Google responds to Pixel 2 issues: Extended warranty and updates

While the Pixel 2 family initially garnered strong reviews, early adopting owners have reported an array of issues. Some have complained about dull colors or even “burn-in” on the Pixel 2 XL’s OLED screen, while others have reported clicking sounds from their Pixel 2’s speaker. In a couple of posts on its support forums tonight, Google employees explained what’s going on and what the company will do.

Google Hardware product management VP Mario Queiroz announced that it’s expanding the base warranty to two years (from one) for all Pixel 2s, while reiterating that despite reports, Google believes the Pixel 2 XL’s display is aging similarly to other OLED panels.

Engineering VP Seang Chau dug deeper into the device’s display characteristics, as well as Google’s plan for software updates that will do more to combat image retention by adding a new fade-out for the nav bar buttons and reduce the Pixel 2 XL’s maximum brightness slightly. It’s also updating both Pixel 2 devices to support a new “saturated” color mode that Google says will be less accurate but may satisfy users expecting a more vibrant look.

Finally, when it comes to the Pixel 2’s clicking issue, a community manager reports that will be addressed in an update soon. Until then, if it’s too much of an issue then users are advised to turn off NFC in their settings.

None of the posts addressed concerns some owners have expressed about seeing a blue tint with off angle viewing, so that may be something they have to live with. If Google provides any other information, then we’ll update this post.

Source: Google Support (1), (2), (3)

Apple’s Online Store Down Ahead of iPhone X Pre-Orders

Apple has taken its online storefront down in order to prepare for the launch of the iPhone X, which will take place at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time or 3:01 a.m. Eastern Time on Friday, October 27 in the United States.

In other countries, pre-order times will vary based on local time zone. Pre-orders will kick off at 5:01 p.m. in Sydney, for example, 3:01 p.m. in China, and 8:01 a.m. in the UK. For details on when pre-orders go live in your country, make sure to check out our post that lists all of the pre-order times.

Apple will accept pre-orders through the Apple website and the Apple Store app. T-Mobile, AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon will all be accepting pre-orders for the iPhone X in the U.S., as will major retailers like Target and Best Buy. We’ve rounded up all of the third-party retailers offering pre-orders in the United States.

Pre-orders will be available from Apple in the following first wave launch countries starting on October 27: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Greenland, Guernsey, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Isle of Man, Italy, Japan, Jersey, Kuwait, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates, the UK, the US and the US Virgin Islands.

Customers who are hoping to get an iPhone X on launch day should order as early as possible. iPhone X supplies are believed to be severely constrained, and available devices could sell out quickly, perhaps within a matter of minutes.

The iPhone X, which comes in Silver and Black, is available in 64 and 256GB capacities for $999 and $1,149, respectively. iPhone Upgrade Program customers will need to pay $49.91 a month for the 64GB model or $56.16 per month for the 128GB model.

Related Roundup: iPhone XBuyer’s Guide: iPhone X (Caution)
Discuss this article in our forums

Report shows enterprise hard drives are no more reliable than mainstream models

Why it matters to you

This study shows that hard drives for the enterprise and mainstream markets are similar in reliability despite the enterprise model’s premium price.

Cloud backup service provider Backblaze released its quarterly hard drive report on Thursday, October 26, revealing failure rates experienced in its data centers between July 1 and September 30, 2017. The company notes that most of the hard drives it uses has an average age of three years or less except for a specific 4TB model manufactured by HGST that can run up to 51.3 months before retirement.

But the report points out that hard drives manufactured specifically for enterprise use aren’t any more reliable than drives sold on the mainstream market. The observation is based on the company’s use of 8TB hard drives manufactured by Seagate: Model ST8000NM0055 for data centers, and model ST8000DM002 for the mainstream desktop market.

The company reports that the enterprise-focused model has an annualized failure rate of 1.2 percent whereas the mainstream model has an annualized failure rate of 1.1 percent. As the numbers show, the failure rates are very similar, meaning the enterprise model isn’t any more reliable than its mainstream sibling despite the former’s “premium” price tag. Still, there are benefits in using the premium enterprise-based storage solution.

