't miss the headphone jack at all. Only downside was spending money replacing my 2 sets (one daily use, another set with noise cancelling for flights). Airpods, I'm using them more than my old default wired set for music and calls. Convenient factor is 1000x better. For the noise cancelling set, not as big of an improvement in convenience, went to a lightning one so it's not saddled by a battery pack and finding replacement battery when it dies. Could've went with an over the ear one that would've been even more convenient, but they only allow ear buds during take off and landing unless you're in business class.

----------


## schocker

I have been using jaybirds for years now with great success and joined the wait list for the pixel buds. Only time I plug in is on planes so that is ipad or mbp so I don't mind much until those also lose their jacks. I can imagine I would lose an adapter very quickly as well.

One big change now is that all non-google products were removed from the google store. ie android wear completely disappeared  :ROFL!: 
Will preorder a cloth case as well as that looks nice and my GS7 currently looks pretty beat from having no case.

----------


## Manhattan

One of the ugliest designs for a flagship phone if you ask me. Android experience is great though. And the unlimited photo and video storage makes it pretty good value even at a grand. Not a fan of Apple and their OS but you gotta give it to them for design. Apple products are sleek and sexy. Pixel 2 with the wires on their Bluetooth ear buds going around the back of your head looks super geeky in comparison.

----------


## schocker

I don't mind the design, except for the giant bezels. At least it has stereo speakers this time. Like 90% of wireless buds have a wire connecting them though so I don't have an issue with that.

----------


## Xtrema

> One of the ugliest designs for a flagship phone if you ask me. Android experience is great though. And the unlimited photo and video storage makes it pretty good value even at a grand. Not a fan of Apple and their OS but you gotta give it to them for design. Apple products are sleek and sexy. Pixel 2 with the wires on their Bluetooth ear buds going around the back of your head looks super geeky in comparison.



I think this pastel color scheme is to set it apart from the black/chrome look of Apple/Samsung designs. Consider the white 128GB P2 XL and blue 64GB P2 are both sold out, people seems to like those color combos.

----------


## KrisYYC

After some difficulty I managed to pre-order the Pixel 2 "Kinda Blue" on Google store. Last night it showed it was available to order with shipping in "6 to 7 weeks" but when I went to add to cart it said "sold out". Going back to the phone selection page the Kinda Blue was now showing sold out and could not be selected. Bummer I thought. 

Today for fun I decided to check if any of the other colours had sold out. Went to Google store on my phone browser at work and low and behold the Kinda Blue was showing available again. Added to cart and checked out. Pre-order successful! Shipping date of November 20th though lol. 

Not sure if it was a bug on Google store, or if some people cancelled their pre-order and I was able to snag one.

----------


## Xtrema

Pixel 2 XL falls on face right out of the gate.

https://www.theverge.com/2017/10/22/...screen-burn-in

----------


## jampack

> Pixel 2 XL falls on face right out of the gate.
> 
> https://www.theverge.com/2017/10/22/...screen-burn-in



Actually reserved this with Fido but I have been seeing a lot of reports about the screen.. and now this. I have been with an iPhone since it came here in Canada and wanted to try Android but I guess, I might not.  :Frown:

----------


## schocker

> Pixel 2 XL falls on face right out of the gate.
> 
> https://www.theverge.com/2017/10/22/...screen-burn-in



Pixel 2 non xl is goat now  :Smilie: 
I like this phone a lot. Very smooth, nice to be on stock android again, great battery/camera/finger print spread.
I did get the speckled fabric case which definitely looked like it had orange accents, but they are in fact hot pink.

Only problem now is figuring out cables and chargers. What a mess usb c is currently. Basically have to stick with either apple/belkin (apple store ones)/google.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> Pixel 2 XL falls on face right out of the gate.
> 
> https://www.theverge.com/2017/10/22/...screen-burn-in



Burn in would be visible with the screen off and nobody has shown that yet - most likely what people are complaining about is image retention. Sounds like LG shipped some crappy initial panels.




> Pixel 2 non xl is goat now 
> Only problem now is figuring out cables and chargers. What a mess usb c is currently. Basically have to stick with either apple/belkin (apple store ones)/google.



I have multiple USB C cables now from Amazon and they all work perfectly with quick charging and no issues. It's not that hard to find good ones and they are nicer than Google's cables haha - just need to pick from the major third party brands like Anker or similar. Same with my third party lightning cables - they are WAY nicer than Apple's cables and don't fail the bend points like Apple's do.

My XL 2 has a delivery date of Nov 25 so I'll be waiting a while.

----------


## schocker

> I have multiple USB C cables now from Amazon and they all work perfectly with quick charging and no issues. It's not that hard to find good ones and they are nicer than Google's cables haha - just need to pick from the major third party brands like Anker or similar. Same with my third party lightning cables - they are WAY nicer than Apple's cables and don't fail the bend points like Apple's do.
> 
> My XL 2 has a delivery date of Nov 25 so I'll be waiting a while.



I will get an anker type a to type c but will probably just end up getting another google charger for now which comes with the c-c cable. Not that pricey when you notice some of the nice 3rd party ones aren't much less and don't come with a cable. The real mess I found now is that data transfer speed difference between cables. Pixel charges insanely fast though with the USB PD charger.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> I will get an anker type a to type c but will probably just end up getting another google charger for now which comes with the c-c cable. Not that pricey when you notice some of the nice 3rd party ones aren't much less and don't come with a cable. The real mess I found now is that data transfer speed difference between cables. Pixel charges insanely fast though with the USB PD charger.



Oh ok, I haven't done any data transfer so I can't comment there - just charging.

They do indeed charge ridiculous fast. What I have found now that I drive to work every day is that my phone charges enough in my car each day and the battery life itself is so good that I can't even remember when I last plugged it into the wall haha. It's also better for the battery than always charging it up to 100% from low so that's a bonus.

----------


## schocker

> Oh ok, I haven't done any data transfer so I can't comment there - just charging.
> 
> They do indeed charge ridiculous fast. What I have found now that I drive to work every day is that my phone charges enough in my car each day and the battery life itself is so good that I can't even remember when I last plugged it into the wall haha. It's also better for the battery than always charging it up to 100% from low so that's a bonus.



Yah I haven't tried it yet, but figured I want the faster transfer if I get the type a cable so that I can put stuff on my PC. 
My S7 I was always plugging in at work, but now since I have only one charger, I leave home with 100% and then by the time I get home say ~12 hours later, still around 30% remaining even with a few hours SOT including waze in the car to and from work. It is a very different experience.

----------


## Swank

Can any of you recommend the best app to play videos from my Android phone to my Chromecast? I've tried ES File Explorer and VLC, no dice. The video files are located on a share drive on a Win 10 PC if that matters.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> Can any of you recommend the best app to play videos from my Android phone to my Chromecast? I've tried ES File Explorer and VLC, no dice. The video files are located on a share drive on a Win 10 PC if that matters.



Plex is probably your best bet.

----------


## schocker

Google have upped the warranty on the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL from 1 year to 2 years due to the screen issues on the XL. 
https://productforums.google.com/for...le/FRyoLZZjXvo
That and along with 3 years of OS updates is a nice change from my samsung phones in the past.

----------


## rage2

Well looks like the burn in is real.

http://bgr.com/2017/10/27/pixel-2-xl...fixes-pixel-2/

Google will be rolling out software updates to lower brightness slightly, and fading out the nav bar after inactivity to reduce the effect.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

Played with a Pixel 2 XL today next to an iPhone X (Samsung OLED) for about 30 minutes. They both take on a very noticeable blue cast at an angle, the Pixel maybe ever so slightly sooner as you rotate it, but it's a complete non issue unless you are purposely trying to notice it at strong angles that nobody would ever use the phone at. At any angle you would ever view a phone at under normal use, there was no color cast.

The Pixel XL 2 they had was also on 100% brightness showing the home screen, the guy there said it's been that way for a week 24/7 on that same home screen, and there was zero image retention (what everyone keeps incorrectly calling burn-in for some reason) whatsoever when viewing a flat white and neutral gray image for testing purposes and doing everything I could to try notice it. As expected, both "issues" are complete non-issues and I suspect the vast majority of people will view it that way. The display phone did not have the latest updates from Google either. The display was also one of the most accurate I have seen, and it was nice to not have eye-burning saturation. I pulled up some photos that I know have perfect color (profiled with a Color Checker and edited on a NEC PA271W) and the Pixel was extremely true to life. I could see how someone used to looking at a Samsung screen on Vivid all day might perceive accurate as being muted, but you can just use the new "saturated" mode on the Pixel if you want that. It's everything you would expect, built well, lightning fast, and has the best camera. The active edge actually worked extremely well, and there is no way you would accidentally activate it unless you death-grip your phone every time you pick it up. Super happy I pre-ordered one, I should have it in a week or so. Pre-orders also get a free Google Home Mini which has a surprisingly good little speaker in it.

----------


## Xtrema

> Played with a Pixel 2 XL today next to an iPhone X (Samsung OLED) for about 30 minutes. They both take on a very noticeable blue cast at an angle, the Pixel maybe ever so slightly sooner as you rotate it, but it's a complete non issue unless you are purposely trying to notice it at strong angles that nobody would ever use the phone at. At any angle you would ever view a phone at under normal use, there was no color cast.
> 
> The Pixel XL 2 they had was also on 100% brightness showing the home screen, the guy there said it's been that way for a week 24/7 on that same home screen, and there was zero image retention (what everyone keeps incorrectly calling burn-in for some reason) whatsoever when viewing a flat white and neutral gray image for testing purposes and doing everything I could to try notice it. As expected, both "issues" are complete non-issues and I suspect the vast majority of people will view it that way. The display phone did not have the latest updates from Google either. The display was also one of the most accurate I have seen, and it was nice to not have eye-burning saturation. I pulled up some photos that I know have perfect color (profiled with a Color Checker and edited on a NEC PA271W) and the Pixel was extremely true to life. I could see how someone used to looking at a Samsung screen on Vivid all day might perceive accurate as being muted, but you can just use the new "saturated" mode on the Pixel if you want that. It's everything you would expect, built well, lightning fast, and has the best camera. The active edge actually worked extremely well, and there is no way you would accidentally activate it unless you death-grip your phone every time you pick it up. Super happy I pre-ordered one, I should have it in a week or so. Pre-orders also get a free Google Home Mini which has a surprisingly good little speaker in it.




One phone's problem is another phone's feature. Apple already warned about the burn-in and blue tint issue on iPhone X. The market responded with a meh.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> One phone's problem is another phone's feature. Apple already warned about the burn-in and blue tint issue on iPhone X. The market responded with a meh.



Yup - they were trying to get ahead of complaints. Market won't care either way because Apple. Again, it's not burn-in. What the odd person complained about early on was image retention (while the screen is on). Burn in is the image physically burned into the glass, and would be visible with the device off. If it's not happening in 24/7 100% brightness environments displaying the same image, it isn't going to be affecting many users unless they get a defective display at which point you would be eligible for replacement.

----------


## jampack

> Yup - they were trying to get ahead of complaints. Market won't care either way because Apple. Again, it's not burn-in. What the odd person complained about early on was image retention (while the screen is on). Burn in is the image physically burned into the glass, and would be visible with the device off. If it's not happening in 24/7 100% brightness environments displaying the same image, it isn't going to be affecting many users unless they get a defective display at which point you would be eligible for replacement.



Pixel 2 XL is an awesome phone! I actually pre-ordered mine but ended up getting the X instead. Wish they could just combine both X and 2XL features together and have the best phone out there. I am looking forward for future Google phones though and time will come, I'm sure I will be doing "The Switch".  :Big Grin:

----------


## KrisYYC

> Super happy I pre-ordered one, I should have it in a week or so. Pre-orders also get a free Google Home Mini which has a surprisingly good little speaker in it.



Did you manage to get a pre-order for the panda one? I managed to get a pre-order for the Kinda Blue Pixel 2. Supposed to ship Nov. 20th.

I played around with the phones at the Google Pavilion at Best Buy. The screen "problem" of the 2XL are totally overblown in my opinion. Yes the blue shift is there but it didn't look too bad to me. Some people are complaining about the coating on the back of the phone supposedly making it feel plastic. I disagree, I actually like how it feels with the coating. Feels kinda like a textured ceramic or something. Gives more grip and considering I hate using cases this is a good thing for me.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> Did you manage to get a pre-order for the panda one? I managed to get a pre-order for the Kinda Blue Pixel 2. Supposed to ship Nov. 20th.
> 
> I played around with the phones at the Google Pavilion at Best Buy. The screen "problem" of the 2XL are totally overblown in my opinion. Yes the blue shift is there but it didn't look too bad to me. Some people are complaining about the coating on the back of the phone supposedly making it feel plastic. I disagree, I actually like how it feels with the coating. Feels kinda like a textured ceramic or something. Gives more grip and considering I hate using cases this is a good thing for me.



No sir - I just went for the black one since I cover it in a case anyway. The Panda ones also had a longer wait time I think. The colored ones are even more rare so you got lucky I think.

Yup, same conclusion as you one the screen. It happens a few degrees sooner than every other OLED phone, and only at angles you would never use any smartphone, and for some reason the internet went nuts. Maybe there were some particularly bad samples in the initial batch. The Galaxy phones and the iPhone X do the exact same thing. The phone did not feel cheap at all, but again I just put a case on it. The coating makes it a lot nicer to hold than all-glass phones IMO. I'm super anal about my screens though, so I will return/exchange it if I find any issues, but based on what I have seen so far I am not worried at all. Also if the one I played with at the Rogers store didn't have any image retention (a week at 100% brightness 24/7 on the same screen and without the recent update), there is zero chance my usage will be a problem.

----------


## schocker

Anyone get their google home mini code yet?

What a nice camera though. Used it for my trip to palm springs and got some great pictures in all lighting along with motion pictures and videos. Very impressed so far with this phone. Also the widget on the homescreen updates with different events so it was able to show me my flight time and gate which I thought was really cool.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> Anyone get their google home mini code yet?
> 
> What a nice camera though. Used it for my trip to palm springs and got some great pictures in all lighting along with motion pictures and videos. Very impressed so far with this phone. Also the widget on the homescreen updates with different events so it was able to show me my flight time and gate which I thought was really cool.



You don't get the home mini until quite a while after your phone ships. You don't even get your code until after. It's pretty sweet though, I played with one in the Telus store and the speaker on it surprised me for the ridiculously low price.

----------


## ZenOps

This years project:

Strap on a USB heating pad for shoes to the back of my LG Gpad III FHD, cover it over with a little bit of vinyl and then hockey tape it together.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/5V-U...757382642.html

Its a good thing that many larger USB battery banks come with at least two 2 amp outlets.

I figure that with at 2 amps, it should keep things running to extreme cold weather - side benefit is that it will heat up the one hand at least. Generation 3 pokemon are mine, muahaha.

----------


## schocker

> You don't get the home mini until quite a while after your phone ships. You don't even get your code until after. It's pretty sweet though, I played with one in the Telus store and the speaker on it surprised me for the ridiculously low price.



Yeah, I saw it would be 4 weeks from when it shipped, but didn't imagine it would take that long. Mine shipped on the 17th so I should have it soon. I was impressed when I tried them out at the store. Obviously not as nice sounding as the home, but it is almost one third of the price.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

Pixel XL2 arrived today, a full week earlier than my shipping date. Time from shipping notification/CC charge to receipt was only 13 hours  :Shock:

----------


## schocker

Did you get one of the google cases as well?

For those looking for another charger, the google pixel charger is on sale at bestbuy for $30 currently from $45. It comes with a 2 m usb-c cable which is normally $35. The google store incorrectly states it is 1 m.
https://www.bestbuy.ca/en-ca/product...10503377.aspx?
Also works pretty good on the lower wattage apple stuff with the usb-c to lightning cable.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> Did you get one of the google cases as well?
> 
> For those looking for another charger, the google pixel charger is on sale at bestbuy for $30 currently from $45. It comes with a 2 m usb-c cable which is normally $35. The google store incorrectly states it is 1 m.
> https://www.bestbuy.ca/en-ca/product...10503377.aspx?
> Also works pretty good on the lower wattage apple stuff with the usb-c to lightning cable.



I ordered a Spigen one from Amazon along with a tempered glass screen protector. I can't bring myself to pay $50 for a $0.10 case, though I have heard they feel super nice.

Mine is probably going to get exchanged, the blue tint isn't bad but at least at first glance I think I have an uneven display when showing white/grey (this is really hard on all OLEDs). I have 15 days to do some tests and make sure it isn't my imagination, or if it's just sensitive with super minor color uniformity shifts and angles. I'm probably more anal about displays than most people too, so I'm going to exchange it until it's perfect if I continue to notice it. The more I use it though the more I don't notice, and I'm also going out of my way to look for it.

This is the fastest phone I have ever used, no question. Instant is the best way to describe everything. Zero lag, even when it was in the middle of an initial setup while downloading and installing 90 apps and doing a system update - that really impressed me. I laughed when I first used the fingerprint sensor, it's probably twice as fast as the OG XL and that one was already one of the fastest.

----------


## rage2

That was the thing that impressed me with the original Pixel. No keyboard lag whatsoever. Thats the one thing I hate about android phones.

----------


## KrisYYC

> Pixel XL2 arrived today, a full week earlier than my shipping date. Time from shipping notification/CC charge to receipt was only 13 hours



Received my Kinda Blue Pixel 2 today. Wasn't even supposed to ship until today but they shipped it on Thursday.

How are you liking yours? I've only had mine for about 6 hours now but I love it. It's screaming fast, I'm already using the squeeze feature for Google Assistant, the audio quality is great via the dongle, and the phone feels so good in the hands. Perfect size and ergonomics for me. Best Android phone I've used hands down. 

I can't wait to give the camera a workout!

----------


## Buster

white Pixel 2 XL finally in stock, so ordered today.

Got a couple of extra chargers, the preferred care, and a black case.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> Received my Kinda Blue Pixel 2 today. Wasn't even supposed to ship until today but they shipped it on Thursday.
> 
> How are you liking yours? I've only had mine for about 6 hours now but I love it. It's screaming fast, I'm already using the squeeze feature for Google Assistant, the audio quality is great via the dongle, and the phone feels so good in the hands. Perfect size and ergonomics for me. Best Android phone I've used hands down. 
> 
> I can't wait to give the camera a workout!



I absolutely love it. This phone is amazing. The camera is more of an improvement over last year's than I had expected. Zero lag anywhere, it doesn't even slow down when updating dozens of apps. I did set my active edge to the highest setting because when I go to hit the power button, sometimes I was activating it. The stereo speakers are loud, buttons feel great. Battery life is hilarious - the phone gets a 20 minute 1A slow charge twice day in my car on the way to/from work and I haven't had to charge it by any other means in a week. It consistently only loses 1% over a 8 hour night as well and I haven't' disabled anything or turned any features off.

I was at a concert last night and took photos with the iPhone 8 and my Pixel XL2 side by side, it's really quite remarkable how much better the Pixel camera is. I'm looking forward to using it more as well.

Wasn't sure I'd like the skinnier form factor but it's been great, especially with 1-handed use, and most things require constant scrolling these days, so the longer screen works well. The blue tint is 100% a non issue and the Galaxys and iPhone X (Samsung Screen) do exactly the same thing when you tilt them angles you would never use them at.

I've noticed Android Auto is more responsive, it's pretty well instant through the dash on my Civic now. Calculating routes, loading different screens, etc. is virtually instant.

I have a replacement one coming though, I am extremely picky about my screens, and I have a slightly uneven screen when displaying white. It bothers me because I consume most of my content on a white background. Almost all OLEDs have this issue to varying degrees, I'm just really sensitive to it (some other people can't see it), so I'll just keep the better of two phones.

----------


## killramos

https://qz.com/1131515/google-collec...-are-disabled/

#DontBeEvil amirit

----------


## KrisYYC

> I absolutely love it. This phone is amazing. The camera is more of an improvement over last year's than I had expected. Zero lag anywhere, it doesn't even slow down when updating dozens of apps. I did set my active edge to the highest setting because when I go to hit the power button, sometimes I was activating it. The stereo speakers are loud, buttons feel great. Battery life is hilarious - the phone gets a 20 minute 1A slow charge twice day in my car on the way to/from work and I haven't had to charge it by any other means in a week. It consistently only loses 1% over a 8 hour night as well and I haven't' disabled anything or turned any features off.
> 
> I was at a concert last night and took photos with the iPhone 8 and my Pixel XL2 side by side, it's really quite remarkable how much better the Pixel camera is. I'm looking forward to using it more as well.
> 
> Wasn't sure I'd like the skinnier form factor but it's been great, especially with 1-handed use, and most things require constant scrolling these days, so the longer screen works well. The blue tint is 100% a non issue and the Galaxys and iPhone X (Samsung Screen) do exactly the same thing when you tilt them angles you would never use them at.
> 
> I've noticed Android Auto is more responsive, it's pretty well instant through the dash on my Civic now. Calculating routes, loading different screens, etc. is virtually instant.
> 
> I have a replacement one coming though, I am extremely picky about my screens, and I have a slightly uneven screen when displaying white. It bothers me because I consume most of my content on a white background. Almost all OLEDs have this issue to varying degrees, I'm just really sensitive to it (some other people can't see it), so I'll just keep the better of two phones.



Ah that sucks about the screen. Hopefully the new unit will be better. 

I still can't get over how fast Google Assistant is on the Pixel 2. Even compared to other flagship spec Android phones. You can really see the optimization put into the Pixels by google. 

Only issue (if you can call it that) I've had was when pairing my Pixel 2 to my car. It wasn't an issue with the phone but rather my car. When creating a name for the device to store in the car's memory it wouldn't let me use "Pixel 2" because it sounded to much like "cancel". Instead of changing the name I just said it in a fake foreign accent haha. I'd love to have Android Auto but I'm nowhere near the point at which I need a new car. I might try an aftermarket Android head unit though.

----------


## Xtrema

> #DontBeEvil amirit



That was dropped over 2 years ago. They have turned evil.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> Ah that sucks about the screen. Hopefully the new unit will be better. 
> 
> I still can't get over how fast Google Assistant is on the Pixel 2. Even compared to other flagship spec Android phones. You can really see the optimization put into the Pixels by google. 
> 
> Only issue (if you can call it that) I've had was when pairing my Pixel 2 to my car. It wasn't an issue with the phone but rather my car. When creating a name for the device to store in the car's memory it wouldn't let me use "Pixel 2" because it sounded to much like "cancel". Instead of changing the name I just said it in a fake foreign accent haha. I'd love to have Android Auto but I'm nowhere near the point at which I need a new car. I might try an aftermarket Android head unit though.



The screen is really not that bad at all, most people can't even see it, but I am extremely picky and I stare at a calibrated monitor all day so I pick up on things like that more easily.

The assistant is lightning fast, it's actually quite helpful. I use it for voice to text while driving a lot, and for reminders/alarms. Google Lens is kind of neat too - it's in it's infancy now but you can see that it will be a huge feature soon with future updates.

HDR photos process almost instantly now instead of over 2-3 seconds, so there is a big improvement there too. It will apparently get even faster when they enable the Pixel Core with 8.1.

Android auto is awesome. I use it 100% of the time while I'm in the car. It's perfectly integrated for Google Music and Podcasts (Pocketcast app). The best part though is just having google maps up all the time with live traffic and instant re-routing if it suddenly becomes faster to go another way due to traffic or an accident. I just leave it on all the time even if I know where I'm going and I can see live traffic and the top 3 best routes to my destination at any given time. Messages and phone calls come through well, and you can even reply to Whats App messages and group chats very quickly with voice. It's really good at reading the messages to you as well, I've never heard it mess up. It knows when you're on the way to work or coming home and automatically offers to navigate you there. It keeps all your recent destinations stored too (if you've been looking at them on your phone that day or something earlier) for 1-touch navigation. Google assistant also works through the car. Definitely one of those things I wasn't sure how much I'd use, and now I would never buy a car without it.

----------


## KrisYYC

> The screen is really not that bad at all, most people can't even see it, but I am extremely picky and I stare at a calibrated monitor all day so I pick up on things like that more easily.
> 
> The assistant is lightning fast, it's actually quite helpful. I use it for voice to text while driving a lot, and for reminders/alarms. Google Lens is kind of neat too - it's in it's infancy now but you can see that it will be a huge feature soon with future updates.
> 
> HDR photos process almost instantly now instead of over 2-3 seconds, so there is a big improvement there too. It will apparently get even faster when they enable the Pixel Core with 8.1.
> 
> Android auto is awesome. I use it 100% of the time while I'm in the car. It's perfectly integrated for Google Music and Podcasts (Pocketcast app). The best part though is just having google maps up all the time with live traffic and instant re-routing if it suddenly becomes faster to go another way due to traffic or an accident. I just leave it on all the time even if I know where I'm going and I can see live traffic and the top 3 best routes to my destination at any given time. Messages and phone calls come through well, and you can even reply to Whats App messages and group chats very quickly with voice. It's really good at reading the messages to you as well, I've never heard it mess up. It knows when you're on the way to work or coming home and automatically offers to navigate you there. It keeps all your recent destinations stored too (if you've been looking at them on your phone that day or something earlier) for 1-touch navigation. Google assistant also works through the car. Definitely one of those things I wasn't sure how much I'd use, and now I would never buy a car without it.



Yeah watching videos on YouTube of Android Auto is making me wish I needed a new car hahaha. It's nice to see auto manufacturers finally realizing that Google and Apple are light years ahead of them with that kind of stuff instead of sticking with their own shitty implementations.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> Yeah watching videos on YouTube of Android Auto is making me wish I needed a new car hahaha. It's nice to see auto manufacturers finally realizing that Google and Apple are light years ahead of them with that kind of stuff instead of sticking with their own shitty implementations.



What continues to surprise me is it's standard equipment on econo boxes and a very standard car like my Civic, but some 2017 luxury cars don't even offer Android Auto/Apple Car Play as an option, or if they do, it's part of some $7000 tech package or something haha. It's also not available on some fairly new and very expensive cars from 2015-2017ish. More to your point, it definitely highlights how shitty the average in-car infotainment system is after you've used Android Auto.

----------


## rage2

> What continues to surprise me is it's standard equipment on econo boxes and a very standard car like my Civic, but some 2017 luxury cars don't even offer Android Auto/Apple Car Play as an option, or if they do, it's part of some $7000 tech package or something haha. It's also not available on some fairly new and very expensive cars from 2015-2017ish. More to your point, it definitely highlights how shitty the average in-car infotainment system is after you've used Android Auto.



That's been slowly changing as screens become large enough in the standard packages. Android Auto/Carplay has been a free addon, but needed a big enough screen/resolution to work. Those premium packages buried the proper screens there, so you're paying for a screen and not Android Auto/Carplay.

----------


## Xtrema

> What continues to surprise me is it's standard equipment on econo boxes and a very standard car like my Civic, but some 2017 luxury cars don't even offer Android Auto/Apple Car Play as an option, or if they do, it's part of some $7000 tech package or something haha. It's also not available on some fairly new and very expensive cars from 2015-2017ish. More to your point, it definitely highlights how shitty the average in-car infotainment system is after you've used Android Auto.



The way I see it, if it's econoboxes, moving to Android Auto and CarPlay reduces R&D probably on UI. And this sector is quite easy for someone to cross shop across brands. So not having them is a liability.

As you move up, there is more brand defining UIs at play. If a $90K Mercedes has the same UI as $20K Civic, car manufacturer lost a branch where their brand can be different from the rest.

The problem is, nobody in the car business has any credible answer to Android Auto or Carplay. And some like Porsche are still very stubborn on offering CarPlay only.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> That's been slowly changing as screens become large enough in the standard packages. Android Auto/Carplay has been a free addon, but needed a big enough screen/resolution to work. Those premium packages buried the proper screens there, so you're paying for a screen and not Android Auto/Carplay.



I dunno, I'm not convinced it has to do with the screens. The few cars I've looked at lately that don't have it all had huge screens. Like the 2017 Infiniti Q50/Red Sport, it has not one but two huge high resolution touch screens, and you don't get Android Auto or Apple Car Play in any trim level. Same with a 2017 Acura TL - two screens of suitable resolution and no option for it. A family member picked up a 2017 Golf Sportwagen and AA was a $700 option and I am pretty sure there was no change in the screen type. I'm also pretty sure when I was looking at B250's, the screen was unchanged but Android Auto was an extra option. I can't find anything on the AA developer page that specifies a minimum resolution for it to work either, but it's possible there is one. I guess it's just frustrating to be looking at some $60K+ cars in 2017 that don't even have smartphone integration/infotainment on par with $15-20K econo boxes.

----------


## jwslam

> Like the 2017 Infiniti Q50/Red Sport, it has not one but two huge high resolution touch screens, and you don't get Android Auto or Apple Car Play in any trim level.



According to this list there are no Infiniti / Nissan with AA whatsoever
https://www.cars.com/articles/which-...1420691731381/

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> According to this list there are no Infiniti / Nissan with AA whatsoever
> https://www.cars.com/articles/which-...1420691731381/



Yup, I know. That is part of my point. You have cars like those form Infiniti approaching $100K with worse infotainment than a Kia Forte (albeit a much better stereo I'm sure). That is messed up.

----------


## Neil4Speed

I just picked up the Google Pixel 2 and am feeling slightly let down by it. I was debating between it and the S8 for about a month and decided that I wanted the "pure google experience", but in reality, I feel like I paid a ($100) premium for a mid level phone when comparing it to the screen and look and feel of the S8. I am also irritated by the fact that I am sure they could have installed a headphone jack, but just chose not to for some reason, not sure why smaller thinner devices have it (G6/S8). Also, I don't find the camera as amazing as I thought coming from a Edge 6....

