What phone now?

[huckbucket]

I've got a perfect 1st gen Pixel that has served me faithfully for the past two years that I'm thinking of parting with as I consider upgrading to a Pixel 2. It's been flawless and the battery is still doing great. My interest in a Pixel 2 should tell you everything you need to know about my thoughts on the 1.

[Danno]

Google had a deal last week where you got back what you paid on a Pixel 2 or 3 in travel gift cards, so essentially free phone. Jumped on that, will trade in the Pixel when it arrives.

[ex-powderbroker]

Apple and their shitty 5g situation : https://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonk...rice-cost/amp/

It's amazing to me that a company with $230 Billion in cash is consistently stagnant when it comes to product development. It's perhaps even more amazing that people still flock to the brand like a religion.

Sort of. The iPhone 7 came out in 2016 which has basically the same specs as the Pixel 2 but.... costs a lot more. Taken into context though the iPhones get service updates for 4 years and work fine whereas many Androids seem SOL after 2. The conversation in a lot of ways is the same as it ever was with apple vs pc, but that 5G stuff ^^^ seems like a big deal, especially for people who use their phone instead of bothering with broadband, like I do.

So when does the Pixel 3 come out?

[riser4]

Tempting. Each of the Motorola phones I've had were disappointing. Haven't had a great Motorola since the Razr.

My cheap Samsung hasn't been doing well since the software upgrade to android 8.0 so I'm considering ditching it.

I miss my Razr. I spent way too much time, for a grown man, opening and closing it while pretending it was a Star Trek gadget. I would be very happy if they made a Razr again and gave it a hotspot. I'd much prefer to keep my computer and phone separate. Smartphones suck.

[riser4]

Google had a deal last week where you got back what you paid on a Pixel 2 or 3 in travel gift cards, so essentially free phone. Jumped on that, will trade in the Pixel when it arrives.

Right, but you needed to have that surplus in the budget already, because it was not like you got to put it back in the bank.

[muted]

Apple and their shitty 5g situation : https://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonk...rice-cost/amp/

I went from a a Iphone 7s to a XS Max and I can't say it was a huge upgrade. Considering you can get a iphone 7s used for about 25% less than a XS Max, I'd highly recommend people buying a used iphone 7s. They are great phones. That may be why the new ones aren't selling, and no one cares about 5g yet. I care though.

[Danno]

Right, but you needed to have that surplus in the budget already, because it was not like you got to put it back in the bank.

the deal was still available with financing the phone. So I didn't have to have any real surplus in the budget. My monthly payment went up about $10 a month (difference in financed cost of old phone vs new).

Essentially, I financed $900 in future travel and got a sweet new phone. (or at least that's the idea, I haven't received the phone or travel gift card yet, and Fi's support is pretty bad, so...)

[riser4]

My son likes his mom's old iPhone 6. It's all about status I guess. I need to get a new battery for it this month before the price goes up.

[~mikey b]

My son is getting a friend’s old iPhone 6 to replace my old 4 he was using that just died. I still use a 6 and it works fine for me.

[back bowl]

I had a 6s up until a few weeks ago - it did fine and even ran noticeably faster after the latest software updates. I lost it and went to a Moto G6 - my first android phone - because I could get one that day.

I have to say that I was hoping for better. It seems so "laggy" compared to my iphone and the interface is just a bit more awkward than the ios interface. It is a pretty phone though - it was a shame to put a cover on it. And it charges so much faster than the iphone did (but doesn't hold the charge as long).

I'd probably get an iphone if I did it over again, but the G6 is kind of neat. Just a shame they can't get the "feel" of it as refined as apple does.

[ex-powderbroker]

I feel the same way about my 6s. Thing was released in 2015, works as well and is more polished than most of today's offerings. My only group is that I wish the camera was as modern, because the battery life and everything else work fine. Obviously, that makes me an Apple Fanboi and I should get some new android crap that will die in a year.

[DJSapp]

Sort of. The iPhone 7 came out in 2016 which has basically the same specs as the Pixel 2 but.... costs a lot more. Taken into context though the iPhones get service updates for 4 years and work fine whereas many Androids seem SOL after 2. The conversation in a lot of ways is the same as it ever was with apple vs pc, but that 5G stuff ^^^ seems like a big deal, especially for people who use their phone instead of bothering with broadband, like I do.

So when does the Pixel 3 come out?

????

1. I have an original pixel XL, and just got the OTA December 2018 security update. I also have the new software features that the pixel 3 has like night sight for photos which dropped last month. It is still being supported even though it is at end of life, and mine is still running just fine after 2.5 years.

2. Pixel 3 came out a few months back. I got the Mrs. an XL for xmas and she loves it.

[Danno]

2. Pixel 3 came out a few months back. I got the Mrs. an XL for xmas and she loves it.

reads post. looks at calendar. scratches head.

