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Behind the Pixel: Google’s First Real Threat to Apple’s iPhone

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Re: Behind the Pixel: Google’s First Real Threat to Apple’s iPhone

#721

Post by louhike »

amyjess wrote: post #350

I'm seriously disappointed in this. Fortunately, I'm not feeling the need to replace my Nexus 5X yet. Maybe next summer when the Moto G5 comes out, I'll see if it's worth switching -- or maybe I'll wait until 2018 and get a Moto G6, but I'm not getting a Pixel. And if some key apps I use ever end up getting ported to Windows 10 Mobile, I'll consider Microsoft for my next device. But that'll be a ways off: I rely on L…

Even though you'll probably do not get much support? Microsoft seems to have abandoned the mobile. As far as I know, they won't make any new phones themselves. And I'm not sure other manufacturer will go on making Windows 10 phones as they don't seem to sell well.

Re: Behind the Pixel: Google’s First Real Threat to Apple’s iPhone

#722

Post by dlubarov »

anderber wrote: post #512
AaronFriel wrote: post #506

I'm saddened by the continued fragmentation. "Google Assistant" replaces the Google search bar... but only on the Pixel? So this is yet another Android device that behaves differently from every other. The exclusive carrier is Verizon. Why not Google Fi? The default video app is Duo. Why not Hangouts? Does "Google Now On Tap" get replaced by the assistant for the Pixel? Is that just for the Pixel? I don't get it. I d…

The phones are available on Fi and at Google Store for full value or financing. I think Google Now On Tap is gone.

Did you see the stream? One of the presenters used Now on Tap (or something similar) to look up a restaurant which was mentioned in an SMS.

Re: Behind the Pixel: Google’s First Real Threat to Apple’s iPhone

#723

Post by PKop »

artimaeis wrote: post #67
PKop wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not offered there. You have to be a current Verizon, Att, etc. customer (or sign up for new plan). I've tried.

You simply choose your current carrier so they know which brand of SIM to put in afaik. When you get to the final page choose "Pay in full" and you get the unlocked version. Maybe not the greatest UI decision - but it's hard to imagine someone who isn't already on a carrier.

I have a business account and that didn't work. Haven't tried since, just going to wait for unlocked.

Re: Behind the Pixel: Google’s First Real Threat to Apple’s iPhone

#724

Post by tdkl »

obtino wrote: post #688
vaishaksuresh wrote: post #491

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I second this.Gmail is something that I use regularly on iOS and the interface is so ancient compared to gmail on Android. This is true for a lot of applications except maybe google photos.

Outlook (for iOS) does a better job of managing Gmail in iOS than the official app.

It also backups your email to MS servers for free.

Re: Behind the Pixel: Google’s First Real Threat to Apple’s iPhone

#725

Post by izacus »

interpol_p wrote: post #653
moheeb wrote: post #610

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It seems very telling to me that the Standard Windows Desktop is generally considered a wasteland of discarded program and file icons, basically where you throw your digital trash...yet iOS decided that this was the design they wanted for the main start page of their OS. No wonder there is such a divide among users. I don't think age has anything to do with it though.

The huge difference here is that on iOS you don't have random files lying around your home screen. The springboard is for apps, with a dock for the most common ones to persist between screens. On Windows (and macOS) the desktop is fundamentally different, used differently, and is often obscured by your windowed content.

No, instead you had unremovable "useful" apps like "Apple Watch" instead.

Luckly they managed to at least let users hide that in iOS10, but it's still a cesspool of rarely used apps.

Re: Behind the Pixel: Google’s First Real Threat to Apple’s iPhone

#726

Post by collyw »

SapphireSun wrote: post #698
kogepathic wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I've been on android for a while, so I'm sure I'm biased, but stock AOSP Android is pretty much perfect for me. Very minimal and aesthetically beautiful, but still powerful and customizable. You can get AOSP on a lot of phones, you just have to be comfortable flashing a custom ROM. I don't understand why anyone would pay iPhone prices for an Android phone. Even if the hardware quality is similar (which it won't be,…

> Android app quality is much worse. Good thing that offline web apps will start making most native apps obsolete in a few years.

Careful what you wish for. I have an Ubuntu phone which is mainly web app based, and while its fine for most things, traveling abroad without a roaming plan renders the phone pretty useless.

Re: Behind the Pixel: Google’s First Real Threat to Apple’s iPhone

#727

Post by BinaryIdiot »

puzzle wrote: post #612
sorenjan wrote: post #585

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm pretty sure this was supposed to be a Nexus phone, everything points to a change of strategy late in the development. They claim that it's designed and developed by Google, but everyone that has been paying attention to the leaks knows it's made by HTC, and it shows. It looks nothing like the other Pixel devices, but it look's exactly like a Nexus phone by HTC. The Pixel launcher was named the Nexus launcher unti…

Do you really think that last year's Nexus 6P was designed by Huawei?

Yes but with probably some Google collaboration. Huawei has multiple phones before and after the Nexus 6P that look pretty similar.

Re: Behind the Pixel: Google’s First Real Threat to Apple’s iPhone

#728

Post by [deleted] »

mrspeaker wrote: post #161
geodel wrote: post #86

I think it is just me but I find this 'book me a concert and fancy dinner' schtick rather boring. May be well off people are so busy and book these things so often that these virtual assistant really save time if price is of no concern to them.

Does anybody actually use these virtual assistants? They seem like the bluetooth dongle of the mid-2000s - friends wouldn't let friends use them. Is it just for people who drive? Or will there be a tipping point when it won't seem so arrogant barking commands on the subway or in a quiet office?

[deleted]

Re: Behind the Pixel: Google’s First Real Threat to Apple’s iPhone

#730

Post by BinaryIdiot »

pdxandi wrote: post #474
joshstrange wrote: post #411

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I use Siri for 3 things: * Quick conversions "How many Tablespoons are in a Cup" * Setting Reminders "Remind me at 9:30am today to pay my rent" * Setting Timers "Set a time for 10 minutes" Anything else and I can normally do it faster. That's not to say Siri couldn't beat me at doing something but that I have to repeat myself or I get the dreaded "I search the web and found this..." Not only are the results normally…

That is quite honestly the exact three reasons I use Siri. I do, however, open Google fairly often to search for complicated answers. The Google voice dictation engine is so incredibly accurate.

See, 9 times out of 10 when I try this I end up getting a generic Google search result page back. It's gotten to the point where I rarely even use Google Now beyond the items parent mentioned above. Google Now is awful at conversing (unlike Siri, Echo or Cortana) by which I mean if I don't use exact syntax the other services seem more forgiving whereas Google gives me a search result page. What the hell am I ever going to do with that? Has anyone ever used voice dictation then actually wanted to see a search results page? At least anecdotally everyone I have asked about this said if they get search results back they just immediately close it sometimes even to open up a web browser and re-search for it!
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