“The Seagate enterprise drives load data faster and have a number of features such as the PowerChoice technology that can be very useful,” Backblaze reports. “In addition, enterprise drives typically have a five-year warranty versus a two-year warranty for the consumer drives. We will continue to follow these drives, especially as they age over two years: The warranty point for the consumer drives.”

Corporations still rely on mechanical hard drives because their storage capacity per dollar is better than what’s currently offered with flash-based solid state disk (SSD) storage. SSDs are admittedly faster and more reliable because they have no moving parts, but the prices are higher and storage capacities are lower. That said, Backblaze just retired all 3TB and 4TB hard drives residing in its data centers (6,221 total) for models with 8TB, 10TB, and 12TB capacities, adding 59 petabytes of storage just in the third quarter alone.

According to the Backblaze report, 9,879 units of Seagate’s 8TB ST8000DM002 hard drive were in use during the third quarter, totaling 908,298 days of up-time. The company also experienced 18 failures with this specific model during that time, generating an annualized failure rate of 0.72 percent. Overall, the company has 86,529 hard drives in use totaling 7,766,422 days of up-time, and only saw 392 drive failures within the third quarter, generating a 1.84 percent annualized failure rate.

But what’s interesting about the report is that Backblaze is using both enterprise and mainstream-based hard drives in its data centers. The company’s army of 8TB Seagate enterprise drives have accumulated around 1.4 million drive days whereas the mainstream 8TB models have accumulated around 3.7 million drive days since April 2013. The company also uses various drives manufactured by Toshiba, Western Digital, and HGST.

“While drive price and availability are our primary considerations, you may decide other factors are more important,” the company reports.

Editor’s Recommendations

• Seagate’s 12TB IronWolf and Barracuda hard drives bolster storage inside and out
• This microwave-based hard drive will offer 40 terabytes of storage
• Expand your PC’s storage with the best external hard drives
• Samsung T5 SSD review
• What’s the difference between four-wheel drive and all-wheel drive?

The Sennheiser Ambeo smart headset records the world the way you hear it

Why it matters to you

Being able to record 3D audio without a dedicated mic will create new opportunities for content creators.

It has been ten months since the Sennheiser Ambeo smart headset was announced at CES 2017, but the wait is over: You can now buy these incredibly high-tech earphones for $300, or $400 Canadian dollars.

What’s so special about the Ambeo headset? In addition to offering up Sennheiser’s renowned high-quality audio, these earbuds are designed to record the world around them in binaural 3D, using built-in mics located in each earpiece. The location of these mics lets them pick up sounds the same way our ears do, which means the information can be processed, recorded, and then played back over conventional stereo headphones yet still retain the sense of 3D, immersive space we get when listening to sounds all around us.

The Ambeo headset channels audio to and from its earpieces via its dedicated Lightning connector. This means they’re only compatible with Lightning-equipped iOS devices, but it also means you don’t need Apple’s Lightning-to-mini-jack dongle if you’ve got an iPhone 7, 8, or X.

Another benefit to using the Lightning port is that Sennheiser uses its own digital-to-analog, and analog-to-digital converters, ensuring that you hear exactly what the company intends you to hear. The Ambeo’s mics are treated natively when using the iOS camera app, so there’s no need to run an additional app in order to capture 3D sound as part of your videos. Sennheiser thinks vloggers and other content creators are going to love this. There’s even a physical slide switch built into the cord-mounted controls, which lets you adjust the mics’ sensitivity according to your surroundings, such as normal for everyday use, and loud for places like concerts.

Of course, what’s the point of having high-tech 3D-capable microphones on your earbuds if you don’t maximize their potential? In addition to the usual ability to take calls (no word yet on what a binaural phone conversation sounds like), the Ambeo can do smart noise cancellation. Sennheiser calls this “situational awareness,” and lets you decide how much of the outside world you want to intrude on your listening activities. Using another dedicated rocker switch, you can choose between a “transparent” mode, which gently meshes outside sounds with your audio — a good idea if cycling through an urban streetscape, for instance — or full-on active noise cancellation for when you’re jetting between New York and L.A.

