Pixel Stand Sunrise Alarm

[andrew_ackley]

Hey everyone I've been thinking about buying the pixel stand. I always have a hard time waking up in the mornings. I think I would like the sunrise alarm. Does anyone have experience with it? I haven't been able to find much of any kind of demonstration and no words on whether it works well or not.

Thanks everyone.

 

[Mike Dee]

It just brightens up the screen with an orange glow.

 

[HyperM3]

Hey everyone I've been thinking about buying the pixel stand. I always have a hard time waking up in the mornings. I think I would like the sunrise alarm. Does anyone have experience with it? I haven't been able to find much of any kind of demonstration and no words on whether it works well or not.

Thanks everyone.

I really like the stand. It charges the phone very fast and holds it at just the right angle(horizontal or vertical).

I have found that the sunrise alarm actually wakes me up before the alarm goes off. Apparently it kicks in around 15 minutes before the alarm. I know this because apparently Im pretty sensitive to it and wake up as soon as the screen lights up.

I did notice that it will not work if the phone is not locked by you. By that I mean, if you are playing with the phone and then just put it on the stand, the screensaver clock comes on. This mode hinders anything the phone can do with the stand, including the sunrise alarm and all the assistant options. So before you put it on the stand, you need the physically hit the power button to lock the phone.

 

[Mike Dee]

I really like the stand. It charges the phone very fast and holds it at just the right angle(horizontal or vertical).

I have found that the sunrise alarm actually wakes me up before the alarm goes off. Apparently it kicks in around 15 minutes before the alarm. I know this because apparently Im pretty sensitive to it and wake up as soon as the screen lights up.

I did notice that it will not work if the phone is not locked by you. By that I mean, if you are playing with the phone and then just put it on the stand, the screensaver clock comes on. This mode hinders anything the phone can do with the stand, including the sunrise alarm and all the assistant options. So before you put it on the stand, you need the physically hit the power button to lock the phone.

I guess I don't notice it because I face the opposite side when I'm sleeping.

 

[HyperM3]

I guess I don't notice it because I face the opposite side when I'm sleeping.

I suppose it depends how dark your room is to begin with. I have blackout shades so once the screen lights up, you can see it in the whole room. If you have light in your room already, I can see how this wouldnt help so much.

 

[Mike Dee]

I suppose it depends how dark your room is to begin with. I have blackout shades so once the screen lights up, you can see it in the whole room. If you have light in your room already, I can see how this wouldnt help so much.

It's dark but everyone is different. I can sleep through daylight....lol

 

[Robisan]

By that I mean, if you are playing with the phone and then just put it on the stand, the screensaver clock comes on. This mode hinders anything the phone can do with the stand, including the sunrise alarm and all the assistant options.

If I'm reading this right, putting an unlocked phone on the Pixel Stand makes the phone less functional (i.e. more locked) than a regularly locked phone on the stand. You're saying there are fewer (or no) assistant functions when putting an unlocked phone on the stand? That seems odd and I wonder what the logic is behind that.

 

[HyperM3]

If I'm reading this right, putting an unlocked phone on the Pixel Stand makes the phone less functional (i.e. more locked) than a regularly locked phone on the stand. You're saying there are fewer (or no) assistant functions when putting an unlocked phone on the stand? That seems odd and I wonder what the logic is behind that.

Yes, its just like that. Lets say you have your phone set to stay unlocked for 30 seconds, if you put your phone on the stand at 10 seconds while still open, in 20 seconds the phone will go to the clock screensaver(or whatever you have set). At this point, you have no actionable functions of the stand mating to the phone. No assistant button, no lockscreen notifications, no quick assistant button....you get the point. Unless.....if you physically lock your phone before you put it on the stand, then you get all the features.

As Im writing this however, Im realizing I have my phone smart lock set to stay unlocked while at my house(location). Im wondering if this has anything to do with what Im experiencing and if you didnt have the smart lock set, then would automatic locking actually happen while on the stand???

 

[Mike Dee]

Yes, its just like that. Lets say you have your phone set to stay unlocked for 30 seconds, if you put your phone on the stand at 10 seconds while still open, in 20 seconds the phone will go to the clock screensaver(or whatever you have set). At this point, you have no actionable functions of the stand mating to the phone. No assistant button, no lockscreen notifications, no quick assistant button....you get the point. Unless.....if you physically lock your phone before you put it on the stand, then you get all the features.

As Im writing this however, Im realizing I have my phone smart lock set to stay unlocked while at my house(location). Im wondering if this has anything to do with what Im experiencing and if you didnt have the smart lock set, then would automatic locking actually happen while on the stand???

I'll have to pay more attention to it's behavior because I really didn't notice

 

[Robisan]

Yes, its just like that. Lets say you have your phone set to stay unlocked for 30 seconds, if you put your phone on the stand at 10 seconds while still open, in 20 seconds the phone will go to the clock screensaver(or whatever you have set). At this point, you have no actionable functions of the stand mating to the phone. No assistant button, no lockscreen notifications, no quick assistant button....you get the point. Unless.....if you physically lock your phone before you put it on the stand, then you get all the features.