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> I just picked up the Google Pixel 2 and am feeling slightly let down by it. I was debating between it and the S8 for about a month and decided that I wanted the "pure google experience", but in reality, I feel like I paid a ($100) premium for a mid level phone when comparing it to the screen and look and feel of the S8. I am also irritated by the fact that I am sure they could have installed a headphone jack, but just chose not to for some reason, not sure why smaller thinner devices have it (G6/S8). Also, I don't find the camera as amazing as I thought coming from a Edge 6....



The Pixel XL 2 is what you would compare to the S8, the Pixel 2 isn't meant to compete with it. You're comparing a 5" 1080P display to a 5.8" 1440P display so the S8 will always look better. The S8 was also a more expensive phone.

The camera is much, much, better than my old Galaxy S6 and also my iPhone 8, but I guess some of that is still subjective. Where you will notice it the most is in challenging situations, particularly with how it deals with noise in low light and high contrast situations - that is where it really stands out thanks to Google's processing. Video stabilization also is unrivaled, and portrait mode seems to deal with hair the best and have the most natural look if you're into that sort of thing. If you're just taking pictures of nice evenly-lit things in the daylight, there isn't a lot to differentiate any camera made in the last few years. Android 8.1 will be out by the end of the year as well which will enable Google's custom image processing core. You also get free unlimited original quality photo and video storage on the Pixels which adds more value.

Most companies claim the lack of the headphone jack allows things like the dual stereo speakers, bigger batteries, and better waterproofing. How much truth there is to all those things I don't know. The first time I took my XL2 to the gym I forgot the dongle haha, so I am not a huge fan of that either, but it seems to be the new normal.

If you're comparing it to an S8, maybe exchange it for the Pixel 2 XL? It is a much closer competitor from a build, size, screen, bezels, and hardware perspective.

----------


## riced

> I just picked up the Google Pixel 2 and am feeling slightly let down by it. I was debating between it and the S8 for about a month and decided that I wanted the "pure google experience", but in reality, I feel like I paid a ($100) premium for a mid level phone when comparing it to the screen and look and feel of the S8. I am also irritated by the fact that I am sure they could have installed a headphone jack, but just chose not to for some reason, not sure why smaller thinner devices have it (G6/S8). Also, I don't find the camera as amazing as I thought coming from a Edge 6....



I got the S8+ after using an iPhone since the 4 and have been thoroughly impressed. I was debating the Pixel XL2 with the boasting about the camera and it's ability to do "the same thing" as dual cameras. Is the portrait mode not great?
I know on the S8's, there is selective focus but it's very artificial and doesn't work well on people. On an object with defined edges, it works great.

----------


## Neil4Speed

> The Pixel XL 2 is what you would compare to the S8, the Pixel 2 isn't meant to compete with it. You're comparing a 5" 1080P display to a 5.8" 1440P display so the S8 will always look better. The S8 was also a more expensive phone.
> 
> The camera is much, much, better than my old Galaxy S6 and also my iPhone 8, but I guess some of that is still subjective. Where you will notice it the most is in challenging situations, particularly with how it deals with noise in low light and high contrast situations - that is where it really stands out thanks to Google's processing. Video stabilization also is unrivaled, and portrait mode seems to deal with hair the best and have the most natural look if you're into that sort of thing. If you're just taking pictures of nice evenly-lit things in the daylight, there isn't a lot to differentiate any camera made in the last few years. Android 8.1 will be out by the end of the year as well which will enable Google's custom image processing core. You also get free unlimited original quality photo and video storage on the Pixels which adds more value.
> 
> Most companies claim the lack of the headphone jack allows things like the dual stereo speakers, bigger batteries, and better waterproofing. How much truth there is to all those things I don't know. The first time I took my XL2 to the gym I forgot the dongle haha, so I am not a huge fan of that either, but it seems to be the new normal.
> 
> If you're comparing it to an S8, maybe exchange it for the Pixel 2 XL? It is a much closer competitor from a build, size, screen, bezels, and hardware perspective.



Thanks very much for the feedback and the detailed message and helping me feel better about the purchase lol. 

So, regarding the S8, the cost was actually $100 less at Koodoo when I had the option to buy it. Also, size wise, they are virtually identical but the screen is way bigger on the S8.

Also, to be fair, I don't think I really gave the camera a fair shot yet and that was the primary reason I purchased it.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> I got the S8+ after using an iPhone since the 4 and have been thoroughly impressed. I was debating the Pixel XL2 with the boasting about the camera and it's ability to do "the same thing" as dual cameras. Is the portrait mode not great?
> I know on the S8's, there is selective focus but it's very artificial and doesn't work well on people. On an object with defined edges, it works great.



The reason the Pixel XL/XL2 can do even better than dual cameras for portrait mode is because each individual photosite on the camera sensor is split in half, and those minute distance differences that each side sees gives it depth perception without needing the second camera. After that, it's just software, which Google does better than anyone else at least at the moment. The Pixel's seem to deal with hair and challenging edges the best, and uses AI to constantly improve over time. Anyone can make a shitty focus mask and blur the background, but the Pixels are good at making it look at least half decent (none of them look like an actual large sensor DSLR photo but they are getting better at faking it.)

The same software is also what gives them such good low light performance. Noise in camera images always occurs randomly, so when you take a photo, it actually stacks up to 9 photos on top of each other which does an excellent job of reducing noise while having no negative impact on the image.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> Thanks very much for the feedback and the detailed message and helping me feel better about the purchase lol. 
> 
> So, regarding the S8, the cost was actually $100 less at Koodoo when I had the option to buy it. Also, size wise, they are virtually identical but the screen is way bigger on the S8.
> 
> Also, to be fair, I don't think I really gave the camera a fair shot yet and that was the primary reason I purchased it.



Yeah the S8 might be slightly cheaper now, I guess I was thinking more new vs new, but Samsung always seems to be ahead of the curve with their April releases (only a few months away from the S9!) You do also get the free unlimited original quality photo storage, instant OS updates, 24/7 support, google's hassle free exchange warranty (extended to 2 years), etc. which all help to add some value compared to the Samsung products currently. Google's assistant is also 1000 times better than Bixby haha.

The Pixel 2 does have some huge bezels, and the design is largely unchanged from last year - it seems to be aimed squarely at the iPhone 8. The S8 (5.8"), XL2 (6.0"), etc. put a huge screen into a similar sized package. The S8 has the smallest bezels of them all though.

If you want to give the camera workout, take some photos in low or challenging light and also really high contrast situations. The video stabilization is also super impressive - if your hand is reasonably steady, you literally cannot tell it's not on a tripod. I have a 1 minute long video where it doesn't even shift by a single line of pixels as far as I can tell on my PC monitor. Or take a video while walking and turn the stabilization on and off - you'll see how big of a difference it makes. Last year the Pixels just had the electronic stabilization, and this year they also gain optical stabilization.

----------


## riced

> The reason the Pixel XL/XL2 can do even better than dual cameras for portrait mode is because each individual photosite on the camera sensor is split in half, and those minute distance differences that each side sees gives it depth perception without needing the second camera. After that, it's just software, which Google does better than anyone else at least at the moment. The Pixel's seem to deal with hair and challenging edges the best, and uses AI to constantly improve over time. Anyone can make a shitty focus mask and blur the background, but the Pixels are good at making it look at least half decent (none of them look like an actual large sensor DSLR photo but they are getting better at faking it.)
> 
> The same software is also what gives them such good low light performance. Noise in camera images always occurs randomly, so when you take a photo, it actually stacks up to 9 photos on top of each other which does an excellent job of reducing noise while having no negative impact on the image.



Good to know! Makes me want one even more... But tough to give up the infinity edge screen...

----------


## Neil4Speed

Thank you Mitsu for your input, really interesting to know more about it.

----------


## KrisYYC

Pixel 2's also come with a two year warranty and faster updates, unlimited cloud storage of full quality photo and video. 

Might not be important to some but stuff like that is why I prefer Google phones over third party OEM's like Samsung etc. Though I admit the S8 is one sexy device.

----------


## schocker

> Pixel 2's also come with a two year warranty and faster updates, unlimited cloud storage of full quality photo and video. 
> 
> Might not be important to some but stuff like that is why I prefer Google phones over third party OEM's like Samsung etc. Though I admit the S8 is one sexy device.



I went from S6 to 7 to Pixel 2 and love it. Stock android, no waiting ten years for updates or features and the support through google. It was also like $100 cheaper (and had a home mini) than an S8 which was my second choice. Camera is awesome which works well with the unlimited photo storage. Would buy pixel again.

----------


## OTown

The new OnePlus 5T looks pretty interesting, and the price is hard to beat. Might upgrade my OP3 at some point.

----------


## jaylo

> The new OnePlus 5T looks pretty interesting, and the price is hard to beat. Might upgrade my OP3 at some point.



Got the 8/128 version last week. Amazing phone for the value, camera is OK but can use Gcam and an update will be arriving soon as per OnePlus.

Amazon Drive storage, photos unlimited if you have a Prime membership for $80, $12 for 100GB or $60 for 1TB video or file space.

----------


## brucebanner

Looking for a new phone and really thinking hard about the oneplus 6. I'd like keep the headphone jack, expandable memory would be a plus but not a deal breaker. Currently using a galaxy s7. Anything else worth looking at? Is the s9+ worth the extra money? Anything else I should be looking at?

----------


## shakalaka

If I was getting an Android phone right now, I'd be looking at the Blackberry Key2.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> Looking for a new phone and really thinking hard about the oneplus 6. I'd like keep the headphone jack, expandable memory would be a plus but not a deal breaker. Currently using a galaxy s7. Anything else worth looking at? Is the s9+ worth the extra money? Anything else I should be looking at?



With the S9+ you're getting a larger battery, better build, much better screen, much better camera, full waterproofing (vs. none), etc. To me those things would be worth it, but that is up to you. If you can hold out another 2-3 months for the Pixel 3's that would be even better, but you will lose the headphone jack and expandable memory, so maybe not a great option for you.

----------


## brucebanner

Not interested in a physical keyboard.

I want to purchase the phone outright but was hoping to keep cost under $1k. Couple of the guys I work with have the oneplus 5t and spoke highly of their experience with that model and the oneplus 6 reviews well, especially at its price point. 

I know s9+ and pixel 2xl would be top of the line but some other phones like oneplus 6 spec out well.

----------


## shakalaka

Check Kijiji for pricing, you can easily save a couple hundred even on brand new units.

----------


## mzdspd

I know two people with the 5T and they both love it. 

I don't think you can go wrong with the 6. It just depends if you think the added features of the S9 are worth (300-400$) it to you. There is always a sacrifice but in saying that, the 6 looks like a great phone.

----------


## kenny

Pixel3 announcement is next month and as usual Google is reaching out to youtubers to get permission to use their clips. 

The weird thing this year? They've reached out to a bunch of people that bashed the design of the Pixel 3 (based on the leaks). Is Google pulling a Lewis Hamilton and embracing their haters? or have they been trolling by leaking a bunch of fake Pixel 3XL and actually have no plans for a notch? 

https://mobilesyrup.com/2018/09/07/g...trash-pixel-3/

----------


## rage2

Wow, nice LewHam reference there haha.

----------


## Xtrema

Well either Google has one of the best viral campaign ever for a phone or one of the worst security practice for phone maker.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

The Pixel 3/XL is either the most leaked phone in history, or a VERY clever troll:

- Months ago we had full press renders, live photos, case manufacturer press images, screen protectors, etc.
- A month ago, you could buy early models from a Russian account for $2000
- Multiple spottings "in the wild" in past weeks
- Someone left one in the back of a Lyft

Surprises are generally few and far between in the smartphone world but this brings it to a new level haha. Maybe the phone is nothing like anything we've seen already and Google got us all.

If it's a troll though, about all they can do is surprise us by not having a notch.

----------


## brucebanner

I ended up picking up a brand new OnePlus 6 off of Kijiji last week. Took way longer to change phones than I should of and maybe I should of held out for the pixel 3, but I'm happy with this OnePlus so far and the price was right.

----------


## Xtrema

> I ended up picking up a brand new OnePlus 6 off of Kijiji last week. Took way longer to change phones than I should of and maybe I should of held out for the pixel 3, but I'm happy with this OnePlus so far and the price was right.



Rumored 6T is a sexy beast.

----------


## OTown

> Rumored 6T is a sexy beast.



I'm looking forward to this one. The possible in-screen fingerprint sensor is a cool feature

----------


## Xtrema

> I'm looking forward to this one. The possible in-screen fingerprint sensor is a cool feature



Rocking 835, no need for 845. But 855 next may prompt me to upgrade and hopefully they improve on screen reader by then

----------


## JRSC00LUDE

Best offering from Bell in the Android world right now? Smashed my phone, will steal a "free" upgrade from one of our other lines. Still been enjoying my S7, it's been fucking bulletproof (just not shatterproof).

----------


## Xtrema

> Best offering from Bell in the Android world right now? Smashed my phone, will steal a "free" upgrade from one of our other lines. Still been enjoying my S7, it's been fucking bulletproof (just not shatterproof).



Labor day long weekend, the big 3 were giving away free S9 and S9+ along with BestBuy Gift cards. ($200 for S9, $150 for S9+), as long as sign up for a new plan that's $80/mth or more.

Wonder if retention will honor that.

----------


## firebane

> Labor day long weekend, the big 3 were giving away free S9 and S9+ along with BestBuy Gift cards. ($200 for S9, $150 for S9+), as long as sign up for a new plan that's $80/mth or more.
> 
> Wonder if retention will honor that.



I would love to upgrade my phone but I don't think I will be able to anymore. I have a plan that dates over 8 years or more and I've had to fight tooth and nail to keep it. Its a old super grand fathered 6gb plan that I got and only pay $80/month. The equivalent plan would be over $100-110 if I stayed with Telus.

----------


## spike98

> I would love to upgrade my phone but I don't think I will be able to anymore. I have a plan that dates over 8 years or more and I've had to fight tooth and nail to keep it. Its a old super grand fathered 6gb plan that I got and only pay $80/month. The equivalent plan would be over $100-110 if I stayed with Telus.



Or it would be $23 cheaper (for 10GB) if you would have swapped it earlier in the year.

----------


## Xtrema

> I would love to upgrade my phone but I don't think I will be able to anymore. I have a plan that dates over 8 years or more and I've had to fight tooth and nail to keep it. Its a old super grand fathered 6gb plan that I got and only pay $80/month. The equivalent plan would be over $100-110 if I stayed with Telus.



That weekend, my colleague went since his old Rogers plan expired.

His new 2 year contract is $10 less/mth ($80 instead of $90) and 2GB more (8GB total), unlimited everything and $0 S9+ and $150 BB gift card.

Pretty killer back to school deal. I'm pretty sure next big sales won't be here until we get closer to Christmas/Black Friday.

----------


## CompletelyNumb

Retentions just gave me the S9+ for $30 out of pocket costs, no change in my plan. Ive always been a Google phone guy but the lack of headphone port killed it for me, I'm not replacing my headphones for them.

----------


## mzdspd

You can get really good deals if you go without a contract. 

My wife got a brand new Pixel 2 XL from Koodo for 480$ outright (back to school deal thru bestbuy/koodo) and got offered a public mobile to koodo migration deal for 40$ (26$ for the first year) for 8 gb plus unlimited calling etc.

----------


## mr2mike

Yeah I hate running the headphone adapter but I have 2 so I can just leave it attached to my car headphones and home headphones. But all the big phones are going headphone jackless. 

Just upgraded Pixel 2 to the new Android OS. Minor changes but hesitated on immediate update because there are usually glitches that need patching. 
So far, battery is marginally better but probably still learning. 
The hand gestures to close and switch between apps are good but takes some learning or muscle memory. 
Worst thing is the ringer volume isn't a simple turn down the toggle. Hope they change that back.

----------


## roopi

> Worst thing is the ringer volume isn't a simple turn down the toggle. Hope they change that back.



This is the only thing that annoys me as well. The rest of the updates improved the experience after a few days of learning.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> Got the 8/128 version last week. Amazing phone for the value, camera is OK but can use Gcam and an update will be arriving soon as per OnePlus.
> 
> Amazon Drive storage, photos unlimited if you have a Prime membership for $80, $12 for 100GB or $60 for 1TB video or file space.



One note with Prime - videos are NOT unlimited, and with 4K or even 1080P/60 it doesn't take long at all to fill that 5GB quota. RAW files however are included and unlimited which is nice.





> Worst thing is the ringer volume isn't a simple turn down the toggle. Hope they change that back.



Yeah the Media volume being the default rocker volume regardless of what the phone is doing is dumb - I think they will get lots of complaints and change that back, or at least make the default customizable (which would be the ideal solution). I much preferred how it was before, where the volume rockers controlled whatever volume was applicable at the moment (i.e. call volume whilst on a call, ringer volume while in a normal state, and media volume while listening to music). I do like the quick touch DND options though. Still getting used to swiping up instead of left to close apps, I preferred the other way I think but probably just because I was used to it.

----------


## bjstare

Anyone going to get a Pixel 3/XL? I'm currently running a OnePlus 3T, but want to go back to a google phone after a couple oneplus devices. Trying to decide if the Pixel 3 XL will be worth the extra money over a 2 XL (buying outright).

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> Anyone going to get a Pixel 3/XL? I'm currently running a OnePlus 3T, but want to go back to a google phone after a couple oneplus devices. Trying to decide if the Pixel 3 XL will be worth the extra money over a 2 XL (buying outright).



I'm ordering one from Google the first day they are available. My mint 2 XL will be for sale pretty soon if you aren't going new.

I HATE notches though so might get the non-XL to avoid it. Problem is I'm used to the screen real estate so we will see. I will never forgive Andy Rubin and his shitty essential phone for this.

I'm expecting the Pixel 3 to be quite good (99% of the phone has leaked haha) - this time around they have Foxconn making them so it'll be interesting to see if that is better or worse than LG/Huawei.

----------


## bjstare

Yeah I've read all the leaked info I can find. Seems like it'll be a great phone and aesthetically I really like it. I'm leaning towards the 3XL for the wireless charging and better screen/size ratio. I don't mind the silly notch.

----------


## schocker

> Anyone going to get a Pixel 3/XL? I'm currently running a OnePlus 3T, but want to go back to a google phone after a couple oneplus devices. Trying to decide if the Pixel 3 XL will be worth the extra money over a 2 XL (buying outright).



I'm contemplating to get a 3 and sell my 2. Depends on pricing if it will stay the same at $900 and also if they throw in a freebie again, maybe the wireless charging dock or something.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> I'm contemplating to get a 3 and sell my 2. Depends on pricing if it will stay the same at $900 and also if they throw in a freebie again, maybe the wireless charging dock or something.



I'm guessing they will move pricing up. Historically it always goes up, and it's #1 competitors (Apple and Samsung) all raised prices this year. They are also adding a third camera module, which is an easy way to justify higher pricing and one of the few ways manufacturers can differentiate their products anymore. I'm guessing 64GB XL $1100-1200 and the non-XL $999.

Last year they threw in a speaker but never sent it to me, then refused to send me another one when I inquired about it - was not pleased haha.

----------


## bjstare

> Last year they threw in a speaker but never sent it to me, then refused to send me another one when I inquired about it - was not pleased haha.



That's surprising, I had a few of the nexus phones and got some of the best customer service I've ever had when dealing with Google. Been a couple years, but I didn't think it'd have gone downhill too much.

Hopefully they throw in the Pixel Stand with some of them, that would be awesome.

----------


## rage2

> I'm guessing they will move pricing up. Historically it always goes up, and it's #1 competitors (Apple and Samsung) all raised prices this year.



Don't think Apple moved up in price this year, same $999 price tag.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> That's surprising, I had a few of the nexus phones and got some of the best customer service I've ever had when dealing with Google. Been a couple years, but I didn't think it'd have gone downhill too much.
> 
> Hopefully they throw in the Pixel Stand with some of them, that would be awesome.



Yeah normally their CS is unbelievable and I've used it a lot. I have had numerous phone replacements over various Pixel/Nexus generations due to imperfect OLED white uniformity as I am very sensitive to it. Every OLED is prone to this, not just the ones on Google phones, and it's tough to get a perfect one.

What happened in this case was they sent me a promo link to order the free speaker (because I bought a Pixel 2 XL), and I had to cancel it and re-order it because I switched jobs and it was being shipped to my previous office. I went to re-order it and the promo code didn't work. I called, talked to reps, talked to managers, sent emails, chatted, etc. and NOBODY could send me a new promo code for a $30 Home Mini speaker. A company like google...who will send me another $1000 phone no questions asked...did not have the ability to generate a new promo code, credit me $30, credit my play account $30, or offer any solution whatsoever, even partially. I know for a fact they have the ability to generate purchase links with a $0.00 cost because that is how they handle returns and also how they offered me a new headphone adapter. It's my only negative experience with them but I simply do not believe that a company like that had no way to deal with a $30 issue in ANY way. I probably wouldn't have used the speaker much anyway, it just bothered me how unhelpful they were over something so small and inexpensive for them to correct. Any issues I've had that would have cost me far more money have all been immediate replacements, no questions asked beyond "did you try restarting it".

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> Don't think Apple moved up in price this year, same $999 price tag.



Their flagship phone is more than ever before, is it not? Looking at the model that would most closely compete with the Pixel 3 XL (based on leaks anyway) it looks like it starts at $1519 CAD which to my knowledge is more than last year's X.

----------


## Xtrema

> Their flagship phone is more than ever before, is it not? Looking at the model that would most closely compete with the Pixel 3 XL (based on leaks anyway) it looks like it starts at $1519 CAD which to my knowledge is more than last year's X.



You get a bigger screen with Xs Max. Xs and X from last year is basically the same.

So yeah, flagship price has moved up, but equally spec'd models are the same. And Xr is tracking to be quite popular.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> You get a bigger screen with Xs Max. Xs and X from last year is basically the same.
> 
> So yeah, flagship price has moved up, but equally spec'd models are the same. And Xr is tracking to be quite popular.



I see that, but what I am saying is that the iPhone that will be most likely to compete with the Pixel 3 XL went up in price. Last year that was the X (vs Pixel 2 XL), this year it's the Xs Max and it's ~$200 more.

----------


## Xtrema

> I see that, but what I am saying is that the iPhone that will be most likely to compete with the Pixel 3 XL went up in price. Last year that was the X (vs Pixel 2 XL), this year it's the Xs Max and it's ~$200 more.



Galaxy Note 9 is $1629 out right. I believe that will be benchmark for Android device.

End of the day, Shenzhen ain't cheap no more and Foxconn will pass the cost down the line.

----------


## bjstare

Jesus I had no idea the Note got so expensive. That's outrageous.

----------


## Xtrema

> Jesus I had no idea the Note got so expensive. That's outrageous.



That's MSRP for the 512GB models which most people won't get. Just like the Xs MAX with 512GB MSRP for $2000.

Also, nobody really pay cold hard cash for Samsung phones. I'm sure they would be giving Note 9 out for free by Christmas on contract or some cheap tabs. Just like they are giving S9 and S9+ out for free + $200 gift card just 5 months after their debut in April.

Android phone biz is cutthroat.

And remember that SD855 with 7nm SoC is only 6-7 months away.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> Galaxy Note 9 is $1629 out right. I believe that will be benchmark for Android device.
> 
> End of the day, Shenzhen ain't cheap no more and Foxconn will pass the cost down the line.



The Note 9 isn't that expensive unless you get the Max storage option, just like the iPhone Xs MAX is $2K with the highest storage option. I believe the Note 9 is only $1299 for the 'base' storage model which would compare to the $1519 iPhone Xs Max.

----------


## rage2

> I see that, but what I am saying is that the iPhone that will be most likely to compete with the Pixel 3 XL went up in price. Last year that was the X (vs Pixel 2 XL), this year it's the Xs Max and it's ~$200 more.



Well it didn't go up in price. It's a new model. There was no X Max.

At the end of the day, the shitty CDN$ is our biggest enemy.

----------


## ZenOps

I'm waiting on Snapdragon 855 too. In chip quantities they have already specified a price of $5 more than the 845 (in thousand unit quantities for manufacturers)

Its definitely coming, unlike 10nm Intel chips for desktops - four years later.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

Reviews on the Pixel 3/XL are starting to surface, surprisingly even iVerge has nothing bad to say about it other than they can scratch the glass if they abuse the phone (duh), notch/bezels may not be to everyone's taste, and apparently USA carrier availability isn't great. So basically no complaints with the hardware itself which is a good start.

Also, google is adding external mic compatibility to all Pixels soon.

EDIT:

Panel confirmed to be Samsung (as everyone already suspected).

Poor repairability rating but very good sealing and heat dissipation.

Speakers and haptic engine greatly improved.

New image sensors front & rear (Sony IMX363 & IMX355)

Camera has flicker detection so you don't get messed up shots under lighting that cycles in a way that is invisible to the human eye but ruins the photo.

Hardware is capable of 4K/60fps so that may come in a future firmware update.

Features coming to older Pixels:
Adjustable portrait bokeh
Night sight
Gmail Smart Compose
Playground
Duplex
Call Screen (ETA TBD)

The rest will be exclusive to the Pixel 3 as they are mostly hardware related.

----------


## KrisYYC

OnePlus 6T announced today. Looks like pretty great bang for buck. $719 in Canada for the 128GB with 6GB of RAM. Despite OnePlus' price creep the last few years the prices of the mainstream flagships have increased even more so making OnePlus a way better value for most people.

----------


## LilDrunkenSmurf

> OnePlus 6T announced today. Looks like pretty great bang for buck. $719 in Canada for the 128GB with 6GB of RAM. Despite OnePlus' price creep the last few years the prices of the mainstream flagships have increased even more so making OnePlus a way better value for most people.



That's unfortunate that they also decided to get rid of the 3.5mm jack. I have the wireless bullets, and they're decent as a daily/gym set, but I still use a wired set on the bike. I won't need to replace my 5T for a while I hope.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> That's unfortunate that they also decided to get rid of the 3.5mm jack. I have the wireless bullets, and they're decent as a daily/gym set, but I still use a wired set on the bike. I won't need to replace my 5T for a while I hope.



I agree - something like the headphone jack is a good way for these sub-brands to make themselves stand out. Sucks they got rid of it, but these days they can do things like that "because everyone else is doing it" and not really have to justify it. Kudos to Samsung for still doing the headphone jack AND expandable memory without compromising waterproofing.

As it is, their pricing is IMHO too close to the typical flagship devices to be attractive, but everyone will have a different opinion there depending on what's important to them.

----------


## kenny

> I agree - something like the headphone jack is a good way for these sub-brands to make themselves stand out. Sucks they got rid of it, but these days they can do things like that "because everyone else is doing it" and not really have to justify it. Kudos to Samsung for still doing the headphone jack AND expandable memory without compromising waterproofing.
> 
> As it is, their pricing is IMHO too close to the typical flagship devices to be attractive, but everyone will have a different opinion there depending on what's important to them.



Galaxy S10 will likely lose the headphone jack since everyone is ditching it.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> Galaxy S10 will likely lose the headphone jack since everyone is ditching it.



Yeah I've read that might happen as well - hopefully not. It'll be a sad day when the last of the major brands ditches it. If it saves them money and everyone else is doing it, it's probably hard to justify internally. Between that and these god awful notches we have to deal with, I do not like the direction things are going.

----------


## kenny

> Yeah I've read that might happen as well - hopefully not. It'll be a sad day when the last of the major brands ditches it. If it saves them money and everyone else is doing it, it's probably hard to justify internally. Between that and these god awful notches we have to deal with, I do not like the direction things are going.



S10 rumored to have in-display (or behind display) front cameras too based on technology demonstration. 

Lose headphone jack, but make up for it with no notch?  :Big Grin:

----------


## firebane

> Galaxy S10 will likely lose the headphone jack since everyone is ditching it.



And since the headphone jack going away is such a big thing... I'll be sticking with my S7 for sometime. Headphone jack and SD Card slot are two major things for me.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> S10 rumored to have in-display (or behind display) front cameras too based on technology demonstration. 
> 
> Lose headphone jack, but make up for it with no notch?



Haha, I can't argue with that trade. Not bad!

----------


## civic_stylez

Ive been using the Pixel 3 XL for a little while and its an impressive handset with many high end features and a great camera. It would be a stretch to say ive been "blown away" by it when compared to my Huawei P20 pro. I did have high expectations and the P3XL meets many of them but I would expect it to do so with the expected price tag. I was able to sample the night mode feature for the first time yesterday and there is definitely a market for this to be an exception night mode camera but if I had to pick a designated night camera on a handset, my P20 would take it.

----------


## ExtraSlow

Anyone have suggestions for Android phone to replace my wifes Samsung Galaxy s6 in a few months? We've been generally happy with the Galaxy line of phones, have both been on them since S3 I think. Open to other brands, but must stay android. Preferably something that's not all the way top of the line too, as the minimum monthly spends are ridiculous on Telus. 

Longer battery life would be nice. Snappy performance all feels good. Don't care that much about camera, since everything is so good anyway. Overall size not important, this isn't tablet replacement like some people seem to use it as.

I guess all the newer Galaxy phones have the USB-C connector for charging. Damn, we have dozens of the older style cords around for charging cameras, e-readers, tablets etc. Guess we'll have to modernize . . . . Unless something out there uses the older connector.

----------


## jwslam

I bet a Samsung A5 would fit the bill nicely if you're just looking for newer not necessarily faster/better.

----------


## ExtraSlow

> I bet a Samsung A5 would fit the bill nicely.



