Had my doubts BUT..

[Aquila]

For charging in the car I honestly just use a DC to AC converter and then just plug the pixel charger directly into that.

 

[Preach2k]

My Fast Car charger I had for my Note 7 works just fine with my Pixel XL. I also use the Note 7 plug as my backup plug at work.

 

[hamsterwheel]

I've worked with Nathan to explore issues with car chargers, in fact it was my specific issue with the Belkin product that Google promotes that has (hopefully) gotten that product taken off the Google Store. You can spelunk the related threads on Nathan's Google+ page for the gory details. As an example of how thorough Nathan is, he actually took the Belkin product to a Toyota dealer just to try-out that charger in my specific car (FR-S). Very dedicated fellow that Nathan. Benson also weighed-in on my issue.

When using wall chargers, if you are not concerned with getting the fastest charging times via the new Power Delivery (PD) technology, there are plenty of safe ways of going. Using Google's cable and adapters with quality wall chargers will work fine. You won't get the best of what Pixel has to offer (PD) unless you get a PD charger. If you intend to go that route, I'd recommend just buying Google's charger - that's what I did after trying to find more affordable alternatives. The Google product is beautifully built, and is not a bad deal, IMO.

Regarding car chargers, there were no Nathan/Benson approved PD chargers as of my last exposure to this world (pre-Holidays). Car chargers that were previously "approved" were being re-checked and were failing on second examination. Again, existing quality chargers using Googles cables or adapters will safely work fine, sans the fast PD charging speed.

Again, maybe something has changed in the past few weeks - I haven't had the time to stay connected with Nathan on this stuff. Suffice it to say, this has been a challenging aspect of being a Pixel owner.

Thanks for the info, glad to know I can use my old chargers - I'll use them with the cables that came with the phone which should be good

 

[Matty]

As soon as i saw your post hamsterwheel, i was like, isn't she from Crackberry? and an Ambassador but she is speaking about owning 2 android devices previously.. So i was rather confused haha

It's always nice when your husband or wife surprises you with a lovely new phone for Christmas. The Pixel is definitely one of my top 3 favourite phones. I just love it so much, but i love $600+ in my bank account more haha. Hope you enjoy your new Pixel hamsterwheel!

 

[hamsterwheel]

As soon as i saw your post hamsterwheel, i was like, isn't she from Crackberry? and an Ambassador but she is speaking about owning 2 android devices previously.. So i was rather confused haha

It's always nice when your husband or wife surprises you with a lovely new phone for Christmas. The Pixel is definitely one of my top 3 favourite phones. I just love it so much, but i love $600+ in my bank account more haha. Hope you enjoy your new Pixel hamsterwheel!

Hi Matty! Lol yeah , I really did enjoy my BlackBerries, but you know it was time to move on..... I am still using the BB Virtual KB though. By far the best kb in my opinion

 

[LeoRex]

Can't you use that overnight? Sorry if I misunderstood the question

DON'T CHARGE OVERNIGHT!!!!!

Yes, there is circuitry to prevent the possibility of your battery overcharging and going all spitzen-sparken... but... if you make it a habit to leave the phone, fully charged, plugged into the charger for extended periods of time, the battery will begin to degrade quicker than it would if you took it off as soon as it was charged.

Think of it this way... These batteries have a finite number of charge cycles in them. Once you hit that duty cycle limit, the cells start to lose their ability to hold a full charge. Now, a partial charge, say 40-80, reduces that count by a fraction of what charging from 5% to 100% does. One practice that also increases the 'wear' on the cells is leaving a fully charged phone on the charger.... the LiPo chemistry gets a little stressed when it is taking a charge near its saturation charge (i.e. full charge), so it's best to take it off the charger as soon as it hits 100%.

 

[Jeremy8000]

I've worked with Nathan to explore issues with car chargers, in fact it was my specific issue with the Belkin product that Google promotes that has (hopefully) gotten that product taken off the Google Store. You can spelunk the related threads on Nathan's Google+ page for the gory details. As an example of how thorough Nathan is, he actually took the Belkin product to a Toyota dealer just to try-out that charger in my specific car (FR-S). Very dedicated fellow that Nathan. Benson also weighed-in on my issue.

