New cellphone time, I am considering a Pixel, any other suggestions welcomed


Recommended Posts

2 minutes ago, jnelsoninjax said:

I have decided on a Pixel 3A XL, the reviews are really good and I found a good price on it.

Good call, I think you'll enjoy it.

 

If you have 'phone drop anxiety' here's a great case.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RRMDD49

 

I use one for my Galaxy S9+ it's handled a fall onto concrete with zero issues. Ugly as heck though.

 

11 minutes ago, Joe User said:

Good call, I think you'll enjoy it.

 

If you have 'phone drop anxiety' here's a great case.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RRMDD49

 

I use one for my Galaxy S9+ it's handled a fall onto concrete with zero issues. Ugly as heck though.

 

Thanks for the recommendation, I have a degree of 'phone drop anxiety' so I will most likely grab that case!

Glad you went with the Pixel series as they are solid devices., though I have not read OR heard good things about the 4. I own a Pixel2 and it's probably been my favourite phone that I've ever owned. The monthly updates and updates to every new version has been amazing. 

 

That said, I am due for renewal in a week and am strongly considering making the switch to iPhone. Based on what I have seen, and read, you just aren't going to get the support/updates from anyone outside of Apple and Pixel devices.  I've NEVER owned an iPhone and have had Android since Froyo so would be a big jump,  but since I always buy new devices (<1 year old at time of purchase)  (just what I do) the price/performance, unfortunately, as it stands is in Apples corner.

15 minutes ago, firey said:

That said, I am due for renewal in a week and am strongly considering making the switch to iPhone. Based on what I have seen, and read, you just aren't going to get the support/updates from anyone outside of Apple and Pixel devices.  I've NEVER owned an iPhone and have had Android since Froyo so would be a big jump,  but since I always buy new devices (<1 year old at time of purchase)  (just what I do) the price/performance, unfortunately, as it stands is in Apples corner.

I'm in that same boat. I just don't feel we get the same quality or support from the android scene anymore.

20 minutes ago, firey said:

Glad you went with the Pixel series as they are solid devices., though I have not read OR heard good things about the 4. I own a Pixel2 and it's probably been my favourite phone that I've ever owned. The monthly updates and updates to every new version has been amazing. 

 

That said, I am due for renewal in a week and am strongly considering making the switch to iPhone. Based on what I have seen, and read, you just aren't going to get the support/updates from anyone outside of Apple and Pixel devices.  I've NEVER owned an iPhone and have had Android since Froyo so would be a big jump,  but since I always buy new devices (<1 year old at time of purchase)  (just what I do) the price/performance, unfortunately, as it stands is in Apples corner.

All the reviews I found on the 4's were basically telling me to stay away! The 2's and 3's seem to be the best so far, so I am really looking forward to getting my phone!

Just now, Brandon H said:

I'm in that same boat. I just don't feel we get the same quality or support from the android scene anymore.

In a weird way.. I almost feel like it's the Windows vs Linux of mobile. 

 

Android is Linux, it runs on anything and everything. You get support mostly from the hacker community and you may or may not get updates the work on your device. There are a billion things running it and many different versions of it and custom "distros". You are more at the mercy of the hardware than the OS and if you want updates it's on you to do most of the time. You may get a solid device.. you may not.

 

Apple Devices are like Windows.  It runs on specific hardware and there is basically 1-3 supported versions at any given time and has a community of users for specific versions. You get no real freedom unless you hack away at it or write your own stuff.. but basically at the mercy of the OS and it just works. You don't control updates other than what you decide to upgrade to. 

 

While I know it's not 100% accurate.. that's just sort of how I feel in the current state of OS/Devices.

1 minute ago, firey said:

In a weird way.. I almost feel like it's the Windows vs Linux of mobile. 

 

Android is Linux, it runs on anything and everything. You get support mostly from the hacker community and you may or may not get updates the work on your device. There are a billion things running it and many different versions of it and custom "distros". You are more at the mercy of the hardware than the OS and if you want updates it's on you to do most of the time. You may get a solid device.. you may not.

 

Apple Devices are like Windows.  It runs on specific hardware and there is basically 1-3 supported versions at any given time and has a community of users for specific versions. You get no real freedom unless you hack away at it or write your own stuff.. but basically at the mercy of the OS and it just works. You don't control updates other than what you decide to upgrade to. 

