Google Pixel in white leaked by Canadian carrier

Made by Google, leaked by Bell.

In the lead up to the October 4 announcement, it seems someone at Canadian operator Bell has pulled the trigger a little early on Google Pixel marketing materials. First spotted by Steve Hemmerstoffer, the carrier seems to have mistakenly put a Pixel render and promotional blurb up on its Galaxy Note 7 business order page.

The render in question shows the Pixel in white and silver; so far we’ve only seen the black variant in two leaked renders that emerged last week.

Anyway, here it is: The Google Pixel in white and silver:

The tagline reads “Introducing Pixel™, Phone by Google. Order yours today.” There’s no mention of the larger Pixel XL on the page. (Nor, in case you were wondering, can you actually order a Pixel today.)

So Bell’s not revealing too much, but that Pixel name seems all but confirmed at this point. We’ll have more Pixel goodness following the October 4 launch event, in the meantime check out our roundup of everything we know so far.

Update: By guessing the filename of the image, we’ve also pulled a fresh render of the larger Pixel — in black, with the same wallpaper — from Bell’s website. Here’s the Pixel XL:

Google Pixel + Pixel XL

• Everything we know so far
• New navigation buttons
• Google UI + circular icons
• Android 7.1 Nougat
• Pixel vs Pixel XL
• Older Nexus phones

Mobile Nations Weekly: Pixeling, retargeting, and pivoting

Google ramps up to Pixel, BlackBerry ramps down hardware, and Lenovo’s Yoga is coming in hot for landing.

Coming soon from a Google near you: Pixel. Tuesday will bring the follow-ups to the Nexus line of “pure” Android phones, but this time Google’s making more of a Google phone. There have been some leaks, but there’s a lot we don’t know and are looking forward to. And we might just get to hear something about the “Andromeda” project that will further blur the lines between Chrome OS and Android.

Meanwhile, BlackBerry weathered a rough week from making a sound decision. After years of declining handset sales, BlackBerry announced that they’re done making their own phones, but they’ll partner with other manufacturers to make new BlackBerry phones. They’ve done that twice already — the Leap was built by Foxconn and the DTEK50 is a re-badged Alctalel phone. Plus BlackBerry will be licensing their software and the famed BlackBerry keyboard to other manufacturers.

If you’ve been wondering which Apple Watch to get, wonder no more: here’s the iMore review of the Apple Watch Series 2. Oh, and there’s an iMore sticker pack for iMessage because this is the world we live in now.

Over in VR land we went for the ultimate in VR experiences: a roller coaster. In virtual reality. And real life. At the same time.. It’s more insane than you might imagine. That was with just a mere Samsung Gear VR — imagine what that’d be like with a more powerful VR system like, oh, the soon-to-launch Sony PlayStation VR.

The phone that Windows Phone fans have been waiting for, the HP Elite x3 (or at least the phone that’ll tide them over until the next phone they’re waiting for) received a substanial update that’s fixed a wide range of issues and improved performance. Of course, we’re still waiting for it to go on sale in a predictable fashion. Oh, and we got our hands on the Lenovo Yoga Book running Windows 10 and we’re really intriuged by it and chomping at the bit for our review!

Android Central — The Pixel hype is real

The first big talking point of the week came from new-found revelations about Google’s so-called “Andromeda” project. This is the next evolution, we expect, of the best parts of Chrome OS and Android combining into one platform. It’s exciting, but we also don’t know the specifics.

The hype is real. We’re just a few days away from Google’s even where we’re expecting to see Pixel phones and so much more. We’ve rounded up everything you need to know about the phones, shown you how they’ll size up against the Nexus 5X and 6P, and followed the progression of how we got here.

On the eve of new phones from Google, we also want to know how the Nougat update for the last few Nexus phones is treating you. It sounds like a mixed bag, so far.

• Samsung Gear IconX review: Bluetooth earbuds that do more
• Google Pixel: Welcome to your new, very circular, home screen
• Samsung Galaxy S7, six months on
• Using Google Chromecast Audio as a whole-house Sonos alternative
• Which Nexus was the best?
• Galaxy Note 7 vs. iPhone 7 Plus: Form over function
• Google Play is still in beta, but it’s good to be back on Chrome Stable

CrackBerry — This is a pivot

As expected, BlackBerry went ahead this and announced their Q2 fiscal 2017 earnings report this week but mixed in the financials of it all, was the announcement the company will end all internal hardware development and outsource that function to partners. Still, despite many headlines proclaiming their exit from the handset and hardware business entirely, that’s simply not the case at all. BlackBerry-branded handsets will still be available, the QWERTY keyboard is not going away. Needless to say, we still need to see how it all plays out but it has certainly been interesting thus far to watch unfold.