I'll have to look into this one, but looks like telus sells the A8 version for same commitment too.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> Anyone have suggestions for Android phone to replace my wifes Samsung Galaxy s6 in a few months? We've been generally happy with the Galaxy line of phones, have both been on them since S3 I think. Open to other brands, but must stay android. Preferably something that's not all the way top of the line too, as the minimum monthly spends are ridiculous on Telus. 
> 
> Longer battery life would be nice. Snappy performance all feels good. Don't care that much about camera, since everything is so good anyway. Overall size not important, this isn't tablet replacement like some people seem to use it as.
> 
> I guess all the newer Galaxy phones have the USB-C connector for charging. Damn, we have dozens of the older style cords around for charging cameras, e-readers, tablets etc. Guess we'll have to modernize . . . . Unless something out there uses the older connector.



What is your budget?

You can buy brand new Pixel XL's for ~$495 CAD and the market is about to be flooded with cheap Pixel 2 XL's. 

Up to a Galaxy S7 you can still use micro USB. If not, high quality USB-C cables are only ~$10.

If you show up with your own phone, the plans are way cheaper, so just something to consider.

----------


## ExtraSlow

> What is your budget?
> 
> You can buy brand new Pixel XL's for ~$495 CAD and the market is about to be flooded with cheap Pixel 2 XL's. 
> 
> Up to a Galaxy S7 you can still use micro USB. If not, high quality USB-C cables are only ~$10.
> 
> If you show up with your own phone, the plans are way cheaper, so just something to consider.



Yeah, we run a BYOD plan on one phone right now. The plans are very good.

----------


## kenny

Pretty interesting concept for dealing with front facing cameras taking up space where the screen can go... get rid of the cameras altogether! 

Wonder if this will catch on.

----------


## shakalaka

Check out Xiaomi Mi Mix 3. It's got a slider front facing camera and looks sick. I am anxiously waiting for its release so that I can somehow get my hands on it. lol

----------


## 01RedDX

.

----------


## civic_stylez

Currently using Pixel 3 XL and Huawei P20 Pro but Im loving the new specs on the Huawei Mate 20 Pro... I thought it would be really tough to top the P20 Pro but apparently it does.

https://www.stuff.tv/features/huawei...pro-which-best

----------


## kenny

> Check out Xiaomi Mi Mix 3. It's got a slider front facing camera and looks sick. I am anxiously waiting for its release so that I can somehow get my hands on it. lol



Yeah I've seen that one as well, but I like the Nubia X implementation since it has no moving parts.

----------


## D'z Nutz

> Check out Xiaomi Mi Mix 3. It's got a slider front facing camera and looks sick. I am anxiously waiting for its release so that I can somehow get my hands on it. lol



You're a sucker for gimmicks aren't you?

A lot of those devices in the past with sliding interfaces die prematurely because parts wear down from constant movement and friction. I remember this happening to my old PDA's, phones with sliding keyboards, and automatic flipping car stereo headunits when the circuit ribbons wore out. Unless they've come up with some sort of alternative technology, I don't buy into this feature. But I guess since you don't hold onto anything for any length of time you probably won't have it long enough to worry about it.

----------


## ExtraSlow

You've read his car threads right? 

Looking into it, may get the wife the galaxy A8 around new years. Will check the economics between buying from Amazon for $450 vs getting from Telus.

----------


## shakalaka

> You're a sucker for gimmicks aren't you?
> 
> A lot of those devices in the past with sliding interfaces die prematurely because parts wear down from constant movement and friction. I remember this happening to my old PDA's, phones with sliding keyboards, and automatic flipping car stereo headunits when the circuit ribbons wore out. Unless they've come up with some sort of alternative technology, I don't buy into this feature. But I guess since you don't hold onto anything for any length of time you probably won't have it long enough to worry about it.




lol. I like things that are different I guess.

But the sliding mechanism in the Mi Mix is actually magnetic. So there isn't any machinery that can necessarily go bad I guess. There is an Oppo and Vivo phone that have sliding mechanism for pop out camera but they are motorized and I would certainly have real concerns about this. But this one seems like those good old Nokia 8800 slider phone days. I loved those phone and still have a silver one sitting around somewhere but of course of not much use anymore.

----------


## Xtrema

> You're a sucker for gimmicks aren't you?
> 
> A lot of those devices in the past with sliding interfaces die prematurely because parts wear down from constant movement and friction. I remember this happening to my old PDA's, phones with sliding keyboards, and automatic flipping car stereo headunits when the circuit ribbons wore out. Unless they've come up with some sort of alternative technology, I don't buy into this feature. But I guess since you don't hold onto anything for any length of time you probably won't have it long enough to worry about it.



Think of it as BB Priv but instead of sliding screen up for keyboard, you slide screen down for front camera/censors.

It probably will add thickness with such mechanism.

----------


## D'z Nutz

> But the sliding mechanism in the Mi Mix is actually magnetic. So there isn't any machinery that can necessarily go bad I guess.



The magnets are for the sliding, not the part for the two halves of the phone to electronically communicate with each other and that's what always wore out in those older devices.

----------


## Xtrema

> The magnets are for the sliding, not the part for the two halves of the phone to electronically communicate with each other and that's what always wore out in those older devices.



According to Xiaomi, it's good for 300,000 slides.

The fact that my Priv is still working fine after it's been used for 2 years and decommed for 1 year, so I'm sure it'll be fine but may have less probability of surviving a drop.

----------


## bjstare

The idea of buying a device like this with moving parts in it these days is crazy to me.

----------


## Xtrema

> The idea of buying a device like this with moving parts in it these days is crazy to me.



Samsung supposed to have under screen sensors coming. May be good enough to give us all screen phone without notches or moving parts in 2019/20.

----------


## spike98

Under screen sensors are already here. It's the camera that forces a notch.

----------


## schocker

Sounds like the 6T underscreen sensor is pretty slow though. Sounds like the start of finger print readers on phones themselves. Will take a few iterations to get back to the speeds we are used to now.

----------


## ZenOps

Phablet just did a pre-mature shutoff at -5 Celsius after two years of heavy use. The first winter it was fine to -15 Celsius, although the indicator would quickly drop to 35%, it would work fine.

Lithium batteries still have a way to go in cold weather.

----------


## JordanEG6

Just bought the OnePlus 6T and currently using the Nexus 6P, I had a question regarding phone settings/contacts/wallpaper/WiFi infor etc. - Would I be able to transfer all the settings from my 6P to the 6T? Or do I have to go through the hassle of setting it up manually? 

If this question was answered already, I apologize, but I didn't go through the whole thread.

----------


## LilDrunkenSmurf

> Just bought the OnePlus 6T and currently using the Nexus 6P, I had a question regarding phone settings/contacts/wallpaper/WiFi infor etc. - Would I be able to transfer all the settings from my 6P to the 6T? Or do I have to go through the hassle of setting it up manually? 
> 
> If this question was answered already, I apologize, but I didn't go through the whole thread.



Anything google-related will come over. Some things will need to be setup manually. I moved from a 6P to a 5, and it was hit or miss which came over. But the process is much better than it used to be.

----------


## JRSC00LUDE

Ok, I need to grab one this week so is it:

- S9/+
- Pixel 3/+
- Huawei Mate 20
- LG G7

Our business account is on Bell

----------


## brucebanner

I have the one plus 6 and have had it for a couple months now. Happy with the phone, camera isn't amazing. That would be about my only knock on it. The money I saved buying it new off of someone on kijiji, I can deal with that.

----------


## bjstare

> Ok, I need to grab one this week so is it:
> 
> - S9/+
> - Pixel 3/+
> - Huawei Mate 20
> - LG G7
> 
> Our business account is on Bell



Pixel 3XL (biased cause I have one, but I like it).

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> Ok, I need to grab one this week so is it:
> 
> - S9/+
> - Pixel 3/+
> - Huawei Mate 20
> - LG G7
> 
> Our business account is on Bell



Pixel 3 XL is the obvious choose from that list, in my opinion, and with the Black Friday discounts. By far the best camera in that grouping and a clean Google experience with all the benefits that go with it (like free original quality photo storage). Loving mine so far.

The S9 is going to be replaced in about 4 months.

----------


## Xtrema

> Ok, I need to grab one this week so is it:
> 
> - S9/+
> - Pixel 3/+
> - Huawei Mate 20
> - LG G7
> 
> Our business account is on Bell



I assume G7 and S9 are free phones? Out of the 2, I would take S9.

But overall, I would take Pixel 3 for the pure Android, best camera, latest security update.

----------


## JRSC00LUDE

Pixel it is, thanks guys.

----------


## mzdspd

My brother just ordered one of those P20 Pro on the medium tab. Can't wait to try it out.

----------


## JRSC00LUDE

Mildly related, best password management app?

----------


## spike98

> Mildly related, best password management app?



I use lastpass but lately i have been thinking about switching as its been not autofilling apps properly. It might just be the slight incompatibility with the latest version of android as im on the pixel as well.

----------


## D'z Nutz

> Mildly related, best password management app?



I wouldn't say the best password management app, but Passwdsafe is definitely flexible since I can transfer the database file between Windows, Mac, Linux, and Android applications.

----------


## LilDrunkenSmurf

I'm really liking Dashlane.

----------


## taemo

I've been frustrated with my Amazon Fire HD8 lately as it seems to have been running really slow and unresponsive.

Found a way to disable the amazon bloatware crap and man it is a lot snappier than our Ipad Air 2.

https://forum.xda-developers.com/hd8...ral/a-t3820744

I've disabled pretty much most of the amazon stuff other than Prime Video and Music, other than that it was mostly downloaded app.
Will be using this primarily for VNC/Citrix/Youtube/ebook reading so I'm happy now. Might try run emulators again as last time I did it was really slow too.

----------


## D'z Nutz

Google finally announces their mid-range Pixel line. These will probably sell pretty well, considering how the regular Pixel 3 line was a bomb for Google.

https://mobilesyrup.com/2019/05/07/g...-availability/




> After catering exclusively to the high-end phone market for the past two-and-a-half years, Google is entering the mid-range smartphone market. 
> 
> The Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL, announced today at the company’s annual Google I/O developer conference, take the best of the Pixel 3 and put it into a more affordable package.
> 
> Availability
> Canadian consumers can pre-order the Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL starting May 7th (today) via the Google Store. 
> 
> In the coming weeks, the two phones will also be available to pre-order via Rogers, Bell and Telus, as well as their respective flanker brands: Fido, Virgin Mobile and Koodo. 
> 
> ...

----------


## jaeden

I've been pretty interested in this phone. Looks to save on cost by excluding features that I don't care much about. Well under the price of flagship phones. Google has $150 store credit promo for new orders until the weekend. I wanted to wait for reviews but tempting to pull the trigger now.

----------


## ZenOps

Purple-ish. Best description ever.

----------


## spike98

> Google finally announces their mid-range Pixel line. These will probably sell pretty well, considering how the regular Pixel 3 line was a bomb for Google.
> 
> https://mobilesyrup.com/2019/05/07/g...-availability/



Calling it a bomb is not a fair statement. Its an amazing phone. The problem is that its only incrementally more amazing than the Pixel 2 and the 2 grabbed a lot of market share. A lot of folks didn't see the value in the upgrade. The "a" series is going to capture a different segment and i think perform quite well as a low-ish cost alternative.

Comparing it to the only nexus days is laughable though. They were truely an affordable flag ship not a phone at a reduced cost with reduced features.

----------


## ZenOps

Yeah, it definitely was a raod bump though. People don't want to spend 1K every two years. I'm in the process of babying my tablet into year three, sure the battery is on its last legs, but otherwise its still good.

My thinking is also that if you are going to go 6 inch, might as well go small tablet with voice data services. Ipad mini is just a centimeter too wide for me to use as a daily driver.

----------


## ExtraSlow

The midlevel devices are pretty compelling. Buying a $400 phone every two years makes more sense than trying to stretch a $900 device to 3 years.

----------


## ZenOps

I'd suggest that both Google and Apple have too much tracking. Noone is going to use their big brother device to surf for questionable porn. But if you buy a Chinese throwaway, I get the oddest feeling that they are more comfortable with some unknown Asian company watching their porn surfing habits.

I know it pissed me off when I first found out that tracking was a TOS requirement to even use a Blackberry playbook, which is why I recommended it to no one.

Use your premium device in public/work. But everyone has a cheapy Chinese in the house in night mode. Then it becomes a question of which device do you actually use more? And some people never come back to the "premium" device.

----------


## mr2mike

As a pixel 2 owner, not sure what would make me upgrade yet. Nothing presented thus far has gotten me excited.

----------


## D'z Nutz

> Calling it a bomb is not a fair statement. Its an amazing phone. The problem is that its only incrementally more amazing than the Pixel 2 and the 2 grabbed a lot of market share. A lot of folks didn't see the value in the upgrade. The "a" series is going to capture a different segment and i think perform quite well as a low-ish cost alternative.



Considering it failed to meet sales expectations and sold fewer units than the Pixel 2, I'd definitely say from the company's perspective the Pixel 3/3 XL was a bomb.

----------


## Xtrema

> As a pixel 2 owner, not sure what would make me upgrade yet. Nothing presented thus far has gotten me excited.



Just got a Galaxy S10 (SD855) to replace my Oneplus 5 (SD835).

I think it's a change for the worse given how lean Oneplus runs vs how much Samsung crap is running on the S10. But S10 being one of the VoLTE and Band13 phone supported by Freedom, I get improvement on network side.




> The midlevel devices are pretty compelling. Buying a $400 phone every two years makes more sense than trying to stretch a $900 device to 3 years.



I think the days of everyone going for the $1000+ flagship is over. iPhone XR is now the top selling iPhone. 

That said, Samsung had trouble moving S10 512GB that they were giving them away at 55% off MSRP. Cant' say no to that, especially next Oneplus Flagship is rumored to be $1000.

----------


## D'z Nutz

> I think the days of everyone going for the $1000+ flagship is over. iPhone XR is now the top selling iPhone. 
> 
> That said, Samsung had trouble moving S10 512GB that they were giving them away at 55% off MSRP. Cant' say no to that, especially next Oneplus Flagship is rumored to be $1000.



I agree. I think we're seeing what the upper limit of what the general public is willing to pay for their phones now. I feel the technology has kind of plateaued at the moment: upgraded specs are only marginally better than the previous year's, and any new features coming out are gimmicky (ie: folding screens, 5 camera lenses, etc).

----------


## schocker

> As a pixel 2 owner, not sure what would make me upgrade yet. Nothing presented thus far has gotten me excited.



I mainly did it for the larger screen. Going from I think it was a GS7 with a larger screen, I didn't like the screen footprint on the P2. 

Midrange is a good idea though spreading it a half a year apart seems kind of odd. Maybe it was triggered by the low sales of the P3. 

Google and Nest are now integrated and you will be able to migrate your nest to a google account. Google Nest Hub (Prior Home Hub) is coming to Canada now for $169 with a free google home mini initially (No name change to nest mini tho). Nest Hub Max will not be here to start. Seeing how long this took, could be a long time for it to arrive. That one is a 10" with a built in nest cam which works for google duo and face detection for customized results.

----------


## slick2404

I ended up ordering the 3a, the offer for those in the states isn't bad at all: 

$399 selling price
-$250 trade in for an iPhone SE/6/6s/+
+$100 google store credit

----------


## KrisYYC

Anybody else getting RCS messaging now? I'm using Google messages on a Pixel 3. The other day I noticed that I had it when texting my brother who uses a Huawei P30 Pro. We are both on Rogers. The chat bubbles turned to a different colour, that's how I noticed it. Sent a couple of test MMS and they came through way higher quality than usual, and I'm getting delivered/read reports for each message too. Very similar to iMessage. 

For those not sure what RCS is check out this link: https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile...rcs-messaging/

Hopefully this rolls out more widely, and hopefully Apple will make it available for iPhone too, so we can FINALLY have decent cross platform messaging within stock apps.

----------


## rage2

> We are both on Rogers.



Anything else, experience will vary. I'm surprised Google went so hard into RCS and left providers to support and extend the standard. The fuck were they thinking. It's been a few years and there's already interoperability issues between providers, and if it eventually takes off, you're at the mercy of providers for pricing. Don't be surprised if you need to buy an RCS package, or pay for overages.

The open concept is great, but it's flawed from the beginning giving the control to mobile providers.

----------


## ExtraSlow

What other Canadian providers are on board?

----------


## rage2

Bell launched it years ago. It can't cross Bell's network, and IIRC only works on some Android phones (Bell limiting).

Again, RCS in the hands of mobile providers is fucking retarded.

----------


## sabad66

Any word if Apple is going to adopt RCS? Would be nice to have an iMessage-like experience when texting Android friends.

----------


## rage2

> Any word if Apple is going to adopt RCS? Would be nice to have an iMessage-like experience when texting Android friends.



Again, they haven't even gotten android to android working over multiple providers lol. I would be very surprised if Apple jumped on board with such a fucked up user experience today.

----------


## sabad66

> Again, they haven't even gotten android to android working over multiple providers lol. I would be very surprised if Apple jumped on board with such a fucked up user experience today.



On the other side of the coin, maybe involvement from Apple would be the kick in the ass it needs to actually get fixed/refined?

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

Seems pointless to me. Every single person I know, regardless of Android or Apple, uses WhatsApp almost exclusively because it works flawlessly cross platform and is end to end encrypted. You can already send high quality photos and video. Even my Grandma uses WhatsApp haha. It's better than iMessage or anything Android has anyway. I don't think anyone is going to change what they use unless it works perfectly cross-platform, and even then they would need a reason switch en masse which I also don't see. Getting people to switch to a new chat platform from something that already works for pretty much everyone is going to be really tough IMHO.

----------


## rage2

> Seems pointless to me. Every single person I know, regardless of Android or Apple, uses WhatsApp almost exclusively because it works flawlessly cross platform and is end to end encrypted. You can already send high quality photos and video. Even my Grandma uses WhatsApp haha. It's better than iMessage or anything Android has anyway. I don't think anyone is going to change what they use unless it works perfectly cross-platform, and even then they would need a reason switch en masse which I also don't see. Getting people to switch to a new chat platform from something that already works for pretty much everyone is going to be really tough IMHO.



Of all people I thought you would be the one that cares about media quality. AFAIK WhatsApp still compresses media so you get potato quality videos and shrunken images. I haven't used it in years, but my parents still show me shitty pictures and complain it's from others via WhatsApp.

----------


## killramos

I only have whatsapp installed because of 1 or 2 people I go to school with in groups etc who dont have iPhones.

Terrible app. Will be deleting the moment I am done with my program.

Installed the desktop app on my laptop and it manages to cut my battery life down to 1-2 hours and make my fans run at max it is so poorly optimized.

Pretty much the only thing wrong with iMessage is you cant send messages when offline, which is annoying trying to text in the elevator or parkade at work.

----------


## sabad66

> Of all people I thought you would be the one that cares about media quality. AFAIK WhatsApp still compresses media so you get potato quality videos and shrunken images. I haven't used it in years, but my parents still show me shitty pictures and complain it's from others via WhatsApp.



it definitely still does make media look like shit. i guess its good in a way for people that dont have a lot of data.

besides that, i really dont mind it. i like the feature where when you share a youtube video, it plays in the app and of course being cross platform.

The only time i SMS these days is when its 1 on 1 or its a random person like when selling on kijiji. The random person use case is where i can see this RCS really being useful (sending pics and works over data)

----------


## ExtraSlow

Beyond.ca: Has an android thread
Apple users: stop in to tell us how much they like Apple. 

Yep, this checks out. 

Although, I will say, of the multiple times I've had apple phones for work, imessage was always the best thing about that experience. It's good software. Would be fully great if they had cross-platform support.

----------


## KrisYYC

> Seems pointless to me. Every single person I know, regardless of Android or Apple, uses WhatsApp almost exclusively



That is the complete opposite of my experience, especially with iphone users. The majority of my friends and colleagues just use whatever the stock messages app is for their phone. A few that have family abroad will use WhatsApp or Viber to chat with family or for group chats. But that's about it. Most iPhone users don't even know what WhatsApp is.

----------


## KrisYYC

> Installed the desktop app on my laptop and it manages to cut my battery life down to 1-2 hours and make my fans run at max it is so poorly optimized.



Google Messages works on windows computers now, and I know iMessage works on pretty much all Apple products. Can you send regular texts from a Mac? Or only iMessage to an iPhone user?

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> Of all people I thought you would be the one that cares about media quality. AFAIK WhatsApp still compresses media so you get potato quality videos and shrunken images. I haven't used it in years, but my parents still show me shitty pictures and complain it's from others via WhatsApp.



You can send full size images on WhatsApp, you have been able to for a long time. You can even send 100+ MB videos if the recipient is willing to download it. It asks if you want to downsize them or not. Downsized they are still way better than anything that comes through a text or MMS and you can send originals.




> That is the complete opposite of my experience, especially with iphone users. The majority of my friends and colleagues just use whatever the stock messages app is for their phone. A few that have family abroad will use WhatsApp or Viber to chat with family or for group chats. But that's about it. Most iPhone users don't even know what WhatsApp is.



How do your cross-platform friends participate in group chats? There is no smooth way to do that without using a third party program. 99% of my texting is in group chats, seems to be that way for most other people I know as well.

----------


## KrisYYC

> You can send full size images on WhatsApp, you have been able to for a long time. You can even send 100+ MB videos if the recipient is willing to download it. It asks if you want to downsize them or not. Downsized they are still way better than anything that comes through a text or MMS and you can send originals.
> 
> 
> 
> How do your cross-platform friends participate in group chats? There is no smooth way to do that without using a third party program. 99% of my texting is in group chats, seems to be that way for most other people I know as well.



Most of us don't group chat. The few that do use WhatsApp or Viber mostly. I'd say that's less than 10% though. At work (non-office environment) all communication is face to face or over handheld UHF radio. I don't group text with my friends at all. Maybe I'm just getting old lol.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> Most of us don't group chat. The few that do use WhatsApp or Viber mostly. I'd say that's less than 10% though. At work (non-office environment) all communication is face to face or over handheld UHF radio. I don't group text with my friends at all. Maybe I'm just getting old lol.



Fair enough! It will vary for sure between groups of friends and I guess age groups too haha. For both work an personal, literally 99% of my texting is in group. Exceptions are basically just people who don't text me regularly or vise versa. We have family chats for every combination of family members/inlaws, dozens of friend group chats, new group chats any time something is being planned/organized (helps avoid the nightmare that is Facebook), etc. It's also nice to never have to worry about switching apps when traveling, or telling other people to use a different app to contact you while on vacation. At least from my perspective there is no downside whatsoever.

----------


## sabad66

> You can send full size images on WhatsApp, you have been able to for a long time. You can even send 100+ MB videos if the recipient is willing to download it. It asks if you want to downsize them or not. Downsized they are still way better than anything that comes through a text or MMS and you can send originals.



how do you send high res pictures? i just went through settings and couldn't find anything about that.

a quick google search says you have to send it as a document, but on iphone when you choose to send as a document, it takes you to the file browser and doesn't let you go to your camera roll.

----------


## killramos

> Google Messages works on windows computers now, and I know iMessage works on pretty much all Apple products. Can you send regular texts from a Mac? Or only iMessage to an iPhone user?



I think macs can send sms when linked to an iPhone yea.

----------


## rage2

> Beyond.ca: Has an android thread
> Apple users: stop in to tell us how much they like Apple.



Wut?  :crazy nut: 

I’m just here bitching about mobile providers fucking up RCS. And shitty WhatsApp. Are Apple users not allowed to post here or something?  :ROFL!: 

I would like RCS to be the magic bullet. That way I can be friends with 
@kenny
 again.

----------


## ExtraSlow

Don't mind me, I'm just sour.

----------


## LilDrunkenSmurf

> Wut? 
> 
> I’m just here bitching about mobile providers fucking up RCS. And shitty WhatsApp. Are Apple users not allowed to post here or something? 
> 
> I would like RCS to be the magic bullet. That way I can be friends with 
> @kenny
>  again.



I keep hearing about how Kenny is the black sheep in your group. I feel like in my group of friends it's the opposite. We made all the iPhone users transition to Hangouts. I'll probably tell them if they want to continue to talk to me once Hangouts is retired, it'll have to be via whatsapp. If I'm lucky, no one will ever talk to me again.

----------


## sabad66

Speaking of this topic, i just realized that somehow i've been able to have a group SMS message with my boss (Android) and team mate (iphone). All green bubbles, but able to see all messages from each other. Previously when i've tried this, it basically just sends 1 way messages, and any replies would be sent back to me in a 1:1 message and not back to the group.

How is this possible? does SMS support group messaging now?

----------


## Swank

Group chat over text/RCS would be great, that's pretty much the only reason my groups use other platforms (Slack and *shudder* Facebook messenger). Hopefully RCS read receipts are optional, those are the devil's tool.

"Hey, I saw you read my message for XYZ request so I assumed you would do it, why wasn't it done???" = triggered
"Hey, why didn't you reply to me, I know you read my message, WTF?!?!?!" = TRIGGERED x10

Has any good ever come from read receipts?

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> how do you send high res pictures? i just went through settings and couldn't find anything about that.
> 
> a quick google search says you have to send it as a document, but on iphone when you choose to send as a document, it takes you to the file browser and doesn't let you go to your camera roll.



Start in Google Photos, select the photos you want to send, hit the share icon, select "WhatsApp" and when it asks you select "original size" instead of "large size". The full originals will send. I don't know if this works the exact same way with the Google Photos app for iOS.

I don't know if you can do it from Apple's Camera Roll or not - that app is garbage though, you can't even view photo info lol. Attaching files in general in iOS can be a bit of a chore.

----------


## KrisYYC

> Hopefully RCS read receipts are optional, those are the devil's tool.



They are optional on Google messages at least.

----------


## Swank

^  :thumbs up:

----------


## rage2

> Speaking of this topic, i just realized that somehow i've been able to have a group SMS message with my boss (Android) and team mate (iphone). All green bubbles, but able to see all messages from each other. Previously when i've tried this, it basically just sends 1 way messages, and any replies would be sent back to me in a 1:1 message and not back to the group.
> 
> How is this possible? does SMS support group messaging now?



It's again provider support dependent. Rogers to rogers, works fine. Cross to bell, and those stop working. It's been like this for over 5 years. No good ever comes from giving services providers control over content.

Believe me, we've tried this with kenny to try to salvage our relationship lol.

----------


## sabad66

> It's again provider support dependent. Rogers to rogers, works fine. Cross to bell, and those stop working. It's been like this for over 5 years. No good ever comes from giving services providers control over content.
> 
> Believe me, we've tried this with kenny to try to salvage our relationship lol.



I didn’t think we were all the same carrier but I’ll double check.

Looked into it further, and it looks like it was Group MMS happening, not Group SMS:
https://support.apple.com/en-ca/HT202724#types

Didn’t know that was a thing. Guess it’s a step before RCS. All of the big carriers support MMS so maybe it works cross-carrier fairly smoothly.

----------


## rage2

Perfect timing:

https://www.theverge.com/2019/6/17/1...age-encryption

The mess that’s RCS. Google going to force it down carriers systems, not sure but I think carriers can actively block this themselves. We’ll see how this turns out. Can only get better really.

No encryption with RCS but I doubt anyone cares.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

Without e2e encryption it's already way behind. Some people won't care but a lot do. As I said before it seems completely pointless unless someone can best WhatsApp in such a huge way that people are willing to switch en masse.

----------


## KrisYYC

Just got the Android 10 update on my Pixel 3. The system wide dark mode is awesome. Lots of other little nice changes too. I gave the full gesture control option a try thinking I would hate it and go right back to traditional on screen buttons but I actually like it. Waaaaay smoother and fluid than the half-assed gestures in Android 9.

----------


## schocker

> Just got the Android 10 update on my Pixel 3. The system wide dark mode is awesome. Lots of other little nice changes too. I gave the full gesture control option a try thinking I would hate it and go right back to traditional on screen buttons but I actually like it. Waaaaay smoother and fluid than the half-assed gestures in Android 9.



I tried darkmode which is nice but then gmail and the play store were not dark so I will hold off for now. Nice and snappy still on this update, will take some time to get used to the gestures, but the back gesture from either side is great.

----------


## Xtrema

Oneplus had dark mode for years and Samsung starting having it with themes with OneUI.

Nice that Pixel finally joins the club.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

I got it too - you can force it just by searching for updates. Phone is still instant-fast for everything, so no complaints on that front. It's a 1.34GB update so make sure you're on WiFi haha. The new status icons are cool.

Love the dark mode personally. I like the way it looks but it makes the already ridiculous battery life even better. I already had every possible app switched to dark mode anyway.

Pixel 4 shaping up to be likely the most significant update yet of any Pixel phone with project Soli, dual front & rear cams, dot-fact ID that works in any orientation, 90Hz display, etc.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> Oneplus had dark mode for years and Samsung starting having it with themes with OneUI.
> 
> Nice that Pixel finally joins the club.



Pixel has long had a dark theme for some apps (menus, phone, etc.), but not system-wide until now.

----------


## KrisYYC

I wish Google would decide what the hell they want to do for a music player. Google play music is getting antiquated to say the least and Youtube Music app sucks. 

I know there's 3rd party music players out there but still...

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> I wish Google would decide what the hell they want to do for a music player. Google play music is getting antiquated to say the least and Youtube Music app sucks. 
> 
> I know there's 3rd party music players out there but still...



I don't think there is much need to ever use YouTube Music - I know I never have. You can likely just forget about it for now, but I think the ultimate goal is to amalgamate the two.

Google Play Music has a dumb name but I find it's really polished and very quick/easy to navigate. They just re-did the Andriod Auto interface too and it's really slick.

