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?
Razer officially took the wraps off of the gaming-centric “Phone” today after months of rumors and leaks. As this is Razer’s first smartphone, we don’t know how it will age over time but the company has a reputation of building great hardware and accessories.
Do you plan to buy the Razer Phone?
The Pixel 2 and 2 XL haven’t even been out for a full week, and the latter of the two is already experiencing a slew of different problems, most of which pertain to the display.
Now that a good number of units have shipped, we want to know if you’re experiencing any of the problems we and many others have been dealing with…
Earlier this year, we reported that Google was going to forgo the headphone jack on the Pixel 2. Naturally, that tidbit was met with some pretty negative reactions at first. In a poll, we asked if the lack of a headphone jack be a dealbreaker and almost 60% of you said yes. Despite this, it appears that the demand is still extremely high for both Pixel 2 models.
Now that the Pixel 2 is arriving on your doorsteps, what are your thoughts on the lack of a headphone jack?
We published our initial reviews of both the smaller Pixel 2 and larger Pixel 2 XL this morning, and without surprise, we found pros and cons to both handsets. We also looked at if the Pixel 2 was enough of a reason to upgrade from the first generation, but now want your opinion on the subject.
Is the Google Pixel 2 enough of an upgrade over last year’s model to get you to shell out $650 or more for the latest and greatest?
The Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL has finally been unveiled today after several months of leaks and rumors. While the smaller Pixel 2 isn’t much of a departure from last year’s model, the Pixel 2 XL gets a refreshed look.
Do you like the Pixel 2 XL more now that we’ve seen the handset in person?
Well, folks, we’re just a day away from Google’s October 4 event in which we expect the company to announce a whole slew of new products. This includes both products that we have seen leaked and several that are still just rumors.
What new Google products are you most excited for?
As we approach the holiday season, we expect to hear about new products that will hit the market in time for buyers to snatch them for themselves or loved ones. Before today, we knew for sure that Google had plans to introduce the Home Mini at next week’s event. What we didn’t expect was for Amazon to announced an entire line of new Echo products. And on top of that, we exclusively reported that Google had plans to introduce a premium Home called the ‘Max’ (although we don’t know if that’s coming before the end of the year).
This holiday season, do you plan to buy any new Google Home or Amazon Echo products?
Google first showed off what was then called Project-Jacquard over two years ago at Google I/O 2015. At SXSW earlier this year, we got a look at how Jacquard works and the Trucker Jacket that Levi planned to sell with the technology built-in. Then, this morning, we finally got word that Levi would begin to sell the jacket starting next week with a $350 price tag.
Do you plan on purchasing the Levi Trucker Jacket despite its $350 price tag?
After several weeks of teasing, Nest finally unveiled several new products that really bring it into the world of smart home security. These products include the 4K-capable Cam IQ Outdoor, Hello video doorbell, and Nest Secure which includes home security monitoring with the use of an array of sensors and dongles.
Are any of Nest’s newest smart home products going to end up in your shopping cart?
We have known for quite some time now that Google has been working on a brand new and more powerful Chromebook codenamed “Eve.” Today, almost every new product that we expected to announce at its October 4 event was leaked, including the “Pixelbook.” Its release will mark a significant shift in Chrome OS’s history because of everything it features, but it will also do so with a starting price of $1,200.
Do you plan on purchasing the Pixelbook Chromebook despite its $1,200 or higher price tag?
Apple wrapped up its annual fall event earlier today and introduced new hardware products, software features, and promotions for some of its services. While some things like wireless charging in the smartphones and 4K streaming boxes aren’t new when compared to the world of Android and Google, Apple did introduce new items that might make outsiders jealous.
What things introduced by Apple today do you wish would either come to Android or Google?
Over the last month or so, we’ve seen an increase in the number of references to Bisto within Google’s applications. These references have shown us the potential internal code names for the different models being developed as well as photos of possible form factors and features.
What sorts of features do you hope Google brings to the ‘Bisto’ smart headphones?
The Essential Phone is all about keeping true to the company’s name by shipping with only the essentials. This means that the version of Android that ships with the handset is more stock than the build that runs on the Google Pixels.
Do you think Essential should have added more features to the Phone?
Back in April, Google released an SDK that allowed third-party hardware manufacturers to integrate Assistant into its products. Now, months later, we’re starting to see Assistant integration come to new products. This includes new smart speakers that have the same capabilities as the Google Home.
What Google Assistant-powered smart speaker would you purchase?
IFA 2017 officially kicks off tomorrow which means most, if not all, of the major announcements from companies at the event have already taken place. Over the last several days, we’ve seen phones from LG, Sony, Motorola, and others get unveiled.
If you were to buy one of the phones announced at this year’s IFA, which would it be?
YouTube has been testing a Material Design redesign and adding new features to the mobile application for some time now. That all came to a head today as Google has announced a brand new YouTube logo, design refresh, and added features.
What are your thoughts on the new YouTube?
After Fitbit purchased Pebble last year, many anxious fans awaited the company’s next fitness-focused device that would ideally incorporate the features loved by the Pebble community. That day has come as Fitbit this morning unveiled the Ionic. While it may not be a Pebble replacement, it is the company’s first real smartwatch.
If you were to buy a smartwatch right now, would you purchase a Fitbit Ionic over an Android Wear device?
When the initial Essential Phone reviews were published, there was a consensus that the handset’s weakest point was the camera. Once we got our hands on the phone, we had to agree with others were saying, especially with the camera’s low-light performance.
Do you still plan to purchase the Essential Phone despite its poor camera performance?