Google Lens is coming first to the Pixels, followed by Google Photos and Assistant

Google Lens will be available soon inside Google Photos and Google Assistant.

Google Lens, the company’s new machine learning-powered visual assistant was announced at this year’s Google I/O conference. Now after the Pixel event, Google is ready to unleash Lens onto the world.

Google Lens will be available soon, starting inside the Google Assistant and Photos applications on a Pixel phone. Users will be able to identify items in their surroundings, get information from restaurant signs and other advertisements and more from the photos they’ve taken or from their camera lens. There’s no word on when or if a standalone Google Lens application will launch, or when or if these features will be available to other Android phones.

Are you interested in using Google Lens? Let us know down below!

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Verizon is once again the exclusive carrier partner for the Pixels

This year’s Pixels are carrier-exclusive to Verizon in the U.S.

The Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL will be available unlocked in the U.S., but if you’re looking to go the carrier route, Verizon is your only option. The carrier is offering the 64GB Pixel 2 for $27.08 per month for 24 months, and the 128GB variant for $31.24 per month for 24 months. The 64GB Pixel 2 XL will set you back $35.41 per month for 24 months, and you’ll have to shell out $39.58 per month for 24 months if you want to pick up the 128GB model.

If you’re willing to pay outright, the 64GB and 128GB variants of the Pixel 2 cost $649 and $749 respectively, and you’ll end up paying $849 and $949 for the 64GB and 128GB Pixel 2 XL models. You can also trade in your current phone and get a credit of up to $300 — spread out over the 24-month billing period — when picking up the new Pixels.

• Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL: Everything you need to know
• Where to buy the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL

Both phones are going up for pre-order from 3 p.m. ET, and all customers will receive a Google Home Mini for free. The Pixel 2 is available in Kinda Blue, Clearly White and Just Black color options, whereas the Pixel 2 XL is sold in Just Black and Black and White.

See at Verizon

Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL

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• Our 2016 Pixel reviews
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Google Pixel 2 vs. Pixel 2 XL: What’s the difference?

What is the difference between the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL?

Google’s latest phones are here, and it’s clear the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL are aimed at very different kinds of users. Like the original Pixel phones, Google has worked with manufacturers with very specific hardware goals in mind. This means things like the camera and processor are identical, but if you’re going to choose between these two phones it is important to know what makes each one special.

Here’s a quick look at how these two Pixel phones are going to grab your attention.

Lets talk about these bezels

You don’t have to stare at these phones for terribly long to see there’s a significant design difference on the front of these phones. Both the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL have stereo front-facing speakers, which means these phones are already going to be a little taller than your average phone in the same general size, but the Pixel 2 clearly looks different from the Pixel 2 XL from the front.

This is cool, but show me the specs!

The big bezels on the top and bottom of the Pixel 2 wrap up its 5-inch 1080p display, and there’s no denying it looks a little chunky compared to the 6-inch 2880×1440 display on the Pixel 2 XL. Ultimately in comes down to aspect ratio. The Pixel 2 has a traditional “cinematic” aspect ratio (16:9) that makes sure video fills the screen without stretching or black bars, while the “fullscreen” aspect ratio (18:9) of the Pixel 2 XL makes the phone feel like it’s nothing but display in your hand when playing games or taking photos.

Bezels and resolution aren’t the only differences here. The Pixel 2 XL also has a noticeably increased pixel density and color depth. That taller display clocks in at 538ppi with 100% DCI-P3 Wide Color Gamut, while the Pixel 2 display is only 441ppi with 93% DCI-P3. This is a complicated way of saying the Pixel 2 XL is going to be a much better experience in the Daydream View headset for those interested in VR experiences, but it also means the pixel 2 XL display will be generally sharper in some situations.

Size doesn’t mean power

The larger display and higher resolution on the Pixel 2 XL means it’s going to consume quite a bit more power than the Pixel 2, which is to be expected. Both of these phones are running the Snapdragon 835 processor with 4GB of RAM, so the Pixel 2 XL is going to have to work a little hard to display a lot of the same things. Because it is also a larger phone, there’s a larger battery inside.

