The Android Thread v2

[Inglewood Jack]

I've mentioned before that it's the software that will keep you in Pixel gang for life. just wait until you've had a chance to try the Google Assistant call screening, and hold for me function (coming soon to Canada I think). looks got the phone a first date, its brains are what will make you buy a ring and propose.

[Captain Otto]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Not having any Wi-Fi issues at all.

For my review, I'll start with cons (most are as compared to my Galaxy S10):
- heavy
- no face ID (I hope they add that)
- finger print sensor is a tad slow

Pros:
- vibration/haptic is very strong so I can feel it in my pocket way better than my old phone, even when wearing looser jeans
- Magic Eraser is hilariously fun and awesome
- Gestures I fataing love...probably would have got those eventually in my S10, but who knows. For now it's on this phone and not on my old one and it's a huge improvement
- Battery life is awesome. A lot of the reviews suggested the battery life is mediocre, but I'm not finding that. I think it's great. Full day of heavy use and I'm going to bed with just a hair under 50% with no charging through the day.
- The live translate thing is great. I work with a lot of ESL people and we've tried it out. It makes having a conversation in different languages really cool and it translates incredibly fast.
- This next pro is kind of a cheat since I haven't used it for this purpose, but I like filming my kids snowboard - the stabilization of the video camera seems like it's going to be great, so I'm looking forward to using that, but I haven't yet.
- "Now Playing" - that is a killer feature. The phone is just ambiently listening to the music that is playing around you and keeping a list of the songs you are hearing. You can then add them to your mixes or whatever with just a couple of taps. It's like an automatic Shazam with a better memory. Such a great feature.

Neutral:
- was excited about 120hz screen (that was a big reason I went with the Pro), but I don't think I can tell a difference between that and the regular Pixel.
- size of the screen versus every other smaller phone I've had. I'm kind of neither here nor there on that. Thought I'd really like it or find it too big - turns out it's neither. I'm just fine with it.
- Pure Android - you hear a lot of "SaMsUnG SuX 'CaUsE bLoAtWaRe". I don't see much of a difference. I don't think Samsung's "bloatware" ever caused me any problems, although I was running a Google Launcher on my S10 so maybe that's why? But yeah, this software experience barely differs from my Samsung software experience with the exception of the changes to Android 12 that the S10 hadn't got yet.

Overall, I do like it. The Pixel Buds are nice, too, and they interact with the phone very seamlessly. Like, you can listen to texts and respond to them very quickly with just your voice. I wouldn't bother doing that with my Samsung Buds on my old phone because it was kind of cumbersome to do so. With the Pixel Buds and the Pixel phone, the interaction between the two is really really good.

I think the regular Pixel is the better deal, though. The 120hz isn't as cool as I thought it'd be and I doubt I'll use the 4x zoom camera very often. Maybe the extra 4gigs of ram in the Pro will help future proof it somewhat versus the regular 6.

All in all, a solid, worthwhile upgrade with no buyer's remorse.

Great review. I agree with most of that especially the pro's as there are some really great features.

I actually love the screen. Best screen I have ever had and is definitely an upgrade on both the Pixel 5 and OnePlus 7t. Considering I have used both of those phones, the size and weight are on par with what I expected (very similar to 7t).

My only gripe is that there has been a few bugs for me. The Recorder wasn't working properly and that took some effort. That At A Glance widget issue is really annoying. I cant understand why they would roll out something so half-baked that literally sits in front of your face every time you unlock your phone. As mentioned previously, I am still having issues with my wi-fi not connecting automatically. I have tried everything and am awaiting a response from Google.

Other than those things, it's been great. The camera is amazing.

[Cheese]

for those waiting on the ear buds, got my email from Google yesterday. They are shipping them out.

