Phones Google Pixel 2 / Google Pixel 2 XL

[Cole Slaw]

Some nice photos here taken with the Pixel 2.
I wonder what MRU would have been able to do with a camera like this. He took some amazing shots with phones that had somewhat marginal camera performance, if I recall correctly.

 

[Aneres11]

Some nice photos here taken with the Pixel 2.
I wonder what MRU would have been able to do with a camera like this. He took some amazing shots with phones that had somewhat marginal camera performance, if I recall correctly.

Yup, I think he could have made the Essential camera look decent.

 

[5105973]

MRU is sorely missed. I do hope he didn’t leave for health reasons and is happy and well and enjoying the holiday season.

 

[5105973]

welp, I just had to RMA my "unicorn". I noticed a few weeks ago I'm getting the dreaded cracking/popping speaker issue. Google is shipping me a new phone now and I'll have to send this one back after I receive the new one. I thought I did so well with the screen lottery and other issues people had that I didn't. Oh well. Hopefully my replacement device doesn't have any issues.

On a positive note, being able to chat with Google support directly from the settings menu was an absolute pleasure. I just described my issue and that a reboot and factory reset (at 8.1) didn't fix, he immediately went through the RMA steps, no questions asked. So much better than Samsung support in which I'd have to spend a hour on hold just to chat with someone before getting pushed around to 3 different reps to help resolve the issue. Thanks Google for giving us some solid support options. Now, I just need a physical store so I don't have to play the mail in defective phone game.

Does this speaker issue plague the smaller Pixel 2 phones, too? I told my husband there is still a small discount on the phones and he said I could go for the white one as long as I use my own money, or wait until the Christmas bills get cleared out of the way. I’m mulling over what I want to do. I’m not sure when the current discount ends and what could be coming up.

The fact that this indeed is a highly RMA’d phone has me a bit concerned. Especially since I was already one of us on this thread to do an RMA for a defect. I’m also a bit nervous we’ve lost so many shipments in my area this season.

 

[co.ag.2005]

Does this speaker issue plague the smaller Pixel 2 phones, too? I told my husband there is still a small discount on the phones and he said I could go for the white one as long as I use my own money, or wait until the Christmas bills get cleared out of the way. I’m mulling over what I want to do. I’m not sure when the current discount ends and what could be coming up.

The fact that this indeed is a highly RMA’d phone has me a bit concerned. Especially since I was already one of us on this thread to do an RMA for a defect. I’m also a bit nervous we’ve lost so many shipments in my area this season.

Honestly, I'm not sure. I think this phone is truly a try before you buy, in that, make sure you get it from Google or somewhere with a good return policy in case there is an issue with it. Luckily, Google seems to have a good return policy but I have seen members here get frustrated with it.

 

[Aneres11]

Does this speaker issue plague the smaller Pixel 2 phones, too? I told my husband there is still a small discount on the phones and he said I could go for the white one as long as I use my own money, or wait until the Christmas bills get cleared out of the way. I’m mulling over what I want to do. I’m not sure when the current discount ends and what could be coming up.

The fact that this indeed is a highly RMA’d phone has me a bit concerned. Especially since I was already one of us on this thread to do an RMA for a defect. I’m also a bit nervous we’ve lost so many shipments in my area this season.

I will just say for what it’s worth, that both my current small pixel and the XL I had for a couple of days were both problem free. Nothing that would have had me return either of them.

I tested the speaker on both and they both had no issues. .

I’ve really started to love my smaller pixel which has made my predicament even bigger with the choosing between it and X.

 

[Tig Bitties]

I think I got lucky when I got my pixel 2 XL a week ago when looking at the screen head on straight it's an absolutely stunning display better than my lgv30 it looks very crisp and bright and white. But. Look at the phone from a 45 degree angle or tilt the phone in a different direction and the bluish parts come out a washed out somewhat blurry blue screen on an angle. But, I don't use my phone looking at tilted on a 45 degree angle, I have it facing straight at me 90% of the time, and from direct viewing it's a superb display. Very crisp. Very white bright. No complaint here whatsoever

 

[noobinator]

Just got my 3rd pixel 2 xl in the mail. I’m probably nitpicking here and the phone looks fine but the tray the phone sits in inside the box is all bent. This is exactly how it looks when I opened the box. Worries me that it’s a return or something. I’ll attach a pic but what the heck!