 

While I know it's not 100% accurate.. that's just sort of how I feel in the current state of OS/Devices.

That is an interesting way of looking at things, but where does Windows Phone fit in? :D

Just now, jnelsoninjax said:

All the reviews I found on the 4's were basically telling me to stay away! The 2's and 3's seem to be the best so far, so I am really looking forward to getting my phone!

As I say, I love my 2. The predicament I am in.. is that to upgrade to a 3 isn't really worth it for me as it's not a major jump from my 2 and not enough to warrant a new 2 year contract.  So right now I am weighing just staying with my 2.  The Battery is great, OS runs amazing, has all the features I need.  The reason for going to iPhone would be 100% because I like new things :p

Just now, jnelsoninjax said:

That is an interesting way of looking at things, but where does Windows Phone fit in? :D

BeOS.   It exists... people use it... it never took off :p

Just now, firey said:

As I say, I love my 2. The predicament I am in.. is that to upgrade to a 3 isn't really worth it for me as it's not a major jump from my 2 and not enough to warrant a new 2 year contract.  So right now I am weighing just staying with my 2.  The Battery is great, OS runs amazing, has all the features I need.  The reason for going to iPhone would be 100% because I like new things :p

How about just buying a new phone outright? I found mine on eBay for less then Amazon was selling them for.

Just now, jnelsoninjax said:

How about just buying a new phone outright? I found mine on eBay for less then Amazon was selling them for.

Honestly.. if I am going to spend the money for a device and still keep the plan I am on.. it doesn't make sense to spend (arbitrary number here) 600$ for an unlocked device that's a couple generations old, when I can pay 200-400$ for a current gen device that is just an in-place upgrade.

 

It's a bit different too as I am on a corporate plan through work, so I will never get a plan as cheap as what I have for what I get.. even with BYOD options so I'd be with them regardless of if my phone is out of contract or not.

6 minutes ago, firey said:

Honestly.. if I am going to spend the money for a device and still keep the plan I am on.. it doesn't make sense to spend (arbitrary number here) 600$ for an unlocked device that's a couple generations old, when I can pay 200-400$ for a current gen device that is just an in-place upgrade.

 

It's a bit different too as I am on a corporate plan through work, so I will never get a plan as cheap as what I have for what I get.. even with BYOD options so I'd be with them regardless of if my phone is out of contract or not.

Makes sense

  • 2 weeks later...

Sorry to jump on this.

 

Looking for a new phone for the wife.

 

She was on iPhone until I gave her my OnePlus 3T (I got a Huwawi P30 Pro).

 

I was thinking the Pixel line of phones but clearly the 4 isn't the way to go. Worried the 3 will be too old by now?

 

I'd rather not be charged for having a Samsung name, although I am a bit open to them.

 

The main drive is a good camera.

 

I love my camera and was thinking perhaps getting a P30 Pro for her too?

 

I'd rather give my details to the Chinese than Google to be honest... eek!

 

I did wonder about the OnePlus 7T, but my 3T was slow with updates. I put a custom rom on it but don't really want to start messing about with that again. The P30 is fine for me without a custom rom.

 

Hmm.

I bought the Pixel 3A XL, and really like it, it is fast and responsive, and does everything I need. I had looked and the reviews for the Pixel 4 line were really bad, most ended by saying don't waste your money on it!

