Google Pixel 2 XL vs. LG V30: The perfect pair for right now

Should you buy the LG V30 or the Pixel 2 XL? It’s a hard decision.

I was the last person to leave Google’s Pixel hardware event in Toronto this week, the cleaning staff already entering the converted movie studio to remove the painstakingly crafted demo spaces for Google Lens, augmented reality, and the Pixel 2 camera’s Portrait Mode. I just didn’t want to give the damn phones back, them feeling so good and comfortable and right in my paw.

And gave them back I did, but not before I snapped some photos of the Pixel 2 XL next to the LG V30. I’m saying this both to hedge against the poor quality of the photos themselves (Lightroom’s Clarity can’t fix what isn’t in focus) but to emphasize that, Samsung flagships aside, I think this is the most interesting comparison to come out of the entire event.

See, the LG V30 goes on sale pretty much now — it’s already available at Verizon and AT&T, and will be next week at T-Mobile and Sprint — despite being announced in August and seeded to reviewers shortly thereafter. LG has a knack of announcing its phones well before they actually go on sale, which means that despite a great product, they tend to lose the momentum of public discourse in the weeks following.

Anyway, what that means is that the October 5 release date of the V30 is only two weeks before the LG-made Pixel 2 XL, which is astonishing if you think about it.

So which should you buy? Honestly, that’s a difficult question to answer. But let’s try to get you closer to that truth.

What’s the same

Both the LG V30 and the Google Pixel 2 XL share a number of hardware similarities, and while they don’t look the same, they are built on similar bones.

Both of these OLED screens are outstanding, but the V30 fits it into a more compact frame.

LG brought its Plastic OLED technology to the V30 first, but it appears that the Pixel 2 XL has either the same panel, or one very similar — they’re both six inches at 2880×1440 pixel resolution, with the increasingly-common 18:9 / 2:1 aspect ratio. I like this compromise between width and height; unlike the Galaxy S8+ and Note 8, neither the V30 nor Pixel 2 XL feels top-heavy or onerous to use in one hand. That’s not to say they’re one hand-friendly the way the smaller 5-inch 16:9 Pixel 2 is, but they’re easier to maneuver without risking a drop.

The panels themselves are excellent. These are OLED displays with vivid colors, perfect blacks, and awesome calibration; both LG and Google boast of full DCI-P3 color gamut support.

Those screens, curved at each corner, fit into chassis only slightly larger, making them practically bezel-less. But LG does a better job on the V30, mainly because it eschews front-facing stereo speakers for a single bottom firing port. The Pixel 2 XL is slightly taller, and a bit wider, as a result, but to me it’s not a dealbreaker — I haven’t heard them just yet, but I love the idea of phone speakers with actual impact.

Both phones are powered by the same underlying hardware, too: Snapdragon 835 SoC, 4GB of RAM, between 64GB and 128GB of storage (though only on the V30+, which is limited to Sprint and US Cellular), and a sizable battery — 3300mAh for the V30 and 3520mAh for the Pixel — along with IP67 water resistance. Thankfully, the rear fingerprint sensors are in the same (gratifying) place — though only the Pixel’s lets you swipe down to reveal the notification shade. Come on, LG!

On a high level, that’s where the similarities end. And that’s what makes this comparison so interesting.

What’s different

The LG V30 focuses on so many different things than the LG-made Pixel 2 XL, and that’s why I love Android. The V30 is a shiny slab of glass on the front and back, which supports wireless charging. The Pixel 2 XL is … not. It has a unibody metal chassis, but a portion of the back is covered in glass, which is both a design and signal benefit, since Google doesn’t have to break up the look with plastic antenna lines. The metal back is rendered slightly more tactile, and less slippery, thanks to a finish that can only be described as plasticky. When I first picked it up I had to be reassured the phone was indeed aluminum — it feels more like the Nexus 5X than the original Pixel XL.

