The piece was a rapid fire repudiation of every misleading and misguided review praising Android phones from Google and others while atttacking Apple’s products and design decisions.
My only complaint about DED’s writing continues to be that he is guilty of the same one-sided fanboyism for which he criticizes other writers. I have never seen him acknowledge, let alone criticize, anything negative Apple has ever done, and he seems incapable of even faking a modicum of impartiality in his writing.
This is is a shame, because otherwise his pieces are very detailed and incisive, delivering far greater depth and historical context than we see from the vast majority of tech bloggers.
Is there a reason this article is listed as a feature and not an editorial? The paragraph below isn’t fact it’s opinion. In fact the whole article feels like a let’s dump on Google because it will make people here feel good. If these phones are DOA and so inferior to iPhone why give them so much ink?
While this article may be an opinionated editorial, it’s a much-needed one considering all of the clueless and misleading tech writing out ther praising Google and other Android phones while attacking Apple. I do wish DED were more objective in his writing, as this would give it greater credibility and authority, rather than coming across as an equally one-sided counter-point to The Verge.
All that "bionic processing" and the iPhone still can't take better pictures than Pixel phones.
The so-called "state-of-the-art" hardware of the iPhones does not camoflage the reality that Siri is still 5 generations behind the Google Assistant.
Apple is bringing superficial hardware flourishes to an Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning fight, and Google is showing the world their ass for it.
"You've been told that you think need 2 phones lens and supercomputing image processing to create a bokeh effect in photos. Well that's bullshit. With AI, Machine Learning, one lens, and significantly less computing power, we've destroyed that myth forever with the Pixel 2." --Google
Google's hardware event embarrassed Apple beyond repair. It showed just how far behind Apple is in AI and Machine Learning. And it showed the world that future is not hardware at all, but ambient computing powered by AI. And it showed Apple is not ready for that world.
So, is not surprsing the author of this article is not only salty, but is also scared straight out of his delusion that Apple's hardware prowess matters. Especially in a future where the battle has shifted to AI.
While Apple lags behind Google in AI/voice assistants, they’re certainly not “5 generations behind.” That’s a complete made up metric that defies any empirical analysis. Likewise, the latest iPhones are neck and neck with the best Android phones in terms of camera performance. They lag a bit in autofocus speed and low light dynamic range, but excel in software-driven features like portrait lighting, color accuracy, and skin tones.
Google boasts a lot of smart new technology every year, yet its funny how the vast majority of these technologies, services, and products are abandoned within a year or two after utter commercial failure. And of course there’s the elephant in the room of Google’s shady business model and disdain for user privacy.
FWIW I was at Verizon earlier today and they had just put both the Pixel 2 and 2XL on display this morning. I had expected the Pixel 2 to be an ugly beast based on what blogs were saying. I was surprised to see that was not the case IMHO, at least in the black they had on show. TBH I think those waffling between it and the larger XL would do just as well with the smaller one and save a couple hundred (put it towards the Pixel Buds and still save a bit). The second surprise was the utility of the satin-texture on the back of both. I've had too many phones that really HAD to be cased because they were simply too slick and slippery. Both of the new Pixels are solid in the hand.
I will make one other comment that's not really Pixel specific. Like is sometimes said about iPhones I think the Pixels would benefit from being just slightly thicker, as would some other recent flagships. All these companies are being so anal about "thin".
EDIT: There was one other product there that was not as expected: The older Google Home introduced a year or more ago. As is typical Verizon had music playing in the background, and I didn't really pay much attention to it at first As I was leaving I noticed the music was via that old Google Home. I've heard Amazon's original Echo a number of times and it's OK, but thios is the first time I'd heard last year's Google product. The Google Home sounded much better than the Echo IMO, more bass-y and a fuller sound. Noticeably so. At a current price of $109 it might be worth a look.
i use both a 6s plus and a pixel XL daily, I have an 8 plus to play with as well everyday.
Have you or any apple fan boys ever used a Pixel?
or do you just believe that a picture of a circuit board and some geekbench tests mean your phone is the best ever?
Is using three phones a day normal behaviour these days? Just wondering ...
I will chime in and share I use two phones all day with one being an iPhone and the other a Pixel 1 but waiting for my Pixel 2 to come. I think the problem with so many posts on here is people have not actually used a Pixel. Most people? have used an iPhone.
There is the benchmarks of the processors and then the actual experience of the phones. Google figured out how to resolve the slight lag that had been with Android. You notice it when you both an iPhone and Android. If always used Android I do not think you would notice.
I had used iPhone since the 3 and had pretty much every model. I prefer Android over iOS but the touch lag of Android bothered me and think that is only because of the iPhone. So the Pixel is about perfect because you get the feel of an iPhone and I get Android. The better camera is important to me but it is Google removing the touch lag is the biggest thing that drives why I am a fan of the Pixel.
Then there is just several posts on here that are actually disillusional because of some bizarre love of Apple. I honestly feel like some on here would take a bullet for Apple. I find it fascination and major, major kudos to Apple. I am a long time Apple hardware user from pretty early with the Mac and all the other Apple products. Heck I have an Apple HiFi in the basement. Probably dip sip the kool-aide a bit but never chugged it and then poured it all over myself and then took a bath in it.
