Second Opinion #31: Pixel 2 Review

Ian R Buck is joined by his tech twin, Betsy Dadabo to talk about the phone they both just bought, the Pixel 2! Is this a phone that will stand the test of time?

Ian R Buck is joined by his tech twin, Betsy Dadabo to talk about the phone they both just bought, the Pixel 2! Is this a phone that will stand the test of time?


Episode Summary
00:00 | Intro
01:07 | Pricing

Start at $650
Add storage for $100
Get XL for $200 more

02:44 | Specs

Snapdragon 835
4GB RAM

Apps stay in RAM forever, it’s great!

64GB or 128GB storage
2700 mAh (3520 mAh on XL)
USB 3.1 Type-C

04:08 | Camera

Rear

12MP
f/1.8
4K video, or lower resolution at higher framerate
OIS

Front

8MP
f/2.4

REALLY good video stabilization!

Ian R Buck on Twitter: “Best moment of the show: we all sang Sweet Caroline without the “Buh-buh-buh” or “So good!” #TurtlesAllTheWayDown #BookTour https://t.co/PYUBQkNpX4″
It’s great having a phone that opens its camera quickly!
Google Lens
Motion photos

12:46 | Battery Life, Charging

I haven’t used my external battery since I got this phone
Typically end the day with ~20% charge
USB-PD
No wireless charging

16:42 | Display

5” 1080p AMOLED (6” 1440p P-OLED on XL)
Always-on display

No problems with it doing stuff in my pocket

19:48 | Body

Gorgeous, really good feeling phone; I feel bad about putting a case on it

Glass is now “upper fifth” instead of “upper third”
Love the material they covered the metal body in

Colors

Pixel 2

Just Black
Clearly White
Kinda Blue (bright blue power button!)

Pixel 2 XL

Just Black
Black & White (red power button!)

Antenna bands slightly visible from the front; a little distracting when you notice them from the corner of your eye
Dimensions feel very familiar coming from the Nexus 5X
People hating on the bezels

28:41 | Buttons

Power, volume buttons on the right
Fingerprint sensor on the back

Really picky when your finger is damp
Swipe for notifications feature has been improved: orientation rotates to match the screen
Before I put a case on it, I activated the notifications by accident a lot

Active Edge

Very effective at getting me to use the Google Assistant more

34:29 | Sound

Great speakers!
No headphone jack. It’s a real bummer when your adapter breaks in mere weeks.

39:48 | Radios

Haven’t noticed any problems, similar reception to Nexus 5X
eSIM

Convenient for setup
How will I quickly switch my service to another phone if I want to?

42:20 | Software

Stock Android 8.0 Oreo!

Second Opinion #30: Android 8.0 Oreo Review › The Nexus

Google promises software support for 3 years
KRACK Attack patch is coming in December

PodKit #33: Prototypical Fun Stuff › The Nexus



Android security update fixes KRACK, slaps Band-Aid on Pixel 2 XL screen | Ars Technica

46:18 | Freebie

Google Home Mini

47:23 | Update: USB-C Implementation
53:35 | Final Thoughts
55:05 | Outro
Attributions

Free Music Archive: Beat Doctor – Organic (electric edit)

This episode of Second Opinion has a Fringe episode. You should really listen to The Fringe #451: SO #31 — Pretty Chill Morning!

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