Of course, the V30 has two cameras, one 16MP sensor with a wide-angle lens, and a 13MP sensor with an extra wide-angle lens. The two form the basis of one of the more interesting and fun camera experiences on the market, and as we’ve said before, no one does landscape photography better than LG. At the same time, many of LG’s new video modes are substantially more robust than anything you’ll find on a Samsung or even Sony device, and far surpasses that of Google’s simple camera app, which even lacks a dedicated manual mode.

At the same time, Google’s focus (pun intended) on a single camera, which is lower-resolution with larger individual pixels than the V30’s main sensor, allows for some incredible low-light shots. Google also boasts of a computational portrait mode, while its HDR+ capabilities bring out color and detail in situations that many other phones would fall flat.

We’ve spent a lot of time with pre-production versions of the V30’s hardware and came away impressed, but I’m fairly confident that, when put head to head with the Pixel 2 XL, it won’t square up in most situations. The Pixel also has Google Lens, which further reinforces the company’s lead in using the camera for contextual gain; point it at a sign and get information about the words, or its location. Point it at a dog and (hopefully) find out the breed (it’s a Great Dane). That’s all very cool, but it remains to be seen if people will actually use the feature.

If you care about audio quality at all, the V30 isn’t just better than the Pixel — it’s the best out there.

LG also puts a tremendous amount of effort into shoring up its audio game; not only does the V30 have a headphone jack, but its Quad DAC and powerful amplifier ensures that all headphones, even high-impedance ones, sound excellent. It’s also possible to tune the phone’s sound to suit one’s individual ear, with additional filters and settings that even 2016’s V20 lacked. This is as robust an audio-visual experience as you can get on any phone today — but it requires a tremendous amount of tweaking to get there.

The original Pixel was renound for its awful Bluetooth performance, so it’s a bit concerning that its successor lacks a headphone jack. Sure, there’s a dongle in the box, but it’s one sure to be quickly lost or discarded. At the same time, Google is patterning with companies like Libratone to deliver “Made for Google” Bluetooth accessories, which consist of easy pairing and (we assume) consistently good performance. It really would be nice if Google were to deliver a phone that didn’t experience base-level problems for once.

LG also delivers some very decent headphones in the box, whereas Google delivers… well, that dongle.

The Pixel 2 XL is sure to get more updates sooner, but LG’s software is a lot better than it used to be.

The last two differences are obvious, but worth pointing out. Google’s software is worlds ahead of LG’s in many respects; not only does the Pixel 2 XL ship with Android 8.0 Oreo, but its interface and general aesthetic feels substantially more mature; LG, which has made strides in recent years, ships the V30 with Android 7.1.2, and though many of the more hard edges have been softened, it’s still easy to find nits to pick. For example, LG still insists on shipping its own keyboard, which is terrible, and its default launcher lacks an app drawer and hits icons with an ugly stick.

At the same time, Android 7.1.2 is a known quantity, both mature and easy to understand, and LG benefits from this extended lead time; the V20 was one of the first devices to ship with Android 7.0 Nougat and experienced some awful bugs that took months to resolve. I’ve yet to experience a single show-stopping issue with the V30. The original Pixel on Oreo, on the other hand, has developed a cottage country of complaints since the update became available.

But updates are going to come to the Pixel must more quickly, and for longer, than the V30 can hope to see. For starters, Google updates the Pixels directly, and is promising three years of both security updates and, for the first time, platform updates. The V30 is being sold primarily through carrier channels, so it will have to go through approval processes that often take longer. We can hope that the V30 receives Oreo sooner than later, but it’s the next update, Android P, where that lead will lengthen on Google’s behalf.

Which should you buy?

The LG V30 costs between $800 and $840 at U.S. carriers, which works out to around $32 to $34 per month for 24 months. The V30+, which is available only at Sprint and US Cellular, runs closer to $920, or $38 per month. The Pixel 2 XL starts at $849, but can be had at Verizon or the Google Store for around $35 per month for the 64GB model and $39 for the 128GB version.

