Google unveils new Nexus phones, Chromecasts, Pixel C tablet & more

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  • Reply 61 of 158
    I agree that your finger will naturally land in the dimple when removing your phone from your pocket.

    For the record... my thumbs naturally lands on the TouchID sensor on the iPhone too when removing the phone from my pocket.

    Pockets are fine.

    My issue is when a phone is sitting on a table or desk. A fingerprint sensor on the back will be... well... on the back.

    I dunno.... I guess I've been spoiled by Apple's front-facing home button and TouchID.

    I actually feel the same way about LG's buttons on the back. Great if the phone is in your hand... not so great if the phone is resting on a surface.

    That would be like putting a power button UNDER a Macbook.... not really... but yeah.

    With LG at least you can double tap the screen to wake and sleep the device. I find myself doing exactly this with my iPad hoping it would wake but it never does.
  • Reply 62 of 158
    staticx57 wrote: »
    With LG at least you can double tap the screen to wake and sleep the device. I find myself doing exactly this with my iPad hoping it would wake but it never does.

    True... but how does it handle passcodes and whatnot?

    Can anyone "knock to unlock" ?

    I don't exactly keep any state secrets in my phone... but I still wouldn't want anyone to access my stuff if the phone gets lost.
  • Reply 63 of 158
    Unbox Therapy won't give two shits about the 6P to waste a YouTube video on bending them.
  • Reply 64 of 158
    True... but how does it handle passcodes and whatnot?

    Can anyone "knock to unlock" ?

    I don't exactly keep any state secrets in my phone... but I still wouldn't want anyone to access my stuff if the phone gets lost.

    They have two methods, knock code which seperates the screen into 4 quadrants and you set a pattern where you tap certain quadrants in a certain order and it wakes and unlocks the phone.

    There is also just tap to wake which just wakes it to the lockscreen as if you had pressed the power button.
  • Reply 65 of 158
    staticx57 wrote: »
    They have two methods, knock code which seperates the screen into 4 quadrants and you set a pattern where you tap certain quadrants in a certain order and it wakes and unlocks the phone.

    There is also just tap to wake which just wakes it to the lockscreen as if you had pressed the power button.

    Clever girl!
  • Reply 66 of 158
    coolfactor wrote: »
    This is one of those "can't win" scenarios. If Google put the fingerprint sensor in the same place as iPhone, then everybody would claim they are copying. So they put it on the back and now it's "odd" to need to lift the phone to use it? Just set the "lock timeout" to be much longer and then you won't need to unlock it as often, right? I guess I just don't see the concern around its placement. I'm glad it's not the same as the iPhone.
    Actually for a vanilla android device it would be unsightly to have a circle on the front that only function is to scanfingerprints. It's a misuse of space. Remember since android 4.0 nearly 4 years ago vanilla android uses virtual buttons for interface. IOs on the other hand uses a physical home button that can and will double as the fingerprints.
  • Reply 67 of 158
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by fallenjt View Post





    my apology for using improper language. Now back to the point. My argument about starting storage of 16GB is about usability which is not different between cheaper and more expensive phones. People have been complaining about this 16GB on the usability,

    Pretty cool, your reaction that is, totally lends your argument a lot of credit and reflects very well on your character. Meant no offense on calling your language out, it is something android fans or blindly anti-Apple people typically do, so I can be short on tolerance for it.

     

    I can see your point, it does make sense. It sort of lines up with my thoughts on the fact the phone is getting more complex and has a great balance of features that have warranted the cost of the phone to rise but Apple wants to maintain that low entry level. My thoughts are, if you want a great phone, pay up. The 6+ 64GB has been the best phone I have ever used/owned. Buy the size you need for how you intend to use it.

  • Reply 68 of 158
    jetzjetz Posts: 1,293member

    I don't get the complaints about the Fingerprint sensor on the back.

     

    It serves two purposes:

     

    1) Maximizes screen real estate in the front.

    2) Allows for easy unlock with the sensor in a natural position for the index finger.

     

    That's why it's on the back.



    It's a different design philosophy from Apple, which has the fingerprint sensor on the front because Apple might as well make use of the real estate taken up by the home button.

     

    Some have raised the issue about the phone sitting on the desk.  That's what Smart Lock is for...avoid having to lock based on location.