I had that Belkin car charger. From my perspective, it worked fine except for one thing... If you leave your phone connected to it when the vehicle is turned off and no power is supplied to the 12v outlet, it reverses current flow and actually uses the phone's battery to attempt to charge the outlet. I watched it drain about 1% / minute for 10 minutes and came to the conclusion it was worth getting rid of due to the possibility (?) of damage to the outlet/electrical system and because the first time I forgot my phone in my car I'd likely come back to it being fully drained.

For now, using a properly spec'd USB-A -> USB-C cable with my old 12v QC charger from my Nexus 6, still charges quite rapidly.

 

[Blumini06]

DON'T CHARGE OVERNIGHT!!!!!

Yes, there is circuitry to prevent the possibility of your battery overcharging and going all spitzen-sparken... but... if you make it a habit to leave the phone, fully charged, plugged into the charger for extended periods of time, the battery will begin to degrade quicker than it would if you took it off as soon as it was charged.

Think of it this way... These batteries have a finite number of charge cycles in them. Once you hit that duty cycle limit, the cells start to lose their ability to hold a full charge. Now, a partial charge, say 40-80, reduces that count by a fraction of what charging from 5% to 100% does. One practice that also increases the 'wear' on the cells is leaving a fully charged phone on the charger.... the LiPo chemistry gets a little stressed when it is taking a charge near its saturation charge (i.e. full charge), so it's best to take it off the charger as soon as it hits 100%.

Is this applies to all Lithium Batteries?

 

[billykac]

I had that Belkin car charger. From my perspective, it worked fine except for one thing... If you leave your phone connected to it when the vehicle is turned off and no power is supplied to the 12v outlet, it reverses current flow and actually uses the phone's battery to attempt to charge the outlet. I watched it drain about 1% / minute for 10 minutes and came to the conclusion it was worth getting rid of due to the possibility (?) of damage to the outlet/electrical system and because the first time I forgot my phone in my car I'd likely come back to it being fully drained.

For now, using a properly spec'd USB-A -> USB-C cable with my old 12v QC charger from my Nexus 6, still charges quite rapidly.

I had two of the Belkins. Both shorted from the center plunger to the side. I blew a bunch of fuses. Then I contacted Nathan. Really surprising that Belkin would produce such a bad product.

 

[anthonium]

I really think my only gripe with the Pixel (if it can even be considered a gripe) is how often iPhone using colleagues and friends of mine pick it up and try to click on the home click button that doesn't exist followed by "what phone is this? it looks just like the iPhone". After I tell them what it is they just say "wow Google really copied the iPhone". I've heard this so many times! Grates on my nerves...Pardon the rant.

 

[Almeuit]

I really think my only gripe with the Pixel (if it can even be considered a gripe) is how often iPhone using colleagues and friends of mine pick it up and try to click on the home click button that doesn't exist followed by "what phone is this? it looks just like the iPhone". After I tell them what it is they just say "wow Google really copied the iPhone". I've heard this so many times! Grates on my nerves...Pardon the rant.

Lol. I have a case on mine so most can't see it -- Even so it is funny they think that Android didn't have a phone like this before. It makes sense though as most aren't phone people. Since HTC built this thing you can see the resemblance of the previous HTC devices in it.

 

[Wiley_11]

I really think my only gripe with the Pixel (if it can even be considered a gripe) is how often iPhone using colleagues and friends of mine pick it up and try to click on the home click button that doesn't exist followed by "what phone is this? it looks just like the iPhone". After I tell them what it is they just say "wow Google really copied the iPhone". I've heard this so many times! Grates on my nerves...Pardon the rant.

I predict a lawsuit!...........

 

[LeoRex]

Is this applies to all Lithium Batteries?

Yes, it's the nature of the chemistry. There are some applications where they set '100%' to a level lower... Some radios designed for first responders, where the thing might be sitting in the charger for extended periods, have batteries kept at 80% their true full charge to reduce the chance of a unit going out with a tired battery.

Many (most?) phones actually push things up to the absolute maximum voltage, to squeeze a few more mAh out of the cell, at the cost of life span.

 

[Blumini06]

Yes, it's the nature of the chemistry. There are some applications where they set '100%' to a level lower... Some radios designed for first responders, where the thing might be sitting in the charger for extended periods, have batteries kept at 80% their true full charge to reduce the chance of a unit going out with a tired battery.