So the cost is a wash.

That leaves the features, and to my eyes the V30 has a more robust collection of experiences for the advanced user, especially when it comes to audio and photography. Not only does the Quad DAC provide better sound, but there’s a headphone jack with a powerful amplifier and plenty of adjustability. The dual camera setup is tons of fun, and the manual mode is just wonderful. The V30 has wireless charging, too, and the all-glass design keeps it lighter than the Pixel 2. The overall body is smaller, too, though you forgo front-facing speakers.

The Pixel 2 XL is a simple phone. It’s meant to be easy to understand and use, and accessible to any and all who buy it. It hides much of the complexity that Android is famous for. Its design is also sure to be divisive; it’s both whimsical and utilitarian, and while the larger Pixel doesn’t have the substantial bezels of its smaller counterpart, it probably won’t win any design awards.

See Pixel 2 XL at Verizon

So, yeah, I’m torn. They’re both great phones, and knowing me I’ll probably end up using the Pixel 2 XL more because it will get the latest updates sooner, but I doubt you’ll be upset by going with the V30. Just remember to wipe down the glass back every once in a while.

See LG V30 at T-Mobile

Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL

• Google Pixel 2 and 2 XL hands-on: Act two is great
• Google Pixel 2 specs
• Google Pixel 2 vs. Pixel 2 XL: What’s the difference?
• Pixel 2 vs iPhone 8: Camera Showdown
• Pixel 2 FAQ: Everything you need to know!
• Join our Pixel 2 forums

Google Store
Project Fi
Verizon

LG V30

• LG V30 review: The no-BS flagship
• Top LG V30 camera features
• Full LG V30 specs
• LG V30 vs. G6 vs. GS8
• The V30 is the first phone to support 600MHz spectrum
• Join our LG V30 forums

Best AT&T Phones

What are the best phones you can buy at AT&T right now?

Whether you’re a loyal AT&T subscriber, or you’re looking to hop onto the giant cellular network, you’ll want to first take a peek at our list of the best smartphones the carrier has to offer.

We’ll be updating this guide throughout the year to keep you informed of the latest devices worth wielding as your daily driver. Be sure to read through our reviews for the full rundown on each smartphone.

• Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+
• Samsung Galaxy Note 8
• LG V30
• Samsung Galaxy S8 Active

Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+

We’ve officially arrived at our beautiful, bezel-less future, and the Galaxy S8 is a near-perfect example of what constitutes as innovative smartphone design. This device has all the trimmings of a one-of-a-kind style, and it helps set the aesthetic tone for smartphones to come. The good news, too, is the despite the Galaxy S8’s slimmer, all-display design, there’s still a headphone jack.

Inside, the Galaxy S8 sports the latest processor and enough RAM to fuel you through marathon gaming sessions. You can record those plays with the aid of the Game Tools built into the software, and the Galaxy S8 runs the latest version of Android, too. You can choose between the 5.8-inch Galaxy S8 with a 3000mAh battery or 6.2-inch Galaxy S8+ with a 3500mAh battery.

Want to get more in-depth?

Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ review

See Galaxy S8 at AT&T

See Galaxy S8+ at AT&T

Samsung Galaxy Note 8

If for whatever reason Samsung’s standard Galaxy S8 and S8+ don’t do it for you in terms of size and capability, you should reach for the Galaxy Note 8. You get a little bit of extra screen and a bump to 6GB of RAM inside to augment all of the same great specs and features of the lower-end phones. Plus, you get a unique dual camera setup that can take the same great shots as the GS8 but with the addition of a telephoto lens and “Live Focus” portrait shots.

Then of course you also have the S Pen stylus, which unlocks productivity and artistic angles you simply can’t get in any other phone. At over $900 you pay for the privilege, but you also know you’re getting Samsung’s biggest and best phone.