As for Android users, yes you too will be able to join in on the Ambeo smart headset party — at least according to Sennheiser’s April IFA announcement — but no word yet on when that will happen.

Editor’s Recommendations

• B&O Play Beoplay E8 hands-on review
• Cut the cord for good with our favorite deals on truly wireless earbuds
• Optoma NuForce BE2 review
• Shure’s two new pairs of noise-isolating earbuds leave cords in the past
• Sony’s parade of IFA audio gear includes noise-canceling true wireless earbuds

Samsung’s new Galaxy Tab A is designed for everyone in the family

Why it matters to you

If you’re looking for a tablet to share with everyone in your family, Samsung’s Galaxy Tab A could be a perfect fit. The latest device has a refined, versatile design meant for everyday use.

On Thursday, October 26, Samsung announced it’s adding another addition to its lineup of tablets — the Galaxy Tab A (2017). The latest device has a refined, family-friendly design meant for everyday use.

The Galaxy Tab A features an 8-inch, 1280 x 800 resolution display, with a 5-megapixel front-facing camera and 8-megapixel rear camera — flash included. Underneath the hood, it packs a Snapdragon 425 processor and 2GB of RAM. There’s also 32GB of built-in storage and an additional 256GB through the MicroSD card slot.

Whether you’re watching movies, playing games, or writing emails, the 5,000mAh battery promises up to 14 hours of use from one single charge. As for the operating system, it runs Android 7.1.1 Nougat.

Equipped with a bright display, you should be able to use the tablet even if it’s extremely sunny outside. If you’re using it indoors, there’s also an optional blue light filter to use when looking at content at night or in dim lighting.

The tablet comes with an expansive library of media and kid-friendly content services. With Kids Mode, you’ll find over 5,000 exclusive game and video titles along with Value Pack options to download apps.

There’s also Samsung Kids — which is an all-in-one subscription service with educational games, movies, books, and TV shows. Customers who purchase the Galaxy Tab A will receive $100 worth of content within the Samsung Kids service. Other offers with your purchase include three free months of YouTube Red — with Offline Mode capabilities to watch and download video.

Since the tablet is versatile enough to be used by everyone in the family, there are Parental Controls available, too. Parents can set limits on usage and customize the content available in order to make sure it’s always a fun and safe environment for children.

For gamers, the Samsung’s new tablet has Game Launcher, which provides a personalized gaming experience complete with an enhanced user interface and more gaming tools. With Call and Notification Prevention Mode, you can continue to play your games without being interrupted by notifications.

The Galaxy Tab A will be available on November 1, right on time for the holiday season. You can purchase it on Samsung’s website for $230 in either Black or Silver.

Editor’s Recommendations

• The best tablets you can buy
• Make your iPad friends envious with one of these 5 best Android tablets
• The 100 best iPad apps for your Apple tablet (October)
• 20 Android and iOS apps for kids to keep them entertained (and quiet)
• Acer Switch 3 review

Feast your eyes (not literally, though) on the most powerful lasers on Earth

As time goes on and technological progress marches forward, the line between science fiction and reality seems to getting increasingly blurry. Case in point? Lasers. They’ve been around for decades, but nowadays they’re starting to look a lot less like the puny little laser pointers of yesteryear and a lot more like the stuff you see in Star Trek. To give you a taste of how far lasers have come, we’ve compiled a list of the most advanced ones on the planet. From lice-zapping lights to high-powered military weapons, here’s our list of planet Earth’s most powerful lasers. Enjoy!

Wicked Lasers Spyder 3 Pro Arctic

The Spyder 3 handheld laser is no real life lightsaber, nor a “laser shotgun”, but it’s definitely not a toy either. This small but formidable laser has enough juice to permanently blind you — and even light certain materials on fire. The included safety glasses make wielding “the most powerful laser legally purchasable” slightly less risky, but we highly recommend not pushing your luck with this one.