[Inglewood Jack]

Originally Posted by Cheese

for those waiting on the ear buds, got my email from Google yesterday. They are shipping them out.

dark olive is out of stock...this goddamn google store

[Mazrim]

Android 12 so far hasn't been as smooth as I'd like on the Pixel 5. It's a bit more sluggish unlocking, scrolling through social media is choppy, and the app switcher doesn't feel as smooth as before. Specifically with the app switcher there's an added delay from swiping to a new transition where the background goes away, and I regularly swipe and have it snap back to the current app instead of going to the app switcher. Hopefully future updates improve the performance.

The notification shade and lockscreen notifications now have a ton of extra padding which doesn't give nearly as much screen real estate to read the notifications. It's all visually appealing but feels like a step backwards to me.

[opendoor]

Yeah, Android 12 sucks. It looks like it was designed by someone with terrible eyesight. I still can't get used to the 2-line clock display and I wish they'd give the option to switch it to a normal layout.

Beyond that, there are a bunch of annoying things:

-fewer quick settings than before because they're so big.

-combining WiFi and mobile data into one quick setting, so it's more clicks if you want to turn WiFi on or off.

-the solid background for the notification screen, app history, etc. is jarring.

-stupid animations that just kind of slow things down.

[GoinAllTheWay]

If anyone hated the clock on the main page as much as I did, download Digital Clock Widget app. Tons of MUCH better, streamlined option to replace the blob Android 12 comes with. Can't seem to change the clock on the lock screen though.

[Galakanokis]

The only "fix" for the clock on the lockscreen is to have a persistent notification. You get a smaller one line clock when you have notifications. But much but it does work. There are apps the fake this or some weather apps have persistent notifications as well.

[Sliver]

Huh, I like the huge clock on the lock screen. Always on has been a great part of android forever and now the clock is even bigger and easier to see. I prefer that over a small clock and more black space.

[Mazrim]

I don't mind the large clock on the lock screen either. I'm a little surprised the clock changes when there's a notification though. Why bother? There's plenty of screen space to show the larger clock and the notifications at the same time.

[Captain Otto]

Originally Posted by GoinAllTheWay

If anyone hated the clock on the main page as much as I did, download Digital Clock Widget app. Tons of MUCH better, streamlined option to replace the blob Android 12 comes with. Can't seem to change the clock on the lock screen though.

Wait. Are you talking about the home screen? Why even have a clock there? I mean it says the time up in the notification bar or on your lockscreen.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Captain Otto

Wait. Are you talking about the home screen? Why even have a clock there? I mean it says the time up in the notification bar or on your lockscreen.

Yeah, that home screen widget is pointless and weird. If you must have an additional clock, maybe just put the alarm clock widget there? It's not obnoxious like the weird ones in 12, tells the time in large font, and has your next alarm in small font underneath.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by opendoor

Yeah, Android 12 sucks. It looks like it was designed by someone with terrible eyesight. I still can't get used to the 2-line clock display and I wish they'd give the option to switch it to a normal layout.

Beyond that, there are a bunch of annoying things:

-fewer quick settings than before because they're so big.

-combining WiFi and mobile data into one quick setting, so it's more clicks if you want to turn WiFi on or off.

-the solid background for the notification screen, app history, etc. is jarring.

-stupid animations that just kind of slow things down.

You can turn off animations if you don't like them, I think.

I've read the wifi complaint a few times. Am I the only one who never turns wifi off? What do you need to do that for?

[Captain Otto]

Originally Posted by Sliver

You can turn off animations if you don't like them, I think.

I've read the wifi complaint a few times. Am I the only one who never turns wifi off? What do you need to do that for?

I don't get the wifi complaint either. I rarely touch it. I guess if you're out and about a lot and are joining networks around town maybe. But once that network is added once, you shouldn't have to add it again.

Also for the record, I got my auto-connect to work by forgetting the network, restarting my phone and re-adding the network.

[opendoor]

The WiFi thing isn't a huge deal or something that's a daily issue or anything. But there are definitely times when I want to turn WiFi off in order to default to a mobile network when the random WiFi network I'm connected to is weak. And you can still do that, but the UX is terrible. You can turn the WiFi off by toggling it in the 2nd menu, but tapping on the Mobile Network button also turns your WiFi off for some reason.