Samsung Galaxy Note 8 review

See at AT&T

LG V30

It took a while, but LG’s new flagship is out and it’s great. It takes many design cues from the Galaxy S8+, but that’s not a bad thing — you get a thin and classy metal-and-glass build that has a nice balance to it. Inside you get top-end specs, and around back LG’s great dual camera setup with a wide-angle shooter continues to stand out.

LG’s software can be an acquired taste, but it doesn’t offer any steeper of a learning curve than the Samsung phones listed here.

LG V30 review

See at AT&T

Advertisement

Samsung Galaxy S8 Active

The Galaxy S8 Active offers the complete GS8 experience in terms of specs, power, software and camera, but does it with a hefty outer shell that can take a beating and a flat display that’s shatter resistant. That means the GS8 Active can take a beating, and hold up to more than a standard GS8 in a bulky case. It also gets a huge bump in battery capacity to go with it.

The GS8 Active is more expensive than the standard version — in fact, more expensive than the Galaxy S8+ sometimes — but if you’re someone who needs to have the extra robustness without losing on features or power you may be willing to pay for it.

Samsung Galaxy S8 Active review

See at AT&T

Update October 2017: This post was updated with a refreshed phone list, removing the Galaxy S7 and LG V20, and replacing them with the Note 8, LG V30 and Galaxy S8 Active.

Keep your gear powered up with this $8 4-pack of rechargeable batteries

Rechargeable batteries ensure you’re never out of juice when you need it!

Is this deal for me?

This 4-pack of AmazonBasics rechargeable AA batteries is on sale for $7.64. These batteries normally sell around $10, and even though they fluctuate a lot in price they’ve only dropped below $8 once before.

Speaking from personal experience, I have this same pack of four and use them primarily for charging my game controllers. With these you don’t need a big, bulky dock sitting next to your TV and you don’t have any messy cords like you would with a play-and-charge kit. Plus, with four of them you will always have a replacement when the batteries get low.

These batteries can be stored for three years and still maintain 65% of their original charge. The 2400mAh capacity means they can provide a lot of juice before needing to be recharged. Plus, it will take hundreds of recharges before you even start to notice a capacity loss.

Amazon users give these batteries 4.4 stars based on 3,771 user reviews.

TL;DR

• What makes this deal worth considering? – Well, for one thing, AmazonBasics products are a solid investment for the price. Also, this is one of the lowest prices we’ve ever seen for these batteries, and they have a lot of great user reviews.
• Things to know before you buy! – Grab an inexpensive charging bay so you can easily keep your batteries topped off for whenever you need them.

See at Amazon

More from Thrifter

• How to prevent your kids from making purchases with Alexa
• How to save money using Target’s Cartwheel coupon service

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

EPA plans to repeal Obama-era Clean Power Plan

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator, Scott Pruitt, announced today he would sign a proposed rule that would withdraw the Obama administration’s Clean Power Plan (CPP). “Here’s the president’s message: The war on coal is over,” Pruitt said today during a speech given in Hazard, Kentucky.

The CPP was initially proposed by the EPA in 2014 and President Obama revealed a final version of the plan in 2015. But the the CPP, which stipulated that power companies had until 2030 to reduce their carbon emissions by 32 percent relative to 2005 levels, never really got a chance to have an impact. Soon after it was introduced, a number of states challenged the legality of the plan and 29 went so far as to petition the Supreme Court to halt its implementation until a court could review it. In a five to four vote, the Supreme Court justices granted that stay. The case, brought forth by over a dozen states, has remained in limbo at the DC Circuit US Court of Appeals while the Trump administration has considered what to do. In March, the president signed an executive order directing agencies to review regulations that might impede the coal industry, which included the CPP. Today’s announcement from Pruitt is an expected result of that order.

The Trump administration has presented opposition to environmental regulations from the very start. It has specifically targeted regulations enacted by the Obama administration, cut funding for climate-focused programs and withdrawn the US from the Paris climate change agreement. Dissolving the CPP is just the latest in a series of moves aimed at rolling back environmental protections in favor of boosting struggling fossil fuel industries.