  • Like 2

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Posts

    • TeraCopy 4.0 Build 28 by Razvan Serea TeraCopy is a compact program designed to copy and move files at the maximum possible speed, also providing you with a lot of features. Copy files faster. TeraCopy uses dynamically adjusted buffers to reduce seek times. Asynchronous copy speeds up file transfer between two physical hard drives. Pause and resume transfers. Pause copy process at any time to free up system resources and continue with a single click. Error recovery. In case of copy error, TeraCopy will try several times and in the worse case just skips the file, not terminating the entire transfer. Interactive file list. TeraCopy shows failed file transfers and lets you fix the problem and recopy only problem files. Shell integration. TeraCopy can completely replace Explorer copy and move functions, allowing you work with files as usual. TeraCopy is free for non-commercial use only. For commercial use you need to buy a license. The paid version of the program includes the following features: Copy/move to your favorite folders. Save reports as HTML and CSV files. Select files with the same extension/folder. Remove the selected files from the copy queue. Features added since version 3.17: Enhanced speed graph. New multi-threaded copy engine. Support for copying to multiple targets. Queue system for managing multiple copy operations. Support for receiving files via the LocalSend protocol. TeraCopy entry in the modern Windows Explorer context menu. Integrated toolbar in the title bar. Why receive LocalSend transfers with TeraCopy? Handle file conflicts: Skip, overwrite, or rename files when a file with the same name already exists. LocalSend always creates another copy, which can waste time and disk space, especially when resuming an interrupted transfer. Filter unwanted files: Apply ignore lists or remove files manually before accepting a transfer, so unnecessary files are not downloaded. Better performance on fast networks: In tests over a 10 Gbps connection, TeraCopy received files several times faster than the standard LocalSend app on Windows. TeraCopy 4.0 Build 28 changelog: Fixed a bug where Overwrite behaved as Overwrite All during same-drive move operations. AdvancedInstaller fixed the installer’s security vulnerability: EXE Bootstrapper resolved the %appdata% location incorrectly for the System account. Download: TeraCopy 4.0 Build 28 | 14.6 MB (Freeware, paid upgrade available) View: TeraCopy Website | Screenshot Get alerted to all of our Software updates on Twitter at @NeowinSoftware
    • First exciting thing to come to Windows in a long time ! This is the kind of things they should focus on, instead of cramming as much AI as they can in everything.
    • New AMD graphics driver fixes install issues and FSR 4.1 crashes on RX 7000 GPUs by Taras Buria AMD is rolling out yet another graphics driver. Version 26.6.4 is now available for download, bringing two important fixes. One is for those still using Windows 10 and having trouble installing driver 26.6.2. In fact, this patch is coming from the recently released hotfix, so it is not new if you are already running version 26.6.3. The second fix is for RX 7000 owners. AMD recently brought FSR 4.1 support to the previous-gen graphics cards, but there was a bug with certain games crashing when using FSR 4.1. I experienced this issue with Forza Horizon 6, so today's driver should take care of that. Here is the official changelog: Intermittent install issue seen when installing AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition 26.6.2 on Windows® 10 systems for Radeon™ RX 7000 series and above graphics products. Intermittent application crash may be observed in some games with AMD FSR Upscaling 4.1 enabled on Radeon™ RX 7000 series graphics products. Known issues include the following: Intermittent application crash or driver timeout may be observed while playing Battlefield™ 6 on AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370. AMD is actively working on a resolution with the developer to be released as soon as possible. Texture flickering or corruption may appear while playing Battlefield™ 6 with AMD Record and Stream on some AMD graphics products. AMD FSR Upscaling and AMD FSR Frame Generation may show as inactive in AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition while playing Battlefield™ 6 when enabled on Radeon™ RX 9000 series graphics products. Failure to install may be observed while installing AI Bundle components in some regions with limited access to HuggingFace and GitHub. Model flickering or rendering failure may be observed in Maxon Cinema 4D and Blender on Radeon™ RX 7000 series and above graphics products. Users experiencing this issue are recommended to install AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition 26.3.1. Intermittent application crash may be observed on some models while running Blender on Radeon™ RX 7000 series and above graphics products. Users experiencing this issue are recommended to install AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition 26.3.1. You can download the AMD Radeon driver 26.6.4 from the official website here. Full release notes are available on the same page.