University of Nebraska’s Diocles laser

In June of 2017, scientists at the University of Nebraska powered on their ultra-high intensity Diocles laser — a laser that’s reportedly capable of producing light that’s a billion times brighter than light at the surface of the sun. Such intense brightness is created using a fine-tuned compression stage in which the laser is focused into an extremely short, powerful pulse. The potential uses of the university’s new laser are pretty exciting, but for now it operates as a machine of science, helping researchers investigate the relationship between light and matter.

University of Michigan’s Hercules laser

Touted as the “most intense laser in the world,” the Hercules laser is slated to get a lot more intense after receiving a sizable donation from the National Science Foundation. With its pending upgrades, Hercules’ power is expected to increase from 300 terawatts to a possible 1000.

With a higher powered Hercules, the team behind the machine thinks the technology could help shrink down particle accelerators to a “tabletop” size, thereby eliminating the need for multi-acre research facilities like CERN. This would help scientists around the world continue to explore the mysteries of our universe from the comfort of their home labs.

The XFEL: X-ray free electron laser

As of September 1, 2017, the world’s most powerful image-producing X-ray laser is open for business. Europe’s XFEL, as it’s called, is located 125 feet below the northern city of Hamburg, Germany. The laser is housed in a 3.4 kilometer long tunnel, where it is used to observe chemical reactions at the smallest scale, and record them.

Being able to image things at such a small scale has very big implications — whether it be observing materials as they break down to make them stronger; watching bio-molecules to help understand illnesses and create custom drugs to combat them; or using a laser to create intense pressure and heat to help understand processes like those that occur in the Earth’s core.

Lockheed Martin’s Athena modular laser system

The last laser on our list stands apart for a few different reasons: It’s portable, it’s modular, and it can even shoot down airplanes and disable vehicles. That’s right — this laser actually shoots stuff.

In 2015, Lockheed showcased the Athena laser’s destructive capabilities by disabling a small boat, igniting the tail fin of a flying drone, and melting through the engine block of a small truck. Furthermore, the system is so small and lightweight that it can easily be fitted onto existing warships, and in the future, potentially even trucks and tanks.

While a future of war isn’t something anyone wants, this technology may end up being our only defense against interplanetary threats that conventional weapons are too slow to combat, such as asteroids and meteors.

Editor’s Recommendations

• Watch Lockheed Martin burn drones out of the sky with a new laser
• The world’s largest X-ray laser is now officially open for business
• Optical vs. Laser: What kind of mouse will work for you?
• The easiest way to take graphene into the third dimension? Use a laser on it
• Sony has a cinema-grade 4K HDR projector for less than $5,000. That’s a big deal

Google redesigns its Science Journal app as a digital science notebook

Why it matters to you

Budding scientists should love Google’s Science Journal app. Users can record notes, observations, and keep photos all in one place.

Love science? Then you’ll really love Google’s Science Journal app. It measures and records data in real time, and then turns all that input into consumer-friendly graphs and charts. On Thursday, October 26, the tech giant announced the app has been redesigned as a digital science notebook which is now available for download on Android and iOS.

Experimental enthusiasts can keep several projects running in the app, and with tools like an accelerometer, a light and sound meter, and a microphone (all the sensors already present in your Android or iOS device), there’s really no end in sight to the types of projects you could explore.

But after releasing the app last year, Google heard some helpful feedback from educators. Teachers indicated that the app would be even more useful if you could record findings and make specific observations for science experiments.

In the new version, each experiment is now a blank page that can be filled with notes and photos. There’s also three new sensors to play with and the ability to take a snapshot of your sensor data at any moment. In the future, there will also be new note-taking tools to help enhance the types of observations you can record.

The app certainly appears to help budding scientists keep track of their projects, by allowing them to keep all of their important information in one place or even setting reminders for next steps.