As of now, the EPA hasn’t said whether it will replace the CPP with some watered down version, but Reuters reports that the agency said it would be releasing an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to solicit ideas for a possible replacement.

Source: Reuters

All 30 NBA teams will have their own Alexa skill this season

Amazon’s Alexa is already helpful for broadcasting sports scores upon request. For the upcoming NBA season though, the virtual assistant will serve up more detailed information on every team in the league. All 30 teams will have their own Alexa Skills, which means you can ask for things like the date of the next home game, who your teams plays on a specific date, if they’re winning, stats leaders, standings and the latest team news.

“Alexa, ask the Charlotte Hornets…” is the phrasing you’ll need to speak to initiate the request. And of course, saying “Alexa, enable (insert team name here)” will activate the skill for that particular team on your compatible device.

The NBA says its the first pro sports league to make every team available through Alexa, and if you’re a League Pass subscriber, there are even more features available. League Pass live audio can be streamed on request once you’ve enabled the NBA skill and linked your subscription account. You know, for all the times you can’t watch, but you can still listen. The NBA regular season starts next week, so you’ve got plenty of time to enable the skill for your favorite team(s) before the action begins.

Apple CEO Tim Cook and French President Macron Discussed Education and Taxes in Monday Meeting

Apple CEO Tim Cook today met with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace, and over the course of 45 minutes, the two discussed topics like education, the economy, and taxes in Europe, according to French news sites.

Apple would like to extend its “Everyone Can Code” educational initiative to France, and plans to discuss its expansion with the Ministry of National Education.

Introduced in 2016, Everyone Can Code is aimed at adding coding lessons into elementary schools and colleges. Hundreds of elementary schools have adopted Everyone Can Code material in the United States, and community colleges across the country have also begun offering App Development with Swift classes.

As rumored, Apple also plans to open an installation at Parisian startup incubator “Station F” in an effort to help French app developers create and launch iOS apps. Station F is the largest startup facility in the world and other companies like Facebook, Microsoft, and Ubisoft, already run startup programs at the incubator.

The two also discussed the relationship between Apple and French suppliers and how it can be improved, with Apple planning to work with additional French suppliers for future products.

Taxes in Europe were the last topic of discussion. Cook and Macron discussed the need for tech companies to contribute to the economy in the countries in which they operate. Led by Macron, France and Germany have called for an aggressive overhaul of how tech companies pay taxes across the European Union with the aim of introducing a more unified corporate tax system across Europe.

Cook and Macron are said to have had a constructive discussion on taxes, with no deadlock in the dialogue, but both agreed that a solution will ultimately be enacted by the European Union rather than France.

Cook had a busy day in France. In addition to meeting with Macron, he also visited iPhone X component supplier Eldim, the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, “My Little Paris” recommendation startup, and “CoachGuitar,” a company that makes an app for teaching people how to play the guitar.

Tags: Tim Cook, France
Discuss this article in our forums

iOS 11.1 Beta 2 Brings Back 3D Touch App Switcher

In the second beta of iOS 11.1, Apple has reintroduced the 3D Touch App Switcher gesture on devices that are equipped with 3D Touch.

The feature was “intentionally removed” during the iOS 11 beta testing process and was not reimplemented ahead of the official iOS 11 launch, but Apple software engineering chief Craig Federighi promised it would be re-added in a future iOS 11 update.

In an email to a MacRumors reader, Federighi said the feature needed to be temporarily removed in iOS 11 because of technical issues.

We regretfully had to temporarily drop support for this gesture due to a technical constraint. We will be bringing it back in an upcoming iOS 11.x update.

Thanks (and sorry for the inconvenience)!