• BlackBerry is done designing and building their own phones, but they’re not done with phones
• John Chen: We believe that this is the best way to drive profitability in the device business
• John Chen: BlackBerry QWERTY keyboard will live on

iMore — Watch the clock

If you love the Apple Watch, iOS 11 wish lists, and stickers, we had a great week of content for you, iMore: We released our Apple Watch Series 2 review, asked what you’d change about watchOS 3, and offered how-tos on how to change the lugs on your bands to properly reflect your aluminum casing color and how to clean your stainless steel Apple Watch. Rene, meanwhile, has been busy making wish-lists of his own over iOS 11: He wants to be able to type to Siri, trigger handoff for iTunes movies and music, and have a Dark mode for the iPhone. And yes, we have a sticker pack now! Now you can make Rene, Serenity, Georgia, Lory, Mikah, or Bader respond in sticker form.

• iPhone 7’s secret weapon: The new Taptic Engine
• iPhone 7 Plus vs Honor 8: Battle of the (fake) Bokeh!
• Best apps for editing RAW files

VR Heads — Be careful what you wish for

Not all VR is created equally. Some of it is really great, but if you’re not careful some of it can make you ill. There’s a lot of responsibility on the part of the developer to make sure that doesn’t happen, but when you’re moving very fast on a roller coaster with a Gear VR strapped to your face there’s no telling what will happen!

• Too sick to stand: What it’s like to ride the first VR video game roller coaster
• Best RPGs for Oculus Rift
• How to get a PlayStation VR on launch day

Windows Central — A little book of Yoga

Microsoft was mostly focused on business and enterprise this week at their Ignite conference. The company announced that Windows 10 has crossed the 400 million active devices mark. During that time, they revealed the next stage of their Continuum mobile-to-PC experience, which now supports snapped and movable windowed apps.

HP released the anticipated firmware update for the few who grabbed an early Elite x3 three-in-one device. The upgrade fixes many issues and unleashes the Snapdragon 820 processor as shown in our benchmarks. Speaking of, we reviewed the Acer Liquid Jade Primo, one of the few new Windows 10 Mobile devices.

Finally, we got our hands on the new Lenovo Yoga Book, which is hitting some markets in the UK already. Our unboxing and hands-on reveals a stunning and fascinating device. Stay tuned for our a full review.

• Xbox Platform chief Mike Ybarra on UWP, Windows 10, Scorpio and more
• Microsoft is betting on ‘paradigm shift’ for Windows 10 Mobile to be competitive
• HP Elite x3 Wallet Folio Leather Case review
• Best Xbox One S Bundle Deals for October 2016

Drone flies as both biplane and helicopter using one propeller

There are helicopter drones and fixed-wing drones, but creating a hybrid of both is tricky. Even Parrot’s Swing, as clever as it is, needs four propellers and elaborate wings to pull off its stunt. However, TU Delft (with backing from Parrot) has a far more elegant solution. Its DelftAcopter drone doubles as both a fixed-wing aircraft and a helicopter using only one propeller — its tailless biplane design lets it take off and hover vertically, but gracefully turn into a fast-moving airplane (up to 62MPH) at a moment’s notice. It’s an incredibly simple design that makes you wonder why someone hadn’t considered it for drones before.

The machine is completely autonomous thanks to GPS, motion sensors and computer vision — it can pick a safe place to land all on its own. The prototype has a relatively long 37-mile range, too, and it can run for an hour on its electric motor. Contrast that with a typical quadcopter drone like DJI’s Phantom 4, which lasts for 28 minutes and tops out at 45MPH.

And unlike some drone experiments, TU Delft already has a clear idea of what its vehicle will do. The DelftAcopter would carry medical supplies to and from hard-to-reach places — you could deliver much-needed medicine to a flood zone. It’s not hard to imagine uses in search-and-rescue and recon missions, too. While it’ll likely take a while before you see the robotic biplane enter service (it only just got its first major trial run this week), it’s easy to see this invention saving lives.

Source: TU Delft, DelftAcopter

How to change your Google Calendar view, change the color of events, and return to today’s date

It’s super easy to adjust your view from within Google Calendar.