----------


## schocker

> As a paid customer of this service, I really hate that they have not ported everything over to Youtube Music and call it a day. Now I have something I like on either service but I still prefer Play Music's simplicity.
> 
> There was a toggle if you wanted it early on the release cycle.



This is why I use spotify more than ever as I used to use google play music mostly. Now I just keep it around as I have youtube premium

I believe you don't see the toggle until your account is enabled server side, so that option is still missing for me in android auto.  :Cry:

----------


## Xtrema

> Anybody on Rogers use wifi calling? I just noticed this in my settings menu. Not sure if I want to turn it on if it's shitty.



If you continuously go to areas where there's wifi but weak Rogers signals, it may be beneficial to turn that on.

That option on Samsung has a habit of turning itself off.

----------


## KrisYYC

> If you continuously go to areas where there's wifi but weak Rogers signals, it may be beneficial to turn that on.
> 
> That option on Samsung has a habit of turning itself off.



K cool. My cellular signal at work is spotty at best. I'll give the wifi calling a shot. 


Have any of you guys used Google Pay in the US?

----------


## Xtrema

> Have any of you guys used Google Pay in the US?



Works as advertised. But don't expect every store to allow contactless payments. Keep your CC on you.

----------


## bjstare

A while back google said they're killing off play music in favor of youtube music. I signed up for spotify and never turned back.

Also, I put dark mode on.. But my messages app is still white? Seems to be working elsewhere though. Anyone else have this experience?

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> A while back google said they're killing off play music in favor of youtube music. I signed up for spotify and never turned back.
> 
> Also, I put dark mode on.. But my messages app is still white? Seems to be working elsewhere though. Anyone else have this experience?



In the messages app, hit the 3 dots in the top right and select "enable dark mode".

----------


## bjstare

> In the messages app, hit the 3 dots in the top right and select "enable dark mode".



 :facepalm:  incredible I couldn't figure that out on my own. Amazing I can even manage to use the internet.

----------


## D'z Nutz

> incredible I couldn't figure that out on my own. Amazing I can even manage to use the internet.



No wonder you keep getting banned  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> incredible I couldn't figure that out on my own. Amazing I can even manage to use the internet.



Haha - to be fair, it's not intuitive that after setting "system wide dark mode" in the global menus, you still need to go into that app individually and enable it.

----------


## schocker

New pixel 4 blah blah, no more free unlimited original quality photo storage but at least they kept the same price. Wait for black friday for those sweet discounts before they even ship the pre-orders  :ROFL!:

----------


## sabad66

what's new on the pixel 4 compared to the 3?

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> New pixel 4 blah blah, no more free unlimited original quality photo storage but at least they kept the same price. Wait for black friday for those sweet discounts before they even ship the pre-orders



Mine's arriving on Oct 23 (they almost always come earlier than the projected date), and you get a $150 gift card for pre-ordering which if it's like last year, mostly evens out any Black Friday savings + the extra month you got to use the phone for.

----------


## schocker

> what's new on the pixel 4 compared to the 3?



Two cameras, radar/face unlock/motion controls, 90hz screen, better overall screen, 4 gets a bigger screen in same footprint and also 6 gb ram vs 4. I might bite if the black friday sale is good otherwise I stick with the P3. Current pre-orders get $150 store credit but it takes a while to come and will expire next year before the new pixel buds come out.




> Mine's arriving on Oct 23 (they almost always come earlier than the projected date), and you get a $150 gift card for pre-ordering which if it's like last year, mostly evens out any Black Friday savings + the extra month you got to use the phone for.



Last year I pre-ordered announcement day and it came the same day as someone who ordered black friday at work. Maybe it was the free shipping that got me.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> what's new on the pixel 4 compared to the 3?



For the most part:

- One of the best displays available "close to textbook perfect calibration and performance": http://www.displaymate.com/Pixel_4XL...t_1P.htm#Table
- 90Hz display
- Dual rear cameras (~28mm, and ~48mm with optical hybrid zoom)
- Live HDR previews and live shadow/highlight HDR adjustments
- Single front camera (90 degree FOV now though, about the same as last year's wide front camera)
- Project Soli (radar control)
- Face unlock (no more fingerprint sensor). It is apparently so ridiculously fast that there are menu options to slow it down for those that want to.
- 6GB RAM (50% increase)
- SD 855
- New neural core 
- New voice recording app with live voice-to-text
- Assistant 2.0 has the entire English component stored on-phone so it doesn't need to access the internet and is therefore much faster

Rest is pretty well the same - battery is slightly bigger in the XL, slightly smaller in the non-XL. Same screen sizes as before.

Every single detail leaked months ago so there really aren't any surprises at all.

- - - Updated - - -




> Last year I pre-ordered announcement day and it came the same day as someone who ordered black friday at work. Maybe it was the free shipping that got me.



Hard to say. I've always got mine early and last year was the first time I paid for faster shipping. I did this year too as it was only $12. We'll see if I get it before or after the 23rd I guess.

Given how many times production-looking models leaked, it's hard to believe Google doesn't have a bunch of them ready to go haha.

----------


## Buster

> For the most part:
> 
> - One of the best displays available "close to textbook perfect calibration and performance": http://www.displaymate.com/Pixel_4XL...t_1P.htm#Table
> - 90Hz display
> - Dual rear cameras (~28mm, and ~48mm with optical hybrid zoom)
> - Live HDR previews and live shadow/highlight HDR adjustments
> - Single front camera (90 degree FOV now though, about the same as last year's wide front camera)
> - Project Soli (radar control)
> - Face unlock (no more fingerprint sensor). It is apparently so ridiculously fast that there are menu options to slow it down for those that want to.
> ...



Waht did you buy with your store credit? Can it be used to buy Google One time?

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> Waht did you buy with your store credit? Can it be used to buy Google One time?



You don't get the credit until 6-8 weeks after the promo ends to prevent people form abusing the system, but unless they changed it, you can use the credit on any Google hardware, Play Music / YouTube Premium subscriptions, Google One/Drive, etc. Last year it ended up being about a wash with the Black Friday deal after you account for the fact that you get an entire extra month of use out of the phone, which is rather significant with 12 month product cycles.

You also get 3 months free of Google One (I think 100GB) if you buy a Pixel 4.

----------


## Buster

Cool. My phone is a pretty critical productivity tool for me. So I can justify almost any upgrade. And my p3 has been excellent

----------


## jampack

> For the most part:
> 
> - One of the best displays available "close to textbook perfect calibration and performance": http://www.displaymate.com/Pixel_4XL...t_1P.htm#Table
> - 90Hz display
> - Dual rear cameras (~28mm, and ~48mm with optical hybrid zoom)
> - Live HDR previews and live shadow/highlight HDR adjustments
> - Single front camera (90 degree FOV now though, about the same as last year's wide front camera)
> - Project Soli (radar control)
> - Face unlock (no more fingerprint sensor). It is apparently so ridiculously fast that there are menu options to slow it down for those that want to.
> ...



I think it's wireless charging now too.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> I think it's wireless charging now too.



Pixel 3 had wireless charging too, so while you're correct, it's just not new from the 3.

----------


## KrisYYC

So I have a pre-order in for an oh so orange Pixel 4 128GB but now that the tech youtubers are putting unboxing videos out I'm starting to really like the look of the white one. I wonder if the Google Pavilion at Best Buy has display units yet so I can see them in person...

----------


## LilDrunkenSmurf

> So I have a pre-order in for an oh so orange Pixel 4 128GB but now that the tech youtubers are putting unboxing videos out I'm starting to really like the look of the white one. I wonder if the Google Pavilion at Best Buy has display units yet so I can see them in person...



You're not just going to put a case over it?

----------


## KrisYYC

> You're not just going to put a case over it?



I only use a case when I'm at work, and even then it's usually just a slim clear case.

----------


## KrisYYC

If anybody is curious the Google pavilion at the Deerfoot Meadows Best Buy has the Pixel 4/4XL on display in white and black. Sadly no orange. The Google rep said he got to see the orange in his training for the new product roll-out and he said it looks great in person. But I'm still torn because the white looks awesome too. 

One thing worth mentioning is how nice they feel in the hand compared to other phones and even the Pixel 3. The matte edges and back glass feel very nice and the phone feels a bit thicker than the Pixel 3 and definitely a more confident grip.

----------


## phreezee

Orange is in. 
OnePlus 7T Pro McLaren Edition

----------


## pheoxs

How long does it typically take a lot of the case manufacturers to roll out options? I/m eyeing up options for a pixel 4 and see a few on amazon but I really like my Spigen wallet case on my iphone but I only see regular cases for the Pixel 4. Even on the actual Spigen site. Is that due to the wireless charging or it just takes them longer to design them?

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> How long does it typically take a lot of the case manufacturers to roll out options? I/m eyeing up options for a pixel 4 and see a few on amazon but I really like my Spigen wallet case on my iphone but I only see regular cases for the Pixel 4. Even on the actual Spigen site. Is that due to the wireless charging or it just takes them longer to design them?



They are not as popular so they usually come out later. They don't affect wireless charging if it's a normal case without metal in it or a magnet for your car holder.

There's a bunch on amazon though already - you may prefer a different brand, but they're available. They are also so cheap you can just buy one until Spigen releases theirs if you need one sooner.

https://www.amazon.ca/Compatible-Wal...1257001&sr=8-7

----------


## pheoxs

> They are not as popular so they usually come out later. They don't affect wireless charging if it's a normal case without metal in it or a magnet for your car holder.
> 
> There's a bunch on amazon though already - you may prefer a different brand, but they're available. They are also so cheap you can just buy one until Spigen releases theirs if you need one sooner.
> 
> https://www.amazon.ca/Compatible-Wal...1257001&sr=8-7



Thanks I'll keep an eye out. I hate those fold over ones, this is what I was hoping to find. But with the cards on the back I wasn't sure if that'd cause issues charging (or for that matter issues with my cards)
https://www.amazon.ca/iPhone-Case-Ca...1257481&sr=8-2

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> Thanks I'll keep an eye out. I hate those fold over ones, this is what I was hoping to find. But with the cards on the back I wasn't sure if that'd cause issues charging (or for that matter issues with my cards)
> https://www.amazon.ca/iPhone-Case-Ca...1257481&sr=8-2



Oh yeah - those are really slick actually. Sorry I thought you meant the fold ones that would have your cards on the front of the phone.

I also really like the Spigen ThinFit 360 cases but they take forever to come out too.

Yes it will still charge "through" the cards as long as it's not too thick. You do need to be careful though because Qi charging uses an electromagnetic field that has a chance of demagnetizing them - some people have have issues with this, others do not, so YMMV. Might depend in the specific card/charge pad.

If your case comes with a magnet for car mounting, make sure you don't have that in either.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

P4's started shipping yesterday in Canada, they'll arrive on time.

----------


## Xtrema

Isn't P4 quite underwhelming?

- telephone instead of wide lense.
- More expensive than iPhone 11
- No more full size photo storage
- Face unlock worked with eyes close. No finger print reader so apps may not work until update.
- small battery when pair with a 90hz screen.

----------


## rage2

Isn't it better to have telephoto instead of wide lens? I thought the iPhone 11 was stupid to use wide + standard lens, very few times do I want a wide lens but could always use more zoom.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> Isn't P4 quite underwhelming?
> 
> - telephone instead of wide lense.
> - More expensive than iPhone 11
> - No more full size photo storage
> - Face unlock worked with eyes close. No finger print reader so apps may not work until update.
> - small battery when pair with a 90hz screen.



By far the largest Pixel update they have ever done, so I would disagree.

In the tens of thousands of images I have taken, I have never wished I had a wider rear lens on my smartphone - if I want a wide shot I also want resolution, so I would take a pano. The sole exception is group selfies, and the P3 had an UWA selfie camera and the front camera on the P4 has a 90 degrees FOV, within a few degrees of the P3's wide camera. Telephoto lenses are much more useful, even though 'telephoto' in general on a smartphone is rather trivial given that they are never even close to telephoto lenses, but simply normal lenses usually in the 50mm equivalent range. Google has combined it with it's super resolution trickery though and results are surprisingly good (for a smartphone).

It's $20 more than the entry level iPhone. The P4 is not competing with those on a feature level. The iPhone it competes with is almost $400 more expensive.

Original storage is better (and will be made available for dirt cheap), but I would challenge anyone to tell the difference between an already shitty compressed smartphone JPEG and a JPEG compressed slightly further by Google's algorithm. I have seen both and you literally cannot tell a difference. Just pay the $2/mo or whatever if you need that extra bit. Here is a comparison showing you need a 500% crop to see a difference: https://www.phonearena.com/news/Goog...u-care_id93938

Face unlock with eyes closed will be an option and you can also turn it off if you're that worried about it. It's equally easy to unlock an iPhone or any other biometric with the right methods. It is also a much faster unlock than Apple's implementation, partially thanks to the Soli sensor readying the system when you reach for the phone.

Battery life will very likely not be an issue as with previous generations. Not only is the refresh rate dynamic, you can lock it at 60Hz if you really want to. You're also forgetting the move to 7nm silicon will reduce power consumption. Battery life on the P3's was ridiculously good, any variation with the P4's will be inconsequential I suspect.

----------


## ExtraSlow

if Pixel 3aXL or 3XL drop to $550 I'm in. Let's do it.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> if Pixel 3aXL or 3XL drop to $550 I'm in. Let's do it.



If you want, I'll sell you my 3XL 128GB for $600 when I get my P4XL in 1-2 days if you aren't set on a 3a. Like-new condition.

----------


## Xtrema

> Isn't it better to have telephoto instead of wide lens? I thought the iPhone 11 was stupid to use wide + standard lens, very few times do I want a wide lens but could always use more zoom.



Out of the 3 lense on my S10, I think wide got used more than telephoto. But I was visiting a lot of churches and synagogues.

----------


## ExtraSlow

> If you want, I'll sell you my 3XL 128GB for $600 when I get my P4XL in 1-2 days if you aren't set on a 3a. Like-new condition.



We can chat. Have had repeated problems with used phones int eh last few years, even when in good condition. PM me when you are ready.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> We can chat. Have had repeated problems with used phones int eh last few years, even when in good condition. PM me when you are ready.



Totally fair - no pressure. Will be going up on Kijiji for $800 or so otherwise while I get ready myself for the lowballs lol. I'll send you a PM when the P4 comes in.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

My P4 XL arrived today on the early end of the estimated delivery time. If anyone has any questions let me know.

----------


## roopi

> My P4 XL arrived today on the early end of the estimated delivery time. If anyone has any questions let me know.



Can you post a review of the battery life after you've used it for a day or two? I currently have the Pixel 2XL and I've never had an issue with the battery life with some decent usage all day but after reading the reviews of the Pixel 4 battery life I'm not sure about upgrading yet.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> Can you post a review of the battery life after you've used it for a day or two? I currently have the Pixel 2XL and I've never had an issue with the battery life with some decent usage all day but after reading the reviews of the Pixel 4 battery life I'm not sure about upgrading yet.



Sure - I am charging it full today and I will let you know how it fares over the next couple days. If it's like my P3, the only charging it will ever see is ~20-25 mins of 0.5A charge in my car twice a day while connected to Android Auto and that is enough to keep it indefinitely charged.

----------


## Xtrema

> Can you post a review of the battery life after you've used it for a day or two? I currently have the Pixel 2XL and I've never had an issue with the battery life with some decent usage all day but after reading the reviews of the Pixel 4 battery life I'm not sure about upgrading yet.



Almost every outlet said battery on 4 is passable with 90hz off or in auto mode and awful if you keep 90hz on via developer option.

https://www.theverge.com/2019/10/23/...ghtness-levels

Also, Google say update is coming to correct this situation so you can get 90hz under 75% brightness.

https://www.engadget.com/2019/10/23/...KY1sOLvCxw7i35

----------


## KrisYYC

> My P4 XL arrived today on the early end of the estimated delivery time. If anyone has any questions let me know.



Had a delivery attempt for my Pixel 4 today too but I wasn't home. Guess I'll pick it up tomorrow at the post office. 

Which colour did you get?

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> Had a delivery attempt for my Pixel 4 today too but I wasn't home. Guess I'll pick it up tomorrow at the post office. 
> 
> Which colour did you get?



I always get "just black" because I throw a case on it before I even turn it on for the first time and I don't like the clear cases because little dust particles and whatever else that make their way into the case then become visible. I do really like the colored ones though and they have nice matte finishes (the black is glossy still). If I didn't use a case, I would get orange or panda.

--------------------

*Things that I like so far:*

- It's extremely fast/polished. Navigating around, opening apps, etc. _feels_ faster than anything else I have used, and that includes my iPad Pro 11" and an iPhone 11 Pro Max. Since the P3 though we've basically been at a point where the phones are so fast they basically just run at the speed of the animations (which you can increase the speed of if you wish in settings). The gestures work really well and I haven't had one fail one me yet - for the most part they are the same as the P3. I haven't seen it use more than 2GB of RAM so far even with 10+ apps open so the 6GB seems like overkill, but it's nice to have I guess.

- Internet browsing seems to have a significant speed improvement, it's one of the first things I noticed. Definitely faster than the P3.

- Build quality overall is 10/10 in my opinion, same as P3 - really nothing to complain about these days as with all the flagship phones across most brands. Buttons are firm and clicky. Haptics feel great. Screen is virtually perfect, as shown by the objective Display Mate testing. I don't have any brightness or white uniformity issues or anything like I have seen on older OLED phones. The 90Hz is noticeable when scrolling and turns off when on static pages (you can disable it entirely if you wish). It has it's own version of "true tone" which I am not a fan of on any device but it's there if you want it.

- No stupid notch. Probably my single favorite thing about the entire phone.

- Soli works extremely well, it feels very polished. I couldn't care less about changing music tracks with a swipe (it works perfectly though with zero lag), but waving your hand to snooze alarms is surprisingly awesome and when you reach towards the phone, it's already 'awake'. You can use your hand to check notifications as well. When your phone is ringing or an alarm is going off, when you reach for your phone it reduces the volume too - very cool. I look forward to seeing what developers do with it down the road.

- Face ID is literally instant and it takes you right to the home screen (or where you last left off), it doesn't just dump you into the lock screen requiring additional input just to unlock your phone, defeating the entire purpose. I thought it wasn't working at first so I got my GF to test it and sure enough it was working, I just couldn't tell because it occurs so seamlessly. As soon as you grab the phone it's unlocked as long as your face is within a pretty big radius of the sensors. When you reach for the phone, Soli prepares Face ID without having to press the power button or anything. I have no reason to doubt all the reviews when they say it's the fastest unlock on any smartphone.

- Speakers are a bit better than the P3, they sound more robust if that makes any sense.

- Cameras are great, no surprises there and I'm sure you've all read about them already. Real time HDR tweaking is cool and the zoom feature gives surprisingly good results even at relatively high magnification (max is 8X). Processing is instant for normal shots, and almost instant for night sight (up to 15 images stacked). Front camera has a FOV of 90 degrees which is almost the same as the P3 wide-front camera (97 degrees).

- Google Assistant is instant-fast now that it processes most things on-device thanks to the new Neural Core. It's very noticeably faster compared to the P3. If you ask it obscure questions though it still has to connect to the internet so it takes a split second longer. Same deal with the new voice recording app, real time transcribing is done on-device and you can then search for words after a voice recording - that will be very useful for some people I am sure. Could be a boon for journalists. Another really cool feature based on the Neural Core is live captions - it can live caption any video playing on the device, even if the sound is muted, so you can still read what's going on.

- Android Auto launches in my car in about 2-3 seconds now which is significantly faster than the P3.

- Battery life so far is at least as good as my P3XL - I played with the phone a bunch yesterday while setting it up, and then it had to sync many thousands of photos/videos, download all my music, etc. which it finished around midnight. I'm at 73% now after a 25 min slow charge in my car this morning (added 9%). Looks like I can once again leave the charger in the box and just get by with the odd slow charge in the car. This will easily be a 1.5-2 day phone for my usage (relatively heavy mixed work/personal) based on what I see so far. Today will be a better test because the phone isn't syncing everything anymore, which is not a typical usage case. Since 8:30am this morning I have lost 2%.

- It's cheaper than the primary competition from Samsung and Apple.



*Things I don't like:*

- I miss being able to roll my finger over the rear fingerprint sensor to check notifications - I am used to doing that probably 100 times/day so I will have to get used to other methods

- They got rid of one of the front cameras, but at least they made it wide (which is the one I used every time anyway)

- Doesn't come with headphones for those who care (the P3 did)

- You lose unlimited free original photo backups (see above link where you need 500% magnification to see google's compression). It's $27/year for 100GB of drive storage which I had to do anyway because my Gmail was approaching the 15GB limit. So, not as good as free, but most people won't even know they lost it.

- 256/512GB storage options would have been nice for people who don't like cloud services

- No AX wireless

- No 5G


So far I feel it's a big upgrade from the P3, which isn't surprising given it is the most significant update of any Pixel phone to date.

----------


## KrisYYC

> I always get "just black" because I throw a case on it before I even turn it on for the first time and I don't like the clear cases because little dust particles and whatever else that make their way into the case then become visible. I do really like the colored ones though and they have nice matte finishes (the black is glossy still). If I didn't use a case, I would get orange or panda.
> 
> --------------------
> 
> *Things that I like so far:*
> 
> - It's extremely fast/polished. Navigating around, opening apps, etc. _feels_ faster than anything else I have used, and that includes my iPad Pro 11" and an iPhone 11 Pro Max. Since the P3 though we've basically been at a point where the phones are so fast they basically just run at the speed of the animations (which you can increase the speed of if you wish in settings). The gestures work really well and I haven't had one fail one me yet - for the most part they are the same as the P3. I haven't seen it use more than 2GB of RAM so far even with 10+ apps open so the 6GB seems like overkill, but it's nice to have I guess.
> 
> - Internet browsing seems to have a significant speed improvement, it's one of the first things I noticed. Definitely faster than the P3.
> ...



I got the Orange regular Pixel 4 128GB 

I've had my Pixel 4 now for a few hours and I agree with your assessment so far, though I can't comment on battery life yet. One thing I've noticed is my display seems to have a warmer tint than my Pixel 3. It's almost like true tone on an iphone. I've checked all the display settings and tried turning them on and off but nothing made a difference. I kinda prefer the cooler tone of the Pixel 3 display. That being said the 90hz refresh is nice. 

I think this is the first Pixel that didn't come with Google Play music pre-installed. I think I'll give YouTube music a try as my music player app for now. Google Play music was getting a bit long in the tooth.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> I got the Orange regular Pixel 4 128GB 
> 
> I've had my Pixel 4 now for a few hours and I agree with your assessment so far, though I can't comment on battery life yet. One thing I've noticed is my display seems to have a warmer tint than my Pixel 3. It's almost like true tone on an iphone. I've checked all the display settings and tried turning them on and off but nothing made a difference. I kinda prefer the cooler tone of the Pixel 3 display. That being said the 90hz refresh is nice. 
> 
> I think this is the first Pixel that didn't come with Google Play music pre-installed. I think I'll give YouTube music a try as my music player app for now. Google Play music was getting a bit long in the tooth.



Display --> Advanced --> Ambient EQ is the setting you want to turn off if you don't like the "true tone". Just like on iOS, it completely ruins color accuracy in favor of being a little easier on the eyes, but I am not really a fan either. Maybe you've already found that though.

My display didn't appear warmer than my P3XL, it looks pretty well spot-on (to my eye anyway) in terms of color temperature once I turned off Ambient EQ. I don't have a P3/P4 to test, only the XL versions. I held it up next to my hardware calibrated NEC PA271W monitor and it looks pretty well the same, but that is not a very scientific test.

I did a restore from my previous phone which brought over Google Play Music and all my playlists but I'd be surprised if Google didn't include it - you'd think they would want to shove anything with a subscription attached to it in your face but maybe not. I have YouTube premium and it's awesome, I should have done it a long time ago for only $2/mo over Google Play Music (which is also included). I'm actually not a huge fan of YouTube Music but maybe it's just because I am so used to Google Play Music.

Have only charged my phone for ~40 mins (combined over 3 days) with 0.5A super slow charging in my car after the initial 100% charge when I first got it and I am at 55% battery after ~44 hours. Pretty damn good IMO, especially considering within that time it also had to sync thousands of photos/video so it couldn't enter power save/sleep mode. Lost about 2% overnight but I noticed I accidentally left "auto update apps" on so that's probably why.

----------


## KrisYYC

> Display --> Advanced --> Ambient EQ is the setting you want to turn off if you don't like the "true tone". Just like on iOS, it completely ruins color accuracy in favor of being a little easier on the eyes, but I am not really a fan either. Maybe you've already found that though.
> 
> My display didn't appear warmer than my P3XL, it looks pretty well spot-on (to my eye anyway) in terms of color temperature once I turned off Ambient EQ. I don't have a P3/P4 to test, only the XL versions. I held it up next to my hardware calibrated NEC PA271W monitor and it looks pretty well the same, but that is not a very scientific test.
> 
> I did a restore from my previous phone which brought over Google Play Music and all my playlists but I'd be surprised if Google didn't include it - you'd think they would want to shove anything with a subscription attached to it in your face but maybe not. I have YouTube premium and it's awesome, I should have done it a long time ago for only $2/mo over Google Play Music (which is also included). I'm actually not a huge fan of YouTube Music but maybe it's just because I am so used to Google Play Music.
> 
> Have only charged my phone for ~40 mins (combined over 3 days) with 0.5A super slow charging in my car after the initial 100% charge when I first got it and I am at 55% battery after ~44 hours. Pretty damn good IMO, especially considering within that time it also had to sync thousands of photos/video so it couldn't enter power save/sleep mode. Lost about 2% overnight but I noticed I accidentally left "auto update apps" on so that's probably why.



Yeah even with Ambient EQ turned off it's still noticeably warmer, especially at lower brightness levels. Reading online it seems I'm not the only to notice the difference and it seems to affect only the smaller Pixel 4 and not the XL. FWIW the smaller Pixel 4 has an LG display while the XL is Samsung. I hope I just get used to it because I love every other aspect of the phone. I gotta stop looking at my Pixel 3 and comparing them lol. 

I haven't had a full day of use yet but so far battery life seems to be about the same as my Pixel 3 and that's with forced 90hz on at all times and the brightness at a higher setting. So I'd say despite the slightly smaller battery capacity than the Pixel 3 the efficiencies of the Snapdragon 855 etc even it out. 

I'm just really impressed at how screaming fast Android 10 on the Pixel 4 is. Especially Google Assistant. Big improvements there.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> Yeah even with Ambient EQ turned off it's still noticeably warmer, especially at lower brightness levels. Reading online it seems I'm not the only to notice the difference and it seems to affect only the smaller Pixel 4 and not the XL. FWIW the smaller Pixel 4 has an LG display while the XL is Samsung. I hope I just get used to it because I love every other aspect of the phone. I gotta stop looking at my Pixel 3 and comparing them lol. 
> 
> I haven't had a full day of use yet but so far battery life seems to be about the same as my Pixel 3 and that's with forced 90hz on at all times and the brightness at a higher setting. So I'd say despite the slightly smaller battery capacity than the Pixel 3 the efficiencies of the Snapdragon 855 etc even it out. 
> 
> I'm just really impressed at how screaming fast Android 10 on the Pixel 4 is. Especially Google Assistant. Big improvements there.



Haha yeah, I have had phones with color temperature differences before and they look 100% fine any time I am not doing a side-by-side comparison. Stop torturing yourself! Even a perfect phone looks warm if you put it next to a bright white piece of paper or something - 'true' white is actually slightly warm, and not everyone is used to it.

I knew the XL display was Samsung, I didn't know the P4 was LG. Could be some significant differences there for sure.

Yeah everyone who was worried about battery life on the P4 I don't think realized the CPU dropped from 10nm to 7nm which is pretty significant in terms of power usage. Also, the phone manufacturers aren't stupid - they aren't going to put out a new model with significantly worse battery performance than a prior year (on purpose anyway). Almost every time people are worried about battery life it ends up being unfounded.

The camera zoom I find to be excellent out to about 4X, and by 8X it's still way better than anything else I have seen, but you can tell it's not the same as the lower magnifications.

Yeah the phone is stupid fast, every single year I say this, but it's hard to imagine it being faster because it's literally instant for most tasks. Web browsing and google assistant got huge speed boosts. You can also speed up the animations in the developer options and it will feel even faster because it's being artificially slowed down at default settings. I think I am most impressed how fast/seamless face unlock is, and it works in any orientation. You don't even have to think about it, your phone is just always unlocked and in the screen you want by the time you have it in your hands. I've still reached for that rear fingerprint sensor that doesn't exist about 1000 times so far though  :ROFL!:  Holding your hand near the phone to quickly check notifications is cool too, and I love that it lowers the volume of rings/alarms when you reach for it. I have, however, smacked my water bottle across the room while snoozing an alarm so I will have to think about that next time  :ROFL!:

----------


## KrisYYC

> Haha yeah, I have had phones with color temperature differences before and they look 100% fine any time I am not doing a side-by-side comparison. Stop torturing yourself! Even a perfect phone looks warm if you put it next to a bright white piece of paper or something - 'true' white is actually slightly warm, and not everyone is used to it.
> 
> I knew the XL display was Samsung, I didn't know the P4 was LG. Could be some significant differences there for sure.
> 
> Yeah everyone who was worried about battery life on the P4 I don't think realized the CPU dropped from 10nm to 7nm which is pretty significant in terms of power usage. Also, the phone manufacturers aren't stupid - they aren't going to put out a new model with significantly worse battery performance than a prior year (on purpose anyway). Almost every time people are worried about battery life it ends up being unfounded.
> 
> The camera zoom I find to be excellent out to about 4X, and by 8X it's still way better than anything else I have seen, but you can tell it's not the same as the lower magnifications.
> 
> Yeah the phone is stupid fast, every single year I say this, but it's hard to imagine it being faster because it's literally instant for most tasks. Web browsing and google assistant got huge speed boosts. You can also speed up the animations in the developer options and it will feel even faster because it's being artificially slowed down at default settings. I think I am most impressed how fast/seamless face unlock is, and it works in any orientation. You don't even have to think about it, your phone is just always unlocked and in the screen you want by the time you have it in your hands. I've still reached for that rear fingerprint sensor that doesn't exist about 1000 times so far though  Holding your hand near the phone to quickly check notifications is cool too, and I love that it lowers the volume of rings/alarms when you reach for it. I have, however, smacked my water bottle across the room while snoozing an alarm so I will have to think about that next time



I'm used to FaceID with my iStone so reaching for a non-existent fingerprint reader has only happened a few times for me haha. One feature I really like about Soli is how it wakes up the ambient display as you approach the phone. Really cool feature and works 100% of the time. 

