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[Android] Thread v.2015: Google tries to hardware. Effort: A+. Grade score: C-
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I had all the same feelings as you on that one. Now that I have the Pixel 2 in hand and messing around with it, I love it.
Transition's been pretty smooth except for whatever reason half of my copied over music refuse to play (claims its not on device, needs to be downloaded again but I can see the files in explorer) and I had to get a completely new 1Password app (I guess I was on a depreciated one, idk). Really happy moving over the 2FA stuff was easy at least.
Pretty much the same for me. The blue on the 2 XL I could have dealt with (which was probably overblown). The screen burn-in/retention was a bigger risk that I didn't feel like dealing with RMAs or returns. I'll be happy with the smaller cousin.
You could just keep T-Mobile going up until you switch to Fi; they'll pro-rate only used time (at least, that's what they did for me before I switched to Fi).
https://9to5google.com/2017/10/23/pixel-2-xls-poled-black-smear/
I know the S8 is improved over the S6 in so, so many ways, and I'm sure it's smooth and full of neat features and whatnot, but... after watching hours of YouTube videos on both and reading tons of impressions and especially after playing with both in the Verizon store, I jumped on the P2. No shame. Can't wait.
The final straw that led me to actually place an order was being unable to listen to podcasts during the 4.5-hour drive home from VT because my phone died at 3 pm after about 1.5 hr of SOT. Typically, I have an external battery with me everywhere I go, but I forgot it (and as a result, my car charger) on this trip and was not happy. Somewhat my own fault, but that SOT is inexcusable, I've dealt with it for like a year longer than I'd have liked, and I'm ready for an upgrade.
http://www.techradar.com/reviews/huawei-mate-10-pro-review
So, everyone makes better OLEDs than LG now?
I also noticed in the Battery page of Settings there's no indicators of how much certain apps have used the battery, just that "Battery usage data isn't available". It also claims it hasn't been charged in 2h 30m when that real number is actually 11hs, roughly This disconnect was actually because I restarted the phone when I woke up, just to see if that would make a difference; it doesn't track charging times between restarts. So I'm thinking the tracking is goofy right now.
Very strange. Hopefully its nothing major.
I am missing one thing though and that is the front facing actual home button. Double tapping, then dragging, then unlocking the screen while it is laying on a table is slightly annoying when the double tapping first step isn't 100% reliable.
Also, it feels too thin in my hands and I'm always afraid of it slipping out of them, a problem that will go away once the Spigen case I ordered arrives... early next month. :sad:
Learn to love using the fingerprint reader, IMO. It feels really natural to pick up the phone and have it already unlocked by the time you've got it picked up.
https://www.engadget.com/2017/10/24/misfits-vapor-android-wear-october-31/
When you use it most are you pulling it out of a pocket? In that situation the reader makes sense to me, but for majority of my phone use I have it lying in front of me on a desk screen up and without access to the sensor. The phone is thin enough that if I want to go after the power button on the side of the phone to wake it I have to do so claw handed, so the current best option I know of is the double tap on the screen to wake one.
Maybe when I get my case in the extra girth and grip will make it easier to wake using the power button on the side.
Hmm. Do you not have full notification content turned on for the screen? That might help you if you don't.
Settings->Display->Advanced->Ambient display->New notifications. Also Security & location->Device security->Lock screen preferences.
Sure, I've got all that on. You can't play games and such from the notifications feed though :V
Yet
Switching from OpenGL to Skia rendering is an absolute must. If you don't the phone become nigh unusable.
If there was some way to get the October and future security updates without 8.0 that's what I think would be the best option. I'm happy enough with how the phone is working now, but it just felt that little bit better with Nougat.
There are enough phones out now or coming out in the next few months in the $500 range that I'll start setting aside some money in case one of the them is really good. I'm happy enough for now but I'm ready for a change if the phone and price are right.
Yeah I don't even know anymore. Either they're doing the Apple thing/the battery tracking is not accurate or the standby is just crazy efficient. This is with Wifi, Bluetooth and GPS on as well.