Goolge Calendar is one of the easiest ways to keep track of all the moving parts in your life. From upcoming birthdays, to meetings and even tasks that you need to complete. Now the default view on Calendar will show you your schedule, and what you’ve got coming up next. Sometimes you want to check on things further out on your schedule though, and for that you may want to change your calendar view.

That includes changing the color of events so that they pop out when you take a quick look at your schedule. We’ve also got the details on quickly returning to today’s date with just a tap, so you can ensure you’re always looking in the right place. Thankfully Google has made this really easy, and we’ve got all the details for you here.

How to change your Calendar view

Open Google Calendar
Tap the Overflow icon in the top left corner of your screen.
Choose from the list which view you would like to use.

Change a color in Calendar

Open Google Calendar
Open the event that you want to edit
Tap the blue pencil icon to edit the event

Scroll down and tap on Default color.
Tap the new color you want for your event.

How to quickly return to today’s date

Finish whatever you are doing on a future or past date.
Tap the calendar icon at the top of the screen

From the Editor’s Desk: Pixel pushing

Some last-minute thoughts on Google’s big hardware event.

Besides two very obvious things that are definitely coming, it’s difficult to know exactly how hyped to get about Google’s October 4 event. Sure, new Pixel phones are on the way. As I’ve already said, Google needs to show us not just two great phones — that’s table stakes — but also why two great new phones matters, and more broadly why Google can become a tier-one hardware brand. It’s a tough ask.

Pixels will also bring us Android 7.1, which likely means the Nougat we already know and love, along with some new APIs and bug fixes. More interestingly, it’ll bring Google’s own system UI, distinct from “stock” Android for the first time. That’s a big deal, and potentially a bit confusing, as Google differentiates from… well, itself.

There’s a ridiculously long list of ‘maybes’ for this year’s Google event.

Things start getting really fuzzy when we look at the myriad things which could be announced. Google Home? Pretty likely. Amazon pre-empted that with its recent Echo and Echo Dot expansion. Daydream? A decent chance, but by no means certain. A new Huawei Nexus tablet? Possible, but then we’re into even more confusing territory where Google has to clarify what a new Nexus means versus what a new Pixel means. (And what phones “made by Google” means versus a tablet sorta made by Google, but not really.) New Google-branded watches? Surely coming, but almost certainly not until next year, following the delay of Android Wear 2.0.

The big wildcard is Andromeda, the supposed next stage of Android that involves Chrome OS features being merged in. Defining Andromeda beyond this is like nailing jelly to a wall. If Andromeda is indeed a thing, and it’s shown for the first time on Tuesday, that’s another thing for Google to explain in what’s suddenly becoming quite a crowded event. Where does Andromeda fit into the bigger Android picture. What’s the difference compared to Nexus Android or Pixel Android? Is it the next stage of Android, or just something based upon it, like Android Wear? There are more questions than answers right now; hopefully October 4 will bring some solid answers.

Or maybe not. Maybe it’s just about two new phones.

Other weekend bits:

• I’ve finally gotten around to actually using Android Pay in the past couple of weeks — my bank was among the last to add the service in the UK, a pleasant side effect of which is I can use it without enduring the confused reactions faced by earlier adopters. In the UK, where contactless payments are relatively common, I’ve yet to come across any cashier who’s completely oblivious to the idea of paying with your phone. (Compare that to the early days of contactless cards, when one or two stared at me like I was some sort of wizard.)
• Our iPhone 7 Plus review will be going up tomorrow. The iPhone is a big enough deal globally that it deserves a fair shake — after all, it’s the default Android competitor. I’ll save most of the details for that article, but it’s been interesting to see how the other side does things. Simplicity is still key on the iPhone — that’s both a good thing and a bad thing. And I think it’s reasonably obvious we’ll skip straight to an “8” next year, as rumored — Apple’s long overdue a design refresh.
• Not too shocking to see Android Wear 2.0 falling back to 2017 — we’re only three previews into a five-preview cycle. By the time new watches land, there’ll be no excuses for a lackluster experience. Beyond apps, keyboards and app stores, smartwatches are basically fitness devices and notification mirrors. Google shouldn’t forget that important core functionality.
• Lots of people seeing battery life issues on the 5X and 6P with Nougat. Hopefully the next round of updates — perhaps to Android 7.1 — will improve things.
• A week later, Allo is already collecting digital dust in a forgotten folder somewhere on my phone. But then I’m not the really target audience. Great piece from Harish this week on Allo’s key features for the Indian market.