 

[Tig Bitties]

One minor thing I really love about stock Android phones, is the Substratum themes. It may sound silly, but the ability to theme the entire system all black or dark grey, and even have the notifications themed and deep system stuff themed, as well as third party apps like Instagram, and all Google apps, just makes the phone look so nice, and tweaked to my liking.

Plus the stock white look on most smartphones today is blinding to me, just too much bright white on most phones, I think a dark theme is so pleasing on the eyes, and looks great on AMOLED displays.

I had a black theme on my LG V30 but that phone didn't allow full system wide theming it couldn't theme notifications, or Google apps or third party apps. Only LG phone stuff nothing else. Which made themes on the V30 seem half assed and not complete.

 

[5105973]

Just got my 3rd pixel 2 xl in the mail. I’m probably nitpicking here and the phone looks fine but the tray the phone sits in inside the box is all bent. This is exactly how it looks when I opened the box. Worries me that it’s a return or something. I’ll attach a pic but what the heck!
View attachment 743785

That does look suspiciously like a return. It looks like **I** opened that box. I’m not good with cardboard.

But how does the phone itself seem? I’m not talking about how it looks. Is everything running okay so far? I know it just got here, so my question applies for when you can answer it, of course.

I finally got to soak in a nice hot tub. I’ve been wanting to do that for weeks. But I had to get sick to finally get the chance. Everyone finally left me alone, so I went soaking. And was reminded that Siri can no longer hear commands when the phone is playing music.

Alexa has spoiled me. I can listen to music and interrupt the play and ask her to turn the sound down or play the next track. Unless I’m hallucinating, I remember a long long time ago in a galaxy far far away Siri used to be able to do that on iPhone, too.

Now she can’t. It’s a shame because my X sounds amazing playing music in the bathroom. Apple did a great job on the speakers. As I recall my Pixel 2 sounded very good, too.

So, I was wondering for those of you who still have your Pixels, can you get either Google Assistant or Alexa to control your music playback verbally?

I don’t have an Echo in the bathroom. Well I have an echo but only if I yell into the bathtub when it’s empty.

 

[co.ag.2005]

One minor thing I really love about stock Android phones, is the Substratum themes. It may sound silly, but the ability to theme the entire system all black or dark grey, and even have the notifications themed and deep system stuff themed, as well as third party apps like Instagram, and all Google apps, just makes the phone look so nice, and tweaked to my liking.

Plus the stock white look on most smartphones today is blinding to me, just too much bright white on most phones, I think a dark theme is so pleasing on the eyes, and looks great on AMOLED displays.

I had a black theme on my LG V30 but that phone didn't allow full system wide theming it couldn't theme notifications, or Google apps or third party apps. Only LG phone stuff nothing else. Which made themes on the V30 seem half assed and not complete.

I just wish Andromeda was a tether free solution like Samsung substratum is. I got tired if having to re-authorize it to change my theme or if something got janky after a reboot. Any word on a tether free solution?

 

[Tig Bitties]

I just wish Andromeda was a tether free solution like Samsung substratum is. I got tired if having to re-authorize it to change my theme or if something got janky after a reboot. Any word on a tether free solution?

I keep hearing about Andromeda, but honestly not familiar with it ?

 

[Michael Goff]

I keep hearing about Andromeda, but honestly not familiar with it ?

Andromeda is a really widely used name for a lot of things these days it seems.

 

[nviz22]

Andromeda is a really widely used name for a lot of things these days it seems.

Like an underwhelming chapter in the Mass Effect series lol?

 

[Michael Goff]

Like an underwhelming chapter in the Mass Effect series lol?

What are you talking about? There are only 3 Mass Effect games.

 

[LukinLedbetter]

So, I was wondering for those of you who still have your Pixels, can you get either Google Assistant or Alexa to control your music playback verbally?

Sure can. Provide the music isn't so loud that Google Assistant can't hear you. I do it all the time.

 

[Aneres11]

What do you lot think of these portrait shots then?

iPhone X

Pixel 2

I'm pretty impressed with both, maybe Pixel more so just because it's single lens.

