Google Pixel 2

Despite their October release, the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL launched with the September security patch. Thankfully, Google’s latest devices are now finally up-to-date thanks to the November patch that is also rolling out to the original Pixel devices and older Nexus ones.

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Google’s primary marketing line for the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL is to have users “Ask more” of their phones. In addition to billboards teasing last month’s event, Google has released a new ad with the tagline that some viewers saw in front of movies over the weekend.

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The software experience on the Pixel 2 isn’t the most advanced out there, but little touches enabled with the hardware make it a great experience. Things like swiping the fingerprint sensor to pull down the notification tray or squeezing the phone for Assistant are great, but apparently, Google was working on another gesture for the camera…

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Google’s Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL are great phones, but they do have some inherent issues (especially the XL). To help smooth things over a bit, Google extended the warranty on both phones to two years, and now, that’s making a change to Google’s protection program.

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The camera on the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL is the best in the business, and it’s just going to get better thanks to a trick Google had hidden from public view — a fully custom chipset that improves HDR+ functionality. That was supposed to be enabled in Android 8.1, but it seems that’s been pushed back to the second developer preview.

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When I think of Under Armour, sporting goods and other athletic wear comes to mind, not phone cases. However, after spending a couple of days with the Protect Verge case, it’s clear to me that Under Armour could have one of the best cases for the Pixel 2, but some refinements should be made…
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Chris Lacy’s popular launcher alternative, Action Launcher, has seen a lot of great updates over the years, and in its latest update, it’s picking up one of the Pixel 2’s new features.

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When it comes to protecting your brand new Pixel 2, there might be no better option than those from OtterBox. But that added protection from drops and other forms of damage means a thicker and robust case. Let’s see if the pros outweigh the cons…

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It was no secret going into Google’s October 4 event that the company planned to announce its second generation smartphones without headphones jacks. To not alienate owners who still preferred wired headphones, Google chose to include a USB-C to 3.5mm port dongle in the box.

According to one man who just bought his Pixel 2 from Verizon, it looks like Google had considered including wired headphones in the box…

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Since last week’s launch, the Pixel 2 XL has faced an onslaught of issues with its display. There are complaints about the screen’s lack of vibrancy, as well as burn-in issues already cropping up. Today, Google released a statement addressing the problems, as well as how they will be remedied.

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Back in June, Google reportedly shelved the ‘muskie’ device that was originally intended to be the Pixel 2 XL. Today, references to that device were found in the Android Open Source Project, along with some details and specs of what could have been.

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One thing on the Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL that irks me to an extent is the way colors are displayed. Google opted to go for more natural colors and restrict the phone to an sRGB color space, and that’s something we’re not used to on modern devices. Thankfully, a developer has figured out a solution.

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One of the flagship features that arrived with the Google Pixel 2 and 2 XL is something called Now Playing. When turned on, Now Playing identifies songs playing in the background automatically and lists the song’s name and artist on your lockscreen. Unfortunately, though, when that information disappears from your screen, it’s gone forever. ‘Now Playing History’ fixes this problem…

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Last week, Google revealed that the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL contains a “custom-designed co-processor” for machine learning and image processing. This Pixel Visual Core is not yet enabled, but when activated it should result in better processing, among other tasks. A new report today reveals that Google worked with Intel on their first consumer chip.

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While Google’s larger Pixel 2 XL has been seeing numerous complaints, the smaller Pixel 2 has been a solid overall option with minimal issues. However, we have noticed one thing about the phone that seems a little strange — the two front-facing speakers sound completely different.

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Google Lens has a ton of potential, and the bits Google showed off with it at I/O this May and GDD in September are incredible. However, basically none of that is live right now, and functionality is incredibly limited within the Photos app. Over time it’s going to improve, though, and a couple of Googlers have hit Twitter to give us more information.

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Google made a lot of strange decisions when it comes to the software on the Pixel 2, but as more people start using the phones, we’re noticing even more bizarre changes. Today, it’s been spotted that a handy Wi-Fi feature has disappeared from Google’s new phones.

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