The gesture, first implemented in iOS 9, allows users with a compatible iPhone to 3D Touch at the left edge of the display to bring up the App Switcher. When it was pulled from the beta, many iPhone users were disappointed as it is a convenient method for switching between apps with a single gesture. Sans gesture, the only way to bring up the App Switcher on an iPhone is by a double press on the Home button.

iOS 11.1 beta 2 is currently available for developers, but a public beta should be coming later this week. We’re still early in the beta testing process, so it’s not yet clear when iOS 11.1 will see a public release.

Related Roundup: iOS 11
Discuss this article in our forums

Hulu dives into eSports with four ESL-made shows

A handful of TV networks have started to incorporate more eSports content into their lineups and now eSports have made their way to streaming video on demand as Hulu and ESL have teamed up to create four new eSports series. “Esports appeals to a younger, more digitally savvy audience so Hulu is a perfect platform to build out our original content and expose the world of esports to new audiences,” ESL Senior VP of Global Media Rights and Distribution Nik Adams said in a statement.

Player V. Player will be a gamified debate show featuring eSports influencers discussing the latest eSports topics. They’ll earn points as they debate and wrap up each show by playing a classic video game. Another show, Bootcamp, will follow CS:GO team The Immortals as they find three new players and train for November’s IEM Oakland event. Defining Moments will be a series that covers the major, history-defining moments of eSports with each episode focusing on a specific theme, such as trick-shots, controversial moves and reflex skills. And lastly, ESL Replay will be a quickly paced, documentary-style recap of the best moments from four of the biggest eSports tournaments around the world.

ESPN has played host to quite a bit of eSports content and TBS, NBC and Disney XD have jumped into the ring as well. Facebook, Twitter and PlayStation Vue have also aired eSports competitions this year while this deal with ESL is Hulu’s first foray into the world of eSports. All four series are set to premiere this fall.

Source: ESL

Google created a fun way to learn about simple AI

You’ve probably heard the term “machine learning” quite a bit — basically, it refers to training computers to learn without directly programming them. It’s a particularly hot topic these days when it comes to AI, since machine learning is the best way to create artificial neural networks, which function similar to the human brain. To help us wrap our minds around these ideas, Google created Teachable Machine, a web tool that lets you create simple programs using your webcam.

While it’s not particularly deep, Teachable Machine is a fun way to break down the complex notion of machine learning without having to dive into code. It’s a simple enough tool for children to use, but it’s also fascinating enough to intrigue adults. Within a few minutes, I taught it to display a cat GIF when I waved my hand, and play bird sounds when I made a fist. And surprisingly enough, Teachable Machine was able to swap between the two when I changed my hand orientation almost instantly.

Teachable Machine conveys just how important pattern recognition is becoming in the technology world. It’s used in photo apps to recognize faces and objects, but it also powers supercomputers like IBM’s Watson. Looking ahead, we might eventually be able to use similar machine learning techniques to train our smarthomes. For example, it could automatically turn on your living room lights and TV when it detects you’ve come home. Or a pet feeder could dispense more food when your cat sits in front of it.

Even though Teachable Machine relies on your webcam and microphone, Google says it works entirely locally in your browser. It’s not storing anything on the company’s servers. That brings up one issue with machine learning as it creeps deeper into our lives: They’ll always be watching and listening.

Source: Teachable Machine

‘Robot Wars’ returns on October 22nd

Of course, Robot Wars is coming back for another season. The show’s revival in July 2016 was a huge success, reminding everyone how much fun it is to watch homemade robots smash each other to bits. Season nine debuted in March and Season 10, the BBC has announced today, will start on Sunday, October 22nd at 8pm on BBC Two. There will be new teams, of course, as well as some updated rules. The new trailer hints at a “Fog of War” hazard, which engulfs competitors in a thick mist, as well as a 10-robot battle royale mode. The latter sounds like total carnage, especially if Sir Killalot and the rest of the house robots are allowed to get involved…

We hope you’re ready for the new series…#robotwars pic.twitter.com/gDFB5bJ0zt

— Robot Wars (@UKRobotWars) October 9, 2017

Via: Gizmodo UK

Source: Robot Wars (Twitter)