I'm not sure if this is psychological but I swear the Pixel 4 can get louder with music playback even with bluetooth headphones compared to the Pixel 3. 

So far other than the warmish tint I'm loving the phone. I can't wait to get a chance to play with the camera.

----------


## Xtrema

Don't throw away your Pixel 4 box yet....

https://www.engadget.com/2019/10/25/...g-google-lens/

----------


## KrisYYC

Ok after another day with the Pixel 4 I'd say my battery life is surprisingly significantly better than my Pixel 3.

----------


## pheoxs

So far I'm really liking my Pixel 4. Only two things I haven't figured out (albeit I really haven't tried much) is the gesture to snooze the alarm I can't seem to make work. As well as when my phone is sitting on my desk its lit up almost the entire day showing the clock. Presumably the motion detection is seeing me move so its thinking I'm looking at it, but it wastes a fair bit of the battery. Battery saver turns it off but is there a different way to disable that feature? I pretty much always just have my phone sitting out near me

Otherwise this phone is incredibly fast. Pain in the ass reloading all my apps from the IOS move but thats to be expected. Love the fast charger. Battery life is decent but still dies by the end of the day for me (I use my phone a lot for work, 4-6 hours a day easily plus some hotspotting). That being said my Iphone X would be dead by 2pm and have to charge it mid day so that is still a win I guess.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> So far I'm really liking my Pixel 4. Only two things I haven't figured out (albeit I really haven't tried much) is the gesture to snooze the alarm I can't seem to make work. As well as when my phone is sitting on my desk its lit up almost the entire day showing the clock. Presumably the motion detection is seeing me move so its thinking I'm looking at it, but it wastes a fair bit of the battery. Battery saver turns it off but is there a different way to disable that feature? I pretty much always just have my phone sitting out near me
> 
> Otherwise this phone is incredibly fast. Pain in the ass reloading all my apps from the IOS move but thats to be expected. Love the fast charger. Battery life is decent but still dies by the end of the day for me (I use my phone a lot for work, 4-6 hours a day easily plus some hotspotting). That being said my Iphone X would be dead by 2pm and have to charge it mid day so that is still a win I guess.




Under the ambient display settings, you can either fully disable motion sense if you don't like it, or you can individually disable the "reach to check phone" feature which sounds like it might be triggering for you when you don't want it to. My phone is on my desk all day too and it doesn't turn on unless I actually reach for it or prompt a "screen peep" with a hand gesture. Additionaly in the lock screen display menu, there is an option for an "always on" display - you might want that off too.

"air swipe" to snooze an alarm works perfectly for me, go though the gesture settings and make sure it's enabled. You can also control the sensitivity of the "back" gestures, the squeeze gesture, etc.

Lots of things you can do for battery life that you may not have done yet:

- Go through all the necessary evil apps like Facebook, Instagram, etc. and disable background data and background battery usage. I do this for most of my apps actually, except google suite, WhatsApp, etc.
- Change location discovery settings for most apps to "only during use". The phone will also tell you which apps have recently requested a location.
- Use dark mode if you like the look (displaying pure black uses zero battery on OLEDs, and pure white uses the most battery). The screen is by far the biggest power draw.
- You can disable the 90Hz display if you don't care either way, it will save battery, but it's dynamic already and isn't always on
- Don't let the phone constantly scan and notify you of nearby WiFi networks
- Turn off auto update apps if you want

I haven't charged my 4XL since Friday other than a couple quick trips in my car (0.5A super slow charge), the battery life, for me, is even better than my 3XL which was already ridiculous.

----------


## pheoxs

> Under the ambient display settings, you can either fully disable motion sense if you don't like it, or you can individually disable the "reach to check phone" feature which sounds like it might be triggering for you when you don't want it to. My phone is on my desk all day too and it doesn't turn on unless I actually reach for it or prompt a "screen peep" with a hand gesture. Additionaly in the lock screen display menu, there is an option for an "always on" display - you might want that off too.
> 
> "air swipe" to snooze an alarm works perfectly for me, go though the gesture settings and make sure it's enabled. You can also control the sensitivity of the "back" gestures, the squeeze gesture, etc.
> 
> Lots of things you can do for battery life that you may not have done yet:
> 
> - Go through all the necessary evil apps like Facebook, Instagram, etc. and disable background data and background battery usage. I do this for most of my apps actually, except google suite, WhatsApp, etc.
> - Change location discovery settings for most apps to "only during use". The phone will also tell you which apps have recently requested a location.
> - Use dark mode if you like the look (displaying pure black uses zero battery on OLEDs, and pure white uses the most battery). The screen is by far the biggest power draw.
> ...



Thanks, reach to check is what I needed to turn off. And for some reason all the gesture settings were off. I linked it through my own google domain for my store. For some reason that set a lot of stuff off by default. Like I found google assistant wouldn't work yesterday and it wouldn't let me turn it on. Ended up finding a help article I had to go to my domain admin manager and give my account permissions for that, no idea why. So I think I just need to go through every menu X_X still overall love the phone.

I switched everything to dark mode last night and that definitely helped a lot today. Only down like 20% halfway through the day. I think the majority of it was the clock just sitting on yesterday. It say that used 40% of my battery lol.

----------


## ExtraSlow

Anyone have predictions about if the pixel 3a XL will get significant discounts for black Friday?

----------


## jwslam

> Anyone have predictions about if the pixel 3a XL will get significant discounts for black Friday?



Changing phones already? 
I heard from someone you just got a new phone today  :Wink: 
Becoming a shakalaka eh?

----------


## ExtraSlow

> Changing phones already? 
> I heard from someone you just got a new phone today 
> Becoming a shakalaka eh?



Nah, the one I bought from you is for me, the pixel 3aXL is for my wife. She needs a big phone with huge battery life.

----------


## Manhattan

> - You lose unlimited free original photo backups (see above link where you need 500% magnification to see google's compression). It's $27/year for 100GB of drive storage which I had to do anyway because my Gmail was approaching the 15GB limit. So, not as good as free, but most people won't even know they lost it.



Quoted from the Pixel 4 website - "Google Photos offers free, unlimited, online storage for all photos and videos uploaded in high quality. Photos and videos uploaded in high quality may be compressed or resized." Sounds like your photos get compressed a bit from the original size and stored. I think this is enough for most people.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> Quoted from the Pixel 4 website - "Google Photos offers free, unlimited, online storage for all photos and videos uploaded in high quality. Photos and videos uploaded in high quality may be compressed or resized." Sounds like your photos get compressed a bit from the original size and stored. I think this is enough for most people.



Yup, that's what I said. You need approx. 500% magnification to see a difference between the original and google's compressed version. If you're OK with that and if you don't shoot 4K videos you're fine with the free plan.

----------


## Xtrema

> Quoted from the Pixel 4 website - "Google Photos offers free, unlimited, online storage for all photos and videos uploaded in high quality. Photos and videos uploaded in high quality may be compressed or resized." Sounds like your photos get compressed a bit from the original size and stored. I think this is enough for most people.



Pixel used to get free storage for original. Everyone in the world get the free tier.

Now I wonder if someone is importing their entire DSLR source material via a pixel device for Google to end this program.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> Pixel used to get free storage for original. Everyone in the world get the free tier.
> 
> Now I wonder if someone is importing their entire DSLR source material via a pixel device for Google to end this program.



The original Pixel has unlimited original backups for life. I wonder if you could just buy a used one and stay on the plan haha - might be worth it.

----------


## riced

Anyone try forcing 90hz to see how it affects battery life yet? Been reading that some say it makes little difference but others saying it ate at their battery... lol

So far so good with mine - haven't really had any hiccups. Camera is impressive even coming from the 3XL and battery life has been a tad better. By the end of the day on my 3XL, I was probably at 10% at around 9PM. Now I'm still at about 40% with the same usage.
Loving how snappy it is. I ended up turning the animations to 0.5x just like on the 3XL and although I didn't feel like I needed to, it did make it feel a little faster.

Only annoying thing is not being able to use biometrics to login to my online banking. Not sure if I want to root to be able to do it or just live with it for now...

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> Anyone try forcing 90hz to see how it affects battery life yet? Been reading that some say it makes little difference but others saying it ate at their battery... lol
> 
> So far so good with mine - haven't really had any hiccups. Camera is impressive even coming from the 3XL and battery life has been a tad better. By the end of the day on my 3XL, I was probably at 10% at around 9PM. Now I'm still at about 40% with the same usage.
> Loving how snappy it is. I ended up turning the animations to 0.5x just like on the 3XL and although I didn't feel like I needed to, it did make it feel a little faster.
> 
> Only annoying thing is not being able to use biometrics to login to my online banking. Not sure if I want to root to be able to do it or just live with it for now...



Currently 90Hz only works above 75% brightness, so I am not sure what happens when you force it on. Google says the decision to do that is to prevent people from seeing flicker during the Hz change. They are unlocking that next update, apparently. Battery life is so good already it's hard to imagine forcing 90Hz has too much an effect on battery, but I haven't tried. Mine lasts me the entire weekend no problem, which is longer than I would ever be away from a charger.

Google's face unlock meets the requirements for banking and similar, that will come with updates as well. I think we just need to wait for the banks to push the updates to their respective apps.

I'm enjoying Motion Sense more than I thought I would. I only realized the other day that the song change gestures work while the screen is off (duh), so when my phone is on the ground beside me at the gym a quick swipe at my side changes the song, it's actually very convenient and I find myself using it all the time now.

----------


## Manhattan

> The original Pixel has unlimited original backups for life. I wonder if you could just buy a used one and stay on the plan haha - might be worth it.



Gave my original Pixel phone to parents who are still using it. Not sure how I'd be able to take advantage of the plan though. My guess is that Google Photos looks for the device its being uploaded from and if its an original Pixel then it gets the full size back up treatment and photos taken with any other pixel phones would still be compressed?  :dunno:

----------


## jwslam

I'm open to selling my Pixel1XL if anyone wants to test out a way to hack the storage thing haha

----------


## Xtrema

> I'm open to selling my Pixel1XL if anyone wants to test out a way to hack the storage thing haha



Nah, the dream is dead as of Oct 15, 2019.

https://www.slashgear.com/pixel-4-of...otos-15595657/

Only video and photos from Pixel's camera will be kept at original. All other photos/videos will be compressed. So while my uploading DSLR photos idea was valid in 2016, it's not today.

----------


## Manhattan

^
Huge loophole to provide full res storage for anything transferred or downloaded onto a Pixel device. Should have always been for photos taken with Pixel camera only. Don't know how google missed something like that.

----------


## KrisYYC

> Anyone try forcing 90hz to see how it affects battery life yet? Been reading that some say it makes little difference but others saying it ate at their battery... lol
> 
> So far so good with mine - haven't really had any hiccups. Camera is impressive even coming from the 3XL and battery life has been a tad better. By the end of the day on my 3XL, I was probably at 10% at around 9PM. Now I'm still at about 40% with the same usage.
> Loving how snappy it is. I ended up turning the animations to 0.5x just like on the 3XL and although I didn't feel like I needed to, it did make it feel a little faster.
> 
> Only annoying thing is not being able to use biometrics to login to my online banking. Not sure if I want to root to be able to do it or just live with it for now...



I have it forced on and it doesn't seem to affect my battery life at all. However I'm far from a heavy user. YMMV

----------


## Tik-Tok

So, what's everyone's opinion so far? Worth the $900? 

Mine is still sitting in the post office, not sure I want to pick it up or not as my new Nokia 7.2 is actually doing everything I want, it's just a bit big (which I'm kind getting used to)

----------


## riced

> So, what's everyone's opinion so far? Worth the $900? 
> 
> Mine is still sitting in the post office, not sure I want to pick it up or not as my new Nokia 7.2 is actually doing everything I want, it's just a bit big (which I'm kind getting used to)



From someone coming from a Pixel 3XL - it isn't groundbreaking or anything but I guess it's the same if you were to go from like the iPhone XS to the iPhone 11. Some new features, snappier, faster, smoother... Generally a better experience. Whether it's worth the $900 is subjective. Personally, I thought it was because of the improvements to the camera as well as the extra ram - a lot of the apps that would close on me on my 3XL are still open on my 4XL when I go to them.

I enjoy the 90hz screen and feel like it's finally as smooth, if not smoother than an iPhone. They've had some of the best screens and responsiveness for a long time. It's quite the difference from the 3XL. 

Overall - I don't regret the purchase. My main reason for upgrading is the camera though - as mentioned. Nothing comes close to it still... IMO.

----------


## pheoxs

So overall I love the phone. Much more than my iPhone X. Everything is super quick EXCEPT snapchat is laggy as fuck. Like... the whole app feels sluggish and if I'm mid-recording and try to zoom slowly it's jerky and jumps in chunks as it zooms. 

I know the old android versions used to be trash because they'd just run the normal camera and screen capture the video but I thought I read they rebuilt it all last year and now it should be running great.

----------


## LilDrunkenSmurf

> So overall I love the phone. Much more than my iPhone X. Everything is super quick EXCEPT snapchat is laggy as fuck. Like... the whole app feels sluggish and if I'm mid-recording and try to zoom slowly it's jerky and jumps in chunks as it zooms. 
> 
> I know the old android versions used to be trash because they'd just run the normal camera and screen capture the video but I thought I read they rebuilt it all last year and now it should be running great.



"Rebuilt" I never noticed a difference when they supposedly upgraded it.

----------


## Tik-Tok

I ended up just sending it back, un-received. This Nokia is doing everything I want, and was half the price. Not sure how the photos compare to the Pixel, but at 48MP, it's definitely no slouch. I'm getting used to the size too, I just need to wear jeans with deeper pockets.

If they release a Pixel 4a, I might look at them again.

----------


## ExtraSlow

Pixel 3a and 3aXL going on sale for BF.

----------


## speedog

So I guess I'm an outlier for moving back a few generations on a phone and liking it? Recently slipped on some ice and all 96kg of me landed on my butt and crushed the hell out of my S9 that was in my back pocket in my pants. Activated an old S7 we had lying around and am actually liking that phone much more, I really do like the smaller size because it makes one handed use much easier. I think I'm going to stick with the S7 for a while, the S9 was good but in reality was too big and really was quite a bit more fragile what with the glass back and all.

----------


## Tik-Tok

I'm a big fan of compact phones, that's why I stuck with Sony for so long as they were the only ones making a compact with flagship specs for the last few years.

----------


## ExtraSlow

I'm running an S7 and I love it. The battery is not as good and the USB port is getting picky. I don't really want larger.

----------


## ExtraSlow

Appropriate pic :

----------


## Buster

got my Pixel4, and am doing the copy thing, and connected it to my pixel3, but the phones aren't playing ball. Any settings or anthing I might have missed?

----------


## Buster

Okay. All setup now.

Well- after who knows how many android phones...10 maybe?

For the first time I'm left thinking...what a piece of shit. The new interface is complete garbage. Trash.

I didn't pay much attention to the new gesture thing. I just buy new phones when they come out, I don't spend time reading whatever nerd site is reviewing or leaking shit or whatever. So maybe I wasn't prepared for the amount of fuckery google got up to with this new OS. (I actually just found out that google cancelled the Chromecast audio earlier this year too. Fuck you very much for that google.) But what is this phone? Some kind of joke? I actually discovered that you can turn off this gesture nonsense and go back to the nav bar. But it's the OLD nav bar. The Pixel3 "pill" thing was so much better.

Bunch of fuckery up in here. fucking google.

----------


## bjstare

> Okay. All setup now.
> 
> Well- after who knows how many android phones...10 maybe?
> 
> For the first time I'm left thinking...what a piece of shit. The new interface is complete garbage. Trash.
> 
> I didn't pay much attention to the new gesture thing. I just buy new phones when they come out, I don't spend time reading whatever nerd site is reviewing or leaking shit or whatever. So maybe I wasn't prepared for the amount of fuckery google got up to with this new OS. (I actually just found out that google cancelled the Chromecast audio earlier this year too. Fuck you very much for that google.) But what is this phone? Some kind of joke? I actually discovered that you can turn off this gesture nonsense and go back to the nav bar. But it's the OLD nav bar. The Pixel3 "pill" thing was so much better.
> 
> Bunch of fuckery up in here. fucking google.



If you liked the latest Pixel 3 interface but are a little fed up w/ google, get an iphone haha. It was super easy for me to switch from the Pixel 3 to an iphone cause they were so similar. I'm getting considerably better performance out of my iphone (i.e. battery life) with the same amount of use.

----------


## ExtraSlow

> If you liked the latest Pixel 3 interface but are a little fed up w/ google, get an iphone haha. It was super easy for me to switch from the Pixel 3 to an iphone cause they were so similar. I'm getting considerably better performance out of my iphone (i.e. battery life) with the same amount of use.



 :thumbsdown:  :Cry:  :Shock:  :Frown:  :Bullshit!:  :Bang Head:  :dunno:  :Confused:  :Barf:  :Cry:  :Cry:  :winter tires mandatory:  :Cry:  :Cry:

----------


## killramos

> get an iphone haha.



28 Pages later the truth comes out, you know what to do 
@Buster

----------


## ExtraSlow

> 28 Pages later the truth comes out, you know what to do 
> @Buster

----------


## Strider

> For the first time I'm left thinking...what a piece of shit. The new interface is complete garbage. Trash.



Gesture navigation is terrific once you get used to it, especially so with big phones (no more trying to contort your thumb down to the back button when using it single handed). I get annoyed every time I pick up my wife's 3a and swiping back doesn't work.

----------


## taemo

I think I may have asked already at some point on this thread but can someone recommend me an old or new 200-300$ android phone?

only criteria that I care is that the screen is around 6", decent performance (faster than an Iphone 7 if possible) if I can run emulator that would be a bonus. 

just want to familiarize with android and will be used as a backup/travel phone along side my Iphone 11 Pro

----------


## ExtraSlow

> I think I may have asked already at some point on this thread but can someone recommend me an old or new 200-300$ android phone?
> 
> only criteria that I care is that the screen is around 6", decent performance (faster than an Iphone 7 if possible) if I can run emulator that would be a bonus. 
> 
> just want to familiarize with android and will be used as a backup/travel phone along side my Iphone 11 Pro



May have a Moto G7 Play for $150 available in a couple weeks. "basically" brand new, comes with box.

----------


## 01RedDX

.

----------


## D'z Nutz

> I think I may have asked already at some point on this thread but can someone recommend me an old or new 200-300$ android phone?
> 
> only criteria that I care is that the screen is around 6", decent performance (faster than an Iphone 7 if possible) if I can run emulator that would be a bonus. 
> 
> just want to familiarize with android and will be used as a backup/travel phone along side my Iphone 11 Pro



Look into one of the Android One phones from Xiaomi on Aliexpress. It'll fall within that price range.
https://www.android.com/one/

They should all be dual sim too, which comes in handy when travelling.

----------


## taemo

thanks, might look into a Xiaomi.
the Moto G7 Play looks underspecced for what I'm looking for.

----------


## jwslam

> I think I may have asked already at some point on this thread but can someone recommend me an old or new 200-300$ android phone?
> 
> only criteria that I care is that the screen is around 6", decent performance (faster than an Iphone 7 if possible) if I can run emulator that would be a bonus. 
> 
> just want to familiarize with android and will be used as a backup/travel phone along side my Iphone 11 Pro



I can sell my Essential Phone PH-1 for ~$200 if I get around to wiping it etc.
Let me know if you're interested and I'll get my act together.

----------


## ExtraSlow

Rocking that sweet sweet Moto G7 Play. Lovin it.

----------


## Swank

Oh this really scratches me where I itch - https://www.cnet.com/features/foldab...o-be-its-edge/

I'm still skeptical about how durable folding screen are but am always searching for the most compact phone. $1500 US though, definitely not in my near future.

----------


## phreezee

Oneplus has BF pricing on the 7 Pro live now at $739. Widely accepted among top 5 phones of 2019.

----------


## Xtrema

Pixel 4/4XL - $250 off

Pixel 3a/3a XL - $150 off

Starts Nov 24th:
https://store.google.com/ca/

----------


## LilDrunkenSmurf

> Oneplus has BF pricing on the 7 Pro live now at $739. Widely accepted among top 5 phones of 2019.



I placed an order for one. I was holding out for their BF sale. I really only expected something on the 6T, and wanted a 7T, but was pleasantly surprised at a discount for the 7Pro. Should be a nice upgrade over my 5T.

----------


## ExtraSlow

> Pixel 4/4XL - $250 off
> 
> Pixel 3a/3a XL - $150 off
> 
> Starts Nov 24th:
> https://store.google.com/ca/



November 24th is for the Pixel 4/4XL only. The rest are on the 28th it says.

----------


## Xtrema

> November 24th is for the Pixel 4/4XL only. The rest are on the 28th it says.



Wow. I guess nobody really bought Pixel 4 then. Never seen a new phone drop this much in 1 month other than price errors.

----------


## pheoxs

> Wow. I guess nobody really bought Pixel 4 then. Never seen a new phone drop this much in 1 month other than price errors.



Pretty dick move to the early adopters too

----------


## Buster

Google does this every year with the new Pixel. And every year I buy it at full price like a dummy.

----------


## bjstare

> Google does this every year with the new Pixel. And every year I buy it at full price like a dummy.



Haha exactly my thoughts. Although I'm not a dummy, didn't buy one this year and sold my 3XL before the 4 came out.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> Wow. I guess nobody really bought Pixel 4 then. Never seen a new phone drop this much in 1 month other than price errors.



Nothing new, google did the same thing last year and I think even the year before. It was absolutely expected. You save ~$100 if you can wait a month (preorders got $150 store credit that is no longer available with the Black Friday promo). Credit isn't quite as good as cash obviously, but it's easy to find something to spend it on. Nobody should feel dumb because a slight discount happened after you've already been using the phone for a month. Early adopters always pay more, and with smartphone lifecycles being only one year, discounts/promos start very shortly after release.

----------


## kJUMP

I just ordered a white P4 128GB that was $250 off from the launch price lol. It will be replacing the iPhone X that I've had for the past 2 years. I had used various Android devices before that so I'm looking forward to going back home.

----------


## Tik-Tok

> I ended up just sending it back, un-received.



Well this is an interesting development. The phone was sent back, and I got a full refund, but the $150 in-storecredit is still sitting in my Google account. I kind of assumed it would have been rescinded.

I could buy it again, with my credit, for $650 now, lol.

----------


## brucebanner

Guys with the pixel 4 xl. How's the battery life holding up in everyday use? 

I almost ordered a oneplus 7t this week but through work I'm able to get a galaxy s10/s10+ or pixel 4/xl for overall cheaper cost. 

Having trouble deciding which way to go. I know I'll like the pixel more than galaxy software wise but curious about battery life.

----------


## Buster

its hard to compare battery life, but the P4 XL seems to be worse than the P3XL.

----------


## brucebanner

> its hard to compare battery life, but the P4 XL seems to be worse than the P3XL.



I agree it's tough to compare because of everyone's personal usage.

I currently have a oneplus 6 and it has a smaller batter than anything I'm considering, so I'm guessing battery life wise it should last to what I'm currently used to. Leaning towards the S10 since it has expandable memory and still retains the headphone jack, even though I never use it, it is nice to have the option to.

I agree it's tough to compare because of everyone's personal usage.

----------


## roopi

I've had the pixel 4xl for a week now and with heavy usage it still lasts me the day. I upgraded from the pixel 2xl which had a great battery but I don't see any issue with the 4 if I can get through the day with it.

----------


## kJUMP

I've been using the P4 (not XL) since the beginning of the month. I consider myself an average user and it gets me through an average day of mine without difficulty, though occasionally the phone is close to empty by bedtime. If I were to go out at night then it would definitely need a quick top up before. To me, it's not a big issue or an inconvenience in my life. However, I just wonder why the Pixel design team would play so close to the edge in terms of battery performance/capacity, like would people not buy the phone if it was x grams heavier because the battery was proportionately larger? That's just my simplistic thoughts about it. For comparison, my prior iPhone X, even after two years of use, would easily get me through a day and night out if needed.

Overall, I'm loving the phone - it's fast, fluid and familiar. Android has definitely matured since my last use and it's way more intuitive and enjoyable.

----------


## Xtrema

> I agree it's tough to compare because of everyone's personal usage.
> 
> I currently have a oneplus 6 and it has a smaller batter than anything I'm considering, so I'm guessing battery life wise it should last to what I'm currently used to. Leaning towards the S10 since it has expandable memory and still retains the headphone jack, even though I never use it, it is nice to have the option to.
> 
> I agree it's tough to compare because of everyone's personal usage.



OP6 has the 3300mah same as OP5/5T. 


S10 has 3400mah.

I my experience, my S10 has shorter battery life than my OP5, even with 100mah less.

OP's Oxygen OS is a very efficient OS and has none of Samsung non-sense. So battery size isn't everything.

----------


## brucebanner

I messed up there and meant to say the s10+ not the s10.

Still haven't ordered anything yet, can't make the decision haha.

----------


## ExtraSlow

Easiest way to get better battery life is to just have a lower spec phone. My Moto G7 Play lasts 2 days, but I'm pretty sure the processor is same as pictured below:

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

I'm still getting an easy 2 days out of my P4XL. I don't charge it at all mon-friday outside of a 20 min slow charge to/from work then it lasts until Sunday night without a charge. Make sure to keep an eye on your permissions and don't let apps like Facebook access sensors/data whenever they want to which is all the time.

Dark theme makes a significant difference as well if you like it, and I don't use the always on display.
Everyone'ss usage is different but I'm on my phone a lot and use it for both work and personal. The battery life of the last 3 pixels has been ridiculously good in my experience, all of them lasting a full 2 days (for me).

----------


## jwslam

> Easiest way to get better battery life is to just have a lower spec phone. My Moto G7 Play lasts 2 days, but I'm pretty sure the processor is same as pictured below:



Well your Pixel 3a/3aXL are on sale now ICYMI

----------


## ExtraSlow

> Well your Pixel 3a/3aXL are on sale now ICYMI



Didn't miss it. Bought one for the wife on black friday and am not buying anything for myself. I like my low spec phone.

----------


## ExtraSlow

Pixel 4a available for preorder for $479. That's cheaper than rhe list price on the 3a, which was $549 I think. 


If I get a new phone this fall, seems like a nice option.

----------


## Tik-Tok

Anyone know how long it took for the 3a to drop in price? Do you figure by Xmas it'll be $100 off?

----------


## ExtraSlow

> Anyone know how long it took for the 3a to drop in price? Do you figure by Xmas it'll be $100 off?



Well 3a was $150 off at the end of November last year. I think if they have been managing the inventory okay, it isn't likely to go on sale again.

----------


## Tik-Tok

> Well 3a was $150 off at the end of November last year. I think if they have been managing the inventory okay, it isn't likely to go on sale again.



I meant how long before the 4a is $100 off. So if the 3a was released in May, and didn't see a price drop until November, then I don't think I'll be getting the 4a on sale until after the new year.

----------


## ExtraSlow

Oh yeah, I misunderstood. Depends how they sell, but black friday at earliest, and maybe not till later.

----------


## killramos

What’s the point of a stupid looking square camera bulge with only one camera lens?

----------


## The_Rural_Juror

> Anyone know how long it took for the 3a to drop in price? Do you figure by Xmas it'll be $100 off?



You get a discount on products if you sign up for a certain their of Google one. I think it makes out at 10%.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> What’s the point of a stupid looking square camera bulge with only one camera lens?



It doesn't really matter how many cameras it has, it allows the rest of the phone to be thinner which is typically why they do it. Every phone and tablet on the market could get rid of their stupid looking bulge if they just made them 2-3mm thicker (I actually think a lot of people would prefer that as it would mean huge batteries), but none of the big smartphone manufacturers are really doing that. Also for such a cheap phone, they probably tried to save every penny of R&D they could and the square camera zone is part of the Pixel 4 design language (it also houses the flash).

The lens protrudes 1-2mm like virtually every other phone on the market these days, and their design language just happens to have a box around it. A single protruding camera is not unusual on budget phones, the more expensive iPhone SE has one as do other comparable budget Android phones. I've never liked camera bulges on any phone, but they are pretty much unavoidable these days. At least with the larger bulges you can use the phone on a solid surface without a case without having it roll around, but I would think most people use cases anyway and never even see the camera bulge on whatever phone they use.

----------


## Xtrema

> What’s the point of a stupid looking square camera bulge with only one camera lens?



I assume aesthetics reasons to make it look like 4.

Or, they got sideswiped by iPhone SE announcement and took a wide camera out to hit it $50USD lower than iPhone SE.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> I assume aesthetics reasons to make it look like 4.
> 
> Or, they got sideswiped by iPhone SE announcement and took a wide camera out to hit it $50USD lower than iPhone SE.



