Google - Pixel 4G LTE with 32GB Memory Cell Phone (Verizon)

The Google Pixel is a game changer. My last phone was a Nexus 5X. I purchased the 5X for some of the same reasons I love the Pixel: pure android, the earliest updates, and a great feature set for the price. Pixel takes things a few steps further, though, with a several exclusives and a truly premium feel. In the box: 32GB Very Black Pixel phone, wall charger (USB-C), Two USB cables (one with USB-C on both ends, one with USB-A on one end and USB-C on the other), USB-C to USB-A adapter, 3-month pass to Google Music, brochure information, and key to open SIM tray. Pixel is an excellent phone, but it is not perfect. Many reviews have complained about the large chin on the phone. Maybe it is bigger than it needs to be, especially given that there is only one speaker on the face of the Pixel, but it doesn't really matter. In person, it looks fine and offers an easy place to hold/balance the phone. Others have complained that it is not waterproof. I'll give them that. It is basically splash resistant, so it definitely lags behind several rival phones in this regard, and I do wish it were more resistant to water and dust. Some people don't like the look of the phone with the glass tile on the back. That's a matter of taste; I actually like it and think it adds a distinctive touch to the phone. Some people complain about the lack of an SD card or a 64Gb option for memory. I'll give them that; I wish Google would be a little more flexible in terms of memory, but at least they did include a nifty memory manager with unlimited cloud storage for full-sized pictures and video (very nice add-on). I am slightly disappointed the phone doesn't include wireless charging. Some people complain about the price, but this phone justifies the price when compared to the competition. It is not a Nexus; it is a new thing entirely, and it stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the best flagship phones in the industry. But when it comes to negatives, that's it; and those are all minor issues relative to the overall function of the phone. And everything else about the Pixel is amazing. The phone feels great in the hand. It is clearly a premium phone in terms of look and feel. I have the "Very Black" version (which strikes me more as a very deep gray, fwiw), and it is very attractive. With 4Gb RAM, the new Snapdragon 821 chip, and Nougat 7.1, the Pixel flies effortlessly through any task. I haven't found anything that makes it stutter. It is the fastest phone I have ever used, bar none. The 1080p Super AMOLED screen with Gorilla Glass 4 offers a fantastic screen image with rich colors and great viewing angles. The glass also feels good. I don't usually see reviews mention the feel of the glass, but I have used some phones where the glass just doesn't feel as nice. This one feels great. And it has night mode built in. This is a terrific screen, although the Pixel XL does have better resolution than the 5" Pixel. It can wash out a little in direct sunlight, so be aware of that. The camera is AWESOME! I'm picky about cameras (those 20+mp Nokias with Carl Zeiss lenses spoiled me). The 5X had a decent shooter, but was frustratingly slow. Pixel improves the camera and is extremely quick about launching, focusing, and taking the shot. It is, quite simply, one of the best phone cameras on the planet. The camera includes a bolstered HDR+ mode that helps improve low-light performance, which was already impressive with the Nexus 6P and 5X. Additionally, Google includes electronic image stabilization, which has performed impressively thus far when taking pictures or shooting video, even in 4k. Google points out the phone doesn't have a camera bump. To remove the bump, Google made the phone very slightly thicker at the top, so it tapers to the bottom. This allows it to rest flat when on a desk or table. I don't actually mind camera bumps, but it was a thoughtful design touch. You might not even notice the taper if no one points it out to you. I will say the lack of a camera hump makes the phone just look more coherent than some others. I love the fingerprint reader on the Pixel. It is similar to the one from my 5X, but it has a few more tricks up its sleeve. Most notably, you can swipe down on the fingerprint reader to open the notifications panel. It's no wonder some reviews have called the Google fingerprint reader the best in the business. It has worked every time for me. So far, the 2770mAh battery gets me through the day a bit better than the similarly-sized battery in my 5X did. I'll be interested to see how it performs after its been broken in longer. Frankly, I would have preferred a slightly larger battery, though – say maybe 3000mAh. Google says it reaches 90% charge in 15 minutes. I was at about 40% when I plugged it last night, and it zoomed to 100% in less than 10 minutes, so that was good. Plus, the battery appears to be safely of the non-exploding variety. ;-) In terms of software, Nougat 7.1 is an excellent incremental improvement with one serious wow factor that is currently exclusive to Pixel – the addition of Google Assistant. While Siri usually just annoys me, I am a big fan of Cortana. Google Assistant is already better