Shortly after word broke that Google was working with the Department of Defense on open-source software to help analyze drone footage, employees began forwarding along a petition internally asking Sundar Pichai to end participation in the project. Additionally, the letter asks that Google bans all future “warfare technology.”
Do you think Google should avoid working with the military or providing open-source software for the government?
This morning, Google officially took the wraps off of Chromebook tablets with the unveiling of the Acer Chromebook Tab 10. Now customers can enjoy the ease-of-use found in Chrome OS while also using Android apps in a tablet form factor.
Do you see a benefit of buying a tablet running Chrome OS over something running software from Apple or Microsoft?
Over the weekend, Google was found to be giving the police in Raleigh, NC private user location data when served with a search warrant. While this has been done in the hope to catch a criminal, it also ends up giving law enforcement innocent people’s private data just for being in the area.
How do you feel about Google potentially handing over your private location history to the police?
Today, Google officially announced that it would be renaming Android Wear to Wear OS by Google, “a wearables operating system for everyone.” With this change, we see Google seemingly separating the product from the Android name and making it appear more universal.
Do you think Google will be renaming any other products to remove the Android namesake?
During MWC 2018, we saw a growing number of Android OEMs announcement new phones that feature the “notch” popularized by the iPhone X. While the Essential Phone did have one first, it wasn’t as prominent and didn’t include as many sensors as Apple’s.
With it seeming inevitable that more companies will use a notch in future Android handsets, do you prefer the small Essential Phone notch or the larger one in the iPhone X?
For some time now, Google has been adding quick responses to its apps such as Gmail and Allo. But a new app out of Google’s Area 120 called Reply brings smart quick responses to all of your favorite messaging apps.
In your opinion, are quick responses like those created by Reply a useful tool or just a tactic for lazy messaging?
Today, Google officially started to roll out Google Pay, the replacement for Android Pay. This app works as a digital wallet, allowing users to make purchases using NFC on their phone. While more and more retailers now accept this form of payment, adoption just isn’t that high in the US.
Are you someone who uses a digital wallet on their Android device to make transactions?
The February security update has been out for almost half a month now, and there are countless reports of Google Pixel 2 and 2 XL users experiencing issues since installing it.
Is your Google Pixel 2 having issues after updating to the latest security patch?
This morning, a report came out that potentially gives us our first real idea as to what might be coming with Android P. This includes support for different screen shapes, more Google Assistant integrations, and even potentially a complete redesign to the OS.
If these reported features are real, which are you most excited for in Android P?
This morning, a report surfaced about a secret Google gaming-console codenamed ‘Yeti’ that would allow users to stream video games from the cloud. While we have seen Sony and Nvidia introduce similar products, those platforms primarily provide AAA console games.
Before you would ever buy the ‘Yeti’ system and pay Google a monthly subscription, what types of games would the search giant have to provide?
It might have taken 18 months but Nougat has finally become the most used version of Android. While most of the phones released in 2017 came with Nougat pre-installed, it has taken quite some time for older devices to receive the update.
Has your Android device been updated to Nougat yet?
Today, as part of its third Oreo beta, OnePlus added gesture-based navigation controls for getting around the 5T. Over the last several months, we have seen several companies decide to add different gestures to its devices.
Do you think it is time Android changed its navigation controls?
As we quickly approach the announcement and launch of the Samsung Galaxy S9, we aren’t expecting much to change on the software side. While Samsung does have a loyal following who enjoyed TouchWiz and the company’s latest Experience launcher, many others still wish the Galaxy handsets ran something closer to “stock Android.”
How much would you pay for a Samsung phone with a Pixel-like version of Android?
Since 2016, Google has been quietly building and testing a brand new operating system called Fuchsia. As it is open source, we have been able to follow along with its development and make guesses as to what it’ll look and feel like. If two things are apparent, it’s that Fushia will work cross-platform and it’s very Google Assistant-heavy.
With these in mind and seeing how far along it is in its developmental stages, do you think it will ever replace Android and or Chrome OS?
A Google engineer recently spoke at a conference and stated that only roughly 10 percent of all Google account holders have enabled two-factor authentication. That is a surprisingly low percentage of users not taking every step possible to protect their Google and email accounts.
Why haven’t you enabled two-step authentication on your Google account?
Yesterday, shortly after Google’s hardware design lead shared images of early Pixel 2 and Pixelbook iterations, a tipster wrote in to tell us that the company had also tested different colored fingerprint sensors and even multi-colored edges. Unfortunately, none of this came to market, and all we got was the orange power button on the panda Pixel 2 XL.
Do you think Google should take what it learned and find ways for customers to customize how the next Pixel smartphone will look?
If you happen to own a router from ASUS, Linksys, Netgear, TP-Link, or Synology, there’s a chance that you’ve been experiencing Wi-Fi issues after setting up a Google Home and or a Chromecast in your house. While a fix is in works, there’s no quick or temporary solution for users having problems.
Have you experienced any Wi-Fi issues since installing a Google Home or Chromecast?
While companies have announced new Google-focused products at past CES events, there has never been a strong Google presence. That changed this year, and not just because the search giant built a giant booth outside the main show floor. On top of several announcements from Google, companies had a lot of Android Wear watches, Android TVs, and mobile accessories to show off.
What was your favorite announcement from CES 2018?
While here at CES 2018, we have been surprised by the number of Android TVs announced by multiple companies. We have seen new units from Hisense, Westinghouse, Philips, Haier, and even a new lineup of big format gaming displays with the Nvidia Shield built-in.
Which of these newly announced Android TV units would you be most interested in purchasing?
Last July, OnePlus was in the news for running a survey on user phones, asking them what they thought of the device. Then, today, Google began doing something very similar but instead of making it a dismissable notification, the company added a pop-up to a Pixel 2 XL’s settings menu.
Do you think companies should be allowed to add notifications or pop-ups to its smartphones asking customers to answer surveys?
Back in October of last year, Google announced a cleaned up and refreshed version of Google Calendar for the web. On top of receiving a fresh coat of paint, Google worked to add features to the online calendar to make it easier to add events, format calendar invites, and much more.
As the new design will automatically replace the outgoing version starting on January 8, we wanted to know if you prefer the look of the 2017 redesign more than the version from 2006 leaving the web in a couple of days…
The Home Max is now available for purchase which means Google now sells three different smart speakers, all serving separate purposes. The Max, being the largest of the three, is intended to be a premium quality speaker which just happens to have Google Assistant built-in.
But at $400, the Home Max can be a difficult purchase to make. Are you buying one for your house?
This morning, we reported on a new rumor coming from a Google survey asking if customers would be interested in a “YouTube Edition” smartphone. While it would be a mid-range handset, it would also pack specific features to let the user instantly see live videos from the lockscreen and more.
Do you have any interest in a “YouTube Edition” Android smartphone that has YouTube-specific hardware and software features?
OnePlus officially took the wraps off of its second flagship smartphone of the year: the OnePlus 5T. While the company did introduce a larger 18:9 aspect ratio display and small improvements to the dual-camera setup, the internals and overall design didn’t change.
Do you think there are enough reasons for OnePlus to have released the 5T just five months after it started shipping the 5?