[bagtagley]

I've had a 6S, 7, and now have an 8. Of the three, I liked the 6S the best. 6S introduced 3D Touch and Live Photos, both worthwhile features IMO. The 8 has a better camera, but is otherwise not a hugely noticeable upgrade. I got all three for free, but if I was getting a new phone today with my own money, I'd probably get a 6S with a lot of memory. Putting individual devices aside, I prefer the Apple ecosystem and family sharing controls, so I'll happily go on being an Apple sheep until I see a good reason to change.

[ex-powderbroker]

reads post. looks at calendar. scratches head.

sorry, i thought the pixel 2 was the hotness you were discussing and a new one would have 5g. maybe the future is.... now now.

nope. it’s another really expensive 4g phone.

keeping up with the many lg/samsung/moto/acer/google offerings is a full time job (hence this thread) and the majority have seemed like junk and the same people who tell me about the killer deals / new hotness often complain shortly after about updates or general suckyness.

that 5g news is actually legit though and if it’s rolled out and i’m on a crappy obsolete iphone i’ll turn around my jersey and pretend it’s 1991 in both shame and protest.

[Boissal]

the deal was still available with financing the phone. So I didn't have to have any real surplus in the budget. My monthly payment went up about $10 a month (difference in financed cost of old phone vs new).

Essentially, I financed $900 in future travel and got a sweet new phone. (or at least that's the idea, I haven't received the phone or travel gift card yet, and Fi's support is pretty bad, so...)

I jumped on that too. Received the phone yesterday and got an email notifying me of the next steps to get the travel card. I'm on a group plan with my wife, she had a Pixel 2 and I had a 3 years old Nexus 6p due for an upgrade. She's trading the Pixel 2 back for $250 or so, I'm keeping the Nexus as a backup, and we're getting $1800 in Delta gift cards to pay for Japan or France. Financed both phones, I'd say it's a pretty amazing deal.

[riser4]

My son is getting a friend’s old iPhone 6 to replace my old 4 he was using that just died. I still use a 6 and it works fine for me.

PSA, look into sending it in for a battery replacement this month. $30. It goes up to $50 next year. An iPhone 6 is old enough that it could benefit from a fresh battery even if it seems fine.
However, if the screen is cracked they might have to replace that for extra $$$ in order to do the battery according to the website. So do your homework. My son's has a cracked screen. So I gotta call and get the scoop. Closest Apple store is 3hrs away.

[cdmccorm]

An FYI for my Apple Brethren here. Theres a battery replacement program sale going on that will end on Dec 31st..

All out of warranty Iphone 6 or later will have a battery service cost of $29. (After Dec 31st: $49)
Iphone XS, XSMax, or XR will be $69

Get your new batteries in before the winter, as wel all know how great these Lithium batteries perform in below 32 conditions..

EDIT: What riser3 said below..

[Flyoverland Captive]

PSA, look into sending it in for a battery replacement this month. $30. It goes up to $50 next year. An iPhone 6 is old enough that it could benefit from a fresh battery even if it seems fine.
However, if the screen is cracked they might have to replace that for extra $$$ in order to do the battery according to the website. So do your homework. My son's has a cracked screen. So I gotta call and get the scoop. Closest Apple store is 3hrs away.

You can usually find local guys to do it without the warranty replacement plan through Apple stores for $50; we just got new batteries for out 6s phones. Saves a trip to a far away store, or having to mail them in; we had our phones back in an hour. Worth a few extra dollars.

[stalefish3169]

Was busy the last few months and didn't take many pictures on the new Pixel 3 XL. But on vacation now and have to say the camera is amazing. GF's got a Pixel XL and its pics of the same subjects look like shit comparatively when viewed on the same screen...and the original XL camera is pretty good.

Another thing I've noticed is that the speakers on the 3 XL are really good. Pixel 2 XL speakers are trash and produce vibration at all but the lowest volume.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using TGR Forums mobile app

[Danno]

good to hear, Pixel 3 (not XL) should arrive tomorrow. Hopefully someone will be here to sign for it (they don't allow you any other delivery option).

[MakersTeleMark]

good to hear, Pixel 3 (not XL) should arrive tomorrow. Hopefully someone will be here to sign for it (they don't allow you any other delivery option).

I'm sure your friendly neighbor is willing to help.

[Benny Profane]

Recent Pixel2 owner. Awesome camera.

Both a little tweaked in Snapseed, not much.
Video is super stable, too.

Sent from my Pixel 2 using TGR Forums mobile app

[Skidog]

Recent Pixel2 owner. Awesome camera.

Both a little tweaked in Snapseed, not much.
Video is super stable, too.

Sent from my Pixel 2 using TGR Forums mobile app

Try night sight, it's pretty effin good

Sent from my Pixel 2 using TGR Forums mobile app

[frorider]

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2018...t-for-a-while/

Right now, it doesn't even sound like the goal is blanket 5G mmWave coverage everywhere thanks to the limited range. Qualcomm's CEO outlined a "5G" network architecture for the United States that only used mmWave in "dense urban areas"—everywhere else would only use LTE. Keeping mmWave to urban areas makes sense when you consider the range problems. The need to build so many more towers for 5G probably isn't worth the cost outside of a city, so LTE will have to do