than both, especially in terms of recognizing a series of questions in a conversational manner. You need to try it to believe it. It was a lot of fun to just play with at first. Google Assistant scores extremely high in terms of recognizing what you say. Sure, it still makes a few mistakes, but the potential is very enticing. It can also provide you a snapshot of your day in the morning, which can be very helpful. Pixel launcher is also pretty nice. I've generally used a third-party launcher in Android, but I might end up staying with the Pixel launcher due to the neat features (swipe up for the app drawer, easy access to Google Assistant, etc). But there isn't much customization with the launcher, and that factor may drive me back to something like Nova Launcher Pro. Several additional little software tweaks are much appreciated. For instance, now it is easy to visually see how to initiate a 3-way call in the native dialer. It's a little thing, but I've long griped about the dialer in Android. Also, you can use app shortcuts (Quick Actions), which is similar to Apple's 3D Touch feature. Basically, a list of options will appear when you long press on an app icon. This can be very helpful. It seems odd to include the fact the phone has a headphone jack as part of a review, but it is worth mentioning these days. The jack is located on the top of the Pixel. Some people seem bothered by the location, but I actually tend to prefer it there. I should also note I am extremely pleased the 5" Pixel has the exact same specs as the larger 5.5" Pixel XL, other than screen size and resolution. A five-inch phone is right about the sweet spot for me, and my only regret with the 5X was the fact it was a lower tier phone than the larger 6P. I'm happy to see Google recognize that its "smaller" phone can be every bit the premium handset as its larger phone. The Pixel fits my hand well and is easy to operate with one hand. Of course, the larger XL should be better for Google Daydream View (Google's new virtual reality offering), given the higher resolution and larger screen; but I expect the Pixel will be fine, too. I have not had an opportunity to experiment with Daydream, but the Pixel phones are the only ones currently that support it. It is worth noting the Pixel has 24/7 customer service built into the OS. That indicates to me that Google is serious about this being a long-term project. At the end of the day, the Pixel is an excellent phone. It has performed every task flawlessly. Could it be improved? Sure, and I expect the next generation will have some welcome tweaks. But I'm very excited with this new direction by Google and think they've done a great job with the first gen Pixel. Very highly recommended. Pros: --Latest OS directly from Google --Google Assistant --Speed --Great camera --Unlimited cloud storage for full-size pictures and videos --Exclusive Pixel software features --Solid, premium feel and appearance --Beautiful screen --Quick charging --Flagship specs --Responsive fingerprint reader --Easy one-hand operation --Daydream ready Cons: --Not waterproof --Single speaker --Lacks expandable memory --Smallish battery --No wireless charging I've included a few photos. The pictures with three phones all show my 5x (left), Pixel (middle) and iPhone 6 (right) for comparison. Despite the mild negatives, the Pixel is a 5-star performer and deserves all the accolades it is getting in the press. I believe this the best 5" phone on the planet right now. If you want a top-tier Android phone, I highly recommend the Pixel.

Easily one of, if not the best Android phone. The hardware is superb, and the latest version of Android (7.1) is very polished. There are many things to like about this phone. The camera is definitely at the top of the current selection of smartphones. The battery life has also been very good. I'm easily getting a full day, and could probably go another half-day. I usually just put it on the charger at night. Which brings up another great feature - rapid charging. The Pixel can get around half the batter in a matter of about 15 minutes. The screen is very sharp, and has great color. Really, there isn't anything I can complain about with the hardware. I wouldn't mind if it was water resistant. I also do miss the wireless charging of my previous phone. There's also the great fingerprint sensor on the back, which is a great spot for it, and it works excellently to unlock the phone quickly. You can also swipe down on it to slide down the notifications menu. The only trouble I've had so far was connecting to my car stereo via Bluetooth. Though, this issue was remedied with a quick conversation with Google's support, which can be accessed from the settings on the phone itself. For those wondering, I was getting the error of Bluetooth connected (no media). Just needed to do a Network Connections Reset from the settings. If you're looking for a high-end Android phone, you can't go wrong with the Pixel. Pros: Camera, Battery Life, Performance, Rapid Charging, Screen, Fingerprint Scanner Cons: No wireless charging, not water resistant, wish the Google Assistant would read text messages via Bluetooth in my car (this may be able to done with a third-party app, or a future update).