Many (most?) phones actually push things up to the absolute maximum voltage, to squeeze a few more mAh out of the cell, at the cost of life span.

Thank you for clarification!

 

[Nine54]

Totally agree that's what a phone should be! I'll get used to the bezels I'm sure

I think you will. While I'll admit that the bezels seem rather large and unnecessary based on photos, now that I own a Pixel, I actually like them. I think ergonomics have taken too much of a back seat to aesthetics. Yes, the Edge screen and these new minimal-bezel designs look cool, but unless all you do is watch videos, they seem like form over function. Maybe I haven't spent enough time with it, but I find the Edge awkward to hold even with a case.

With the Pixel, it feels like Google and HTC actually paid attention to ergonomics. The bezels allow the on-screen buttons and keyboard to be closer to where your thumb actually rests and helps avoid the awkward repositioning required to tap buttons or keys that are closer to the bottom bezel. Sure, some of this might vary from person to person based on hand size, but I just don't know how we're expected to hold these "bezel-less" phones.

In addition to the bezels, I think the device thickness contributes to the ergonomics as well. First, the device is thinner than it looks in photos thanks to the taper, but it's definitely not the thinnest device in the world. Yet, I find that the slight thickness makes it more comfortable in hand. I think my S6 is a great-looking device, but I find it uncomfortable to use for very long without a case. On the other hand, I could use a Pixel without a case, though the Spigen Rugged Armor case I have on it makes it even more comfortable and provides a more confident grip.

Lastly, I didn't really like the design of the Pixel based on photos and videos, but it's definitely better in person. The metal-and-glass/plastic back design looks more cohesive in person. It's definitely still an understated design, but the phone nevertheless looks nice and feels well-made. And while I don't think camera bumps are a huge deal, I actually appreciate that Google sought to eliminate it with a slight taper.

The bottom line is that a lot of fuss was made over the bezels. I don't know how average consumers feel about them, but I doubt they care as much as enthusiasts. And while maybe it would have been nice if the bezel housed a speaker or something, but if a design element is there for ergonomic reasons, then it's unfair to say it's unnecessary. We carry and hold our phones more than any other device, and I'd really like to see manufacturers focus more on ergonomics and comfort...not to mention fragility (e.g., Edge screens).

 

[mountainman]

DON'T CHARGE OVERNIGHT!!!!!

Yes, there is circuitry to prevent the possibility of your battery overcharging and going all spitzen-sparken... but... if you make it a habit to leave the phone, fully charged, plugged into the charger for extended periods of time, the battery will begin to degrade quicker than it would if you took it off as soon as it was charged.

Think of it this way... These batteries have a finite number of charge cycles in them. Once you hit that duty cycle limit, the cells start to lose their ability to hold a full charge. Now, a partial charge, say 40-80, reduces that count by a fraction of what charging from 5% to 100% does. One practice that also increases the 'wear' on the cells is leaving a fully charged phone on the charger.... the LiPo chemistry gets a little stressed when it is taking a charge near its saturation charge (i.e. full charge), so it's best to take it off the charger as soon as it hits 100%.

This is simply not true.

You can charge overnight and it can sit at 100% all night with no ill effects. Don't want to get into a pissing match, just want people to have the correct info.

 

[LeoRex]

, just want people to have the correct info.

As do I. Holding LiPo cells at their saturation voltage for extended periods of time shortens their lifespan. Anyone telling you otherwise is sorely mistaken.

 

[Aquila]

As do I. Holding LiPo cells at their saturation voltage for extended periods of time shortens their lifespan. Anyone telling you otherwise is sorely mistaken.

You are correct but Han shot first.

 

[Wiley_11]

As do I. Holding LiPo cells at their saturation voltage for extended periods of time shortens their lifespan. Anyone telling you otherwise is sorely mistaken.

I have a ~5 year old Note 2 and a ~6 year old Netbook that begs to differ............

 

[LeoRex]

Here

https://accubattery.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/210224725-Charging-research-and-methodology

It's an excellent summary of some research done on the subject. Anecdotal evidence aside, this is based on verified testing data and research on lithium batteries.