     

    These are simply trade-offs.  You can have a hardware button on the front with multiple features and a smaller screen or the sensor on the back and a larger screen.  Apple chooses to keep the home button and accepts a smaller screen.  Google prefers to give consumers a larger screen and relocate the sensor to the back.

  • Reply 69 of 158
    tzeshantzeshan Posts: 2,351member

    Who submitted these phones for FCC approval?  I have a hunch that it is not Google or Alphabet. 

  • Reply 70 of 158
    jetzjetz Posts: 1,293member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Michael Scrip View Post





    I can unlock my iPhone with my thumb as I remove it from my pocket. It's unlocked before I even look at it.



    But my point earlier was having my iPhone sitting on my desk. I can use my thumb or index finger to unlock it without lifting it up. Very fast and convenient.



    These Nexus phones will have to be picked up and a finger slide under to unlock it from a desk. Seems odd to me.



    But like fallonjt said... there's nowhere else to put a fingerprint sensor that someone else hasn't done before. (if companies even worry about that sort of thing)

     

    It's not about copying or not copying the iPhone.   It's not about designing for just ease of unlock.  It's about maximizing screen real estate.  The Nexus phones have a 70% screen-to-body ratio.  The iPhone has a 65% screen-to-body ratio.  Google has decided to give people more screen real estate by moving the sensor to the back.  Apple simply doesn't have the choice of moving the home button, so they might as well add functionality to it.

  • Reply 71 of 158
    jetzjetz Posts: 1,293member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by brucemc View Post

     

    But if all your ranting before was to be believed, a 16GB phone is "unusable" today, especially with a 12MP camera that shoots 4K.  And with no mention of an SD slot, you cannot upgrade the phone.  Regardless of price, if you said that 16GB was no good on an iPhone, that is still the case here, no?


     

    Agreed.  But I have a hunch that the 16GB N5X is really about providing a handset for devs that's cheap to use and develop on.  Not a consumer grade device.  That's what the 32GB N5X is about.

  • Reply 72 of 158
    tmaytmay Posts: 6,312member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Michael Scrip View Post





    I agree that your finger will naturally land in the dimple when removing your phone from your pocket.



    For the record... my thumbs naturally lands on the TouchID sensor on the iPhone too when removing the phone from my pocket.



    Pockets are fine.



    My issue is when a phone is sitting on a table or desk. A fingerprint sensor on the back will be... well... on the back.



    I dunno.... I guess I've been spoiled by Apple's front-facing home button and TouchID.



    I actually feel the same way about LG's buttons on the back. Great if the phone is in your hand... not so great if the phone is resting on a surface.



    That would be like putting a power button UNDER a Macbook.... not really... but yeah.

    My iPhone 6 Plus is stored in my back pocket and as the end sticks out just a bit, I can easily reach the TouchID with the tip of my thumb and with a little assist from the tip of my index finger, remove it unlocked. It's very ergonomic, and I wouldn't expect to be able to match that efficiency with these Nexus Models. I use the iPhone without a case, and note that it is very easy to determine screen and backside by touch; the backside is very frictionless to the point that some people drop it until they have the muscle memory to maintain the grip. 

     

    I don't lay my iPhone face down ever; it is unnatural to rotate my wrist 180 degree to do that. Try it; you aren't built to do that easily.

     

    Picking up the iPhone by targeting the TouchID with the tip of the thumb is very natural too me, and reaching and unlocking an iPhone on a surface is natural with an index finger press.

     

    This isn't to say that there won't be fans of the Nexus, and use cases that favor the Nexus, but my opinion is that Apple really thought about the ergonomics of the TouchID location, likely when Apple was just designing in the Home button.

  • Reply 73 of 158
    gatorguy wrote: »
    If a lockscreen hasn't been set yes they could. Believe it or not a lot of folks don't bother with passcodes and other unlocking methods. I only recently set up unlocking myself and only because my phone is occasionally used for tap-n-pay. Otherwise I'm not concerned about keeping it locked.
    Unfortunately, Android Pay requires the phone to have a passcode set.

