New in-hand Google Pixel 2 leak confirms design elements, missing headphone jack

This is Google’s new phone.

We got our first look at the Google Pixel 2 last week, and now we have a fresh pair of photos showing both sides of the phone that corroborate with the first set. The photos show an early development unit — laden with barcodes, naturally — but in much better lighting with the context of being in-hand.

There’s nothing particularly new or shocking about the hardware here, but it does help confirm that this is what the smaller Google Pixel 2 is going to look like. The glass portion of the back is much smaller now, with a more pronounced camera housing and that tried-and-true rear fingerprint sensor. On the front, we see pretty distinct openings at the top and bottom, presumably for proper stereo sound.

GSMArena’s source that provided the images confirmed that this phone has no headphone jack, which unfortunately matches earlier rumors. If the decision stands past these dev units, people will undoubtedly be upset with this move, particularly as the Pixel 2 doesn’t seem to be going for some futuristic thin, narrow, or compact look.

Dive into home automation and save $120 on this Google Home and Philips Hue bundle

Our friends at Thrifter are back again, this time with a bundle deal you won’t want to miss out on.

Getting up and turning your lights off is so 2016. Home automation is the future, and if you want to jump into it, this Google Home and Philips Hue bundle is a great first step at just $188.99 at Best Buy. This is around $120 less than if you were to buy both pieces separately, which is money you’ll then be able to use for your next purchase (like a smart outlet or two).

The Google Home lets you change the color of your new smart lights, turn them on/off and more, using only your voice. It also can help you answer tough questions, keep your daily life organized and other tasks.

If you’ve been considering the purchase of either item or both, this is your chance to do it and save some money. Once you get started with home automation, you won’t want to look back. You can also grab the Philips Hue Motion Sensor for just $31 at Amazon, or a 3-pack of white lights for just $40.

See at Best Buy

More from Thrifter:

• Must-have grilling and BBQ accessories for summer 2017
• How to save money on gas during your next fill up

For more great deals be sure to check out our friends at Thrifter now!

Pixels and Nexuses now receiving August security patch from Google

In some ways, it’s the most important update you’ll get.

Google has just released its August 5, 2017 security patch, releasing it for its own Pixel and Nexus devices but of course also providing it to other manufacturers to release to their devices as well. As for Google’s own hardware, the August 5 update will arrive for the Pixel XL, Pixel, Nexus 6P, Nexus 5X, Nexus 6, Nexus 9, Nexus Player, and Pixel C.

The latest security bulletin includes several fixes across the framework, media frameworks, Broadcom components, MediaTek components, and more. But you don’t necessarily need to know the particular details — you just need the patch in order to be protected from the exploits they may have enabled.

Over-the-air updates will be arriving shortly for those supported devices, but if you’re particularly impatient Google has already posted the files to apply them to your phone or tablet manually. You can download the OTA files from Google here, and if you’re not familiar with the process be sure to follow our guide with step-by-step instructions. Take note of the fact that for some devices, like the Pixels, there are separate versions for some carriers like Verizon, Project Fi, T-Mobile and Deutsche Telekom.

If you’re a little more patient, the update should be arriving on your phone or tablet automatically in the next couple of days.

Google Pixel + Pixel XL

• Google Pixel and Pixel XL review
• Google Pixel XL review: A U.S. perspective
• Google Pixel FAQ: Should you upgrade?
• Pixel + Pixel XL specs
• Understanding Android 7.1 Nougat
• Join the discussion in the forums!

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Apple joins Instagram just to show off iPhone photos

Back in 2015, Apple wanted to show off the camera chops of its then-flagship iPhone 6 and 6 Plus smartphones, so it decided to tell the world the old fashioned way. A new ad campaign plastered gorgeous photos of natural and human beauty up on posters and in television commercials, all with the subtle tagline at the bottom: Shot on iPhone 6. Now, three years later, Apple has made a permanent showcase for pics taken with its smartphones…on Instagram.

A look through the lens of iPhone users around the world. Tag #ShotoniPhone to take part. – Words and images by @koci, @itsreuben, @danilo, @_xst, @subwayhands, @marcelonava, @brockdavis, @lanadeathray, @thesdcowgirl, @inomad, @_yaisyusman_, @dawn_denfeld, @pauloctavious, @jeremysnell, @laurazazanis, @ryanpernofski, @abstractconformity, @mirafilm, @joez19, @daniil, @oli_op, @fotombo, @j9ryl, @tertiusalio, @maggiefortsonphoto, @trevorpaulhus, @rodrigomartinezfotos, @louiegraphy, @vmiura, @lfleischer, @vasjenkatro, @stevenxuex, @ianteraoka, @easonhsiung, @omidscheybani, @tamon_, @jaywilliamsphotography, @holephoto, @bigheadtaco, @mamacaxx

A post shared by apple (@apple) on Aug 7, 2017 at 5:15am PDT

Not that Apple’s a stranger to the platform’s usefulness, since it’s had an account dedicated to its Music service for awhile now, with matching ones on Twitter and Facebook. As Adweek points out, the company saw the value of having a presence on all three social media platforms for its audio subscription service, but is infamously miserly with any other social promotion (though they have main profiles on Twitter and Facebook, both are blank).

But for whatever reason, Apple’s chosen now to showcase photos taken from its smartphones. So far, eight mini-collections of photos have been posted with attribution to the photographers.

Source: Apple (Instagram account)