As Im writing this however, Im realizing I have my phone smart lock set to stay unlocked while at my house(location). Im wondering if this has anything to do with what Im experiencing and if you didnt have the smart lock set, then would automatic locking actually happen while on the stand???

Ok, thx. Very strange. As I've mentioned elsewhere IMO there should at least be an option to make the Pixel Stand itself a Trusted Device so you can have full voice assistant functionality on the stand if you so choose.

 

[HyperM3]

Ok, thx. Very strange. As I've mentioned elsewhere IMO there should at least be an option to make the Pixel Stand itself a Trusted Device so you can have full voice assistant functionality on the stand if you so choose.

So, you actually do. If you make the stand a trusted device, then it will stay unlocked and defeat the purpose of everything I mentioned the stand can do. Once the device is in the locked status and put on the stand, you have a button for the voice assistant functionality. If you are talking about actual voice detection assistant, I havent tried it but I think it sets it to be able to work. I will try when I get home tonight.

 

[PaulQ]

So you're saying you need to lock your phone before you put in on the stand? That's a minor inconvenience that should not exist in a Google-branded stand. You should be able to go from using your phone to dropping it onto the stand without the extra step of locking your phone. I guess I just need to get into the habit.

 

[HyperM3]

So you're saying you need to lock your phone before you put in on the stand? That's a minor inconvenience that should not exist in a Google-branded stand. You should be able to go from using your phone to dropping it onto the stand without the extra step of locking your phone. I guess I just need to get into the habit.

Ok, so I disabled my smart lock for home location and tried it on the stand. It still only when into screensaver mode after 30 seconds. Upon physically locking it, it went into google assistant mode. Also, I did try using assistant by voice, and it does work as long as its in the locked mode, not screensaver mode.

One other annoying thing with that though, once you use the assistant by voice, it stays on that screen for whatever you asked it. Then after your set lock time, the screensaver kicks back in. Basically, anytime you use the phone and want to put it on the stand, you need to lock it before you do so.

 

[Robisan]

Ok, so I disabled my smart lock for home location and tried it on the stand. It still only when into screensaver mode after 30 seconds. Upon physically locking it, it went into google assistant mode. Also, I did try using assistant by voice, and it does work as long as its in the locked mode, not screensaver mode.

One other annoying thing with that though, once you use the assistant by voice, it stays on that screen for whatever you asked it. Then after your set lock time, the screensaver kicks back in. Basically, anytime you use the phone and want to put it on the stand, you need to lock it before you do so.

This is hilarious. Phone must be locked on stand to use GA > In locked state GA is limited & will not perform any unlocked GA functions > After using GA while on stand, phone goes into screensaver mode making GA no longer available. So there's really no scenario where you're not forced to physically handle the phone > just as if it were hooked to a corded charger.

Clearly this was designed by morons who will never actually use it. Not sure what that makes me for buying one of these things...

 

[HyperM3]

This is hilarious. Phone must be locked on stand to use GA > In locked state GA is limited & will not perform any unlocked GA functions > After using GA while on stand, phone goes into screensaver mode making GA no longer available. So there's really no scenario where you're not forced to physically handle the phone > just as if it were hooked to a corded charger.

Clearly this was designed by morons who will never actually use it. Not sure what that makes me for buying one of these things...

Yeah, well, what I do really like is that it charges fast and it holds my phone in a position where I can see it in the middle of the night. And when I wake up in the middle of the night, I dont have to fiddle with plugging the cable back in.

 

[anon(10274434)]

Yeah, well, what I do really like is that it charges fast and it holds my phone in a position where I can see it in the middle of the night. And when I wake up in the middle of the night, I dont have to fiddle with plugging the cable back in.

^^THIS^^

 

[Robisan]

Yeah, well, what I do really like is that it charges fast and it holds my phone in a position where I can see it in the middle of the night. And when I wake up in the middle of the night, I dont have to fiddle with plugging the cable back in.

Of course, fast charging isn't really needed for bedside overnight, so any ~$20 wireless charging stand would work there. Do recognize there are other times where fast charging is valuable.

 

[HyperM3]

Of course, fast charging isn't really needed for bedside overnight, so any ~$20 wireless charging stand would work there. Do recognize there are other times where fast charging is valuable.

True and Im so used to locking it before I use it that its a non-issue at this point. I do like the sunrise alarm and possibly other features Im not taking advantage of.

 

[PaulQ]

Yeah, well, what I do really like is that it charges fast and it holds my phone in a position....

That's about where I have ended up in terms of identifying the use case for this stand. I am lucky I "only" paid $40 for it. I am barely above "return it" status. If I had paid $80.......... it would be in a box and on its way back to the store.

It's going to end up in my office where I may be at my desk for only 30 minutes and could use the fast charge, maybe handy being in the upright position I guess.