I have HTC 10 and iPhone 7, so I can provide unbiased reviews. I owned 2 Nexus devices (Galaxy Nexus and Nexus 5) in the past. So I'm very excited to get my hands on the Pixel. Pros: - Fast, no lagging - Fingerprint reader placed strategically on the back, it actually does work better than being placed on the front. I thought it would be awkward, but it's pretty natural. - Nougat UI is clean and fluid. - Assistant is very smart! I was driving and it sent me a notification that there's an accident ahead. - Google smart lock remembers most of my password when I downloaded my apps. - Camera is very vivid. I was worried when I learned the camera doesn't use OIS technology since I record videos of my kids but they turn out great with very minimal shaking. - Battery: fast charging! Up to 70% in 15 minutes. - No bloatware - CDMA and GSM: iPhone 7 stripped this dual technology feature. I'm glad Pixel is keeping it. Cons: - Design: I still love the design of HTC 10 the best. I honestly don't get the half glass design on the back. iPhone 7 is just meh. - Speakers: I expected more since Pixel is made by HTC after all. But the 2 firing bottom speakers do not sound as rich as front firing speakers of HTC 10. - The 2 changes in Nougat that bothered me the most: center key is no longer opening the drawer, now you have to slide up on the arrow to open up your drawer. The option to clear all your apps hidden on the very top, so if you have many apps opened up, you actually have to scroll all the way up before you can clear them all. Why??? - Charging: no light indicator, red or amber or green. No battery percentage on the icon. I think this goes back to Vanilla Android design. TouchWiz or Sense build in their own. - No SD card, although this is not as a big of a deal anymore for me since it comes with unlimited photo storage, and I uploaded all my music to Google Play anyways. In summary, Pixel is like that geek in your senior high. Not as pretty with that weird glass on the back, but this phone is smart and powerful!

Google outdid themselves this year with this phone. As an Android smartphone reviewer it is my job to dissect the latest and greatest devices to hit the market. I own and have used countless devices over the years and I can honestly say the Google Pixel and Pixel XL are the best Android phones on the market.

(due to Best Buy complaining that my review is too long, I have to revise a lot of what’s on the original draft) Original Review Draft: https://docs.google.com/document/d/13I_bewxTRSSZlst0NCWjG2uTsjRdEapUNmTp6hjaXUU/edit?usp=sharing Let’s get this out of the way. This isn’t Google’s first time in the hardware business. And this isn’t their first phone either. The niche market Nexus brand is part Google and part manufacturer. In last year’s case, that was LG for the Nexus 5X and Huawei for the Nexus 6P. But if you really want to get technical or into specifics, then this is the first Google-branded phone. I’ll start with the biggest barrier entry -- price. This isn’t cheap. Its price point is meant to take on the giants -- Apple and Samsung. Whether or not the high price point is justified depends on how you look at it. With a baseline starting price at $649 for 32GB storage capacity, it’ll definitely tear a “galaxy” sized hole in your wallet. I personally believe that a starting price at $500 would fit better for this phone. But again, this depends on how you view it. Everything here will be compared to my 2 year old Motorola Nexus 6. Immediately, the first thing that gets me is the physical size of it. The Pixel is a 5 inch screen model so having it in my hands feels strange. But the feel of the phone in my hand makes for a nice comfortable grip. The small profile makes for easy reach from one edge of the screen to the other. Those who prefer being able to do things on one hand will find that this is the ideal size. On the other hand, those who prefer larger sized phones will find the Pixel too small. I like the feel of the edges on the Pixel, as it makes it easy to grip, unlike certain other phones. The 5 inch screen is 1080x1920 using AMOLED. Colors look great but I cannot test it under sunlight due to weather. The sound is okay but is a big downgrade from the front facing speakers found in the Motorola Nexus 6 and the Huawei Nexus 6P. There’s only 1 media speaker and it’s located on the bottom edge on the left