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Phones Google Pixel 8/8 Pro
- Thread starter BMox81
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Yes sir … always can’t do stock ever so if it’s faster can’t see how much better than Nova tbh …no benefits to me but you guys gals do you haha
Yes got mine free with the 8 Pro last year.
Difficult to recommend tbh. But I'm not the best qualified as I find all smart watches a bit overrated. I wear them because I like having something on my wrist, but the pixel watch leaves a lot to be desired if you've ever used an Apple Watch.
It's decent for notifications if you can't access your phone, but that's kinda it. I think FitBit is a rubbish app personally and don't use any of the health features of the watch other than heart rate.
It's just ok. I'm happy it was a freebie but wouldn't seek one out to buy personally.
I also got one free with the Pixel 8 Pro.
It is fast smartwatch. Feature rich and nice Pixel Ui implementation. Fit Bit subscription ruins the entire device for me. I don't want to pay $79 a year just to be able to use all the feature of the watch.
It is extremely comfortable of the wrist and I like the band design. Battery lasts two days on average. Speaker is good. Screen is really nice BUT those huge bezels make the perfect size watch feel really small. All Google needs to do is shrink the bezels. But as it is now the screen feels too small for practical use.
Overall for free and not using the fitbit sub it is nice. But I would not buy one until the new models come out this year with a bigger screen. WAIT for the new one. It will cost more but you will enjoy the experience 100 x more than as it is.
I say all that using a Galaxy watch 6 classic. I got it heavily discounted through Samsung and I feel like even though I paid something for it vs free it is just a way better smartwatch. All features work and no subscription model. The screen is much bigger and that makes everything work better. The UI isn't as nice in some ways but better in others than Pixel but it is just a better watch in every way. Sapphire crystal, stainless steel case, large screen, same performance and battery life.
SO I highly recommend waiting a bit because both Samsung and Pixel will release new models this year and they should have decent improvements. Since you have a Pixel phone then I would wait for the larger Pixel watch to release and buy that. Thank me later!
Thanks for the feedback, I’ll hold off and see what offers come up for the new one.
I received my PW2 as part of the US promotion. I haven't worn a watch since the mid 80's. I gave it a try just because it did not cost me anything. My impressions are that a smart watch becomes redundant if you carry your phone with you. Time of day, messages, notifications, maps, email etc are all a much better experience on the phone. I received notifications and email messages on my watch but I could not figure out how to reply on the PW2. So for me it was a receive only device.
The only thing I used it for was to get the latest sport scores from my favorite NBA and NFL teams. The bottom line is, I wouldn't pay to buy it and I won't upgrade to the PW3 unless Google does a crazy trade in promo. That said, the watch looks really nice and looks more like a watch than the AW which has that oversized square look.
Totally agree, I never wear watches or jewelry, I don't like those things on my body.
A smart watch to me is rather pointless, especially if you carry your phone on you 24/7, or it's always nearby on a desk or table. I never plan to buy one.
I like notifications for football scores (English type played actually using feet ;-P) and to see if messages are actually worth pulling your phone out of the pocket for. my Garmin covers that, but replying is non-existant, and even when I used an apple watch I only really replied yes/no/emoji. I'll stick to the garmin.
Unsubstantiated rumour, big upgrade for PW3, or lots of over stock, as £150 off a £350 watch seems Generous halfway through the lifecycle
Unsubstantiated rumour, big upgrade for PW3, or lots of over stock, as £150 off a £350 watch seems Generous halfway through the lifecycle
I am in the Department of Redundancy Department.
In my opinion redundancy can be a good thing. You are in the garage and left your phone in the living room and get a call you can answer on your watch. Need to take a group photo? You can use your watch as a shutter.
BUT I agree at a certain point the watch to me almost becomes more of an annoyance than a help. Notifications all the time. I feel like a pavlovian dog every time I get a notification on my wrist and I started to feel more anxiety. So I asked myself do I need the watch? No. Do I like it, yes? Having the weather always available is nice. Having a compass on your wrist is pretty handy. BUT at the end of the day it is supposed to make my life easier and not more stressful.
I have decided that I will keep using the smartwatch but take a week or so break every so often.
Ultimately as others have said I think the smartwatch is a nice addition to a phone BUT it certainly isn't needed and can increase stress with all of the notifications and never being away from a phone or "unavailable". But you can turn notifications off and use the watch more for the functions than the connectivity and that is where I am at.
I do not think at this point I would ever pay full MSRP for a smartwatch of any brand. They just are not indispensable. My phone is indispensable. My computer is indispensable. My tablet is tertiary and as much as I like it is a bit redundant except for content consumption. A smartwatch is even further down the line like 4th or 5th type device. If I have one or not nothing in my life changes. If I don't have a phone or a computer I will have a lot of headaches.
So for me that is really the test. If I didn't have the device does anything in my life change at all? If the answer is yes then it is an important device and if the answer is no then it is not an important device.
