The Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL are quite capable devices even though they’re not what you’d call “recent.” They were released in 2017 after all. However, Google would much rather you buy the Pixel 3 or Pixel 3 XL which are its recent devices. To that end, it’s subtly nudging customers towards those devices by ending sales of the aforementioned handsets through its online store.
The other day it was reported that there were several users who reported that in recent times, their Pixel 2 XL smartphones suddenly started performing sluggishly. These reports came from well-known journalists from the tech industry, namely Android Police’s Artem Russakovskii and YouTuber Marquees Brownlee.
Recently Pixel XL owners were reporting that following the update to Android 9.0 Pie, it seems to have broken the phone’s compatibility with quick chargers. Google has acknowledged this and are working on a fix, but it seems that they might have another problem on their hands: Pixel 2 XL owners are now reporting sluggish performance.
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Google is due to launch its Pixel 3 handsets later this year and if a new report out of China is to be believed, the company is going to opt for OLED panels from LG for the Pixel 3 XL. Its predecessor also features an OLED display but the report mentions that Google will be keeping up with industry trends this year by opting for a notched display. With Android […]
When the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL were launched, there was some fuss regarding its display where there were more than a few users who were complaining about how the display looked dull. Google attempted to address this by giving users more options to adjust the display of their phones, but it seems that they aren’t quite done yet.
It is safe to say that many were surprised with how good the camera on the Pixel 2 phones was. This is because in the past, Google’s Nexus lineup was never really known for having outstanding cameras, and with the Pixel 2 achieving Portrait Mode purely using software (it doesn’t have a dual lens setup), it was rather impressive.
It was first reported in October last year that the Android 8.1 update made the proximity sensor behave a bit differently as it wouldn’t turn off the Ambient Display when the sensor was covered like before. This behavior was also seen in Android 8.0 for the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL. Some users have also talked about other issues with the sensor on Google’s official forums and the company […]
Some Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL owners might not be aware that their handsets include something called the Pixel Visual Core. It’s the first custom imaging co-processor that Google has ever made. It enables third-party apps like Instagram and Snapchat to take HDR+ quality pictures that users could previously take only with the native camera app. Google disabled this functionality by default but it has now confirmed that Pixel […]
Before any product is typically released to the market in its current form, there is usually several rounds of designing and prototyping before finding a design that works. However the question many are probably curious about is how these designs might look like before they are released, and Google is happy to oblige.
When it comes to medium format cameras, it’s really hard to beat Hasselblad’s offerings as the company is probably the brand that comes to mind when you think of medium format cameras. However the question maybe not many people are asking is, how does a Hasselblad medium format camera fare against some of today’s flagship smartphones?
When the Pixel 2 was launched, one of the surprising aspects of the phone was its camera which was ranked by DxOMark as the best camera smartphone for 2017. Another surprising feature was its Portrait Mode, which despite the Pixel 2 launching with a single rear-facing camera, proved to be a worthy competitor to those with dual cameras, thanks to the use of smart software.
These days when it comes to flagship phones, not only are these devices expected to sport dual camera lenses and a Portrait Mode feature, but they are also expected to come with image stabilization technology, whether it be electronic or optical. However not all stabilization tech is made equal, as demonstrated in the video below.
These days we’re starting to see more companies mesh routers, where the idea is to help users blanket their entire home or office with WiFi. This is generally cheaper than buying a new router, and it is also usually easier to setup. Unfortunately it seems that some Pixel and Pixel 2 handsets are experiencing problems with mesh networks following the Android 8.0 update.
While on the surface and on paper, most flagship phones these days seem identical, there are underlying differences that can set phones apart from each other in ways that you might not even realize. Recently a test published by PC Mag has revealed that when it comes to LTE speeds on our smartphones, the Pixel 2 could be worth considering.
As highly-regarded as Google’s new Pixel 2 handsets are, it seems that quality control is really an aspect that Google needs to be working on, or at least an area they need to bring up with their manufacturing partners because it looks like a new problem has been discovered in the form of rattling speakers.
Much to the chagrin of many an Android user, Google decided to drop the 3.5mm headphone jack from the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL smartphones. To make up for it, Google included a headphone adapter which allowed users to use their current headphones with 3.5mm plugs to plug into the USB-C port instead. This is something that other companies have been offering their customers a well.