Moderate usage throughout the day, little usage after 8/9pm.
I was poking around in Reddit and it was brought to my attention that IFTTT can do the same thing. So far it's been working a lot better (I currently have it updating every time there's a new hot post on /r/earthporn; and pulling the image link directly). Considering there's other mild automation tasks I can do with the app, I would call this an upgrade.
The Moto Z Play, supposed battery champion, can barely get me through a normal day of my usage. Based on past devices, I usually only get half to two-thirds the life compared to benchmark tests. I'm pretty rough on my devices.
Which is a big bummer.
My Nexus 6 is 3yrs old now and boy does it feel its age. I was hoping to upgrade soon, but large "phablet" or whatever sized phones are not the thing they used to be. From what I can tell, the current XL2 alternatives are basically the Note 8 or the LG V30. I despise the Samsung brand of Android, and really don't care for the current gens curved sides, so it kind of just leaves the V30, from what I can tell.
Fortunately, feature wise, the V30 seems to fit the bill. It looks mostly stock Android (though I just saw one review that said otherwise, but while they were using it, I couldn't see really what they were talking about), has wireless charging, still has a headphone jack (which I can go either way on at this point, honestly, but that is a different discussion), good screen, current hardware (I guess it could have more ram, but several reviews mentioned that in practice it has no real difference between other phones with 6gb), and a stock-ish looking UI, or at least stock enough.
I really wish the Pixel 2 XL wasn't such a disappointment. Maybe if they fix the damn screen I could deal with no wireless charging since it is USB-C. Plus I want to keep Google fi, and it is still just google devices (and moto x4, which...:rotate: ).
Frustrating.
Regardless; has anyone here picked up a V30? I'm curious about its version of Android and how stock it feels. Also, has anyone seen one in the wild at stores? I don't particularly like going into carrier specific stores, but if any are showcasing a working model, I'd be willing to deal with the hassle. Best Buy only has Samsung and Apple on the floor now, at least my local one. Walmart doesn't have anything recent. I'd like to get it in my hands to see what I think, though I'd like to do the same with a Pixel 2 XL, and am surprised Best Buy didn't have them (as they did for the Pixel). I know the screen has gotten a ton of complaints and issues, but other aspects of the device I'd like to see firsthand, just in case Google actually does something about the screens instead of just shrugging.
EDIT: Also does anyone know what carriers might have the basic Pixel 2 on display? I might be able to handle going to a smaller phone (though I am somewhat doubtful), and I'd like to at least mess with it.
Origin: Galedrid - Nintendo: Galedrid/3222-6858-1045
Blizzard: Galedrid#1367 - FFXIV: Galedrid Kingshand
I haven't tested for the other screen issues (the grain) but I seriously can't notice it at all so why go poking around for it either way?
I'd have to see in person the viewing angle thing and tint complaints to know what I think about them.
What has me more concerned is the seemingly pretty common complaints about burnin. That is a complete dealbreaker for me. My nexus 6 has burnin, my Droid x2 and droid x beforehand both got burnin. Those all took a couple years to get it noticeably, and people are already getting it on brand new phones. The TV we have at home, which happened to be the first HD TV I ever bought (not counting computer monitors), and just haven't ever replaced because mostly it is just the kids using it, was a plasma, was advertised and widely reported to be impossible to burn-in (EDIT: I know plasmas were notorious for burn-in, but the specific line that I got was, by both manufacturer and reviewer alike, claimed to have so many anti-burnin features that it couldn't be; it was basically the last generation of plasma, before they started completely petering out. Yes, it is old), and it had serious burn-in within a month of purchase and Panasonic basically told me to fuck off, it "couldn't have had burn-in" so I must have grossly misused the TV and voided my warranty. Which was particularly infuriating because I babied the shit out of that TV specifically to not risk burnin. Now I can't even use the thing most of the time because I can see menus and other things no matter what we're watching and it drives me nuts.