Again, not a huge issue and I'm sure I'll get used to it. But it's just a weird design decision. On my phone there are currently 30 different options of things that I can have as tiles in the quick setting menu but they feel like they have to combine WiFi and mobile data?

Besides the design issues it has also been a bit buggy since updating. I had a location-based reminder in Keep that took 4 trips to the location over 4 days before it triggered. Luckily I remembered without the reminder, but I've never had it fail to trigger before.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by opendoor

The WiFi thing isn't a huge deal or something that's a daily issue or anything. But there are definitely times when I want to turn WiFi off in order to default to a mobile network when the random WiFi network I'm connected to is weak. And you can still do that, but the UX is terrible. You can turn the WiFi off by toggling it in the 2nd menu, but tapping on the Mobile Network button also turns your WiFi off for some reason.

Again, not a huge issue and I'm sure I'll get used to it. But it's just a weird design decision. On my phone there are currently 30 different options of things that I can have as tiles in the quick setting menu but they feel like they have to combine WiFi and mobile data?

Besides the design issues it has also been a bit buggy since updating. I had a location-based reminder in Keep that took 4 trips to the location over 4 days before it triggered. Luckily I remembered without the reminder, but I've never had it fail to trigger before.

Fair enough. Are you on the Pixel 6 or a different phone? I like everything about Android 12 more than 11 on my S10. Maybe if I had a Pixel 5, then upgraded to Android 12 there would be things that bug me. I like the big "buttons". I don't need to swipe down and be bombarded with 25 options. Four is nice. Feels like less clutter to be staring at all the time. For whatever reason, I just got used to this update really quickly.

Wouldn't surprise me if they address your wifi gripe quickly as you are definitely not alone with being bothered by it. I can't read anything on the Internet about Android 12 without seeing that as a primary beef people have with it. It just doesn't affect me at all, which is why IDGAF.

[Captain Otto]

Originally Posted by opendoor

The WiFi thing isn't a huge deal or something that's a daily issue or anything. But there are definitely times when I want to turn WiFi off in order to default to a mobile network when the random WiFi network I'm connected to is weak. And you can still do that, but the UX is terrible. You can turn the WiFi off by toggling it in the 2nd menu, but tapping on the Mobile Network button also turns your WiFi off for some reason.

Again, not a huge issue and I'm sure I'll get used to it. But it's just a weird design decision. On my phone there are currently 30 different options of things that I can have as tiles in the quick setting menu but they feel like they have to combine WiFi and mobile data?

Besides the design issues it has also been a bit buggy since updating. I had a location-based reminder in Keep that took 4 trips to the location over 4 days before it triggered. Luckily I remembered without the reminder, but I've never had it fail to trigger before.

Maybe I am misunderstanding, but the Mobile Network button you are referring to - is that the new Internet tile?

I pull down the top menu and click the the new Internet tile and the networks populate in a box below. You can chose whichever one is best.

I re-read what you wrote. I am clearly confused. How is it more clicks than it was before?

Edit: Disregard, I see what you mean.

[Sr. Mints]

I turned gestures back on and shrank the swipe area to the smallest setting, and I was wrong: I do prefer it over the back button

After just a week, I had to use my old phone for something and the back button felt quite foreign and awkward

My old phone was not one of the larger pro-sized models. I have huge hands and it's still hard to hit the back with my right thumb on the 6 Pro. So I almost exclusively use the right side of the screen to swipe

Still don't like the thumb unlock. I had to program my pinky fingers, they're not subject to abuse like thumbs; even the smallest callus or dry dead Calgary crack on the skin seems to screw up the sensor reading

[VladtheImpaler]

Not sure if this is the thread to ask, but best app for listening to podcasts that is not controlled by big tech?

[opendoor]

AntennaPod is open source, non-commercial, and privacy focused:

https://antennapod.org/