I Love this Freakin' Thing!

[billykac]

I'm currently back on a note 3 because that was the hand-me-down that was available in the house... It has been less janky than the 4, 5 OR 7....it's Android 5.0! I'm tempted to keep it except the camera is awful.

Don't know if you are looking to get a Pixel, but I've owned the N5 and N7 and neither have the smoothness and touch response of the Pixel. While I've never owned an N3 so I can't compare for you, but I can only imagine the Pixel can easily best a 3-year old N3 on these fronts.

 

[jimd1050]

You are 100% on target. After being a Nexus snob for years, looking down my nose at the lowly Samsung ecosystem, I bought a Note 5 and really went all in on Samsung. I saw the Samsung shortcomings: too many half-baked features, poor update support and more, but still, I loved the hardware. The N7 just blew me away and I continued (briefly) on my Samsung path. Samsung Pay, Fit2 and everything.

But, it was the way they handled the N7 issues that really turned me away. I am fully aware that some people are comfortable with the way Samsung handled the recalls, but I am not in that group. They lost my trust 100%.

Thankfully, along comes the Pixel. Amazing luck timing-wise for Google.

Does the Pixel best the N7 on the hardware front? Not at all. The N7 is quite the pinnacle of design for 2016, IMO. The Pixel is rather plain in comparison, design-wise. But the actual use of the Pixel far exceeds the N5/N7 in it's elegant integration/execution. No comparison actually. The Pixel feels like a an integrated product optimized for ease of use of powerful features, it doesn't feel like the mish/mash of too many questionable features that Samsung products felt like to me.

Thanks Billy - I'm ready for that! The price is "out there" as many have stated, but I always just buy what I want. I think we've reached a time where all the companies will now push the "latest and greatest" to the "highest priced" and hope they will sell. I will NEVER buy an iPhone and they sell for big $ - people just flock to the stores as soon as they are introduced, before they are even reviewed. I have no problem with my Pixel purchase... I just wish it were in my hands!

 

[SugarMouth]

I'm currently back on a note 3 because that was the hand-me-down that was available in the house... It has been less janky than the 4, 5 OR 7....it's Android 5.0! I'm tempted to keep it except the camera is awful.

Yeah its crazy, the Note 3 has iPhone like scrolling and my 5 is a mess.

 

[billykac]

Halloween pix I took are crazy good. I did nothing special - my typical pumpkin pix, autumn pix, etc., but the results are so much better than my Note 7 and Note 5, it's actually immediately noticeable.

Interesting how important a phone-based camera has become for me. The Pixel camera is the simplest, fastest camera yet for me, and I find that I find excuses to take pictures every chance I get. Knowing that there's no consideration needed for storage, shooting is more carefree than ever before.

 

[Bertolus]

Thanks Billy - I'm ready for that! The price is "out there" as many have stated, but I always just buy what I want. I think we've reached a time where all the companies will now push the "latest and greatest" to the "highest priced" and hope they will sell. I will NEVER buy an iPhone and they sell for big $ - people just flock to the stores as soon as they are introduced, before they are even reviewed. I have no problem with my Pixel purchase... I just wish it were in my hands!

It's because iPhone users simply can always rely on a great quality product. The same can't be said for Samsung and the likes. The Pixel quality as a first generation product will have to be proven over time.

 

[Ry]

Halloween pix I took are crazy good. I did nothing special - my typical pumpkin pix, autumn pix, etc., but the results are so much better than my Note 7 and Note 5, it's actually immediately noticeable.

Interesting how important a phone-based camera has become for me. The Pixel camera is the simplest, fastest camera yet for me, and I find that I find excuses to take pictures every chance I get. Knowing that there's no consideration needed for storage, shooting is more carefree than ever before.

Best camera is the one on you - and for most folks, the only camera will be their smartphone camera.

 

[jimd1050]

Halloween pix I took are crazy good. I did nothing special - my typical pumpkin pix, autumn pix, etc., but the results are so much better than my Note 7 and Note 5, it's actually immediately noticeable.

Interesting how important a phone-based camera has become for me. The Pixel camera is the simplest, fastest camera yet for me, and I find that I find excuses to take pictures every chance I get. Knowing that there's no consideration needed for storage, shooting is more carefree than ever before.

Billy, did you try an S7 Edge for a while?

 

[billykac]

Billy, did you try an S7 Edge for a while?

Nope. Prior to the Pixel XL was a Note 7, Note 5, LG G2, and various Nexus's.

 

[jimd1050]

Nope. Prior to the Pixel XL was a Note 7, Note 5, LG G2, and various Nexus's.