    (Which is stupid; Google Wallet was able to have its own, separate passcode that allowed you not to have to worry about locking the phone itself).
  • Reply 74 of 158
    koopkoop Posts: 337member

    I can't believe everyone here thinks the iPhone 6 is actually good looking. It's the ugliest iPhone ever made. The 6 Plus is god awful looking, and not ergonomic in the least. Every Android flagship is more interesting looking, even if their actual design isn't up to snuff. The Nexus 6P in videos (pictures are misleading with the camera hump) and hands on looks really unique and interesting. Early impressions have been positive. It's also lighter than than the 6 Plus despite having the larger display. 

     

    The fingerprint reader placement has to do with Google not having a home button or capacitive keys at all. As such they are limiting bezel by throwing it on the back. For those worrying about checking things while on a desk, use smartlock, use the backup pin, use the Google search built to the homescreen. This whole thing hinges on how fast it reads the index finger, so i'll reserve judgement on it until the reviews come in.

     

    And yes, 16GB for $750 on the iPhone 6 Plus is embarrassing.

  • Reply 75 of 158
    koop wrote: »
    I can't believe everyone here thinks the iPhone 6 is actually good looking. It's the ugliest iPhone ever made. The 6 Plus is god awful looking, and not ergonomic in the least. Every Android flagship is more interesting looking, even if their actual design isn't up to snuff. The Nexus 6P in videos (pictures are misleading with the camera hump) and hands on looks really unique and interesting. Early impressions have been positive. It's also lighter than than the 6 Plus despite having the larger display. 

    The fingerprint reader placement has to do with Google not having a home button or capacitive keys at all. As such they are limiting bezel by throwing it on the back. For those worrying about checking things while on a desk, use smartlock, use the backup pin, use the Google search built to the homescreen. This whole thing hinges on how fast it reads the index finger, so i'll reserve judgement on it until the reviews come in.

    And yes, 16GB for $750 on the iPhone 6 Plus is embarrassing.

    Thanks for outing yourself. Blocked.
  • Reply 76 of 158
    koopkoop Posts: 337member

    Whoa, not sure what to do with myself now. It's a surreal experienced being blocked on Appleinsider by a zealout. Whoopidity doo da.

  • Reply 77 of 158
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by fallenjt View Post





    my apology for using improper language. Now back to the point. My argument about starting storage of 16GB is about usability which is not different between cheaper and more expensive phones. People have been complaining about this 16GB on the usability,

     

    Obviously 16GB of storage space is very limiting regardless of how much the phone costs.  The difference is that a $380 phone can be expected to have compromises.  A $650 phone should not, let alone one costing $750.

  • Reply 78 of 158
    koop wrote: »

    I am a current iPhone user and I completely agree with you. This generation of iPhones of by far the ugliest design for an iPhone. The nexus 6p looks much better in my opinion.
  • Reply 79 of 158
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Gatorguy View Post





    Heck, the Moto X doesn't even need that. Wave your hand over it, no button press required.

     

    Yeah, and I'm starting to get hung up on my Moto X water resistance too. I was disappointed to see these Nexus devices release without that feature. It's not often, but there have been a couple times/year where rinsing the phone off makes sense. Then there's the infinitely useful karate-chop flashlight toggle, and the twist back and forth to start the camera function -- usability is high.

     

    Smart Lock and extended similar features through Tasker are also an easy way to avoid using a fingerprint sensor because the phone doesn't lock where you don't need that feature. Any place where I leave my phone on a table is a place where it's unlocked.

     

    That said, a fingerprint sensor on the back of the phone makes a lot of sense too, and is a natural place for your finger when you're holding the phone. I think it will be easier to unlock a phone one-handed while pulling it out of your pocket with these Nexus phones than with an iPhone, while starting off with the phone in a single-hand usage orientation in your hand. I'm not convinced the back is better than the front home button, but it does have some advantages.

  • Reply 80 of 158
    pmcdpmcd Posts: 396member
    jkichline wrote: »
    Yawn. Probably the only thing I really care about is better WiFi on Chromecast.  Seems like Google couldn't even outclass Apple on basic specs and definitely not on design.

    It does have ac wifi support which is good. Very odd that there was no mention of Android TV. Perhaps Google has decided that the Chromecast what people are willing to pay over and above a Smart TV. It will be interesting to see how well the $150 Apple TV does.
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