The 2700mAh battery in the Pixel 2 should be more than enough to get you through a day of use, but the 3520mAh battery in the Pixel 2 XL is dramatically larger. In fact, its 220mAh greater capacity than the battery in the equally large LG V30, which is good news for anyone who needs a phone that lasts more than a standard day.

Despite this difference in battery capacity, both Pixels have an 18W USB-C PD charger in the box capable of providing up to seven hours of use with 15 minutes connected to power. The numbers on the page may be substantially different, but it’s clear Google expects Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL owners to have similar battery life expectations.

Which one should you buy?

There’s no right or wrong answer here. If you’re a fan of the display that fills the phone and you want a big battery, you go with the Pixel 2 XL. If you prefer a smaller form factor and you’d like your videos to fill the screen without stretching, you go with the Pixel 2. Either way, you’re going to get quality front-facing speakers and a killer camera to complete an already excellent Android Oreo software experience.

Which one are you going to pick up?

Where to buy the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL

Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL

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Everything you need to know about Google Home Max

Google Home can do a lot of things for us, but in no place does it excel quite like music.

Today, Google expanded the Google Home collection with both the Google Home Mini and the Google Home Max. The Mini aims to put Google Assistant in every room of your house, but Google Home Max is meant for music lovers who want to fill their rooms or their whole home with rich, beautiful sound. So, what makes the Google Home Max better for your home than the recently Alexa-upgraded Sonos speakers or Apple’s upcoming HomePod?

Google Home Max is the largest of the Google Home devices, and there’s quite a bit under the cloth speaker cover. Two 4.5-inch woofers and 0.7-inch tweeters will fill even the biggest rooms in your home with sound, but it’s not enough to blast louder if doesn’t acclimate to your acoustic space.

Smart Sound is Google’s answer, a feature that calibrates the soundstage based on your room’s dimensions and the kind of audio you’re listening to. Smart Sound senses the room it’s in and uses machine learning to keep your music sounding as good as it can. If Smart Sound sounds like Sonos’s Trueplay, that’s because they are similar. The difference is that Google Home Max will do it without having to dig into apps and tune it yourself.

Google Home Max, like all Google Homes, will feature Google Cast capability in order to stream a variety of music services, from Spotify to YouTube Music and Google Play Music, but this big beautiful speaker can also play music via Bluetooth and an auxiliary port, so you can plug in your old iPod or that fancy turntable and get the Home Max’s beautifully smart sound combined with your hi-fi vinyl.

Google Home Max is 20 times more powerful than the original Google Home, and you can place it vertically or horizontally anywhere in your home, and reposition as needed. Because the base for the Home Max is magnetic, you don’t have to worry about rubber feet sticking out when you rotate your Home Max the other direction. Google Home Max can link up with any other Google Cast speaker in your home and, of course, can be paired with each other, should you want two Google Home Max in your living room in order to rattle the rafters as you rock out.

The Google Home Max is coming this December at $399, which prices it around Sonos’ Play3 and Play5 speakers, as well as Apple’s HomePod, which will be hitting store shelves around that time. Google is hoping that by leveraging the Google Assistant’s AI prowess, machine learning advancements, and the ease of a well-established Google Cast system will give it an edge this holiday shopping season.

Google’s even throwing in a 12-month subscription to YouTube Red/YouTube Music/Google Play Music to get your jams flowing while you’re starting out with the product. Considering Google Home’s voice commands are currently the best way to control music in your home, it’s not hard to imagine users buying in this winter.

See at Google Store

Google Hardware

• Google Wifi review
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• Everything you need to know about the Chromecast Ultra
• Chromecast vs Chromecast Ultra: Which should you buy?

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Chromecast Ultra:

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Google’s Pixel 2 headphone adapter costs $20, and a part of your soul

Wait. What. Why.