side (when holding it vertically). As to why Google designed it this way, I do not know. Using the fingerprint reader is wonderful. I do not know why I did not pick up the Nexus 6P last year. But perhaps skipping that year was a good thing, for reasons that will be mentioned later on. The reader is quick and setting up is straightforward. If you opt in to use it on setup, it’ll ask you to use a finger to train it. Afterwards, you can add in more fingerprints (obviously, for your other hand). Unlocking the phone via fingerprint is quick and easy. Security is two layers, however. But it only applies upon the phone’s startup. The second (un)locking layer is through either a pattern, a PIN, or a password. Hardware performance is fast. It is obviously faster than my two year old Nexus 6. But reading/writing to the internal storage should be faster than most other phones out there. The tech-savvy will recognize when I say that the storage interface is UFS 2.0 rather than the old eMMC. 3D rendering should also be fast (and possibly faster than Pixel XL) as it only have to render 1080p. 4GB of RAM makes for a smooth transition between apps and should be plenty for apps that uses a lot of memory. Wi-Fi performance seems pretty good. But most of this is conjecture and subjective, as there are a lot of variables involved. I used “Adventures of Mana” to download and install to test this and the download process took a few minutes to complete, give or take a minute. Using the launcher is a new experience. I’ve used Google Now Launcher for a long time but using the Pixel Launcher throws me off at times. The center button that used to call up the app drawer is now replaced by an app shortcut. So there are numerous occasions where I’d accidentally launch Gmail (the default app placed there) when I wanted to bring up the app drawer. The new Google Assistant is also new. It’s more natural and I’m really liking how it’s executed. The special keyphrase “Good morning” will give you a summary for the day, including weather, news, and any calendar agendas. These can be customized to suit your needs. The camera is a major improvement from the Motorola Nexus 6. But technically there’s little difference betwen the Pixel and the Huawei Nexus 6P. Gone is the optical image stabilization, which may seem like a downgrade. But after testing the software-based video stabilization, I was really surprised in how smooth the test video turned out. Exclusive to the Pixel and Pixel XL is unlimited photo and video storage. This is one of the big selling points, aside from the camera, and truly complements the fantastic camera that the Pixel is equipped with. Personally with this kind of perk, and with the camera, it’ll definitely push me to taking more photos. The selfie camera is also improved, providing a good 8MP sensor that should be able to get your good/sexy side. Little was done to test on how well Pixel performed on Verizon’s network. But I did manage to test their “HD Calling” (aka VoLTE to the rest of the world). Call quality is definitely better, even though the difference is small. But it comes with drawbacks. Should your signal drop below LTE, it’ll drop your call. Another is that not a lot of smartphone comes with this ability. And it’s safe to assume that classic flip phones may not be capable of this too. Overall, I like the Pixel phone. It’s fast. The experience is buttery smooth and snappy. It’s a great upgrade if you have a smartphone at least 2 years old. On the plus side, you’ll be getting the latest update from Google well before anyone would get theirs. Although you’re guaranteed 2 years of major Android upgrades, I question whether or not Google will change their stand for the Pixel. At least security updates will still roll out for a while. The camera is finally awesome and the unlimited photo/video storage perk that is exclusive to Pixel and Pixel XL owners is a major bonus. Do I recommend this? I lean towards a yes, rather than an overwhelming yes. It’s the purest Android experience as designed and envisioned by Google. If the Pixel was $500 or $550 for the baseline model, then I would have recommended it in a heartbeat. But that’s the price set forth by Google. If and when I finally make my switch more permanent to the Pixel, I know I will be enjoying it more and more. Pixel Camera Sample Archive: https://goo.gl/photos/a97VqGiHhRM1nj6T9