The Pixel 4 doesn't have a UWA and leaks never showed the 4a having a UWA. I think it was always going to be a one-camera phone since it's closest competition only has one camera and they wanted to keep cost down as much as possible. Google's software also lends itself to one camera better than most with their image stacking zoom, etc. but it's not a replacement for a second camera. Building inexpensive, high value phones is Google's wheelhouse, looks like they pretty much nailed it with the 4a - it's also a lot cheaper than most people predicted. 

Curious to see what they do with the Pixel 5. There have been virtually zero leaks, unlike the Pixel 4 where there were no secrets left at this point in time last year haha - I think that was the most leaked phone of all time.

----------


## mr2mike

I rock a Pixel 2 and the camera software makes the camera better than some/most of the newer iPhones. I can see most never using the second camera in most applications.

----------


## ExtraSlow

Camera on my wife's pixel 3aXL is fantastic. Beats my potato.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> I rock a Pixel 2 and the camera software makes the camera better than some/most of the newer iPhones. I can see most never using the second camera in most applications.



Zooming is much more important than an UWA because in (most) cases you can just take a pano if you need wider. It's not a perfect solution for every photo of course, but it's a good workaround.

Google's image stacking zoom is very good for what it is, but not quite as good as a dedicated lens. For Facebook or whatever though, I think you would be hard pressed to tell a difference, which is what will matter to most people.

The Pixel 4a is getting very good press, it doesn't really seem to have much competition in the entry level segment. Nice to see Google going back to its roots a bit.

----------


## schocker

Note 20 is comical for $1400, 1080p 60hz, plastic back, half the storage of the note 10.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> Note 20 is comical for $1400, 1080p 60hz, plastic back, half the storage of the note 10.



It's because they changed their Note and Galaxy lines to have "Ultra" variants, meaning the "regular" variants are now lower end/budget versions of the same phone. As a result, Samsung pricing is approaching Apple levels of ridiculousness. Definitely not the greatest value and not a phone I would buy. It will probably have crazy battery life though haha. Samsung pricing tends to drop relatively quickly though, and have massive carrier subsidies.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

Anyone getting the S21 Ultra? Looks pretty impressive at first glance:

6.8" 1440P 10-120Hz variable refresh rate, 1,500(!) nits brightness
SD888
12GB base RAM (16GB available) LPDDR5
128GB base storage (512 max) UFS 3.1

108MP F1.8 Wide, OIS, PDAF, multiple resolution choices (HM3 sensor, new from last year)
12MP F2.2 Ultra wide, OIS, PDAF
10MP F2.4 3X optical zoom, OIS, PDAF
10MP F4.9 10X optical zoom, OIS, PDAF
40MP F2.2 front camera
4K60P with all cameras & 12Bit RAW

5000mAh battery with 60W fast charging
S-pen support (but no storage, have to store in a case)
WiFi 6E, dual bluetooth

Rest of the S21 lineup looks pretty good too, especially if you want a flat screen.

Preorders get free Galaxy Buds Pro and SmartTag but the window is pretty small.

----------


## Xtrema

Still waiting for review. But looks like 888 is an improvement but not in ways that matters or ground breaking.

S21 pre-order is on and looks like you can throw them a 90s flip phone to get $200 off. Making it closer to S20 FE price.

Also S21 is plastic, S21+ is glass. S21 Ultra has all the goodies. So it feels like bait and switch like Note 20 line. None of them SD card.


Been so spoiled with a 512GB S10 and never delete anything. Once update stops later this year, I'm pretty sure I'm jumping on the iPhone train.

----------


## schocker

S21 has Gimped display, no microsd and plastic back, but that is a decent drop in price on the S21. Copying apple pricing though, great move to charge that extra canadian tax  :ROFL!: 
The thing with samsung is you need to get the giant screen to get the flagship features, that is why I like my iphone 12 pro.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> Still waiting for review. But looks like 888 is an improvement but not in ways that matters or ground breaking.
> 
> S21 pre-order is on and looks like you can throw them a 90s flip phone to get $200 off. Making it closer to S20 FE price.
> 
> Also S21 is plastic, S21+ is glass. S21 Ultra has all the goodies. So it feels like bait and switch like Note 20 line. None of them SD card.
> 
> 
> Been so spoiled with a 512GB S10 and never delete anything. Once update stops later this year, I'm pretty sure I'm jumping on the iPhone train.




I'm hoping the review embargos lift before the promos are over on the 28th - I think they will be. Just to make sure there are no glaring issues.

The big thing with the 888 is the triple image processors so you can record from multiple cameras simultaneously at 4K/60P including the front camera, and switch cameras on the fly without stopping your recording. Aside from that, phone CPUs have been so much faster than what 99% of people need anyway I doubt you'll notice much. 2 year old phones can still play all the popular games on max settings, and that's about as taxing as it gets for the average user.

Yeah you can use literally any phone to get $200 off it seems - I'm trying to find one but I think I recycled them all when we moved last year haha. I'm wondering if you even need to send them the phone because it looks like the discount is applied in the cart at the time of purchase, and I can't imagine Samsung want's to collect everyone's old phones haha. 

I'd actually prefer the Ultra was plastic because it will be in a case it's entire life anyway, but they obviously took steps to put more space between the regular S21 models and the Ultra this year, unlike last year. Prices are also significantly lower which addresses some criticism from the previous generation. The S21 Ultra makes the iPhone 12 Pro Max look like a toy in terms of design and features, so hopefully it delivers. Ideally reviews come out before the 28th because $200 off + free $250 Galaxy buds Pro + Free Smart Tag is actually a pretty good deal for what you get.

----------


## kenny

> I'm hoping the review embargos lift before the promos are over on the 28th



The "$200/$300 + trade in value" promo runs until March 3 if you wait. Lose out on the buds but still decent for someone with an old ass phone.

----------


## ExtraSlow

if anyone wants an old phone, I'll sell mine for $50. Have three available.

----------


## Xtrema

> I'm hoping the review embargos lift before the promos are over on the 28th - I think they will be. Just to make sure there are no glaring issues.
> 
> The big thing with the 888 is the triple image processors so you can record from multiple cameras simultaneously at 4K/60P including the front camera, and switch cameras on the fly without stopping your recording. Aside from that, phone CPUs have been so much faster than what 99% of people need anyway I doubt you'll notice much. 2 year old phones can still play all the popular games on max settings, and that's about as taxing as it gets for the average user.
> 
> Yeah you can use literally any phone to get $200 off it seems - I'm trying to find one but I think I recycled them all when we moved last year haha. I'm wondering if you even need to send them the phone because it looks like the discount is applied in the cart at the time of purchase, and I can't imagine Samsung want's to collect everyone's old phones haha. 
> 
> I'd actually prefer the Ultra was plastic because it will be in a case it's entire life anyway, but they obviously took steps to put more space between the regular S21 models and the Ultra this year, unlike last year. Prices are also significantly lower which addresses some criticism from the previous generation. The S21 Ultra makes the iPhone 12 Pro Max look like a toy in terms of design and features, so hopefully it delivers. Ideally reviews come out before the 28th because $200 off + free $250 Galaxy buds Pro + Free Smart Tag is actually a pretty good deal for what you get.



I gave them my old Nexus4 for the discount and got $20 check for it when I got my 512GB S10 for $599.

I have 0 use of Galaxy Bud. XM4 is my goto and XM2 is my backup ANC headphones. 

I am waiting to be surprised on the video front. But 1st 888 phone by Xaomi has been meh.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> I gave them my old Nexus4 for the discount and got $20 check for it when I got my 512GB S10 for $599.
> 
> I have 0 use of Galaxy Bud. XM4 is my goto and XM2 is my backup ANC headphones. 
> 
> I am waiting to be surprised on the video front. But 1st 888 phone by Xaomi has been meh.



I think you're putting too much weight on the processor - they haven't really mattered in most phones for a few years now. Most decent phones are instant-fast for 99% of tasks and battery life is an easy 1-2 days aside from the heaviest of users.

The Galaxy Bud Pros are ~$250, you can probably sell for $150-$200. Another $200 off just for putting in an IMEI from a 15 year old flip phone. Ends up being pretty cheap assuming it's actually a phone you want. Sell your old phone on Kijiji, Samsung's trade-in values suck.

I'm not sure what you're looking for in smartphone video but every phone takes pretty terrible video compared to even a cheap camera with a 1" sensor or similar. The 8K is actually pretty useful for reframing to 4K and pulling 32MP stills, other than that it's going to be about the same as every other smartphone.

----------


## Buster

I used to upgrade my phone every year because I saw real benefits to doing so. I skipped the Pixel 5 because I couldn't work out how it would improve things over the 4XL I have. Now I'm in the same boat with the S21 Ultra. What does it do that my 4XL doesnt?

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> I used to upgrade my phone every year because I saw real benefits to doing so. I skipped the Pixel 5 because I couldn't work out how it would improve things over the 4XL I have. Now I'm in the same boat with the S21 Ultra. What does it do that my 4XL doesnt?



In the case of the Pixel 5, they re-positioned the phone mid-market rather than a flagship like the 4XL was, so if you had a 4XL you weren't really gaining anything in the Pixel 5 except for 5G which doesn't really matter yet in Canada, and you were losing a few significant features like face unlock, Soli, and an 8 series CPU/GPU. There was no reason to buy a Pixel 5 as an 'upgrade' if you had a 4XL as you lose more than you gain. I skipped it too.

Compared to the Pixel 4XL the S21 Ultra improves every area except Soli and Face Unlock (Google's implementation was the best/fastest by far but sadly now it's no longer available). Bigger/better/brighter screen, 10-120Hz dynamic refresh rate, enormous battery, under-display fingerprint reader (nice now that we all wear masks), easily the best camera setup on any mainstream flagship for both stills & video (see earlier post for details), Gorilla Glass Victus front & back, faster charging (both wired & wireless), reverse wireless charging, 2-generations faster CPU/GPU, double the RAM (6gb vs 12gb, 16gb available on 512GB model), faster RAM (GDDR4X vs 5), much faster internal storage (UFS 2.1 vs 3.1, ~2.5x faster read, ~5x faster write), arguably better design/build, WiFi 6/E, bluetooth 5.2, etc.

Whether any of that is important to you will obviously determine if it does anything your 4XL doesn't for your personal usage, but it's objectively a better phone than pretty much anything else out there right now. Early reviews are very positive but the full embargo will lift later this week.

If you are looking at the S21 Ultra, until the 28th you get Free Galaxy Buds Pro ($265), a free bluetooth tracker thingy, 500 airmiles, and $200 off the base price. They are also only charging $70 to double the storage to 256GB this year which is unusually cheap. 

Also, now Google Messages is the default texting app and Google News Feed is built-in for the far left screen instead of Samsung's version, so with a few more default app changes you can essentially turn it into a Pixel phone with very little effort.

----------


## Buster

> In the case of the Pixel 5, they re-positioned the phone mid-market rather than a flagship like the 4XL was, so if you had a 4XL you weren't really gaining anything in the Pixel 5 except for 5G which doesn't really matter yet in Canada, and you were losing a few significant features like face unlock, Soli, and an 8 series CPU/GPU. There was no reason to buy a Pixel 5 as an 'upgrade' if you had a 4XL as you lose more than you gain. I skipped it too.
> 
> Compared to the Pixel 4XL the S21 Ultra improves every area except Soli and Face Unlock (Google's implementation was the best/fastest by far but sadly now it's no longer available). Bigger/better/brighter screen, 10-120Hz dynamic refresh rate, enormous battery, under-display fingerprint reader (nice now that we all wear masks), easily the best camera setup on any mainstream flagship for both stills & video (see earlier post for details), Gorilla Glass Victus front & back, faster charging (both wired & wireless), reverse wireless charging, 2-generations faster CPU/GPU, double the RAM (6gb vs 12gb, 16gb available on 512GB model), faster RAM (GDDR4X vs 5), much faster internal storage (UFS 2.1 vs 3.1, ~2.5x faster read, ~5x faster write), arguably better design/build, WiFi 6/E, bluetooth 5.2, etc.
> 
> Whether any of that is important to you will obviously determine if it does anything your 4XL doesn't for your personal usage, but it's objectively a better phone than pretty much anything else out there right now. Early reviews are very positive but the full embargo will lift later this week.
> 
> If you are looking at the S21 Ultra, until the 28th you get Free Galaxy Buds Pro ($265), a free bluetooth tracker thingy, 500 airmiles, and $200 off the base price. They are also only charging $70 to double the storage to 256GB this year which is unusually cheap. 
> 
> Also, now Google Messages is the default texting app and Google News Feed is built-in for the far left screen instead of Samsung's version, so with a few more default app changes you can essentially turn it into a Pixel phone with very little effort.



Sold!

Is the trade in thing hard? I have an old pixel2 that I could use as a trade-in. Slight crack on the corner of a screen, not sure if that matters. I never sell my old phones, too lazy.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> Sold!
> 
> Is the trade in thing hard? I have an old pixel2 that I could use as a trade-in. Slight crack on the corner of a screen, not sure if that matters. I never sell my old phones, too lazy.



Nope, you just have to select the phone type, condition, and enter an IMEI. To my knowledge they don't even ask you to send it to them if the value is $0 on top of the $200 base discount. If the phone has an assigned value above $0, it goes to a third party company, not Samsung.

You don't actually have to send anything as a trade-in, you can select "Other-Other" as the phone type, and enter 15 zeros for the IMEI and you get the same $200 off at checkout. The Pixel 2 is probably valued at $0 for a trade-in so you likely won't be any further ahead if you send it to them, but you can use it's IMEI for the same discount if you don't want to use 15 zeros. It's basically just a way to give you a deal, since I'm sure Samsung doesn't want a pile of people's 20 year old flip phones haha (you can use literally any phone for the discount).

If you like the special colors, note that they take an extra 4-5 weeks to deliver as they are made to order.

----------


## Buster

> Nope, you just have to select the phone type, condition, and enter an IMEI. To my knowledge they don't even ask you to send it to them if the value is $0 on top of the $200 base discount. If the phone has an assigned value above $0, it goes to a third party company, not Samsung.
> 
> You don't actually have to send anything as a trade-in, you can select "Other-Other" as the phone type, and enter 15 zeros for the IMEI and you get the same $200 off at checkout. The Pixel 2 is probably valued at $0 for a trade-in so you likely won't be any further ahead if you send it to them, but you can use it's IMEI for the same discount if you don't want to use 15 zeros. It's basically just a way to give you a deal, since I'm sure Samsung doesn't want a pile of people's 20 year old flip phones haha (you can use literally any phone for the discount).
> 
> If you like the special colors, note that they take an extra 4-5 weeks to deliver as they are made to order.



nice. thanks. I have a Pixel3 XL as well, any idea if that has any value obove $200? I doubt it.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> nice. thanks. I have a Pixel3 XL as well, any idea if that has any value obove $200? I doubt it.



A Pixel 2 with a cracked screen is valued at a whopping $7.36.

A Pixel 3XL in good condition gets $128.80

My Pixel 4XL 128GB said $317.

Those values would be on top of the $200 discount, but in each case you can do better selling your phone on Kijiji so you're better off just selecting "Other-Other" and 15 zeros for the IMEI for the same $200 off.

They are basically using the $200 off you get anyway to make it look like you are getting a good trade-in value for the phone, because their trade-in values plus $200 are pretty close to used market.

----------


## Buster

It's been so long since I've had a non-google phone, I'm not even sure how it works for migration. Does Samsung force me to use a Samsung account for things? When I setup a new pixel, I just plug in my google account and basically immediately I'm up and running just like I was. How does it work with my contacts, passwords, etc?

----------


## Xtrema

> It's been so long since I've had a non-google phone, I'm not even sure how it works for migration. Does Samsung force me to use a Samsung account for things? When I setup a new pixel, I just plug in my google account and basically immediately I'm up and running just like I was. How does it work with my contacts, passwords, etc?



Smoother if you do but you don't need one.

Contacts all comes thru your Google account.

----------


## Buster

> Smoother if you do but you don't need one.
> 
> Contacts all comes thru your Google account.



I basically don't want anything to do with samsung accounts or software or whatever. I'm really just after the hardware here.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> It's been so long since I've had a non-google phone, I'm not even sure how it works for migration. Does Samsung force me to use a Samsung account for things? When I setup a new pixel, I just plug in my google account and basically immediately I'm up and running just like I was. How does it work with my contacts, passwords, etc?



I'll be doing it too for the first time in a while, but Samsung has an app called Smart Switch which can wirelessly (or wired) transfer everything from the Pixel to the S21. You install it on both devices. You get a list of checkboxes and you can choose what you want to bring over. There are some third party apps that do the same thing if you end up having issues.

If you use WhatsApp, make sure you go in there and do a cloud backup of all your conversations so you can get them all back on the new phone if that is important to you.

You will need to make a Samsung account to get complete backups of the new phone with Samsung Cloud, and I think you need one anyway to buy the phone. Nobody likes yet another account, but I think it's unavoidable in this case if you want access to every feature. On the actual phone though you can use your Google account for everything Google, you can choose the Google News Feed as your default far-left screen, and Google Messages is now the default messaging app. You can also change the assistant from Bixby to Google Assistant, and your default apps to Chrome, Google Photos, etc. Samsung's latest UI is far less intrusive than in the past and you can get it pretty close to a Pixel while taking advantage of the extra features Samsung's UI brings.

Not 100% sure on your passwords but those should follow your Google account once you're logged in. For example if you're logged into your google account and open Chrome on the S21, your auto-fill passwords should still be there.

----------


## Tik-Tok

> Nope, you just have to select the phone type, condition, and enter an IMEI. To my knowledge they don't even ask you to send it to them if the value is $0 on top of the $200 base discount. If the phone has an assigned value above $0, it goes to a third party company, not Samsung.



I'm trying this, but it's coming up as $0 discount. Not even the $200.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> I'm trying this, but it's coming up as $0 discount. Not even the $200.



You need to go all the way to the checkout to see it - I just tried it again and it works. The $0 cashback it shows is referring to your "trade in" rather than the $200 base discount you are getting. I don't think it matters, but I also entered the condition as cracked screen, doesn't turn on, and no accounts removed.

----------


## Xtrema

Reviews are out.

----------


## kenny

Had a chuckle reading a review of the s21 ultra, same author for both reviews. 

iPhone 12 Pro Max - $1100 usd - "The iPhone 12’s blend of design, performance and price make it as close to a no-brainer as possible"
Samsung S21 Ultra - $1200 usd - "A capable but costly flagship", "but let’s be clear: this is still a _very_ expensive smartphone."

Written by same author, who from the looks of things actually liked the S21 Ultra. 

iPhone probably provides better long term value, but just funny there is such a double standard regarding price points.

----------


## ExtraSlow

The fruit sticker is worth 30 percent

----------


## killramos

> The fruit sticker is worth 30 percent



So the Android is even more overpriced than it seems?

----------


## Buster

> Reviews are out.



My order for the ultra goes in tomorrow

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> Had a chuckle reading a review of the s21 ultra, same author for both reviews. 
> 
> iPhone 12 Pro Max - $1100 usd - "The iPhone 12’s blend of design, performance and price make it as close to a no-brainer as possible"
> Samsung S21 Ultra - $1200 usd - "A capable but costly flagship", "but let’s be clear: this is still a _very_ expensive smartphone."
> 
> Written by same author, who from the looks of things actually liked the S21 Ultra. 
> 
> iPhone probably provides better long term value, but just funny there is such a double standard regarding price points.



And size, and pretty much everything else depending on who the author is haha. This one is a classic from iVerge:




---------------------

The S21U looks pretty impressive though, I haven't had a chance to watch all the reviews but the few I've been able to see and the blind tests vs the iPhone 12 Pro Max really start to highlight how far Apple needs to come to catch up in some key areas. It also looks like they addressed pretty well every complaint from the S20U which was a bit underwhelming for the price IMO (S20+ was probably the better buy last year). The lack of a microSD card might bother some die-hards but the phone is a lot cheaper than last year and storage happens to be the same price as a fast microSD card of the same size ($70 to go from 128GB base to 256GB), so it's an easy decision if you need it. The way they incorporated macro is pretty clever too, without the need for another entire camera that would only see occasional use for most people. Nice to see Samsung making it much easier to "Googleify" the phone now too, and get it pretty close to a Pixel software-wise but along with the best hardware. Battery life seems to be an easy 2days with normal usage as well. One thing I'd like to see them do is enable portrait mode on the 3X camera, I suspect that will come in a software update on the production models as it's an odd omission.

----------


## Xtrema

> One thing I'd like to see them do is enable portrait mode on the 3X camera, I suspect that will come in a software update on the production models as it's an odd omission.



That one stands out but not a deal breaker. But looks like 108MP sensor is noisy in low light. But the 12MP wide looks excellent.

----------


## Buster

> And size, and pretty much everything else depending on who the author is haha. This one is a classic from iVerge:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ---------------------
> 
> The S21U looks pretty impressive though, I haven't had a chance to watch all the reviews but the few I've been able to see and the blind tests vs the iPhone 12 Pro Max really start to highlight how far Apple needs to come to catch up in some key areas. It also looks like they addressed pretty well every complaint from the S20U which was a bit underwhelming for the price IMO (S20+ was probably the better buy last year). The lack of a microSD card might bother some die-hards but the phone is a lot cheaper than last year and storage happens to be the same price as a fast microSD card of the same size ($70 to go from 128GB base to 256GB), so it's an easy decision if you need it. The way they incorporated macro is pretty clever too, without the need for another entire camera that would only see occasional use for most people. Nice to see Samsung making it much easier to "Googleify" the phone now too, and get it pretty close to a Pixel software-wise but along with the best hardware. Battery life seems to be an easy 2days with normal usage as well. One thing I'd like to see them do is enable portrait mode on the 3X camera, I suspect that will come in a software update on the production models as it's an odd omission.



I've never owned an Apple product, so I dont know how they compare...but this seems a leap over the current gen Apples doesnt it?

----------


## Xtrema

> I've never owned an Apple product, so I dont know how they compare...but this seems a leap over the current gen Apples doesnt it?



Photos, if you like the punchy Samsung boost, yes. When I compare my S10 photos vs my sister's iPhone 11, I always prefer mine.

Video, sorta a mixed bag but footage from Apple still looks better.

Night and low light, Apple wins.

Zoom and Macro, Samsung wins.

Battery, Samsung wins because it carry 1000mah over Apple and the dynamic refresh rate seems to do wonders while giving you 120hz experience.

Screen, Samsung too.


But Apple is never about the tech, but the ecosystem. They will always a few years behind in term of tech but they do it their way and doesn't need commodity parts.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> I've never owned an Apple product, so I dont know how they compare...but this seems a leap over the current gen Apples doesn't it?



Apple has been behind from a feature standpoint for quite a while now, but their value proposition has never been based around performance or features, but rather their inclusive ecosystem and brand image.

Just looking at the main features compared to the 12 Pro MAX:

CPU: Apple wins synthetic benchmarks but they are completely different designs running on completely different operating systems so it's difficult to compare them directly. Real world speed of both is overall pretty much identical as they trade blows over a wide range of tests. Phone CPUs just don't really matter that much anymore for 99% of users as they are all so fast. 

GPU: Similar to above, Samsung's Adreno 660 is faster in synthetic benchmarks but both phones can play any game on max settings so it doesn't really matter. Samsung has a screen that can take advantage of higher FPS though with the 120Hz refresh rate.

Screen: Samsung by a mile, they always put their best in their own product. It's brighter, has double the refresh rate, and is more efficient with a variable refresh rate from 10-120Hz.

RAM: Samsung has double or more depending on the model (12/16gb vs 6gb). Not sure if Apple uses GDDR5 or not but Samsung does for sure. 

Storage: Samsung's UFS 3.1 storage is roughly twice as fast for both read & write, but I doubt either is a performance bottleneck

Battery: Samsung wins with capacity and more battery-saving features like the LTPO variable refresh display. Dark modes & turning off 5G help even more but that isn't unique to Samsung.

Cameras: Easy win for Samsung, the iPhone can't compete in resolution, sensor size, zoom, macro, or UWA. Image processing between the two is more subjective however you can choose your processing on the Samsung if you prefer a more flat look. Samsung has a much more robust camera app for both photo and video. Samsung also has a close-up macro option, Apple doesn't offer anything like that.

Portrait Mode - Apple wins here as they use the zoom lens for portraits which gives a more pleasing look, at least in my opinion. Samsung is getting a bunch of criticism on the pre-release models for not allowing portrait mode with the 3X zoom camera, so I suspect they will add that with a software update.

Video: It's closer here, Samsung gives you many more options in terms of focal lengths, resolutions, and frame rates. Apple seems to do better with video in very low light but stabilization tests favor the Samsung if using the UWA. Depending on the lens used, they trade blows in terms of how the video looks. The UWA in particular is excellent on the Samsung and stabilization is much better. Telephoto lens video is better on the iPhone in low light due to wider apertures, but the iPhone barely has any zoom capability, so it's a bit of a trade off. Samsung has better audio recording in video mode.

Design - Apple is looking pretty dated with huge bezels, huge notch, and most reviewers complain about the sharp corners being uncomfortable. The Samsung is almost all screen and has just a hole punch for a front camera. Both have ridiculous camera bumps, but that is somewhat unavoidable on flagships these days and I imagine both would be in a case anyway. Some of this is obviously subjective.

Charging - Samsung charges faster and uses an industry standard USB-C connection. I believe both have reverse wireless charging, Samsung for sure does.

Biometrics - Apple only has face-ID which I believe still requires a second swipe to unlock, Samsung has both face unlock and an under-screen fingerprint reader so you don't have to enter a passcode or lower your mask and you can unlock to the home screen without a second input.

Connectivity - Samsung has more recent versions of Bluetooth and WiFi. Most people don't have hardware that can take advantage but if you keep your phone for a long time it's a bonus.

Speakers - richer and louder on the Samsung, iPhone 12 Pro Max isn't bad but sounds tinny in the A/B comparisons

Samsung works with a stylus, but I don't think that will be very popular as it's not built in like the Note.

That seems to be the consensus after watching/reading a bunch more reviews and comparisons, YMMV of course and there is definitely an element of subjectivity with photo/video processing.





> Photos, if you like the punchy Samsung boost, yes. When I compare my S10 photos vs my sister's iPhone 11, I always prefer mine.
> 
> Video, sorta a mixed bag but footage from Apple still looks better.
> 
> Night and low light, Apple wins.



For photos, you can choose whether or not to use Samsung's scene recognition which give you the punchier colors. Not sure if this has always been a feature or new for the S21, but you have control over it now if you prefer a flatter look. You can also choose your portrait mode processing (skin smoothing vs none, etc.).

For video, it depends on the lens being used. Samsung has better UWA video in low light, iPhone 12 has better telephoto low light video albeit with much shorter focal lengths. Stabilization is better on Samsung's UWA, but Apple has better Telephoto stabilization for video if you're running with your phone. Stationary zoom stabilization is better on the Samsung. Resolutions, frame rates, and focal lengths all heavily favor Samsung. Processing is more subjective in terms of color and contrast, Apple goes for the flatter look, Samsung chooses a punchier look.

Night & low light - Samsung wins UWA, Apple wins Telephoto due to wider apertures and shorter focal lengths

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

Doorbell rang at 8AM this morning and it was FedEx with the S21U. Delivered only a few hours after the release date, that has got to be the smoothest launch of a physical product I have experienced in recent memory  :ROFL!:

----------


## blownz

Nice, congrats! My S20+ needs to last until November. I will have to manage.

----------


## Buster

> Doorbell rang at 8AM this morning and it was FedEx with the S21U. Delivered only a few hours after the release date, that has got to be the smoothest launch of a physical product I have experienced in recent memory



I think my brown one won't be here for a couple of weeks.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> I think my brown one won't be here for a couple of weeks.



Yeah if you got a special color it's a 4-5 week delay as they are apparently made-to-order. That was too long for me since it is just going to live in a case the entire time and with how short refresh cycles are on smartphones. I really liked the Navy one though if the delivery time was the same I would have got that one.

----------


## Buster

Samsung cancelled my order for some reason. No explanation.

----------


## ExtraSlow

#brownphonesmatter

----------


## The_Rural_Juror

Received my s21 ultra yesterday. It's an improvement on my Note10+. Only thing I am upset about is the removal of the SD card slot.

----------


## Buster

> #brownphonesmatter



maybe they thought that me buying a brown phone was cultural appropriation?

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> Samsung cancelled my order for some reason. No explanation.



Wow that is very strange. Curious to hear what their reason ends up being.

----------


## Buster

"Product Cancellation	Samsung
Dear xxx your order has been reviewed and cannot be processed at this time. Please contact customer support.
The following product(s) have been cancelled:"

Dunno.

I sure wish google had stepped up with a flagship phone this generation. I have a low tolerance for time wasting shit like this.

----------


## killramos

Smart Ninja

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

It only took me a few minutes to make the phone pretty much like a Pixel if anyone is thinking of doing the same.

Samsung Smart Switch brought everything over (install on both phones). Some people have problems getting text messages to come over, if that happens just use SMS Backup & Restore, that works and is very quick. Also if you use WhatsApp, make sure to do a backup of your messages to Google Drive or whatever for a 1-click restore on the new phone.

- You don't actually need to have or add a Samsung account, but you do if you want entire phone cloud backups
- Default far left screen is already Google Now
- Default messaging app was already Google Messages
- Default assistant was already Google
- Change browser default to Chrome
- Download Google Phone and change default
- Download Google Calendar, Keep, etc. or anything else you use
- Download Gboard and change default
- Download Google Clock and add widget (alarms come with it)
- Uninstall/disable/remove the Samsung apps you may never use
- Change navigation buttons to gesture control if you prefer

I think that's about all I had to do. Now it's basically like a Pixel with better hardware and more options/customization. Some of the Samsung apps are actually really good, I'm just used to the Google variants.