 

[5105973]

What do you lot think of these portrait shots then?

iPhone X

Pixel 2

I'm pretty impressed with both, maybe Pixel more so just because it's single lens.

iPhone X makes everything look warm and glowing which a lot of people like and looks good for a portrait—especially for people. However I like the way the Pixel 2 allows the natural light from the window to play off of your dog’s fur, and even on the curtains in the background—though some might say that looks more like a snapshot than a carefully lit and filtered portrait. I also like that I can actually see the fur a bit more. The detail is more abundant in the Pixel 2 without looking oversharpened as such details used to look on photos taken with my S7 Edge.

 

[Aneres11]

iPhone X makes everything look warm and glowing which a lot of people like and looks good for a portrait—especially for people. However I like the way the Pixel 2 allows the natural light from the window to play off of your dog’s fur, and even on the curtains in the background—though some might say that looks more like a snapshot than a carefully lit and filtered portrait. I also like that I can actually see the fur a bit more. The detail is more abundant in the Pixel 2 without looking oversharpened as such details used to look on photos taken with my S7 Edge.

Yeah these are basically my thoughts.
The X seemingly takes the prettier photo but the Pixel seems sharper.

 

[co.ag.2005]

I keep hearing about Andromeda, but honestly not familiar with it ?

Its what you need to successfully run substratum on this Pixel

Edit. Without root, that is. Are you running it with root?

 

[michael9891]

What do you lot think of these portrait shots then?

iPhone X

Pixel 2

I'm pretty impressed with both, maybe Pixel more so just because it's single lens.

Both great and would be happy with either. But it does look like there’s more detail on the Pixel. Not just saying that because I own one!

Decided not to buy the Pixelbook. The Pixelbook itself should be delivered between December 29 & January 2nd if I order this morning. But the free Google Home wouldn’t be delivered until January 3/4. I leave at midday on the 2nd. Maybe it’s for the best, they’ll probably be other deals later in the year, so might well buy one for my next trip here in a few months.

 

[Aneres11]

Both great and would be happy with either. But it does look like there’s more detail on the Pixel. Not just saying that because I own one!

Decided not to buy the Pixelbook. The Pixelbook itself should be delivered between December 29 & January 2nd if I order this morning. But the free Google Home wouldn’t be delivered until January 3/4. I leave at midday on the 2nd. Maybe it’s for the best, they’ll probably be other deals later in the year, so might well buy one for my next trip here in a few months.

Yeah makes sense to hang on in that case then.
The free Google Home is definitely a great deal though, plus the £100 (dollar) reduction. It is unheard of for Google to reduce like this - especially in the UK but seems they're wanting to sell some of these devices which is only a good thing for us!

When I think about this X and Pixel 2, I often have to remind myself that the Pixel 2 is virtually half the price of the X currently. That's madness. £529 for a phone like the Pixel 2 is really a steal. Can't recommend it enough at that price. Even full price.

 

[Wildo6882]

When I think about this X and Pixel 2, I often have to remind myself that the Pixel 2 is virtually half the price of the X currently. That's madness. £529 for a phone like the Pixel 2 is really a steal. Can't recommend it enough at that price. Even full price.

This is what is getting me right now. I LOVE my iPhone X. But I’ve also been an Android fan since 2011 with the original Motorola Droid X. As much as I love my X now, I can go with the gamut of Google devices and save myself $500-ish.

 

[nviz22]

What are you talking about? There are only 3 Mass Effect games.

Exactly. EA ruined a major part of my gaming experience.

 

[Aneres11]

This is what is getting me right now. I LOVE my iPhone X. But I’ve also been an Android fan since 2011 with the original Motorola Droid X. As much as I love my X now, I can go with the gamut of Google devices and save myself $500-ish.

Yeah, I absolutely love the X way more than I thought I would.
But I love the Pixel 2. It has given me a right headache to be honest!

But the additional funds saved from swapping to the Pixel 2 would be really nice, and I wouldn't really be losing anything that the X offers me other than wireless charging which I don't even use.
Plus the Pixel 2 works with my Pixelbook as a tool to unlock it, which is always handy!