In partnership with the California Academy of Sciences, Science Buddies, and the New York Hall of Science, Google has released over 20 new activites within the app. You’ll now be able to try measuring the motion of a bicycle or attaching your phone to a spring. In the upcoming months, there will be additional features and updates to the app.

Thus far, the public seems pretty impressed with the free (it doesn’t cost a dime for you to explore your love of science) app, with an average rating on the Google Play Store of 4.6. So if you’re looking for a “tool for doing science with your smartphone,” look no further than Science Journal.

Update: Google redesigns Science Journal as a digital science notebook, available for iOS and Android

Editor’s Recommendations

• These amazing science fair projects make your potato battery look prehistoric
• Here are the names and achievements behind this year’s Nobel Prizes in Science
• Move over, potato battery: The coolest science fair projects made by kids
• Man somehow plays sax solo following brain surgery, for science
• World View’s high-altitude science balloon nails its longest flight yet

Google redesigns its Science Journal app as a digital science notebook

Why it matters to you

Budding scientists should love Google’s Science Journal app. Users can record notes, observations, and keep photos all in one place.

Love science? Then you’ll really love Google’s Science Journal app. It measures and records data in real time, and then turns all that input into consumer-friendly graphs and charts. On Thursday, October 26, the tech giant announced the app has been redesigned as a digital science notebook which is now available for download on Android and iOS.

Experimental enthusiasts can keep several projects running in the app, and with tools like an accelerometer, a light and sound meter, and a microphone (all the sensors already present in your Android or iOS device), there’s really no end in sight to the types of projects you could explore.

But after releasing the app last year, Google heard some helpful feedback from educators. Teachers indicated that the app would be even more useful if you could record findings and make specific observations for science experiments.

In the new version, each experiment is now a blank page that can be filled with notes and photos. There’s also three new sensors to play with and the ability to take a snapshot of your sensor data at any moment. In the future, there will also be new note-taking tools to help enhance the types of observations you can record.

The app certainly appears to help budding scientists keep track of their projects, by allowing them to keep all of their important information in one place or even setting reminders for next steps.

In partnership with the California Academy of Sciences, Science Buddies, and the New York Hall of Science, Google has released over 20 new activites within the app. You’ll now be able to try measuring the motion of a bicycle or attaching your phone to a spring. In the upcoming months, there will be additional features and updates to the app.

Thus far, the public seems pretty impressed with the free (it doesn’t cost a dime for you to explore your love of science) app, with an average rating on the Google Play Store of 4.6. So if you’re looking for a “tool for doing science with your smartphone,” look no further than Science Journal.

Update: Google redesigns Science Journal as a digital science notebook, available for iOS and Android

Editor’s Recommendations

• These amazing science fair projects make your potato battery look prehistoric
• Here are the names and achievements behind this year’s Nobel Prizes in Science
• Move over, potato battery: The coolest science fair projects made by kids
• Man somehow plays sax solo following brain surgery, for science
• World View’s high-altitude science balloon nails its longest flight yet

Google to address Pixel 2 XL screen issues with several software changes

Here’s what Google will be doing to “fix” the Pixel 2 XL’s display issues.

We’ve been talking about the Pixel 2 XL for a while now, and over the past few days, our focus has been on the phone’s display. Two main issues that people have with it are dull or unsaturated colors, and burn-in where the navigation bar lies. Google said that it was “actively investigating” these complaints on October 23, and now just a few days later, we have an official response from the company outlining its plans to address the recent uproar from critics and consumers alike.

New ‘saturated’ mode

First off, one of the critiques that some people have with the Pixel 2 XL’s display isn’t a defect at all: its color calibration. As we’ve stated before, Google calibrated the phone’s panel with an sRGB profile that shows more accurate colors that are truer to life than what you’ll see with some other phones that are focused on being more saturated.

Google already offers a “Vivid mode” that increases the saturation of the display by 10% so that colors are more vibrant, but as anyone that owns a Pixel 2 XL knows, this is an extremely marginal change that really doesn’t make any discernable difference.

