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Google Pixel 3 and 3 XL Announced With Bigger Screens and Best Cameras Yet (theverge.com)
Google on Tuesday unveiled the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL, its latest flagship Android smartphones. "For life on the go, we designed the world's best camera and put it in the world's most helpful phone," said Google's hardware chief Rick Osterloh. From a report: The Pixel 3 starts at $799 for 64GB, with the 3 XL costing $899. Add $100 to either for the 128GB storage option. Core specs for both include a Snapdragon 845, 4GB RAM (there's no option for more), Bluetooth 5.0, and front-facing stereo speakers. Also inside is a new Titan M security chip, which Google says provides "on-device protection for login credentials, disk encryption, app data, and the integrity of the operating system." Preorders for both phones begin today, and buyers will get six months of free YouTube Music service.
The Pixel 3 and 3 XL both feature larger screens than last year's models thanks to slimmed down bezels -- and the controversial notch in the case of the bigger phone. The 3 XL has a 6.3-inch display (up from six inches on the 2 XL), while the regular 3 has a 5.5-inch screen (up from five inches). Overall, though, the actual phones are very similar in size and handling to their direct predecessors. Google has stuck with a single rear 12.2-megapixel camera on both phones, continuing to resist the dual-camera industry trend. But it's a different story up front. Both the Pixel 3 and 3 XL have two front-facing cameras; one of them offers a wider field of view for getting more people or a greater sense of your surroundings into a selfie. [...] A new Top Shot option will select the best image from a burst series of shots. Like Samsung's Galaxy Note 9, it will weed out pictures that are blurry or snaps where someone blinked. Super Res Zoom uses multiple frames and AI to deliver a sharper final photo even without optical zoom. There's another interesting feature on the new Pixel handsets: To help you avoid calls from scammers, Google is adding Call Screen to the Pixel, a new option that appears when you receive a phone call. Whenever someone calls you, you can tap a "Screen call" button, and a robot voice will pick up. "The person you're calling is using a screening service, and will get a copy of this conversation. Go ahead and say your name, and why you're calling," the Google bot will say. As the caller responds, the digital assistant will transcribe the caller's message for you. If you need more information, you can use one of the feature's canned responses, which include, "Tell me more," and "Who is this?" There is an accept and reject call button that's on-screen, so you can hang up or take the call at any time.
The Pixel 3 and 3 XL both feature larger screens than last year's models thanks to slimmed down bezels -- and the controversial notch in the case of the bigger phone. The 3 XL has a 6.3-inch display (up from six inches on the 2 XL), while the regular 3 has a 5.5-inch screen (up from five inches). Overall, though, the actual phones are very similar in size and handling to their direct predecessors. Google has stuck with a single rear 12.2-megapixel camera on both phones, continuing to resist the dual-camera industry trend. But it's a different story up front. Both the Pixel 3 and 3 XL have two front-facing cameras; one of them offers a wider field of view for getting more people or a greater sense of your surroundings into a selfie. [...] A new Top Shot option will select the best image from a burst series of shots. Like Samsung's Galaxy Note 9, it will weed out pictures that are blurry or snaps where someone blinked. Super Res Zoom uses multiple frames and AI to deliver a sharper final photo even without optical zoom. There's another interesting feature on the new Pixel handsets: To help you avoid calls from scammers, Google is adding Call Screen to the Pixel, a new option that appears when you receive a phone call. Whenever someone calls you, you can tap a "Screen call" button, and a robot voice will pick up. "The person you're calling is using a screening service, and will get a copy of this conversation. Go ahead and say your name, and why you're calling," the Google bot will say. As the caller responds, the digital assistant will transcribe the caller's message for you. If you need more information, you can use one of the feature's canned responses, which include, "Tell me more," and "Who is this?" There is an accept and reject call button that's on-screen, so you can hang up or take the call at any time.
Whenever someone calls you, you can tap a "Screen call" button, and a robot voice will pick up. "The person you're calling is using a screening service, and will get a copy of this conversation.
I've had this feature for ages with a voicemail service and it doesn't even require action on my part. I just don't answer the call. If it's a known telemarketer or scam it will be automatically blocked and receive a recording indicating that the number is no longer in service. If they leave a message I get a transcript of the message they leave and can respond (or not) at my convenience. I very rarely answer my phone if it is a number not already in my address book. Spam calls get added to a blacklist which is then shared with other users of the service similar to email spam filters.
This feature from Google sounds fine but it also sounds like unnecessary work. I'd rather just not answer the call since that is less work for me.
Call screen sounds nice and all but something I would actually use is an automated robot that would be super mean to the whoever was calling, or (it being Google and all) hack a robodialer to kill the servers it uses for the day at least, maybe calling the number back 10 thousand times or so on my behalf...
No, we don't need it to be super mean. We need super polite and super "interested" in learning more. Whenever I get a call and have nothing better to do (maybe I'm in the middle of prepping dinner) I just sit there and string them along, sometimes for 10 or 20 minutes before the gig is finally up and they realize I'm just screwing with them. We need an automated system to do this for us. Tie up their resources and make their business less profitable
If the Titan chip is designed also to kill off root, it's a deal breaker.
"Forget the engineers." -Carly Fiorina, briber of MIT Technology Review.
Hi,
Many of you are complaining about Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL for lack of 3.5 mm headphone jack, maximum 4 GB RAM, starting price $799, ugly notch, lack of storage expandability, non-removable battery and so on. Please understand that our team is very smart and busy copying all the features of iPhone and we have done an excellent job. If you have any complaint, please send it to Tim Cook. Once Apple fixes some of those, we will gladly fix them as well. The only thing we did different is that we put two cameras in the front instead of in the back as narcissistic Android users like selfies over regular photography.
Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google
Yet another worthless phone lacking an SD card slot.
Not only does a MicroSD slot provide the ability to add additional storage later in life without buying a new phone, but it provides a mean to back one's phone up in the event of a hardware failure (has happened to me twice). Don't give me that "just use the cloud" bullshit... if you don't know by now why that's not a reasonable solution, you don't even belong on Slashdot.