Now you can get the aura smart ring. So you can have a smart watch, smart phone, and smart ring......no redundancy there. Lol
The First Android 15 Beta for Your Pixel Arrived
Right on schedule, Google has released Android 15 Beta 1 for your Pixel to download and dance with. We’ve already been through two Android 15 Developer Preview builds from February and March, so now we get into the beta program kickoff period. It’s time to see if big changes are here for Android...
Yeah Android beta's are not daily drivers. I typically know that and shouldn't wipe and factory reset my phone and install a beta, but I did LOL.
Even though the S24U is my typical daily phone now, I wanted to test the Android 15 beta on my Pixel 8 Pro, as I love the Pixel experience.
I installed the beta over the weekend, when the Pixel was just my secondary airplane mode fun phone. And it worked fine just farting around with it last several days.
Until I popped the SIM in it and tried to daily it. LOL ugh.
-Bluetooth connection is F'd and spotty AF
-Texting is odd, some group texts go individually.
-UI system freezes
Yeah uh, this is a no go as a daily. Back to my S24U and also need to wipe the Pixel and install the current up to date Android 14
Even though the S24U is my typical daily phone now, I wanted to test the Android 15 beta on my Pixel 8 Pro, as I love the Pixel experience.
I installed the beta over the weekend, when the Pixel was just my secondary airplane mode fun phone. And it worked fine just farting around with it last several days.
Until I popped the SIM in it and tried to daily it. LOL ugh.
-Bluetooth connection is F'd and spotty AF
-Texting is odd, some group texts go individually.
-UI system freezes
Yeah uh, this is a no go as a daily. Back to my S24U and also need to wipe the Pixel and install the current up to date Android 14
Did a full wipe reset AGAIN, to a fresh install of the latest monthly update April 2024, Android 14. Set up everything from scratch again. And I have to say Material You and the way the UI is really funky and silly, but also very fluid and pretty smooth, it is a great phone no doubt.
But then I scroll through Reddit, or Samsung Internet browser, it's so SMOOTH on the S24U, and the P8P there's some minor lag in there, just very little jitter, where that's just not there on the S24U.
Man how'd I love a true flagship highest-end spec'd Pixel phone, I'll pay a premium for that.
But then I scroll through Reddit, or Samsung Internet browser, it's so SMOOTH on the S24U, and the P8P there's some minor lag in there, just very little jitter, where that's just not there on the S24U.
Man how'd I love a true flagship highest-end spec'd Pixel phone, I'll pay a premium for that.
I reviewed phones for 5 years — here’s my pick right now
Go and read @manuelvonau ‘s last hurrah here at Android Police
Took me a while to reply
Definitely cool feature.
My favorite quote, below; from Scene I. King John's Palace.
(Both of my kids could not stand having to learn about you know WHO in school!!)
"So, on my soul, he did, for aught he knew.
But wherefore do you droop? why look you sad?
Be great in act, as you have been in thought;
Let not the world see fear and sad distrust
Govern the motion of a kingly eye:
Be stirring as the time; be fire with fire;
Threaten the threatener and outface the brow
Of bragging horror: so shall inferior eyes,
That borrow their behaviors from the great,
Grow great by your example and put on
The dauntless spirit of resolution.
Away, and glister like the god of war,
When he intendeth to become the field:
Show boldness and aspiring confidence.
What, shall they seek the lion in his den,
And fright him there? and make him tremble there?
O, let it not be said: forage, and run
To meet displeasure farther from the doors,
And grapple with him ere he comes so nigh."
Put my SIM back in my P8P to get that beautiful stock Android feeling again, and man I just love the Pixel UI and feel in hand with the rounded comfortable corners, etc...
But why can't Google build us a true flagship Pixel to compete with the Galaxy S24 Ultra? The battery life on my Pixel 8 Pro is poor, it's not terrible, but not good either. Last night going to bed around 10pm it was down to 29% battery, and that's with a normal workday usage and evening use. Whereas my S24U using it the same at work and evening, at bedtime there's like 60% battery left.
And general UI use, there are just minor hiccups or micro-stutters here and there on the Pixel, that are just not present on the S24U. It's annoying because I used to always brag about how smooth and fluid the Pixel pro phones are, but now that I have a S24U, that's just not the case. Or has something changed in Android 14 the last few months where there is more lag now than before?
I love my Pixel 8 Pro in how it feels to hold, and the minimalist style and UI of Material You design, but dang Google, up your [H]ardware game already, this is a joke with these mid range spec's and mediocre performance.
But why can't Google build us a true flagship Pixel to compete with the Galaxy S24 Ultra? The battery life on my Pixel 8 Pro is poor, it's not terrible, but not good either. Last night going to bed around 10pm it was down to 29% battery, and that's with a normal workday usage and evening use. Whereas my S24U using it the same at work and evening, at bedtime there's like 60% battery left.
