This week, Google announced that it would discontinue its Pixel Pass subscription service after less than two years – before subscribers could actually reap some of the benefits of the subscription they thought they had been paying for.

The other day I was manually entering upcoming events that were listed on a website into Google Calendar. Several years ago, I could just activate Google Now on Tap and have most of that information automatically filled. 

The Pixel Fold launched 3-4 months before the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro. If you just bought a Google foldable and are mostly happy with it, I highly doubt the 8 series will cause you to change your daily driver.

It’s clear that the Pixel Watch is Fitbit’s top priority. While the Sense 2 advanced on health features and sensors, it regressed on smartwatch functionality by dropping Google Assistant, offline music, and third-party apps. I wouldn’t be surprised if the 2022 watch lineup ends up being Fitbit’s last.

For the longest time, the Nvidia Shield TV was the only truly good device running on top of Android TV OS, but now there are many. Four years later, the latest-generation Shield TVs are still fantastic but are due for an update.

With the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro last October, Google reintroduced Face Unlock to its phones after abandoning the Pixel 4’s approach.

Emoji were once just a fun little addition to text messages, but at this point, they’re a very important part of how most of us communicate with one another. That’s why it needs to be said that, even after the latest update, Samsung’s emoji are just bad.

One of my continued takeaways with the Pixel Fold is that you can feel how many iterations — three by our count — it underwent before launch. Additional development time leads to better products, and I wonder what would happen if that was applied to flagship phones (Pixel 6, 7, 8, etc).

Google has put out some relatively small phones, but they were never really true mini or compact devices. Rather, they were just on the smaller side of average, with the new design language introduced by the Pixel 6 increasing the display dimensions. I’ve mostly been using the Pixel Fold as Google’s smallest phone (by screen size) in the current lineup, and it’s been interesting.

Foldable smartphones have reached their fifth major generation, as heralded by Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Fold 5, and the major expansion of brands that are stepping up to the plate. With so many options out there, what’s stopping you from getting a foldable?

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When you look at Samsung’s new Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Fold 5 in the context of the past couple of foldable releases, they’re really boring, but that isn’t a bad thing, at least for now.

The main idea behind the Pixel Tablet is that the form factor needs to do something besides run Android on a large screen. Google’s solution to this was including a Charging Speaker Dock to let it double as a Smart Display. In this Hub Mode, a device that would otherwise be doing nothing can show photos and/or the time. You get an always-on display (AOD) of sorts, with other brands also offering something similar, but it does not excuse how all Android tablets should really have a standard AOD.

Given the Galaxy Z Flip 5, Motorola Razr+, and Oppo Find N2 Flip in recent months, it’s clear that flip-style foldables are here to stay and I think it’s more likely than ever that Google eventually creates a Pixel Flip.

Samsung is set to host its next Unpacked launch event for the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Flip 5 later this week, and there’s actually a ton to look forward to. Here’s everything you can expect at the event.

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We questioned at the end of last month whether the Pixel Fold had launched yet, given a number of missed milestones. It’s now clear the answer at the end of June was no, with Google’s latest device only seeing its formal launch today.

Android is an excellent operating system, but how good it is all depends on the device you’re using. Google Pixel phones have long been lauded for their software experience, but the Nothing Phone (2) is a good reminder that the Pixel has lost its way a bit.

Bard received a major update yesterday with a slew of new features and expanded availability. Most notable is the ability to save and pin chats, as well as have multiple conversations, with Bard’s UI being updated to support everything.

Google’s first-party tablet apps are in a good place right now and meaningfully contribute to the Pixel Tablet experience. Of course, there’s always room for improvement, and here are a few suggestions.

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Google’s Pixel Tablet is a unique product and a good reminder that not every tablet needs to double as a full-on computer.

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Google’s large-screen push that started with Android 12L culminates with the launch of the Pixel Tablet and Fold. Now that it’s on shipping hardware, I think the tablet benefited much more than the foldable, with another Android optimization drive needed for the unique hardware form factor.