Good news, everyone! The Pixel 2 (and Pixel 2 XL) don’t have a headphone jack. Instead, you’ll use USB-C.

Oh. You wanted a headphone jack. OK, well GOOD NEWS, EVERYONE! There’s a 3.5mm to USB-C adapter in the box.

Just don’t lose it, because a new one costs $20 from Google.

Enjoy the future, folks.

Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL

• Google Pixel 2 + Pixel 2 XL are official
• Google Pixel 2 specs
• Our 2016 Pixel reviews
• Join our Pixel 2 forums

First-generation Pixel is now available for $549, Pixel XL for $669

Google is slashing the prices of the first-gen Pixels.

They’re a year old, but the Pixel and Pixel XL are still fantastic phones. And now that the new Pixels are here, they’re more affordable. Google is slashing the prices on all variants and color options of the first-generation Pixel and Pixel XL by $100, with the Pixel now available for $549.

Here’s the breakdown of the new pricing:

• 32GB Pixel: $549
• 128GB Pixel: $649
• 32GB Pixel XL: $669
• 128GB Pixel XL: $769

The Quite Black and Really Blue color options of the 32GB Pixel are already sold out, but all three color variants are available for the larger Pixel XL. If you’ve been on the fence about getting a Pixel, now’s the time to act.

See at Google Store

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Here’s how the iPhone camera stacks up against the Pixel 2 in the real world

Here’s our first look at photos from the Pixel 2 camera.

Everyone knows the Pixel camera is something special, and if Google made anything clear from the Pixel 2 announcement event it was how much better this new camera actually is. So we wandered into the demo area with an iPhone 8 to see for ourselves how these cameras stack up.

It’s worth pointing out the Pixel 2 is running pre-production software and we’re using an unreleased demo phone, and because of time and venue this photo compare is hardly comprehensive. Each photo was taken with a single hand and no mechanical stabilization. Each phone was set to full auto with no tap-to-focus or expose, and HDR Auto was on with both phones.

This shot is in a relatively low-light area of the event, clearly showing off the Stranger Things partnership between Netflix and Google. In these two shots, you can see the iPhone 8 (on the left) has much warmer colors. It makes the Pixel 2 version of the shot (on the right) look almost washed out by comparison. Zooming in on these photos reveals how much more detail the Pixel 2 camera was able to catch, which makes a huge difference in those low-light shots.

These shots were taken with much more ambient light, and again the iPhone captured more vibrant colors. In fact, the iPhone shot almost looks overly saturated. The Pixel 2 again captured more detail, but the colors are consistent and sharp everywhere in the image.

Ohai there, Andrew! This photo was intentionally taken with more background light than foreground light, and it quickly demonstrated how Apple and Google see the world a little differently. Apple focused on warmth and detail in the foreground, but the background is now blown out and doesn’t look great. Google properly exposed the entire image, leaving the foreground a little less lively.

Last but not least, we have direct downward light on a subject. You can see the iPhone 8 photo is clearly the brighter and more vibrant of the two shots, and there’s really not much else to say here. Both phones captured a respectable amount of detail, but one is very clearly better than the other.

So there you have it. At first glance, there are some clear strengths and weaknesses to this Pixel camera when compared directly to its biggest competitor. There will obviously need to be a lot more testing done with this camera, but it’s safe to say the race for “best” camera on a phone this year is going to be closer and even more interesting.

Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL

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Score a free Google Home Mini by visiting Google’s pop-up Donut Shops

Head to a Donut Shop, walk out with a free Google Home Mini.

The Google Home Mini is now up for pre-order from the Google Store for $49, but you’ll be able to get one for free should you happen to live in one of the ten cities in the U.S. where Google is setting up Donut Shops. The pop-up stores will let you walk away with either a sweet tooth (two donuts) or a sweet gadget (the Google Home Mini). It’s your choice.

The stores will be touring nine cities in the U.S. — New York City, Chicago, Madison, Indianapolis, St. Louis, Oklahoma City, Austin, Los Angeles, and San Francisco — and one city in Canada (Toronto).