    • Amazon may use OpenAI and Nova models after Anthropic reportedly raises costs by Karthik Mudaliar Amazon is reportedly considering to use OpenAI models and even its own Nova family of AI models after Anthropic raised the cost of using Claude inside Amazon services. According to a report from The Information, Amazon is weighing its options to reduce costs under a new arrangement with Anthropic. But back in April, Amazon said it would invest $5 billion more in Anthropic, with the possibility of adding up to another $20 billion if certain commercial milestones are met. That investment actually came on top of another $8 billion Amazon had already put into the Claude maker. Anthropic, meanwhile, committed to spend more than $100 billion over 10 years on AWS technologies, including Amazon’s Trainium chips. Amazon isn't just a customer of Anthropic but also one of the most important backers and cloud partners. This is why it makes it interesting that Amazon is considering other alternatives to handle its internal workloads. Although Amazon has been building its own options for a while now. Its Nova family of AI models was announced in late 2024 for Amazon Bedrock, with models aimed at text, image, and video tasks. Amazon pitched the model around cost and latency at that time. With that said, OpenAI has also become a more realistic option recently for AWS customers as well as for Amazon itself. Earlier this year, OpenAI brought its latest models and Codex coding agent to Amazon Bedrock, after changes to its previously more restrictive Microsoft cloud arrangement. This allowed AWS to serve even those customers who wanted other alternatives from Claude, without having to move workloads out of Amazon's cloud. Evaluating alternatives could also be due to commercial pressure and not necessarily a sign of a damaged partnership between Amazon and Anthropic. Whether or not Amazon is actually considering switching entirely to OpenAI's models or its own Nova models remains unknown at this moment.
    • Samsung introduces new AI classroom tools and interactive displays at ISTELive 2026 by Fiza Ali Samsung has announced several new education-focused software features and interactive displays for schools during ISTELive 2026, taking place in Orlando, Florida, from 28 June to 1 July. The focus of these updates is on making shared classroom displays easier to use for teachers while giving IT administrators more control over managing devices. One of the key additions is the Samsung Account Management Solution (AMS). In many schools, multiple teachers share the same interactive display throughout the day, which means signing in and setting everything up can become repetitive. With AMS, teachers can log in by scanning a QR code or tapping an NFC-enabled ID card. Once signed in, their personalised workspace, including wallpapers, bookmarks, app shortcuts, and files, can be instantly accessed through Home Personalisation. Samsung has also included a screen lock feature, allowing teachers to lock the display if they need to step away briefly. Furthermore, the company is also updating its Education Portal with new tools designed for school IT administrators. The portal will allow IT administrators to register teachers, enrol devices, and manage user access from a central dashboard. Administrators can also link NFC cards to teacher accounts, making sign-ins quicker across shared displays. Another addition is a Tags feature that lets schools organise displays by building or classroom. Those tags can also be used to send emergency notifications to selected Samsung Interactive Displays through compatible platforms such as InformaCast and Raptor. Moreover, the tech giant's AI Assistant is gaining several new features aimed at supporting everyday classroom tasks such as lesson planning and classroom engagement. One of the features is Circle to Search, which lets teachers circle text or images on the display to quickly find related information, videos, or web results without interrupting the lesson. The content can then be brought into Samsung Whiteboard. Another feature, Live Transcript, converts spoken lessons into real-time captions, which could be useful for students with hearing impairments or those in multilingual classrooms. The AI Assistant also introduces AI Summary and AI Quiz. The summary tool creates summaries of recorded lessons, while AI Quiz generates questions based on lesson content so teachers can quickly check how well students are following along. Teachers signed in through Samsung AMS can also return to their previous AI-generated lesson materials without logging in again. Alongside the software updates, Samsung has expanded its Android-based Interactive Display range with three new models: the WAF-S, WAFX-PS, and WAHX-M. The WAF-S and WAFX-PS ship with Android 16, bringing updates to security, accessibility, and overall usability while maintaining compatibility with Google's education services including Google Classroom and Google Drive through EDLA certification. Meanwhile, the new WAHX-M is the biggest addition to the lineup, introducing a 98-inch display for larger spaces such as lecture halls and conference rooms. It will also be available in 65-inch, 75-inch and 86-inch sizes. Samsung says the WAHX-M further includes on-device AI features such as voice commands, text-to-speech, and an AI calculator, alongside support for Samsung AMS and AI Assistant. Samsung AI Assistant has been available since April, while Samsung AMS and the updated Education Portal will begin rolling out in July.
  • Recent Achievements

    • Reacting Well
      NovaEdgeX earned a badge
      Reacting Well
    • Week One Done
      NovaEdgeX earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • One Year In
      BA the Curmudgeon earned a badge
      One Year In
    • Conversation Starter
      rosiecharles earned a badge
      Conversation Starter
    • First Post
      KMilenkoski1202 earned a badge
      First Post
  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      536
    2. 2
      +Edouard
      269
    3. 3
      PsYcHoKiLLa
      150
    4. 4
      Steven P.
      97
    5. 5
      macoman
      62
  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!