Google Pixel 2

In addition to phone cases, the Made for Google program includes screen protectors from InsivibleShield to help protect your brand new Pixel 2. The thing is, though, these tempered glass screen protectors could use some improvements, especially with its $50 price tag…

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When looking at case options for your new Pixel 2, it’s always ideal to find something that is a mix of drop protection and style, and is a part of the Made for Google program. Thankfully, Speck has made three different Presidio cases that provide protection from 10-foot drops and come in distinct styles to match your personal taste…

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When our initial reviews of the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL went live earlier this week, it’d be generous to say that some people were unhappy with our findings. Both Ben and I criticized our respective review units for some of the aspects of their hardware, but most of our complaints were reasonably subjective — and regardless, a phone’s hardware only tells half the story.

In this week’s Friday 5, we’re covering five of the many reasons why you should still consider picking up the Pixel 2 or Pixel 2 XL.

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Google is capable of some ridiculously impressive software tricks that basically no one else is capable of, and one of those on the Pixel 2 is the “Now Playing” song identification feature.

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Among other interesting software tricks, the Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL also both pack the ability to launch Google Assistant with a quick squeeze of the phone itself. It’s a neat if gimmicky feature, and now the ability to remap it has been figured out.

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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?

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With the Google Pixel 2 arriving at people’s doorsteps, you might be wondering just how durable it is, especially with the glass window around back. Thankfully, we have JerryRigEverything who has taken the Pixel 2 and completed a whole round of torture tests on the device. Long story short, the Pixel 2’s “premium coating” is extremely easy to damage…

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Update #2: The Verge has received the following statement from Google, who says it will reimburse those who paid the premium:

“This was an error, which is now fixed,” a spokesperson writes, adding “Sorry for any confusion. We’ll be reaching out shortly to reimburse those impacted.”

Update: Some report different experiences with Google’s pop-up shop, saying the company changed policy throughout the day. It sounds very much like a “your mileage may vary” situation.

https://twitter.com/jeremyburge/status/921170530236899329

Google today opened brick-and-mortar pop-up shops to promote and sell its new hardware products in Los Angeles and New York City. While Google has held pop-up stores in the past, these stores marked the first time that it was putting its Made by Google products up for sale at them.

The Verge, however, explains that the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL are actually being sold at a premium at these locations…

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With the release of the Pixel 2, Google launched the “Made for Google” accessory program. This meant that companies a part of the program would have its products certified by Google as being at or above the quality level needed to work correctly with the Pixel 2 and 2 XL.

One of these companies, Bellroy, has released a case that features real leather and comes in four different color choices. But is it worth $45 or more? Let’s check it out…

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Google’s Pixel 2 XL is a good phone, but between reviewers and early adopters, the general consensus is that it has one flaw — the display. Between a blue tint when the angle is shifted and pretty dull colors overall — both of which were pointed out in our initial review — people aren’t in love with the 6-inch OLED display. Google has heard those complaints, and now it’s apparently open to solving them.

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One of the biggest trends of the last year has been the addition of a secondary camera on the back side of smartphones. While this second lens can be used for a lot of things, like zooming in on landscapes and taking ultra-wide photos, the most popular camera feature has been Portrait Mode, especially on the iPhone 7 Plus and 8 Plus.

Google has now released its brand new Pixel 2 smartphones and with it, the company’s own take on portrait mode. Let’s take a look and see if the Pixel’s single lens can compare to the iPhone’s dual-camera setup.

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The Made for Google program announced at the October 4th event will yield a bevy of cases for the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL. However, Google is still making first-party cases for its phones, including revamped Live Cases that forego one notable feature, while adding more protection.

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Update: It turns out that, unsurprisingly, this was a bug. Google confirmed to CNET that a fix will be coming in a future software update.

Back in Android’s early days, the menu button was one of the most used buttons on the navigation bar. Eventually, Google ditched it in exchange for recent apps, but it stuck around for while on devices all the way up to the Galaxy S4 and others. At this point, everyone uses recent apps, but Google has quietly added a menu button to the Pixel 2…

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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?

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Google’s latest flagships start shipping this week and our initial reviews of each are live today. However, the biggest question we see a lot of people asking is which of the two new Pixels to get. While we gave you the simple answer in the title of our initial review of the smaller one, we thought we’d take a closer look to see how they compare.

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Google’s latest flagships, the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL, start shipping later this week to early adopters. We’ve been messing around with the phones for a little while and our initial reviews of both are already live, but let’s take a minute to see what comes in the box.

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OLED technology has gotten a lot better over the years, especially when you look at what Samsung has been doing. One big fear for users, however, is burn-in. Google’s new Pixels both ship with OLED displays and a new always-on display. Here’s how they avoid burn-in.

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