So yeah, burnin is a massive red flag for me. I won't even consider buying something that has at least enough failure rates to prompt the number of reports of burnin the XL has gotten already. Less prominent has been reports of dead pixels, but that compounded with burnin? Nah. I know my luck, and know I'd have both.
Origin: Galedrid - Nintendo: Galedrid/3222-6858-1045
Blizzard: Galedrid#1367 - FFXIV: Galedrid Kingshand
https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561197970666737/
The burn in has been widely overstated and is apparently just image retention. As in it goes away.
Good chance the V30 and Pixel 2 XL have the same screen.
But the V30 has a different screen, doesn't it? It isn't the brand (though, fuck Panasonic...) so much as the specific hardware in specific models. Any brand could have models that have screen problems that other models in their lineup don't.
If true, that's great. Do you have any references that show that? I've been watching the news on the XL (granted, been busy the last couple days, so not super closely recently) and I hadn't seen anything from media or reviewers saying that. I would love it to be the case though. EDIT: though, if it is just a constant issue of image retention on the screen for its life, that isn't ok. Yeah, it isn't permanent burnin but if it just constantly has some level of ghosting, it is still just as irritating.
Origin: Galedrid - Nintendo: Galedrid/3222-6858-1045
Blizzard: Galedrid#1367 - FFXIV: Galedrid Kingshand
Yea I just set mine up on my opo 3t. Doesn't always work but don't know if I need to relearn my finger
And really did it. Works much better now
PSN:Furlion
Here's the thing on the burnin. It is actually way too early to know if the issues are burn in or retention. Retention goes away, burn in does not. We wont' really know for a couple months if the burn in issue is that significant. And to be clear, Every. Single. OLED. Panel. will eventually get burn in. The issue is that we are now not sure if the Pixel 2 XL is exhibiting signs of it mere days after getting into people's hands, compared to the usual situation where it can take a year to a year and a half before it starts to become noticeable.
The really big red flag for me was that Google said in a statement that they've tested these panels, and that they're no different than others. That is demonstrably false, because even if this issue is retention, not burn in, other phones with OLED panels are not showing this after a few days of use, so these panels cannot be the same.
Google also, in the same statement, announced that they are extending the warranty on all Pixel 2 and 2 XL's to 2 years, from 1 year. Now, glass half full is that they're doing this to try to reassure customers that "no, this is fine, and we're backing it up by extending the warranty" Glass half empty is that they're extending it because "holy crap these things are showing burn in already? we're screwed" I think it's more half empty than half full here.
The blue shift on the screen is also something that happens based off calibration. I've seen a 2 XL in person, and for me personally, I know it would bother me. Google tries to say that it is a more accurate to real life calibration, but personally, when I look at a white sheet of paper, it does not have a blue tint. When I looked at a white image on the Pixel 2 XL, it had a blue tint. I'm not sure how google can say that it's more accurate. The iPhone, as an example, also has a "more accurate" calibration, and it doesn't have that kind of blue shift at all. Google can fix some of this in software, but some of this is hardware, so who knows how much any software fix will actually help.
Either way, there is a significant issue with the Pxiel 2 XL. Either the panel is bad, or google didn't calibrate it well, or both. But something is up, and it's not insignificant.
And the Google Home Mini had a hardware flaw that cause the top touch senstive button to basically be pressed all the time, which meant the device was constantly recording and uploading to google. It's a capactive button, and the way it interacted with the fabric top meant that it was like it was being pushed all the time on a number of units. This was enough of a hardware flaw affecting enough early units that google has permanently disabled the top button via a software update.
Google is having serious issues with this round of hardware, and it should be giving everyone pause.
I'm not saying it's the best phone or screen by any measure. For me, I haven't noticed anything wrong with the screen and I suspect had I totally not followed the coverage I wouldn't have even been aware that there is a problem with the device.
This will be different for everyone and I'm sure there are people in the "I am paying $x it better be perfect even if I don't realize it isn't perfect" camp.
For me, the screen is neither an upside or a downside to buying the phone. That means I get to enjoy the best camera and software experience that is available on an Android device and that's more than good enough for me.
https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561197970666737/