Saturated mode will make the Pixel 2 XL’s display look more like the 2016 Pixel XL’s.

To address concerns, a software update will soon be coming to the Pixel 2 XL (and regular Pixel 2) that’ll add a new “Saturated” mode. It’s unclear how much of a percentage increase in vibrancy this will be, but Google says that this will make the screen look similar to that of the first-gen Pixels with more saturation at the expense of color accuracy.

This is something we were expecting to happen, but having a final word from Google itself that more saturated colors are on the way should come as good news to a lot of our readers. Options are always good.

Attempting to reduce burn-in

We’ve seen reports (and on our own phones) of pretty aggressive screen burn-in on the Pixel 2 XL over the past few days, and we knew that this was something that couldn’t be resolved solely through software.

As part of its defense, Google addresses the fact that all OLED panels show signs of burn-in and image retention over their lifetime — the question is how fast it happens and how “bad” it is. And once again, Google says it’s “actively investigating” the reports of burn-in that it’s received. However, this is then expanded with the following statement:

Extensive testing of the Pixel 2 XL display show that its decay characteristics are comparable to OLED panels used in other premium smartphones. The differential aging should not affect the user experience of the phone, as it’s not visible under normal use of your Pixel 2 XL.

That may come as either good news or bad news depending on how badly you perceive the burn-in we’ve seen so far on the Pixel 2 XL, but nonetheless Google is attempting to remedy (or mitigate) this as much as possible through software. Google is currently playing around with a future software update that will do several things, including fade out the navigation bar after a certain amount of inactivity and reduce the maximum brightness level by 50 nits (an amount imperceivable to the human eye, Google says). The company is also working with app developers so that a white navigation bar can be used in place of a black one to help cut down on possible burn-in even further.

It remains to be seen how these software tricks actually work in the real world, but a solution is still better than nothing at all.

More peace of mind

Following the onslought of complaints the Pixel 2 XL has received recently, Google will also now inlcude a two-year warranty with every Pixel 2 and 2 XL that’s sold. Having an added year of protection is a really nice touch, especially considering that – according to Google – nothing was really wrong in the first place.

What do you think?

Now that we have an official response from Google, what do you think? If you were on the fence about the Pixel 2 XL, does this response make you more inclined to buy the phone? Let us know in the comments below!

Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL

• Pixel 2 FAQ: Everything you need to know!
• Google Pixel 2 and 2 XL review: The new standard
• Google Pixel 2 specs
• Google Pixel 2 vs. Pixel 2 XL: What’s the difference?
• Join our Pixel 2 forums

Google Store
Project Fi
Verizon
Best Buy

Google extending manufacturer warranty for Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL

Current and future Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XLs now come with a two-year manufacturer warranty at no added cost.

After stating that it was “actively investigating” consumer and critic complaints about the Pixel 2 XL’s display on October 23, Google recently issued a more official response fully detailing the exact steps it would be taking to remedy the biggest issues that have been brought to light.

While doing this, Google also announced that it would be extending the standard one-year manufacturer warranty on the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL to two years at no extra cost. This applies to current and future Pixel 2/2 XL owners, and considering that Google reports nothing is technically wrong with the Pixel 2 XL’s display, this is quite generous on its part.

Do take note that this is not the Preferred Care insurance plan that Google offers when buying a Pixel 2. It’s simply an extension of the warranty that comes with all Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL purchases, meaning that you have an added year of coverage against any issues that are directly related to the manufacturing of your device.

If you want protection against accidental damage and priority repair service in addition to the now-standard two-year manufacturer’s warranty, you can still purchase Preferred Care when buying your Pixel 2 or Pixel 2 XL for $129 per device.

Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL

• Pixel 2 FAQ: Everything you need to know!
• Google Pixel 2 and 2 XL review: The new standard
• Google Pixel 2 specs
• Google Pixel 2 vs. Pixel 2 XL: What’s the difference?
• Join our Pixel 2 forums

Google Store
Project Fi
Verizon
Best Buy