That’s it for this week. Stick with us as we venture deeper into the depths of October. It’s going to be a wild few weeks.

Best U.S. Cellular Phones

Here’s a list of the best smartphones offered by America’s fifth largest network.

Chances are that you’re looking at this page precisely because you’re a U.S. Cellular subscriber. The carrier isn’t the biggest, but it’s number five in the regional United States. And fortunately, it offers the latest smartphone models for those of you who just don’t want to deal with what Big Red, John Legere, and the rest of the carrier corral have to offer.

• Samsung Galaxy S7 edge
• Samsung Galaxy S6
• Moto G LTE

Samsung Galaxy S7 edge

We’re throwing a wrench into our smartphone buying suggestions. Rather than tell you to equip yourself with the regular old Galaxy S7, why not just bite the bullet and go full Galaxy S7 edge? Its 5.5-inch display is bigger than its flagship brethren, and it’s curved—you’ll be sure to turn some heads, and they won’t even know your cell service is pre-paid.

The Galaxy S7 edge has all the same bells and whistles as the GS7, including a Snapdragon 820 processor, 4GB of RAM, an expansion slot, an impressive 12-megapixel rear-facing camera, and a water resistant metal-and-glass chassis. But if you really can’t spring the extra hundred-or-so dollars for it, the smaller Galaxy S7 is also a worthy choice.

Samsung Galaxy S7 edge review

Ready to purchase?

See it at U.S. Cellular

Samsung Galaxy S6

Not looking to drop an arm and a leg on the latest Android smartphone? Then you might want to consider bringing home last year’s flagship device. Samsung did such a great job with the Galaxy S6, that it’s worth considering even as it reaches the two-year launch mark.

The Galaxy S6 features a 5.1-inch QuadHD Super AMOLED display, an octa-core Exynos processor, and a stellar 16-megapixel camera with OIS. Unfortunately, this phone doesn’t have an expansion slot or water resistance, but you will still have a fingerprint sensor embedded into the Home button, both PMA and Qi wireless charging capabilities, and both Samsung Pay and Android Pay compatibility. That’s better than what most smartphones offer at this price point.

Samsung Galaxy S6 review

Buy it:

See it at U.S. Cellular

Moto G LTE

Yes, the Moto G LTE is a bit older than some of Motorola’s other mid-range to low-end offerings, but it’s still a worthy consideration if you’re on U.S. Cellular and all you want are the barebones basics.

The Moto G is one of our favorite phones in the mid-range category. It offers a 5-inch 720p display, a quad-core Snapdragon 410 SoC, a microSD slot, a 13MP camera with dual-tone flash and a f/2.0 lens, a 5MP front camera, LTE connectivity, and a 2470mAh battery. The Moto G LTE also has IPX7 certification, so the phone is fine in three feet of water for up to half an hour.

Moto G LTE review

Ready to grab it?

See it at U.S. Cellular

Scare the pants off your friends with these Gear VR experiences

It’s time to scare the crap out of your friends.

October is Halloween season, which means it’s the season for scaring yourself silly. The next time you invite friends over to fool around in VR, you should definitely have a few frightening games and experiences ready. After all, who doesn’t want to watch their friends get spooked when they’re stuck in a Gear VR.

Read more at VR Heads!

After Math: Adventures in the 21st and a quarter century

We are living in the future here, people! Granted, no, full-body lycra catsuits haven’t taken off quite as well as we initially expected but the promise of futuristic technology has sure come through. Or, at least it will at the start of the next decade. By 2025, the UN will go to space, Volkswagen will debut an electric car with a 370-mile range and Elon Musk will send some folks to Mars! Numbers, because how else will you know how long until you’re exiled offworld?

Ben Heck’s Texas Instruments light booster

Even plants like to sleep sometimes. To do that, though, they need one hearty light meal from the sun. Watch how Ben and the team use Texas Instruments’ MSP430 microcontroller with the ADS7042 light-sensing BoosterPack to control a set of alternating current lighting. The idea is to provide what indoor plants need when the sun can’t provide enough light for food. Ben introduces us to rudimentary electrics on wiring a USA mains plug and using a solid-state relay to turn it on and off. Then he guides through using Code Composer Studio and Energia to compile code for the TI MSP430 and BoosterPack. You can find out more about the build, along with the code to support it, over on the element14 Community.