Would You Still Buy a Pixel?

[libra89]

To bring everyone up to date, I did go ahead and get the Pixel XL and received it last Tuesday. I'm going to use the pixel for two weeks before giving my judgement between it and the S7. First week so far has been good, but there are a few things I've noticed that I miss with the S7.

Look for my opinion next week. ??????

Welcome to the club! I'll be looking forward to hearing about your experience.

 

[libra89]

To bring everyone up to date, I did go ahead and get the Pixel XL and received it last Tuesday. I'm going to use the pixel for two weeks before giving my judgement between it and the S7. First week so far has been good, but there are a few things I've noticed that I miss with the S7.

Look for my opinion next week.

Welcome to the club! I'll be looking forward to hearing about your experience.

 

[scgf]

I just like the way the Pixel is pure Android - the S7 used to annoy me the way that there were duplicate apps from Samsung which I couldn't uninstall. I also prefer to use Tinfoil for Facebook rather than the full app which Samsung insisted on installing. I'm finding things that work on the Pixel that didn't (or not very well) on the S7. SatNav for example. While driving I found there was a slight delay with the mapping on the S7 - so the map would show me as some yards away from a junction while I was actually there - caused me a few issues with complicated junctions. The Pixel is spot on. I found CoPilot as bundled in my Renault R&Go app dropped the SatNav connection every couple of seconds, forcing me to use an alternative app - the Pixel works perfectly. I was running Nougat on the S7 too.

 

[Kirk Burkhead]

Biggest thing I'm missing right now is the S7 had a setting you could turn to prevent the screen from waking if it was in your pocket. I don't think this exists on the Pixel. If it does, I haven't found it. I like for my notifications (email and texts) to wake my screen so I can glance at them, but when it wakes in your pocket, well 10 different things get opened while you're walking around.

 

[scgf]

If you install MacroDroid (similar to Tasker) you can set up a workflow which does exactly what you want:

Add macro
Trigger: proximity sensor (near)
Action: screen off
constraint: only when screen locked

The only disadvantage is that if the macro functions you then need to unlock your phone with the PIN - fingerprints will not work in the first instance.

I also have a macro set up which turns the phone to silent when it is connected to power AND to my WiFi AND it is after 8pm and turns sound back on when it is removed from the charger OR when it after 7.30am. Works perfectly.

MacroDroid is free for up to 5 macros.

 

[Kirk Burkhead]

If you install MacroDroid (similar to Tasker) you can set up a workflow which does exactly what you want:

Add macro
Trigger: proximity sensor (near)
Action: screen off
constraint: only when screen locked

The only disadvantage is that if the macro functions you then need to unlock your phone with the PIN - fingerprints will not work in the first instance.

I also have a macro set up which turns the phone to silent when it is connected to power AND to my WiFi AND it is after 8pm and turns sound back on when it is removed from the charger OR when it after 7.30am. Works perfectly.

MacroDroid is free for up to 5 macros.

Sounds like a good option.

 

[AjieGFX]

Good you made the jump.

I'm still struggling with that lol.
Trying to go on from the Note 4. Battery just sucks and it likes to bog down often.
I'm kind of tired of Sammy; they love to stop updating too soon, but the s8 looks nice. Been spoiled on their features

Black XL 128 has been in stock MUCH more often since I nagged Google on Twitter with gifs about how terrible their stock is lol (not saying I solely had anything to do with their motivation)..

 

[sfrrr]

Would I have bought a Pixel Xl if I knew then what I know now?

No!

I have never had as much trouble with a new phone as I have had with this thing. The connectivity problems alone are enough to send me back to my Galaxy S6 Edge

For starters :

1. Weird wireless network problems. We have three networks at our house. My old S6 Edge saw all three and let me use them whenever I liked. And, for about a week, so did my new Pixel XL. Then, in the dark of night, it decided to honor only one. The other two have been saved. I can see them in the list. But it doesn't matter. Wireless doesn't want to go there. It tells me that the other two are saved but won't connect not even when one of the ignored networks has a much stronger signal.

2. Very short battery life. I can't go for more than four hours without a charge.

3. Fuzzy, weak sound.

4. Crackling sound when my headset cord is plugged into the headphone jack.

5. Unreliable Bluetooth connections that often work
but sometimes don't. I wear hearing aids that are controlled by my phone via Bluetooth. I can't tolerate flaky Bluetooth.

6. The world 's ugliest emoticons. (Fortunately, since emoticons work like other font sets, recipients of my texts and emails see their own emoticons, not mine.)

7. Pretty lame selection of ringtones and notification sounds - - minor quibble since one can make one's own, but wouldn't you think they'd try for something above mediocrity in something so simple? Oh, right! They were concentrating on more important features, such as sound quality and Bluetooth connectivity.

8. Twice-interrupted file transfer problems during the initial installation process. I still don't have my previous Galaxy S6 text messages on my Pixel. I gave up on the other missing data and transferred it manually.

9. Those wireless ups and downs have also screwed up wireless printing from my Pixel because it will only print on one of the networks. If that isn't the chosen network of the moment, I can't print. (I can fix this problem, as I have some of the other problems, but why should I have to?)

10. No expansion card. (I don't know why I thought that wouldn't bother me.) No 256GB storage option either.

11. Doesn't work with Package Disabler. Yes, despite the absence of ISP-inserted bloatware, there are still plenty of "features" I want to disable.

I have other complaints but, really, that's enough for one rant.

Except for the excellent camera, I see no advantages to the Pixel XL. I thought getting OS updates promptly would be a kick, but, well, there are bigger kicks in life.

I've had more portable phones, PDAs, PIMs, cell phones, and hand-held-phone-with-calendar thingies than I can count, and they're all a PIA to set up. I know that.

But given the price of this thing, it should work once I've set it up.

Anyone want to buy my black Pixel XL with 128 GB storage? Plus two cases and a gorilla glass screen protector. Perfect condition. Nah, forget it. The Galaxy S8 doesn't come with enough storage nor could I find it unlocked.