The only two things I miss are:

1) The instant face unlock to home screen even from weird angles - nobody does this better than Google and it would be nice to have that option in addition to the fingerprint scanner. That being said, the fingerprint scanner is instant and having it built into the screen is clearly the way to go.
2) Soli for changing songs at the gym, silencing alarms and screen wake as I reach for the phone, and touchless checking of notifications. I used it dozens of times a day and it will take me a little bit to get used to not having it.

Also, the pre-installed screen protector is actually quite good and I have no desire to change it at least for the time being. The little dip the curved screen makes against a case also makes gesture navigation super smooth.

There was a software update released Jan 23 so make sure you grab that too.

- - - Updated - - -




> "Product Cancellation	Samsung
> Dear xxx your order has been reviewed and cannot be processed at this time. Please contact customer support.
> The following product(s) have been cancelled:"
> 
> Dunno.
> 
> I sure wish google had stepped up with a flagship phone this generation. I have a low tolerance for time wasting shit like this.



That's odd. I wonder if it had to do with the special color? They use overnight FedEx shipping and their warehouse is in Ontario, so if you did choose to order again you shouldn't have to wait too long.

----------


## kenny

> It only took me a few minutes to make the phone pretty much like a Pixel if anyone is thinking of doing the same.



Is the e-sim disabled on Canadian version of phone like the USA version?

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> Is the e-sim disabled on Canadian version of phone like the USA version?



I don't know for sure to be honest - I just use a regular sim. Searching the menu for eSIM doesn't seem to bring up anything obvious that would suggest it has it but it's possible I'm not looking in the right place.

----------


## Xtrema

> Is the e-sim disabled on Canadian version of phone like the USA version?



I remember reading on RFD that it is disabled. But just hearsay.

----------


## Buster

> That's odd. I wonder if it had to do with the special color? They use overnight FedEx shipping and their warehouse is in Ontario, so if you did choose to order again you shouldn't have to wait too long.



Maybe the other-other trade trick?

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> Maybe the other-other trade trick?



I did that too though (I have a phone to send them if they ever ask) but I never received an email or any sort of documentation asking me to send them anything at any time throughout the process. You might have to ask customer service to find out for sure what went wrong.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

Took a pic of the moon tonight with the S21 Ultra - this is less than 1/3 of it's 'zoom', pretty impressive for a smartphone IMO:

----------


## Buster

Wow, thats impressive.

My second order went through.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> Wow, thats impressive.
> 
> My second order went through.



Sweet. They seem to ship very fast even from people who ordered "late" (i.e after preorder). Hopefully you get it soon.

----------


## Buster

I got in on the pre order actually. But I ordered brown, so I gotta sit. Vanity has its price.

----------


## Tik-Tok

> Took a pic of the moon tonight with the S21 Ultra - this is less than 1/3 of it's 'zoom', pretty impressive for a smartphone IMO:
> 
> [IMG]m-o-o-n[/IMG]



Are you sure they aren't just pulling a Huawei?  :ROFL!:

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> Are you sure they aren't just pulling a Huawei?



Haha well since I took it, I can assure you that is not the case however Huawei's blatant use of DSLRs for their smartphone photo "examples" is pretty hilarious.

----------


## ExtraSlow

> Haha well since I took it, I can assure you that is not the case however Huawei's blatant use of DSLRs for their smartphone photo "examples" is pretty hilarious.



They also had software inserting snips of the moon from stock photos, without the phone owners knowledge.

----------


## Tik-Tok

> They also had software inserting snips of the moon from stock photos, without the phone owners knowledge.



Exactly, you would take the photo of the moon, but the phone would download a better photo for you, and pretend its yours, lol.

----------


## ExtraSlow

Wish mine did that.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> They also had software inserting snips of the moon from stock photos, without the phone owners knowledge.



Oh, that must have been what you meant - I didn't know Huawei did that actually haha. That's ridiculous but not too surprising from that company.

----------


## ExtraSlow

> Oh, that must have been what you meant - I didn't know Huawei did that actually haha. That's ridiculous but not too surprising from that company.



Its awesome.

----------


## Tik-Tok

> Its awesome.



It kind of makes me wish when I took pics of myself, it would download a better looking me, so I could pretend I'm handsome.

----------


## ExtraSlow

> It kind of makes me wish when I took pics of myself, it would download a better looking me, so I could pretend I'm handsome.



***Insert George Clooney Mode***

----------


## Buster

IS the current version of Outlook for Android worth a look? I've been using Nine for years.

----------


## ExtraSlow

why not gmail?

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> IS the current version of Outlook for Android worth a look? I've been using Nine for years.



I have to use it for work and I have no complaints - very polished, integrated 2FA, etc. I also use it on my iPad and they are identical as far as I can tell between operating systems. For personal use I stick to Gmail though.

----------


## Buster

Ordered On Jan 24th or something...still hasn't shipped.

----------


## cam_wmh

Just gonna bomb this in here.

https://www.tomsguide.com/opinion/i-...-what-happened

----------


## Buster

> Just gonna bomb this in here.
> 
> https://www.tomsguide.com/opinion/i-...-what-happened



My wife is an iphone/apple person with her work stuff. I hate it.

----------


## Tik-Tok

> My wife is an iphone/apple person with her work stuff. I hate it.



Ageed, although unless someone starts making a flagship compact Android again, I might just switch next year to the iPhone 12 mini.

I miss my Sony compacts.

----------


## Buster

Small hands?

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> Just gonna bomb this in here.
> 
> https://www.tomsguide.com/opinion/i-...-what-happened



Imagine if someone posted one of the opposite articles in the Apple thread for no reason  :ROFL!:  If you read the article it reads just like standard 'controversy' clickbait for website traffic.

He says things that are plainly false, offering no backup whatsoever, and goes on to say some things that are extremely hard to believe. I feel like most people have long got over this pointless debate - everything is so polished and so fast now, you can just use whatever hardware/ecosystem you are in and you will be happy.

----------


## Buster

> Imagine if someone posted one of the opposite articles in the Apple thread for no reason  If you read the article it reads just like standard 'controversy' clickbait for website traffic.
> 
> He says things that are plainly false, offering no backup whatsoever, and goes on to say some things that are extremely hard to believe. I feel like most people have long got over this pointless debate - everything is so polished and so fast now, you can just use whatever hardware/ecosystem you are in and you will be happy.



best post of the thread.

----------


## cam_wmh

> best post of the thread.




600 posts and thats the best?  :ROFL!:  :ROFL!:  :ROFL!:  Jesus youre welcome, green bubbles.

----------


## Buster

> 600 posts and that’s the best?  Jesus you’re welcome, green bubbles.



Best post of the page?

----------


## Tik-Tok

> Small hands?



More of a hatred of a big phone in my pocket.

----------


## killramos

> Best post of the page?



Maybe just an above average Mitsu post.

----------


## ExtraSlow

People get really tribalistic and defensive about phone operating systems. Myself included. The best post is one that supports your tribe.

----------


## suntan

> Imagine if someone posted one of the opposite articles in the Apple thread for no reason  If you read the article it reads just like standard 'controversy' clickbait for website traffic.
> 
> He says things that are plainly false, offering no backup whatsoever, and goes on to say some things that are extremely hard to believe. I feel like most people have long got over this pointless debate - everything is so polished and so fast now, you can just use whatever hardware/ecosystem you are in and you will be happy.



Most of the analysis was generic, but he's right about notifications. They still suck in iOS and I have little hope they'll ever get it right. They can't even get grouping right, which is just bonkers.

Any place that uses Xamarin to develop their app cross-platform will have a slow Android app as Xamarin's compilation on Android is horrifyingly unoptimized.

----------


## Buster

> Most of the analysis was generic, but he's right about notifications. They still suck in iOS and I have little hope they'll ever get it right. They can't even get grouping right, which is just bonkers.
> 
> Any place that uses Xamarin to develop their app cross-platform will have a slow Android app as Xamarin's compilation on Android is horrifyingly unoptimized.



what do you mean on the notifications thing?

----------


## vengie

I've been an avid Iphone guy since they came out. 
Just quit my job and had to give my iphone back.

Picked up a Galaxy S21, we will see how this goes.

----------


## jwslam

> More of a hatred of a big phone in my pocket.



Yah big phones take up too much of my VPL space in my skinny jeans

----------


## suntan

> what do you mean on the notifications thing?



You can't disable notifications when using an app (e.g. while playing a game).

Can't arrange grouping - it's just LIFU.

I still have rogue notifications that don't get grouped.

I should be able to get a notification on my lock screen that just say "from app".

Also I should be able to set a global "there are notifications" setting that shows that I have something to look at.

And to top it off iOS 14 has some weird bug where notifications just don't appear for some apps.

----------


## Buster

Well, it's been 6.5 weeks since I ordered the S21 plus/ultra/uber/supernova edition.

Samsung quoted 4-5 for shipping. That was annoying, but to miss your target - unacceptable.

I wanted to give you a try Samsung, I really did! But I think I shall cancel.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

Yeah that's way too long to wait. I liked the Navy blue color the best but I was scared of delays and I use a case anyway so I just ordered black. If you aren't set on the special color you can probably get one quickly, otherwise maybe contact them for an ETA and if they can't tell you, I'd probably cancel it too.

----------


## Buster

I'll probably just wait to see what Google comes out with next.

After ten years of of using google phones, I decide to try Samsung and they immediately trip over their dicks. Not a good way to get a customer.

----------


## Xtrema

> He says things that are plainly false, offering no backup whatsoever, and goes on to say some things that are extremely hard to believe. I feel like most people have long got over this pointless debate - everything is so polished and so fast now, you can just use whatever hardware/ecosystem you are in and you will be happy.



People who are huge on Insta prefer iPhone due to better camera integration instead of screen scrapes of Android version. The lack of hardware diversity make app makers life a bit easier on Apple.

----------


## Buster

insta-douches prefer Apple?

I'm shocked!

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> I'll probably just wait to see what Google comes out with next.
> 
> After ten years of of using google phones, I decide to try Samsung and they immediately trip over their dicks. Not a good way to get a customer.



This has been a terrible year for tech shortages in general, but I wonder if they are having issues manufacturing the special colors or if they were just in higher demand than expected. The S21 Ultra is by far the best phone I have ever owned - screen, performance, cameras, everything is just excellent. Genuine 2.5-3-day battery life is the cherry on top. Especially if you use a case anyway, you might consider just getting a black one or whatever.

Next rumored Google phone release is a Pixel 5a, an update to their budget Pixel 4a. I am not sure if they will have their in-house Silicon done for this Fall or not, but I would guess it'll be at least another year for the really interesting stuff from Google.





> People who are huge on Insta prefer iPhone due to better camera integration instead of screen scrapes of Android version. The lack of hardware diversity make app makers life a bit easier on Apple.



Samsung works directly with Instagram to polish the experience - not sure about other brands. I don't use Instagram at all though myself.

----------


## mr2mike

> insta-douches prefer Apple?
> 
> I'm shocked!



Someone needs to make an even more elite phone on the osx platform. Then sell to millennials, but they have to line up for it and they only make 100,000 of them per quarter. But colored differences exist. 

I call it the Supreme iPhone collab. 

Insta-boners all around??

----------


## Buster

Are there any non Samsung flagship phones on the horizon?

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> Are there any non Samsung flagship phones on the horizon?



The OnePlus 9 Pro is scheduled to be announced on March 23. Looks OK, nothing too amazing. Fall/Winter is when most of the smartphones for the following year get announced so it's done until this fall for the most part. S21 Ultra is still the best out there in the Android world at the moment, at least of the phones available in North America.

If I were you I'd just grab a black S21 Ultra and be done with it, but I also understand that you might be a bit salty over the 6 week delay on your original order haha.

----------


## Buster

> The OnePlus 9 Pro is scheduled to be announced on March 23. Looks OK, nothing too amazing. Fall/Winter is when most of the smartphones for the following year get announced so it's done until this fall for the most part. S21 Ultra is still the best out there in the Android world at the moment, at least of the phones available in North America.
> 
> If I were you I'd just grab a black S21 Ultra and be done with it, but I also understand that you might be a bit salty over the 6 week delay on your original order haha.



salty? Sure. Disappointed that I tried to switch brands and they fucked it up. Morons.

Their order page doesn't even have a cancel option, or a "contact us" buttong, never mind a chat window. What year is this? If they suck at this aspect of the experience, how can I trust them the rest of the time? Google and Apple get this shit right.

----------


## Pauly Boy

> Are there any non Samsung flagship phones on the horizon?



It's not looking great.

Google will give us the 5a, but not out yet.
LG sounds like they might cancel the V-series (G is already done and morphed into the Velvet line)
Motorola has a very limited release in Canada - Not even sure if we get the Edge

There's a wack of other brands like ASUS, OnePlus, Xiaomi, TCL, but I've never really looked into any of them...

----------


## Xtrema

> Motorola has a very limited release in Canada - Not even sure if we get the Edge.



Pretty sure there was an Motorola Edge clearance deal on RFD last week. But the OLED bleeding issues has soured a lot of owner's experience.

At this point, only Samsung is doing the OS update game right. Nobody is, not even Google themselves.

----------


## LilDrunkenSmurf

> It's not looking great.
> 
> Google will give us the 5a, but not out yet.
> LG sounds like they might cancel the V-series (G is already done and morphed into the Velvet line)
> Motorola has a very limited release in Canada - Not even sure if we get the Edge
> 
> There's a wack of other brands like ASUS, OnePlus, Xiaomi, TCL, but I've never really looked into any of them...



The OnePlus pro series is a competitor for flagships, but it also calls for flagship pricing. I know the 8 Pro was on deep discount a week or so back (1549 > 849) with the release of the 9 coming soon.

----------


## Buster

Samsung chat finally got back to me and said they are shipping the S21 out next week.

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> Samsung chat finally got back to me and said they are shipping the S21 out next week.



Good news. Sorry you had such a crappy experience trying to order from them - hopefully you like the phone enough to make up for it.

----------


## Buster

phone arrived. Do I need to use the Samsung Smart Switch app? Or should I just see if my phone transfers over through my google account?

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> phone arrived. Do I need to use the Samsung Smart Switch app? Or should I just see if my phone transfers over through my google account?



To my knowledge you need to use Samsung Smart Switch because you're coming from a non-Samsung device, but if your next phone is Samsung it will be even easier. You do not need to have a Samsung account, but some things are easier if you do.

It brought everything over perfectly for me except my texts, but I used the app "SMS Backup & Restore" (install on both devices) and it was quick and painless. After that it was just a matter of setting up the phone itself the way I wanted.

----------


## Buster

> To my knowledge you need to use Samsung Smart Switch because you're coming from a non-Samsung device, but if your next phone is Samsung it will be even easier. You do not need to have a Samsung account, but some things are easier if you do.
> 
> It brought everything over perfectly for me except my texts, but I used the app "SMS Backup & Restore" (install on both devices) and it was quick and painless. After that it was just a matter of setting up the phone itself the way I wanted.



sweet, thanks for all of you help on this...you've been very helpful

----------


## Mitsu3000gt

> sweet, thanks for all of you help on this...you've been very helpful



Anytime man - let me know if you run into anything else.

----------


## davidI

My Original Pixel XL finally bricked itself. I'll miss that free photo upload storage but it was time for an upgrade anyway.

Not looking to break the bank on a phone so considering the One Plus 8 for 400. 

Another option is a Pixel 4A for 339 but it's small, no 5G, and looks a bit flimsy. No other Pixel options are available in Spain.

One Plus Nord 2 is also 400 but I think the OP8 is still better?

Any other phones I should consider looking at for a <C$700 price point?

----------


## Xtrema

If you don't care about camera performance, almost all Android phones are nearly the same. 

Without knowing the market in Spain:

Galaxy A series (72 and 52 for 2021) can potentially meet your requirement without the S series price tag. And you should get 4 years of security update.

Motorola may be another budget pick depends on what's available there.

Pixel 5A is also just released and it's cheaper than 4A, but it's not launching in Europe due to short supply.

----------


## davidI

Cheers, thanks for the advice. I ended up ordering a Pixel 4A.

The specs on the OnePlus are better but I don't game or anything and if there's one feature I like it's a good camera so the Pixel delivers there. Plus I'm used to Pixel's UI and enjoy getting the latest Android updates. The headphone jack and 60€ savings don't hurt either.

The support is the same for software/security updates but the 4A was released 6 months later than the OP8 so hopefully I can keep using it until August 2023+.

As you say, no Pixel 5, 5A or 6 availability over here which really sucks but perhaps in a couple years I'll upgrade to a Pixel 6 once the price drops.

----------


## ExtraSlow

I have the 4a and like it.

----------


## Strider

I need to replace my recently smashed Pixel 2XL. Typically I don't like to spend more than $400 on a phone, but since I wasn't able to find any good options in that range I was starting to get accustomed to the idea of splurging for a Pixel 6 since the upgrade is supposed to be transformational compared to the marginal incremental upgrades from Pixel 2xl-5/5a.

But then I found and picked up a Pixel 5 for $399 at London Drugs. I haven't opened it yet. Should I sell the 5 and wait for the 6? How much better will it be? price rumors? 
@Mitsu3000gt
?

----------


## jwslam

> But then I found and picked up a Pixel 5 for $399 at London Drugs.



Need to know more plz

----------


## Strider

> Need to know more plz



PM'd you

----------


## CivicDXR

> I need to replace my recently smashed Pixel 2XL. Typically I don't like to spend more than $400 on a phone, but since I wasn't able to find any good options in that range I was starting to get accustomed to the idea of splurging for a Pixel 6 since the upgrade is supposed to be transformational compared to the marginal incremental upgrades from Pixel 2xl-5/5a.
> 
> But then I found and picked up a Pixel 5 for $399 at London Drugs. I haven't opened it yet. Should I sell the 5 and wait for the 6? How much better will it be? price rumors? 
> @Mitsu3000gt
> ?



Damn, would like to know more about this too!

----------


## davidI

Jealous about you guys finding a Pixel 5 for $400 in Canada!!! I had to pay 340€ (C$500) for the damn Pixel 4A.

I like the phone so far. Migrating everything was super easy - even the apps and widgets were set-up as I previously had them set-up on my Pixel XL.

Only thing is I find the phone very small in my hand... I thought it was bigger than the Pixel XL but I hadn't considered that there were borders on that phone so, in reality, the Pixel 4A has a bigger screen in a smaller case.

----------


## Xtrema

> I need to replace my recently smashed Pixel 2XL. Typically I don't like to spend more than $400 on a phone, but since I wasn't able to find any good options in that range I was starting to get accustomed to the idea of splurging for a Pixel 6 since the upgrade is supposed to be transformational compared to the marginal incremental upgrades from Pixel 2xl-5/5a.
> 
> But then I found and picked up a Pixel 5 for $399 at London Drugs. I haven't opened it yet. Should I sell the 5 and wait for the 6? How much better will it be? price rumors? 
> @Mitsu3000gt
> ?



#1 Need to know Pixel 5 for $400 deal.

#2 Pixel 6 is expected to start at $1000+ CAD. Most has rumored it to start at $999USD. It's supposed to be priced inline of Samsung S21 line.

----------


## mr2mike

May have to upgrade from my Pixel 2 to Pixel 6.
Seems like it's a big update with cameras and dedicated Tensor chip.

----------


## Strider

> #1 Need to know Pixel 5 for $400 deal.
> 
> #2 Pixel 6 is expected to start at $1000+ CAD. Most has rumored it to start at $999USD. It's supposed to be priced inline of Samsung S21 line.



Too rich for my blood.


For people asking about the Pixel 5 deal - someone on RFD said they found a Pixel 4a for $199 at London Drugs in Vancouver, so I went looking for one. I went to 2 locations and there's no displays or price tags for Pixels at all (just no name garbage). I asked the sales guy in electronics at Beddington if they have any Pixels and he found a Pixel 5 in a locked cabinet. I asked him how much with no plan, he scanned it and it came up at $399 (he couldn't believe it at first) so I grabbed it.

I called 2 other locations on my way up to Beddington, but the people I talked to had no idea what a Pixel phone is... so they may or may not have them. Happy hunting

----------


## Xtrema

> Too rich for my blood.
> 
> 
> For people asking about the Pixel 5 deal - someone on RFD said they found a Pixel 4a for $199 at London Drugs in Vancouver, so I went looking for one. I went to 2 locations and there's no displays or price tags for Pixels at all (just no name garbage). I asked the sales guy in electronics at Beddington if they have any Pixels and he found a Pixel 5 in a locked cabinet. I asked him how much with no plan, he scanned it and it came up at $399 (he couldn't believe it at first) so I grabbed it.
> 
> I called 2 other locations on my way up to Beddington, but the people I talked to had no idea what a Pixel phone is... so they may or may not have them. Happy hunting



Wow, someone at London Drug HQ is screwing with price system. Sounds like it's 2nd error I heard this week. Smart managers probably won't let it go. So very YMMV.

----------


## Strider

> Wow, someone at London Drug HQ is screwing with price system. Sounds like it's 2nd error I heard this week. Smart managers probably won't let it go. So very YMMV.



No, it's nothing sketchy... this is a pic from the guy on RFD. Just in the locations I went to, the displays are all Motorola / Nokia / no-name stuff

Others have confirmed price with other LD locations in GVR

----------


## mr2mike

Pixel 6 comes out in a few weeks. Here offloading their remaining stock. Makes sense.

----------


## Xtrema

> Pixel 6 comes out in a few weeks. Here offloading their remaining stock. Makes sense.



5a is not available in Canada. 6 is a whole different price class from 5 or 4a. I can understand 4a clearance on eventual cheaper 5a availability. But discounting 5 will only make sense if 6 is adopting 5's price which in itself will be a screaming deal.

----------


## Strider

> 5a is not available in Canada. 6 is a whole different price class from 5 or 4a. I can understand 4a clearance on eventual cheaper 5a availability. But discounting 5 will only make sense if 6 is adopting 5's price which in itself will be a screaming deal.



Despite 6 being a different price class, 5 is already discontinued... so no point keeping old stock around.

----------


## D'z Nutz

> No, it's nothing sketchy... this is a pic from the guy on RFD. Just in the locations I went to, the displays are all Motorola / Nokia / no-name stuff
> 
> Others have confirmed price with other LD locations in GVR



Thanks for this. When I saw this, I started calling all the locations in Calgary and scored the last one at the 130th location. When I called Richmond, they was the last one in the city. My sister was on her way to Edmonton when she stopped off at Red Deer and they have one left, but it's an opened box return and scratched up.

----------


## LilDrunkenSmurf

I haven't had a Pixel since I had a work 3XL, and before that, a Nexus 6. I've been on the OnePlus train the last few years, but my 7Pro USB port is calling it quits, so I'm in the market in the near future. I was hoping for a black friday BOGO/BOHO deal, but I'm interested in the P6 if it's worth it.

----------


## jwslam

> I haven't had a Pixel since I had a work 3XL, and before that, a Nexus 6. I've been on the OnePlus train the last few years, but my 7Pro USB port is calling it quits, so I'm in the market in the near future. I was hoping for a black friday BOGO/BOHO deal, but I'm interested in the P6 if it's worth it.



Haven't had oneplus since 1+1
Their whole "we don't believe in wireless charging" threw a bad taste at me.

----------


## LilDrunkenSmurf

> Haven't had oneplus since 1+1
> Their whole "we don't believe in wireless charging" threw a bad taste at me.



I have a bad taste from the Samsung S3 only being out for 9 months before the S4 was released. I have a bad taste from the Pixel from how much more than an N6 it cost. Now I have a bad taste with OP for being on par pricing with Samsung/Google, so at this point, I'm just down for whatever is a good deal, with minimal bloatware.

----------


## mr2mike

> I have a bad taste from the Samsung S3 only being out for 9 months before the S4 was released. I have a bad taste from the Pixel from how much more than an N6 it cost. Now I have a bad taste with OP for being on par pricing with Samsung/Google, so at this point, I'm just down for whatever is a good deal, with minimal bloatware.



Haha my phone career went the same as yours. Never went back to Samsung. Fuck them. Also the bloatware was incredibly big. Began loading custom ROM's to rid it.

----------


## ZenOps

https://www.gsmarena.com/counterpoin...news-50834.php

Cheapy chipset maker Mediatek took a huge chunk this year. Better known as the chip inside the fire tablets.

Samsung got hammered, as well as Huawei. Unisoc was also win.

----------


## ThePenIsMightier

This latest update has made my phone glitchy. Anyone else?
I resisted the update for about a month as I normally do in case it's buggy and they patch it, but my screen actually blinks half to black for a nano-sec every once in awhile.
I haven't looked to see if an angry mob has formed on the internet.
It's a Galaxy S20 of some kind.

----------


## Xtrema

> This latest update has made my phone glitchy. Anyone else?
> I resisted the update for about a month as I normally do in case it's buggy and they patch it, but my screen actually blinks half to black for a nano-sec every once in awhile.
> I haven't looked to see if an angry mob has formed on the internet.
> It's a Galaxy S20 of some kind.



Only mob I heard of is the busted Android Auto on S21s.

https://www.androidpolice.com/2021/0...-in-september/

And Pixel 3 are bricking.

https://www.droid-life.com/2021/09/0...3-bricked-yet/

----------


## ThePenIsMightier

> Only mob I heard of is the busted Android Auto on S21s.
> 
> https://www.androidpolice.com/2021/0...-in-september/
> 
> And Pixel 3 are bricking.
> 
> https://www.droid-life.com/2021/09/0...3-bricked-yet/



It will kick me out if the keyboard of I happen to be typing when the glitch comes. They come about every 2-3 min I estimate.
The other value-add is every YouTube video will switch to portrait mode after ___ seconds of me watching it in landscape. It will not go back to landscape unless I turn the phone back upright and then sideways.

----------


## LilDrunkenSmurf

OnePlus is doing a flash sale. 9Pro w/ Pro buds for $440 off the bundle. Brings it to $1260. Not the best deal, but not the worst. I might jump on it.

----------


## beecue

I might finally upgrade from Pixel 3 XL if the 6 is good. Hopefully full details soon.

----------


## ExtraSlow

Wife is still running pixel 3 xl as well. Probably time for her to get a new one.

----------


## Xtrema

> Wife is still running pixel 3 xl as well. Probably time for her to get a new one.



Still expects Android 12 to drop on the Pixel 3s within the next month or so before support ends. So you either got some time finding replacement or it'll be bricked in a few weeks.  :Big Grin:

----------


## beecue

Apparently Pixel 6 is going to be a solid upgrade. According to him, they haven't changed camera sensor since Pixel 2.

----------


## Xtrema

> Apparently Pixel 6 is going to be a solid upgrade. According to him, they haven't changed camera sensor since Pixel 2.



1/2 of Apple "leaks" were false.

I'm not sure if any of Pixel 6 "leaks" are reliable either but if they are proven, they better pull a rabbit out of the hat with software as Tensor is a dud compared to this year's 888 and 2200.

----------


## cidley69

Wife and me both need new phones. Currently using Pixel 3 and 3a. No complaints about these phones, other than batteries can no longer hold a charge, and have heard support is ending soon.

Have really gotten used to the pixels no bloatware operating system.

Aside from pixel, are there any other phones that come without ads and bloatware?

Any good deals on phones recommendations?

----------


## davidI

After transitioning from my Pixel XL to the Pixel 4A I'm very happy I stayed with their infrastructure. Even all of my screens/widgets/icon placements carried over. 

Plus I think I'd struggle with anything other than a Pixel, iPhone, or flagship camera.

I don't think OnePlus has much bloatware but don't know for sure. My wife's Xiaomi came loaded with useless shit.

----------


## ExtraSlow

Apparently the Moto phones are reasonably close to "stock" android. they also seem to have some pretty good value mid-range hardware available.

----------


## LilDrunkenSmurf

> After transitioning from my Pixel XL to the Pixel 4A I'm very happy I stayed with their infrastructure. Even all of my screens/widgets/icon placements carried over. 
> 
> Plus I think I'd struggle with anything other than a Pixel, iPhone, or flagship camera.
> 
> I don't think OnePlus has much bloatware but don't know for sure. My wife's Xiaomi came loaded with useless shit.



OnePlus is pretty minimalist in terms of bloatware. I came from the Nexus family beforehand, so I also wanted as close to stock. When I was running a 3XL alongside my OP7 there were some minor differences. I really missed things like the always-on-display from the pixel, as well as the "what song is playing" feature on the lockscreen, but otherwise there's nothing I feel like I'm really missing on OnePlus. If my phone wasn't on the verge of death when that OP flash sale hit, I was going to hold out to see what the Pixel 6 looked like.

----------


## pheoxs

I'm getting tired of my Pixel 4, also have been disappointed with its battery the whole time I've had the phone from day 1. Part of me wants a iphone 13 but I hate changing environments and having to reload everything over. Hoping the pixel 6 is decent but not sure if I'd do another pixel phone again or go samsung.

----------


## Buster

> I'm getting tired of my Pixel 4, also have been disappointed with its battery the whole time I've had the phone from day 1. Part of me wants a iphone 13 but I hate changing environments and having to reload everything over. Hoping the pixel 6 is decent but not sure if I'd do another pixel phone again or go samsung.



I use an iPhone farily regularly, since my wife has one for work. If you're used to using an Android phone with an interface that isn't designed for toddlers, you'll find the the iphone frustrating.

----------


## ExtraSlow

The absolute worst option is to jump back and forth between the ecosystems.