And general UI use, there are just minor hiccups or micro-stutters here and there on the Pixel, that are just not present on the S24U. It's annoying because I used to always brag about how smooth and fluid the Pixel pro phones are, but now that I have a S24U, that's just not the case. Or has something changed in Android 14 the last few months where there is more lag now than before?
I love my Pixel 8 Pro in how it feels to hold, and the minimalist style and UI of Material You design, but dang Google, up your [H]ardware game already, this is a joke with these mid range spec's and mediocre performance.
The Google Pixel 8a device is now sold in some markets in Morocco
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Because if they did this they will then be charging another 3-400 pound / dollars. Trade offs. You can pay more and get a fluid Samsung but for that kind of money I'd expect a best in class camera, which Samsung is still nowhere near.
That's the ONE beef with the S24 Ultra, fantastic phone all around, best Android phone of 2024, EXCEPT a minor thing, the camera.
Seriously the camera on the S24U is subpar and nowhere near as good as my Pixel 8 Pro's camera
Thinking about dusting the P8P off, running some maintenance on it and maybe put it into rotation?
One thing I've noticed however is the thing seems to be hungry and likes to chew through battery a little quicker than I'd expect sitting idle on wifi. Must partly be because the bored unwanted AI just spinning it's bytes when the phone is sitting 🙃
It's been a while. Everyone still enjoying this device or have you moved onto something else?
One thing I've noticed however is the thing seems to be hungry and likes to chew through battery a little quicker than I'd expect sitting idle on wifi. Must partly be because the bored unwanted AI just spinning it's bytes when the phone is sitting 🙃
It's been a while. Everyone still enjoying this device or have you moved onto something else?
I think battery life can be affected by the network you are on. For example on ATT my battery life was not as good like 20% worse than with T-Mobile. Verizon was also not good. Both Verizon and ATT don't have as good a signal as T mobile but at home I mostly use wifi calling but somehow it still affects battery life??
So I am just suggesting it could also be your network is your cell signal is around 3 bars or less??
In terms of moving on sadly I have to say I have. I didn't think I would ever move on and then I got the s24 Ultra. I really still prefer Pixel UI. And the Pixel 8 Pro is a great phone still no doubt. I actually really like the 8 Pro and would still recommend it for a lot of people. I think battery life and modem and performance were all really good on P8P.
It is just the s24U has a screen format I prefer to any other phone at the moment. I have always preferred the squared rectangular screen but always hated the curved displays. Now with a completely flat screen the entire screen is usable and there are no distortions or false touches. The AR coating further enhances everything. On top of all that it seems that Google gave a lot of software goodies including Pixel animations like the power button fade, we have call screening and more with Galaxy AI. So the difference between Pixel and say an S24 has blurred more than ever. It means that you are getting a more Pixel like experience in some ways in OneUI 6.1 than ever before and you don't have to sacrifice as much going with a Galaxy. Sure the bloat is still there but ONEUI is a lot better and the hardware is second to none.
So I have moved on for now. BUT I know I will get bored possibly with OneUI at some point or I may need a back up phone and the Pixel is a really great device to have also for better photos. Although, as much as people are complaining about the cameras on the s24u this year I find them to be a huge improvement because again of Google software magic. But if I absolutely need to have good shots the Pixel is generally the best choice!
Phone has no sim in it, it's been a wifi table ornament for a while now... Just recently started to come back on my radar.
Just pulled up the battery info. Drain basically a study decline past couple days.
CPU ate up 63%
And mobile network 37%
What the!? There is no freaking sim card in this phone!
Edit:
I flipped the switch for "turn on WiFi automatically" and needed to turn on WiFi scanning for the switch to turn on.
Huh. Thought these things defaulted to WiFi especially home WiFi. So perhaps a settings (user) issue.
Just pulled up the battery info. Drain basically a study decline past couple days.
CPU ate up 63%
And mobile network 37%
What the!? There is no freaking sim card in this phone!
Edit:
I flipped the switch for "turn on WiFi automatically" and needed to turn on WiFi scanning for the switch to turn on.
Huh. Thought these things defaulted to WiFi especially home WiFi. So perhaps a settings (user) issue.
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I don't see big issues with the Pixel 8 modem beyond slower download speeds compared to Snapdragon. But otherwise on 4nm node it is much improved over the 7.
I was using an s24 Ultra with latest snapdragon modem and signal strength greatly affected battery even when wifi calling preferred was activated? I have felt the signal reception quality of the latest Samsung modem in the Pixel 8 pro to be mostly efficient and good reception quality.
But everyone has their unique personal experience?
Lots of people reporting serious issues with the pixel 8 modems or r/pixel. It seems to be very carrier, and location specific, but it is still very much an issue.
My anecdotal experience was my friend visiting me over the holidays with his brand new pixel 8 pro. Multiple locations we went he could not use mobile data, while I had 2 bars. We are both on T-Mobile.
Apple, even after many lawsuits, and spending billions to aquire Intel's modem division still uses Qualcomm for their modems. There is no substitute, especially for a "flagship" tier phone.