Tour dates vary, so if you live in one of these cities and are interested in getting your hands on a free Google Home Mini, hit up the link below to RSVP.

Donuts with Google

Google Pixel 2 doesn’t need a SIM card, as long as you use Project Fi

The Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL are the first phones to come equipped with eSIM technology, but only subscribers of Project Fi will be able to take advantage of it.

Google’s Pixel 2 event was full of announcements, and although we had a pretty good idea of what to expect going into the event, Google still managed to sneak in a few surprises here and there – one of which being eSIM support.

The Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL support the traditional nanoSIM technology that we’ve seen on smartphones for years, but in addition to this, they’ll also come equipped with a new technology called eSIM. Rather than using a traditional card, eSIM allows you to connect to your carrier’s network and service right out of the box without any physical card required. This technology has previously been available on gadgets like smartwatches and tablets, but this is the first time it’s appeared on a smartphone.

Until other carriers adopt the new tech, only Project Fi subscribers can use the Pixel 2’s eSIM tech.

This new tech is undoubtedly cool, but only a small group of people will be able to use it at first. For the time being, the Pixel 2/Pixel 2 XL’s eSIM functionality will be limited to subscribers on Project Fi. There’s nothing Google can really do about this until other carriers adopt eSIM tech for their own networks, but either way, it’s insanely cool that we’re one step closer towards a future where physical SIM cards are a thing of the past.

Assuming you’re on Project Fi and preordered your Pixel 2, setup should be dead simple when you finally receive your new phone. There will be an option to use the Pixel 2 SIM-free during the setup process, and as long as you’re connected to a Wi-Fi network, it shouldn’t take long at all to get your service working.

For those of us that aren’t on Fi, we’ll have to resort to using the Pixel 2’s nanoSIM tray (for now). That may well change in the future:

For now, we’re piloting eSIM on the newest Pixel devices with Project Fi. We look forward to sharing what we learn and working together with industry partners to encourage more widespread adoption.

Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL

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• Our 2016 Pixel reviews
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Get $325 back when you bring your Pixel 2 or Pixel 2 XL to T-Mobile

T-Mobile is offering up to 50% back on the purchase of a Pixel 2, but there’s a new catch this time around.

Just like what we saw with last year’s Pixels, the only carrier in the United States that will be carrying the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL is Verizon. This is certainly a bummer for those that don’t use Big Red’s service, but again like last year, T-Mobile is running a promotion to help deter the large outright cost of Google’s new phones when bringing them over to the Un-Carrier.

Starting today, T-Mobile is offering up to 50% back on your purchase of the Pixel 2 when you use it on the T-Mobile network. That number comes from 50% the cost of a 64GB Pixel 2, so in other words, you’ll get $325 back no matter what variant of the Pixel 2 or Pixel 2 XL you use. It’s great to see T-Mobile bring back this deal from last year, but there are a couple big differences that you’ll want to be aware of.

For starters, and perhaps an improvement over last year, T-Mobile will pay back that $325 in the form of a prepaid MasterCard gift card. You can expect to receive the card within eight weeks of submitting your redemption request, and it’s a pretty big departure from last year’s manner of applying a small monthly discount to your monthly bill for two years.

Getting $325 back? Awesome. Having to add a new line of service? Not awesome.

Unfortunately, the second big change isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. Rather than being able to take advantage of T-Mobile’s promo by simply proving that you bought the phone new and either have an existing line of service or get a new one, the carrier is now requiring that you also get a new voice line in order to qualify for the promotion. Existing customers can still technically participate, but if you don’t need another voice line or can’t add any more to your account, you’re out of luck.

T-Mobile has yet to announce an end date for this offer, but be aware that it’ll only be around for a limited time.

See at T-Mobile

Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL

• Google Pixel 2 + Pixel 2 XL are official
• Google Pixel 2 specs
• Our 2016 Pixel reviews
• Join our Pixel 2 forums