But bro, why are you using your wifes phone? That's weird.

----------


## ThePenIsMightier

> The absolute worst option is to jump back and forth between the ecosystems.
> 
> But bro, why are you using your wifes phone? That's weird.



I found it at my place and gave it back to him.

----------


## ExtraSlow

I don't think I could even unlock my wifes phone, and I'm equally, mostly, sure that she couldn't unlock mine. There's no need for it.

----------


## Buster

> The absolute worst option is to jump back and forth between the ecosystems.
> 
> But bro, why are you using your wifes phone? That's weird.



i like to keep an eye on her

----------


## killramos

> i like to keep an eye on her



You keep an eye on her. Google keeps an eye on you. 

It all works out.

----------


## Xtrema

> You keep an eye on her. Google keeps an eye on you. 
> 
> It all works out.



All phone/cloud storage get narc'd on eventually.

----------


## gmc72

Anyone have any knowledge about the Samsung Flip 3? Looking to upgrade from my Note 9. Everything else just looks the same, wanting something different.

----------


## Xtrema

> Anyone have any knowledge about the Samsung Flip 3? Looking to upgrade from my Note 9. Everything else just looks the same, wanting something different.



Get Samsung Care+ Durability of the folding screen has not been great on the last 2 folding phones.

https://eu.community.samsung.com/t5/...p/td-p/3506530

----------


## cidley69

Happened to be in Vancouver for weekend, phoned several London Drugs, found 2 Pixel 4a phones for $200 each.

Not state of the art, but suit for our purposes perfectly.

Anyone else looking, several stores in Vancouver area have them still.

----------


## D'z Nutz

> Wife and me both need new phones. Currently using Pixel 3 and 3a. No complaints about these phones, other than batteries can no longer hold a charge, and have heard support is ending soon.
> 
> Have really gotten used to the pixels no bloatware operating system.
> 
> Aside from pixel, are there any other phones that come without ads and bloatware?
> 
> Any good deals on phones recommendations?



Yeah, I'd look into some of the Moto G offerings. Costco has them on sale once in a while. They have next to no bloat and is almost identical to stock Android. I think the only Motorola software on it is one for interactive wall papers and one for configuring its customizable features, which is actually very useful (ie: shake the phone to turn on the flashlight).

The camera is nowhere near as good as the Pixel phones, but it's not as expensive either.

----------


## Xtrema

> The camera is nowhere near as good as the Pixel phones, but it's not as expensive either.



That's why those $200 Pixel 4a is such hot deal. I'll pay that for camera alone and Moto G rarely go below that price. Promise of 2 more major uplift of Android version also doesn't hurt.

----------


## ExtraSlow

incredible deal for the Pixel 4a.

----------


## D'z Nutz

> That's why those $200 Pixel 4a is such hot deal. I'll pay that for camera alone and Moto G rarely go below that price. Promise of 2 more major uplift of Android version also doesn't hurt.



Yeah, I scored the last one in Calgary and the last one in Airdrie for that price. That's cheaper than when I bought the Nexus 4 on clearance haha

----------


## Tik-Tok

> Yeah, I scored the last one in Calgary and the last one in Airdrie for that price. That's cheaper than when I bought the Nexus 4 on clearance haha



I went in to my London Drugs the morning after the deal was posted in this thread, and the girl laughed when I asked if they had any. I guess she'd been inundated with phone calls about it.

----------


## R-Audi

Foldable Google Pixel in the works?


E 
@EVL
eaks
·
9h
Heard from someone I trust that the foldable Pixel -- codename: Passport, retail branding: unknown -- will indeed launch before the end of the year. Apparently they've been working on this device for over two years, and if the P6 is any indication, it'll be worth a look.

----------


## ZenOps

Unisoc "Tanggula" T760 should be showing up soon. Nowhere near as well known as Snapdragon or Apples chips, but its definitely a contender on paper.

I find Unisoc to have very strong communications chips, GPS, wifi, etc. Apple seems to struggle with cellular.

----------


## Xtrema

T760 at best is a mid range chip. I don't see Unisoc have any top tier offerings.

But it can probably make its way into a bunch of low cost devices like Mediatek.

----------


## ZenOps

I wouldn't say it competes with the top of the line Apple or Snapdragons, but its realistically only about three years behind (T6xx)

And the gap only gets smaller, and the price is definitely right. If the Steam Deck takes over PC portable gamers, it might actually eat a little bit into the Ipad market.

It seems that the consumers like the idea of a cheap tablet to play Candy Crush, and one to play Netflix, and one to use for productivity. All three need not be top of the line, sometimes you just want a "winter beater". I find the GPS so strong, that its useable as an in dash navigator for permanent installation in a car, so you can pretend you have a Tesla. Can even get the cigarette USB power adaptor that changes bluetooth audio to FM, and you can use it as mobile spotify without excessive rewiring.

If Unisoc overtakes Apple in marketshare next year, even with three year old speeds - it will be telling.

Add: Unisoc should also be wary of the USA kidnapping their company officials. Though its fool me twice, it has proven to work.

----------


## mr2mike

Random rumor is:

_Google Pixel 6 could launch as low as €649 (around $758 / £560 / AU$1,045), which is around the same price as the Pixel 5’s launch price — except, in comparison, the Pixel 5 appears to be a far less capable, mid-range handset, as opposed to a bona fide flagship.

If you are holding out for the Pixel 6 Pro’s faster 120Hz screen, ultra-wide band tech and (rumoured) extra telephoto rear camera, then you’ll reportedly have to fork out €899 (around $1,047 / £776 / AU$1,448). It’s a pretty hefty difference if true, but not entirely unreasonable if you care about a slicker screen and more capable camera system._

----------


## Xtrema

Make me wonder if the weak Tensor benchmark is a throttled version for the base model to match the price.

----------


## davidI

Can someone give me a TLDR about wtf is happening with the Android 12 roll-out?

I've read a dozen shitty clickbait articles about it that all end up saying nothing.

----------


## Xtrema

> Can someone give me a TLDR about wtf is happening with the Android 12 roll-out?
> 
> I've read a dozen shitty clickbait articles about it that all end up saying nothing.



ASOP is out. But everybody is late, including Pixels. I assume they will release it to Pixels after Oct 19th Pixel 6 launch. You know, you got to give people a bit of reason for people to buy the new shiny thing.

https://www.theverge.com/2021/10/4/2...wnload-install

----------


## Buster

Why are we only getting Android 12? iOS is up to 15!

----------


## Tik-Tok

> Why are we only getting Android 12? iOS is up to 15!



Apple cheated and skipped 4 numbers.

----------


## Xtrema

> Apple cheated and skipped 4 numbers.



Android was just too dumb to put 2 major release under 2.0 and 3 major release under 4.0 before they caught what Apple is doing.

----------


## Buster

I'm not buying shit unless it's Android 16. Just saying.

----------


## ExtraSlow

Android 47 is next.

----------


## ThePenIsMightier

> Android 47 is next.



Is that the Downs Syndrome Edition? Due to the 47 chromosomes?

Speaking of phones being retarded, my glitch finally went away after I searched for and downloaded some sort of update.
That was irritating as shit. I'm glad that's never happened to me before, but it means I'll probably wait 6+ weeks before downloading future system updates.

----------


## davidI

> I'm not buying shit unless it's Android 16. Just saying.



You must really love Waffles.

----------


## beecue

Anyone else getting the Pixel 6?

----------


## kJUMP

> Anyone else getting the Pixel 6?



Prolly me, but not immediately, the Pro.

----------


## ExtraSlow

***interested***

----------


## Tik-Tok

Look forward to them being on the shelves in two year.

----------


## CivicDXR

Will most likely preorder a 6. 6 Pro a little to big in size for my liking.

----------


## beecue

The pro is only slightly bigger but comes with a better camera and likely better battery performance.

https://old.reddit.com/r/GooglePixel...s_pixel_6_pro/

----------


## CivicDXR

> The pro is only slightly bigger but comes with a better camera and likely better battery performance.
> 
> https://old.reddit.com/r/GooglePixel...s_pixel_6_pro/



LOL yeah, i know, but the 6 is already slightly bigger than I want it to be. Not worried about the camera as I find the older Pixels great already with their cameras, so with an actual camera upgrade to the full line up this year, I'm not worried. As per the battery, if its better than a Pixel 5, then I'll be good with it. Given the rumored price difference between the two, I'll just stick to the 6. 

I guess we'll find out everything very soon.

----------


## jwslam

Think I want the pixel 6... but my wallet probably says to watch marketplace here for when mitsu sells his Pixel5

----------


## beecue

That was the worst launch. It took me 3 hours to get my order through.

----------


## Xtrema

The won't let anyone to do full review is kinda sus. But price is right.

----------


## R-Audi

6 Pro seems like the logical step for me, coming from a S20 Ultra where half the major features were gimmicks..(Camera wise)

----------


## HHURICANE1

Got a Pro pre-ordered to replace my 3A-XL which has been really good. Hope the 6 Pro does it justice.

----------


## Strider

Ordered a 6 with the free earbuds.

Worst launch ever. I didn't spend nearly as long as everyone else ordering, but my first order glitched after checkout so I ordered a second one only to find out the first actually went through. Cancelled the second order, then went to order details on the first and that keeps redirecting to a broken page (as does my account order history). Google Store support is not available in English (chat, phone, or email), so I had to chat with support in French using Google Translate... he confirmed that my first order is still being processed and will get shipped.

If you're getting the Pro - is it the telephoto, bigger screen, bigger battery, or adaptive refresh rate that you're paying the $380 premium for?

----------


## ExtraSlow

I'm always amazed how many people buy stuff on launch day. Clearly I'm the weirdo, because it's common, but I don't get it.

----------


## Strider

> I'm always amazed how many people buy stuff on launch day. Clearly I'm the weirdo, because it's common, but I don't get it.



In the past it's been better to wait for Black Friday for android deals... but the free Pixel buds got me.

----------


## ExtraSlow

Black friday is going to suck this year. Shortages everywhere.

----------


## ThePenIsMightier

> I'm always amazed how many people buy stuff on launch day. Clearly I'm the weirdo, because it's common, but I don't get it.



With cell phone tech advancing so quickly, you only have about 45 min to own "the latest and greatest" so I see the appeal much more here than in virtually all other purchases.

----------


## ExtraSlow

I wonder what the high feels like? Probably amazing. I've never once in my life owned the latest and greatest of anything. As an adopter, you could say I'm somewhat slow . . . .

----------


## mr2mike

> I'm always amazed how many people buy stuff on launch day. Clearly I'm the weirdo, because it's common, but I don't get it.



You clearly don't own any Supreme.

----------


## ExtraSlow

that's a fashion brand like Monster Energy and Fox Racing, right?

----------


## mr2mike

> that's a fashion brand like Monster Energy and Fox Racing, right?



Close.
Affliction or Von Dutch

----------


## Tik-Tok

> In the past it's been better to wait for Black Friday for android deals... but the free Pixel buds got me.



I was hoping they would have the free Google credit again. When I pre-ordered the Pixel 4, then sent it back for full refund, I got to keep the $100 credit, lol.

----------


## rage2

> I'm always amazed how many people buy stuff on launch day. Clearly I'm the weirdo, because it's common, but I don't get it.






> Black friday is going to suck this year. Shortages everywhere.



You answered yourself.

----------


## killramos

> I'm always amazed how many people buy stuff on launch day. Clearly I'm the weirdo, because it's common, but I don't get it.



When it comes to devices that “time out” rather than wear out.

The sooner you get it the longer it’s useful life is. And the more use you will get out of it.

Sure you could wait 25% of its useful life to get it 25% off. But the math on that trade off isn’t great.

Same reason I don’t really understand the market for year old cell phones at 85-95% of initial msrp

----------


## Buster

> You answered yourself.






> When it comes to devices that “time out” rather than wear out.
> 
> The sooner you get it the longer it’s useful life is. And the more use you will get out of it.
> 
> Sure you could wait 25% of its useful life to get it 25% off. But the math on that trade off isn’t great.
> 
> Same reason I don’t really understand the market for year old cell phones at 85-95% of initial msrp



interlopers.

back to the apple thread with you.

----------


## Xtrema

> Same reason I don’t really understand the market for year old cell phones at 85-95% of initial msrp



May make sense for iDevices as they get 5-6 years of iOS updates. Even Pixel 6 only get 3. So the rumor of 5 year update are 3 OS and 2 security. So underwhelmed. 

iPhone 13 pro is only $200 more and get at least 2 years of iOS updates or more. That definitely keep the resale much better on iPhones.

----------


## mr2mike



----------


## kenny

> May make sense for iDevices as they get 5-6 years of iOS updates. Even Pixel 6 only get 3. So the rumor of 5 year update are 3 OS and 2 security. So underwhelmed.



It's 3 years OS and 5 for security for Pixel 6.

----------


## Buster

I was at Joeys with friends last night, and I tapped the NFC token to pull up the menu. My Apple friends just sat there like dunces.

I had no idea that Apple can't do NFC!

haha, wtf.

edit: or maybe my friends dont know what they are doing?

----------


## ExtraSlow

What's nfc? Is that the bitcoin art banksy thing?

----------


## jwslam

> I was at Joeys with friends last night, and I tapped the NFC token to pull up the menu. My Apple friends just sat there like dunces.
> 
> I had no idea that Apple can't do NFC!
> 
> haha, wtf.
> 
> edit: or maybe my friends dont know what they are doing?



+1 happened to me. 3 Pixel devices no problem. iPhone10 no reaction

----------


## mr2mike

Yep also had a Samsung galaxy S3 and that had wireless charging years before Apple even thought to do it.

----------


## ZEDGE

> I was at Joeys with friends last night, and I tapped the NFC token to pull up the menu. My Apple friends just sat there like dunces.
> 
> I had no idea that Apple can't do NFC!
> 
> haha, wtf.
> 
> edit: or maybe my friends dont know what they are doing?



Its your friends. lol Apple pay needs nfc to work.

https://www.digitalcitizen.life/iphone-nfc/




> All the iPhones released in recent years have NFC. In fact, every iPhone since iPhone 6, which came out in 2014, has a built-in NFC chip

----------


## killramos

Shhh the Android people like to pretend they are special. They don’t have much, let them have this.

----------


## ExtraSlow

Are you calling my mother a lair?

----------


## killramos

That’s the spirit

----------


## Buster

> Its your friends. lol Apple pay needs nfc to work.
> 
> https://www.digitalcitizen.life/iphone-nfc/



Well they did buy iPhones, so....

----------


## beecue

Still waiting for my shipping notification email  :Frown:  I managed to get a Spigen case delivered as those are out of stock right now as well.

Looks like it has the best camera except for video.

----------


## Xtrema

> Looks like it has the best camera except for video.



Basically the same story for Pixel forever. Tensor didn't change the game.

As best Android phone benchmarks has not exceeded Apple A12, also not surprised. Google need to poach Apple processor folks if they are serious about Tensor, Snapdragon is pulling an Intel resting on their laurels.

----------


## ZEDGE

> Basically the same story for Pixel forever. Tensor didn't change the game.
> 
> As best Android phone benchmarks has not exceeded Apple A12, also not surprised. Google need to poach Apple processor folks if they are serious about Tensor, Snapdragon is pulling an Intel resting on their laurels.



Tensor is just a re badged exynos from Samsung is it not? Made by Samsung at least.


But yea, Apples chips are still king.

https://wccftech.com/google-tensor-c...an-a12-bionic/

Still, the new pixel looks pretty good. If I was getting an Android phone a pixel would be the only one I would consider now.

----------


## JRSC00LUDE

Is it lacking in video in any way that 99% of users are going to even be aware of?

----------


## Xtrema

> Is it lacking in video in any way that 99% of users are going to even be aware of?



I thought everyone is a TikTok infulencer?

----------


## JRSC00LUDE

> I thought everyone is a TikTok infulencer?



Exactly, won't most of us be too stupid to know any better?

----------


## brucebanner

Anyone else install android 12? It's absolutely killing my battery life and I've tried playing around with settings with not much luck. 

Hoping there are some updates coming soon for it.

----------


## Xtrema

> Anyone else install android 12? It's absolutely killing my battery life and I've tried playing around with settings with not much luck. 
> 
> Hoping there are some updates coming soon for it.



Only got 12 on Pixel 3 so far but it's my burner so I don't know if it's impacted. Feels fine.

Many are bitching about this and Google is looking into it but given this has been raised since the beta, I don't think Google cares as I think it is highly variable based on apps you have.

As usual the right answer is reset and start from scratch if you are not willing to wait.

----------


## Strider

Had Android 12 on my Pixel 5 from the beta and have it on my Pixel 6. No problems with battery drain for me.

----------


## davidI

> Anyone else install android 12? It's absolutely killing my battery life and I've tried playing around with settings with not much luck. 
> 
> Hoping there are some updates coming soon for it.



Have you checked the battery meter to see which apps are draining your phone?

Mine seems fine.

----------


## brucebanner

Just recently updated in the last couple days, battery drain is definitely noticeable prior to update. I'll keep playing around before starting from scratch.

Using a pixel 5.


edit:




> Have you checked the battery meter to see which apps are draining your phone?
> 
> Mine seems fine.



Yes, nothing unusual.

----------


## CivicDXR

> Had Android 12 on my Pixel 5 from the beta and have it on my Pixel 6. No problems with battery drain for me.



Exact same scenario here. Pixel 5 has been on 12, and 6 showed up on Monday evening. No issues with either. Give it a few days, it may be rechecking/reoptimizing stuff.

----------


## mr2mike

Was going to say, it's pretty good at optimizing. Just be patient and hopefully a few days it settles.

----------


## jwslam

Anyone wanna share shipping on dbrand?
I just want the teardown skin without paying the $5 shipping

https://dbrand.com/shop/special-edition/teardown

----------


## D'z Nutz

> Anyone wanna share shipping on dbrand?
> I just want the teardown skin without paying the $5 shipping
> 
> https://dbrand.com/shop/special-edition/teardown



Ha! I was just thinking about ordering a skin last night too but didn't for the same reason. Let me know which phone and finish you want and I'll place the order.

----------


## mr2mike

Lol. Definitely going to get looks with those covers.

----------


## bjstare

Whatever marketing team wrote the narrative/product blurbs on that website should be shot in the face(s).

----------


## CivicDXR

> Anyone wanna share shipping on dbrand?
> I just want the teardown skin without paying the $5 shipping
> 
> https://dbrand.com/shop/special-edition/teardown






> Ha! I was just thinking about ordering a skin last night too but didn't for the same reason. Let me know which phone and finish you want and I'll place the order.



Been looking at getting the teardown skin as well for my P6, let me know if i can join in!  :Smilie:

----------


## brucebanner

Update on battery issue. 

Didn't try and change any more settings etc, phone pretty well back to normal battery life after a week or so after the OS update.

----------


## D'z Nutz

> Been looking at getting the teardown skin as well for my P6, let me know if i can join in!



Sure thing man. We're gonna wait until next week to see if there's any Black Friday discounts before we place the order.

----------


## saiyajin

> Sure thing man. We're gonna wait until next week to see if there's any Black Friday discounts before we place the order.



would also be interested!

----------


## mr2mike

> Update on battery issue. 
> 
> Didn't try and change any more settings etc, phone pretty well back to normal battery life after a week or so after the OS update.



Nice! Glad android actually does what they claim.

----------


## cidley69

Anyone find a work around for the frustrating inability to cast/screen share from pixel phone to smart tv?

I don't want to buy a Chromecast, looking for an app that does this well.

Or can I install something on my Fire Stick that will receive cast from pixel?

----------


## mr2mike

> Anyone find a work around for the frustrating inability to cast/screen share from pixel phone to smart tv?
> 
> I don't want to buy a Chromecast, looking for an app that does this well.
> 
> Or can I install something on my Fire Stick that will receive cast from pixel?



Maybe Air Droid Cast. 
I use air droid for connecting to my Mac for file backups and works well. 

I Only "cast" with YouTube which basically just controls the tv YouTube via the phone app.

----------


## Xtrema

> Anyone find a work around for the frustrating inability to cast/screen share from pixel phone to smart tv?
> 
> I don't want to buy a Chromecast, looking for an app that does this well.
> 
> Or can I install something on my Fire Stick that will receive cast from pixel?



My Pixel 3 on Android 12 can cast to:

- Nvidia Shield TV.
- Sony X900H
- All Google based Smart Speakers with/without screen
- My shitty $10 Android box running atvXperience Rom.

And it won't cast to:
- Ancient Samsung Smart TV



Pixel will not do Miracast which is the only protocol Firestick supports.

So it seems your way out it either rooting the Pixel or get a Chromecast device.

----------


## mr2mike

Pixel 2 question.
Can I enable VoLTE? It's greyed out but have read it can be provisioned to turn on.

Freedom Mobile has recently dropped the 3G signal strength and I'm having calls distort.
Seems like the LTE signal is great until it swaps to a 3G call.
Advice?

https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/g...fi-ca.3884967/

----------


## ExtraSlow

Can't help ya Mike, but jist used "hold for me" on a 47 minute wait with my banks security department. Good feature.

----------


## mr2mike

What phone? When did this get released for Canada? Been waiting for it.
Almost better than call screen feature.

----------


## ExtraSlow

Pixel 4a. Don't know when it was released, it just got offered and I clicked the button.

----------


## JRSC00LUDE

Well, I ordered a Pixel 6 Pro. Here goes nothing!

----------


## kJUMP

> Well, I ordered a Pixel 6 Pro. Here goes nothing!



I would be interested to hear your experience. May order one closer to Boxing Day, but am still undecided between the 6 or 6 Pro. Haven't made my way to the mall yet to try either.

----------


## JRSC00LUDE

> I would be interested to hear your experience. May order one closer to Boxing Day, but am still undecided between the 6 or 6 Pro. Haven't made my way to the mall yet to try either.



I don't know if I'm the sophisticated user you want a review from haha, I just figured for the extra 380 dollars for the pro who cares. But I don't even know what the differences are to be honest. In other words, I'm a seller's dream.

----------


## SJW



----------


## Buster

> I don't know if I'm the sophisticated user you want a review from haha, I just figured for the extra 380 dollars for the pro who cares. But I don't even know what the differences are to be honest. In other words, I'm a seller's dream.



Don't scoff at $380. That's like two nights at 89Coupe's hawaii airbnb

----------


## kJUMP

> I don't know if I'm the sophisticated user you want a review from haha, I just figured for the extra 380 dollars for the pro who cares. But I don't even know what the differences are to be honest. In other words, I'm a seller's dream.



Haha, not looking for an expert review, I leave that to the other internet experts. Just your general impressions on the size, screen, overall feel, camera etc. Of course, I would also welcome your comments on multi-thread core performance while scrolling on Beyond and total peak vs sustained Bitcoin mining rate, should you wish to share.




> Don't scoff at $380. That's like two nights at 89Coupe's hawaii airbnb



Whoa good deal! Is that beachfront, or ocean front? Golf green fees included?

----------


## Xtrema

> I don't know if I'm the sophisticated user you want a review from haha, I just figured for the extra 380 dollars for the pro who cares. But I don't even know what the differences are to be honest. In other words, I'm a seller's dream.



More like $880 if you see how a bunch of people got Pixel 6 for ~$300 during Black Friday on a 2 year plan. 

In reality, all you get is a bigger/better screen, larger battery and a telephoto lens for the difference. Everything else is the same.

Google just can't figure out retail.

----------


## JRSC00LUDE

> Don't scoff at $380. That's like two nights at 89Coupe's hawaii airbnb



Including bathroom privileges?

- - - Updated - - -




> More like $880 if you see how a bunch of people got Pixel 6 for ~$300 during Black Friday on a 2 year plan. 
> 
> In reality, all you get is a bigger/better screen, larger battery and a telephoto lens for the difference. Everything else is the same.
> 
> Google just can't figure out retail.



Well, if that isn't a daily deal does it really count?

----------


## Buster

> Including bathroom privileges?
> 
> - - - Updated - - -
> 
> 
> 
> Well, if that isn't a daily deal does it really count?



you have to shit in the hedge. sorry.

----------


## JRSC00LUDE

> you have to shit in the hedge. sorry.



In consideration of the previously disclosed investment terms does that make it a hedge fund?

----------


## ThePenIsMightier

> In consideration of the previously disclosed investment terms does that make it a hedge fund?



It's right in the Shareholders' Agreement.

----------


## ExtraSlow

Well, been really pleased with the battery on my Pixel 4a that I got in January. I generally charge it when I'm driving and kinda irregularly, but it's almost never been an issue.
Software says it is still going strong. Has shown over 100% basically its entire life.

----------


## ExtraSlow

What's an old Pixel 3aXL sell for these days? Like $200 probably? Wife needs an upgrade.

----------


## brucebanner

Anyone picking up the new pixel 7/pro? Best pre order you've found?

----------


## mr2mike

> What's an old Pixel 3aXL sell for these days? Like $200 probably? Wife needs an upgrade.



6A is an option for you.
3Axl? Trying to talk her into it because it's an XL?
Check your local bargain finder paper.

----------


## ExtraSlow

Yeah, so since that was posted about a year ago, we got the wife the new 6A, and my teenager has already trashed the 3axl. Lasted 2 months. Now have the teen using some old Samsung, and if that lasts 6 months I'll consider an upgrade for them.

----------


## JRSC00LUDE

I smashed the screen on my Pixel 6 Pro on the way to the airport, bad enough it won't work at all. I need to buy a new phone here tomorrow in Vancouver. Hoping to just actually snag a 7 Pro on release day tomorrow but not likely. What else should I get? Pretty much need one tomorrow AM.

----------


## Buster

> I smashed the screen on my Pixel 6 Pro on the way to the airport, bad enough it won't work at all. I need to buy a new phone here tomorrow in Vancouver. Hoping to just actually snag a 7 Pro on release day tomorrow but not likely. What else should I get? Pretty much need one tomorrow AM.



Klutz

----------


## JRSC00LUDE

You don't know the half of it!

----------


## mr2mike

Throw it in a bag of rice and go ask a repair shop to get the info off it for you.
They might even buy it off you after for parts?

----------


## Nufy

My wife and I both have Samsung S8 phones. (I know old...)

I think I have checked all the settings but for some reason she cant send / receive emails unless its connected to our home network vs the carrier (Shaw)

I can send at any time.

Thoughts ?

----------


## JRSC00LUDE

> Throw it in a bag of rice and go ask a repair shop to get the info off it for you.
> They might even buy it off you after for parts?



It didn't get wet it just needs a new screen. i want to buy a phone today!

----------


## mr2mike

> My wife and I both have Samsung S8 phones. (I know old...)
> 
> I think I have checked all the settings but for some reason she cant send / receive emails unless its connected to our home network vs the carrier (Shaw)
> 
> I can send at any time.
> 
> Thoughts ?



I'd almost delete your email account or Gmail account off the phone and delete the Gmail app and re download that app. Then add the google account.

That fails, talk to your provider. Might be a Sim card update or they can possibly force a carrier update to the phone that didn't properly install?!
Those are my ideas.

----------


## ianmcc

> My wife and I both have Samsung S8 phones. (I know old...)
> 
> I think I have checked all the settings but for some reason she cant send / receive emails unless its connected to our home network vs the carrier (Shaw)
> 
> I can send at any time.
> 
> Thoughts ?



I was having a similar issue (LG Velvet) and found the fix to be select the desktop site (the three dots in the top right).

----------


## Nufy

Its not Gmail...

Its two ISP (shaw) based emails in the Samsung mail app.

----------


## LilDrunkenSmurf

> Its not Gmail...
> 
> Its two ISP (shaw) based emails in the Samsung mail app.



Sounds like it's probably the server she's pointing at can only resolve when it's on Wifi, instead of the carrier. I'd make sure you're both pointing at the same server, and that she doesn't have weird custom DNS settings enabled on her phone.

----------


## Buster

I was going to pick up a new pixel, but it sounds like the S23 is going to be announced soon. I dont really want an s-pen, so I might end up with the Pixel anyway.

----------


## ExtraSlow

For phones, I have a strong preference for the Pixel over Samsung for software and UI reasons.

----------


## Buster

> For phones, I have a strong preference for the Pixel over Samsung for software and UI reasons.



me too, but the Samsung hardware is better and feels better.

----------


## gmc72

I had the Pixel 6 and i switched to a Flip Z4 about 2 months ago. Samsung is a much better phone. My wife is on her second Pixel 6 in a year, it bricked itself about 6 months in. I don't think I'll ever go back to a Pixel. There were too many issues with it (screen flicker, freezing, apps randomly closing, alarm not working randomly, etc).

----------


## Buster

the current gen one has a manufacturing flaw which leads to the camera glass breaking randomly.

----------


## ThePenIsMightier

Who makes Pixel? Aren't they one of those "brands" that one year LG makes them and then next series, Motorola makes them, etc?

----------


## Buster

> Who makes Pixel? Aren't they one of those "brands" that one year LG makes them and then next series, Motorola makes them, etc?



I think that's the way it used to be...but now google considers themselves the manufacturer.

----------


## Xtrema

> Who makes Pixel? Aren't they one of those "brands" that one year LG makes them and then next series, Motorola makes them, etc?



Foxconn. Same deal as Apple. Except everything is made in Vietnam, like most Samsung phones.

----------


## cidley69

Anyone have pixel watch? How you like it? Recommend as the best wearable option over Fitbit, Garmin, etc?

----------


## Buster

> Anyone have pixel watch? How you like it? Recommend as the best wearable option over Fitbit, Garmin, etc?



Apple watches and Android watches are more about smart features and being an extension of your phone. Garmin and Fitbit are better suited to health monitoring and they are better for that application.

----------