Huh, well this is a pretty interesting bit of news regarding the Pixel 2's. Completely unmentioned by Google is the fact they've designed their own custom 8-core SoC, the Pixel Visual Core, intended for imaging and AI. For now it's not enabled, but will be with the release of Android 8.1 within a few weeks enabling other as-yet-unannounced applications. Pretty shocking IMO that Google would keep this under cover. Almost anyone else would have been bragging about it before their product was even officially revealed. To be clear the photos you see posted from the Pixel 2's are NOT currently making use of Google's custom silicone, so is even better a possibility?
I didn't read all that, but pretty sure the only time you mentioned the Pixel 2 XL's larger, sharper screen was as a negative, which is ridiculous. The resolution and use of OLED almost certainly makes it better than the iPhone 8 Plus's (I'll admit I haven't used either, but do have both QHD OLED devices and True Tone devices at home and I know which I prefer.)
Also, in real world use that 4GB of RAM will likely be absolutely fine. It certainly is on my S7 Edge, a phone which runs basically just as fast as my iPad Pro 10.5 for all intents and purposes.
The Pixel 2 XL is overpriced, but this article looks to be seriously biased.
Didn't read the article and its fact-based observations, claims its biased nonetheless. Classic.
Read some of it, only commented on the bits which I did read. I'm sure there are fair arguments in there, in fact I read some, but some of them clearly were either biased or just show the author doesn't know what they're talking about. And I'm just as qualified (or unqualified) to talk about this stuff, as I have the same job.
A pox on Apple's and Google's houses on this one.....but there's more
Google should be embarrassed by releasing two or three year old hardware that's still incredibly prone to breakage.
Apple should get off their high-horse on "slimness" and "shininess" and produce something that does not shatter when you set it back-face-down on a kitchen countertop.
Leave it to Samsung to build something that actually fulfills these conditions, in the form of the S8 Active.
Leave it to Samsung and American cell phone companies to then royally screw that up by making an "unlocked", CDMA-GSM-UMTS-LTE device, unavailable on Verizon and not easily switchable among the other major carriers.
Is there anyone that has the will to get it right with mobile tech? The technology is definitely there.....pity about the decision-making.
I just stick with my only non-Apple device, my three year old Galaxy Note 4, on the grounds that I'll keep it until it breaks which will probably be after any of these newer devices break on account of how sturdy it is--of course until it gets more and more discriminated against on Verizon's network for only supporting two LTE bands, only one of which works on AT&T and T-Mobile and none on Sprint.
Comments
My only complaint about DED’s writing continues to be that he is guilty of the same one-sided fanboyism for which he criticizes other writers. I have never seen him acknowledge, let alone criticize, anything negative Apple has ever done, and he seems incapable of even faking a modicum of impartiality in his writing.
This is is a shame, because otherwise his pieces are very detailed and incisive, delivering far greater depth and historical context than we see from the vast majority of tech bloggers.
Google boasts a lot of smart new technology every year, yet its funny how the vast majority of these technologies, services, and products are abandoned within a year or two after utter commercial failure. And of course there’s the elephant in the room of Google’s shady business model and disdain for user privacy.
I will make one other comment that's not really Pixel specific. Like is sometimes said about iPhones I think the Pixels would benefit from being just slightly thicker, as would some other recent flagships. All these companies are being so anal about "thin".
EDIT: There was one other product there that was not as expected: The older Google Home introduced a year or more ago. As is typical Verizon had music playing in the background, and I didn't really pay much attention to it at first As I was leaving I noticed the music was via that old Google Home. I've heard Amazon's original Echo a number of times and it's OK, but thios is the first time I'd heard last year's Google product. The Google Home sounded much better than the Echo IMO, more bass-y and a fuller sound. Noticeably so. At a current price of $109 it might be worth a look.
There is the benchmarks of the processors and then the actual experience of the phones. Google figured out how to resolve the slight lag that had been with Android. You notice it when you both an iPhone and Android. If always used Android I do not think you would notice.
I had used iPhone since the 3 and had pretty much every model. I prefer Android over iOS but the touch lag of Android bothered me and think that is only because of the iPhone. So the Pixel is about perfect because you get the feel of an iPhone and I get Android. The better camera is important to me but it is Google removing the touch lag is the biggest thing that drives why I am a fan of the Pixel.
Then there is just several posts on here that are actually disillusional because of some bizarre love of Apple. I honestly feel like some on here would take a bullet for Apple. I find it fascination and major, major kudos to Apple. I am a long time Apple hardware user from pretty early with the Mac and all the other Apple products. Heck I have an Apple HiFi in the basement. Probably dip sip the kool-aide a bit but never chugged it and then poured it all over myself and then took a bath in it.
Google should be embarrassed by releasing two or three year old hardware that's still incredibly prone to breakage.
Apple should get off their high-horse on "slimness" and "shininess" and produce something that does not shatter when you set it back-face-down on a kitchen countertop.
Leave it to Samsung to build something that actually fulfills these conditions, in the form of the S8 Active.
Leave it to Samsung and American cell phone companies to then royally screw that up by making an "unlocked", CDMA-GSM-UMTS-LTE device, unavailable on Verizon and not easily switchable among the other major carriers.
Is there anyone that has the will to get it right with mobile tech? The technology is definitely there.....pity about the decision-making.
I just stick with my only non-Apple device, my three year old Galaxy Note 4, on the grounds that I'll keep it until it breaks which will probably be after any of these newer devices break on account of how sturdy it is--of course until it gets more and more discriminated against on Verizon's network for only supporting two LTE bands, only one of which works on AT&T and T-Mobile and none on Sprint.