I've loved everything you've had to say about the Pixel XL, however, the one major thing you have going for you is you're with Verizon. Mine (would have been coming from) Google and been activated on AT&T, so I won't be getting the HD Voice, and WiFi calling options. Couple that with numerous threads of people sending Pixels back because of Dropped Call problems, Bluetooth connectivity issues, Halo effect on Pictures. Another guy had multiple problems but could be related to his Fi network - not sure. I chickened out and canceled my order this evening Billy! Gonna sit on the Note 5 for a while, go to my AT&T Store and fool with the S7 Edge - everyone says it's a Note 7 with no pen. If that's true, maybe I'll buy one and use it to carry me through until the Note "Next" comes out. I really shouldn't give Samsung ANY loyalty after what they've done to us but I AM TIRED! REALLY TIRED! 66 YEARS OLD TIRED!

 

[andrew_ackley]

I've loved everything you've had to say about the Pixel XL, however, the one major thing you have going for you is you're with Verizon. Mine (would have been coming from) Google and been activated on AT&T, so I won't be getting the HD Voice, and WiFi calling options. Couple that with numerous threads of people sending Pixels back because of Dropped Call problems, Bluetooth connectivity issues, Halo effect on Pictures. Another guy had multiple problems but could be related to his Fi network - not sure. I chickened out and canceled my order this evening Billy! Gonna sit on the Note 5 for a while, go to my AT&T Store and fool with the S7 Edge - everyone says it's a Note 7 with no pen. If that's true, maybe I'll buy one and use it to carry me through until the next Note comes out. I really shouldn't give Samsung ANY loyalty after what they've done to us but I AM TIRED! REALLY TIRED! 66 YEARS OLD TIRED!

View attachment 244704

The s7 edge is nice don't get me wrong, but it is no note 7 minus the pen. Trust me. Stick with the note 5!

 

[WeAreAllUnique]

The s7 edge is nice don't get me wrong, but it is no note 7 minus the pen. Trust me. Stick with the note 5!

How so?

 

[Applejunkie66]

I'm hanging with my Pixel XL. Thought several times about returning it because of the BT issues with my car but gonna keep my fingers crossed that Google addresses this soon. I even tried to use my Note 7 after having used the Pixel XL for 14 days. Just couldn't do it. This thing is too slick and fast. What's strange about the BT is I can wear my headset in my house and go all upstairs and much further away from phone than I could with my Note 7. But in my car, it's hit or miss. Maybe I need to call Honda...and it may be a Nougat issue (7.1) and not a Pixel issue...

 

[WeAreAllUnique]

I'm hanging with my Pixel XL. Thought several times about returning it because of the BT issues with my car but gonna keep my fingers crossed that Google addresses this soon. I even tried to use my Note 7 after having used the Pixel XL for 14 days. Just couldn't do it. This thing is too slick and fast. What's strange about the BT is I can wear my headset in my house and go all upstairs and much further away from phone than I could with my Note 7. But in my car, it's hit or miss. Maybe I need to call Honda...and it may be a Nougat issue (7.1) and not a Pixel issue...

I never had Bluetooth issues until I got the Pixel. The text message notifications drove me insane.

 

[matty032]

I love this freaking thing. No Bluetooth issues so far.

 

[Applejunkie66]

Some units just may not be compatible with Nougat yet

 

[Desertnate]

Another very satisfied owner of a Pixel here.

I'm coming from a Galaxy S5, which even when new didn't impress me much. Comparing the two phones is like comparing a YMCA youth league baseball team to the Indians or Cubs. Where the Galaxy S5 was a poorly built, inconsistently performing, Touchwiz mess, the Pixel is fast, smooth, and well built device.

The stand-outs for me is the fast performance actions in/out of apps, amazing battery life, and a good signal reception. I'm on AT&T, so I don't get VOLTE or WiFi Calling, but on my S5 Wifi Calling never worked properly and VOLTE actually caused a higher number of dropped calls, so I'm not really missing anything. Call quality in one instance was a little rough, but that could have been a host of issues outside of the phone.

To date, I'm still running the Pixel Launcher and have no issues with it. At some point I'll probably put get bored of the icons and start running Nova again, but right now I'm happy. On the S5 I was running Nova within hours of buying the phone.

Camera performance, body design, and fingerprint scanning don't matter to me, but I am really enjoying the size of the phone. The dimensions are almost perfect for use with one hand and it fits easily in any trouser pocket.

Two weeks in, I too am a very happy camper.

 

[jimd1050]

The s7 edge is nice don't get me wrong, but it is no note 7 minus the pen. Trust me. Stick with the note 5!

Maybe what I'm better off doing is waiting to see if AT&T is indeed going to carry the Pixel/Pixel XL and have their own options for it. Then I could just get it from them! If not, just run the Note 5 until the Samsung Note Next arrives!

 

[ihbsbA]

have to agree with this.. the camera is blowing my MIND...

 

[billykac]

I am still just finding excuses to take pictures - every chance I get.

 

[billykac]

I posted in another thread that the call quality is stellar on the Pixel. I've discovered this over the past week+ of ownership.

It's readily apparent to me and the person to whom I am speaking. It's very present and life-like. On-speaker, it's like they are in the room.

Nice. Didn't expect this.