External of the Box: - 5" 32GB - Quite Black (interesting name) - Model: G-2PW4100 - Made in Taiwan (not made in China! YES! Wished it was made in Korea though instead) - Google Assistant - Google Cast - Daydream VR What's in the box? - 1x Google Pixel Phone - Instructions Packet: * Meet your personal Google Assistant * 3 months of Google Play Music & YouTube Red (FREE) * Thank You Card * Safety & Warranty Booklet - Sim Card Tray Removal Tool - USB to USB-C Cable - USB to USB-C Dongle - USB-C to USB-C Cable - AC Adapter Testing/Setup/Usage: Let me first say... If you're getting the phone with Verizon, be prepared for a LOT LOT LOT LOT LOT of issues. Now I mean issues as in not issues with the phone, but issues getting the thing activated with Verizon. It was a pain in the butt. It took me about 2 days and I got the phone working finally to be able to use it. The packaging that the Pixel comes in is awesome, good job Google! I'm a box guy, what can I say? The phone itself is aesthetically pleasing. I enjoyed using the phone. With the finger print sensor on the back of the device, it takes a little getting use to when moving from an iPhone. The screen is smooth, responsive, and clear. The phone is fast! Personally, I still feel like iPhone's IOS is still a little more fluid though in my opinion. I made a couple calls and was informed that my iPhone 6 Plus was more "clear" as far as speaking through the microphone goes. The Pixel isn't bad with calls, I was just informed that my iPhone 6 Plus was more clear. The speakers on the Pixel is pretty amazing, nice and loud. The camera in my opinion is good, but nothing spectacular. Compared to my iPhone 6 Plus, not even the iPhone 7; it seems like iPhone's pictures come out the same to the naked eye. I want to mention though that the Pixel's camera is definitely better than any Android phone I've used. The battery life on the phone is pretty good. I fully charged it around 08:30pm and used it pretty heavily till today around 11:00am and it still has about 30% left. When I say I used it pretty heavily, I played games on it, downloaded apps, set up my apps, surfing, Pandora, etc. Speaking of Pandora... There's a headphone jack! Sorry Apple, but having a headphone jack is crucial to some people. Charging the phone was pretty nice compared to my iPhone 6 Plus. I fully charged my phone from 7% to 100% in about an hour. With my iPhone, it takes longer than that. The cables included gives you a full range of how you wanted to charge your phone. From what I know, if you don't use the original AC adapter; the charge is not as fast. One thing that I really don't like about the phone, dust latches onto the phone like white on rice. The speaker, microphone port, etc has a material that stuff likes to stick to; not sure why. Coming from a person with OCD, it gets a little annoying. I clean my phone a lot so seeing so much dust latching on makes me clean my Pixel more than the iPhone 6 Plus. So far, I enjoy using the phone. In my opinion, its running great and its the best Android phone I've used. I purchased a Speck case for the phone and its really all you need. If you want, you can purchase a screen protector too but I feel like the Speck case was enough. With all the neat features on this phone, its a fun phone to use. If you're switching from iOS to this phone, it may take a little getting use to with the app drawer and the other features; even if you're switching from a different Android phone. Overall, I like the phone. If you're shopping, I would definitely consider the Google Pixel as an option. Conclusion: I would recommend the phone. If you're shopping around and you're tired of Apple for whatever reason, this Android phone is definitely worth a look at. Go into your local Verizon and try it out. Its not offered at AT&T or T-Mobile yet. Try it out and see how you like it, a recommendation is a recommendation. If you're tired of other Android devices or the one you have now, definitely check out the Pixel. I definitely enjoyed using the device. I knocked off a star because its definitely not a 5 star device but its like a 4.5. I feel like coming from an iOS device, I feel like iOS has a smoother and more solid built operating system. But, Android is catching up. What I mean by this is iOS seems more fluid and less "glitchy". I haven't ran into any glitches but if you've used an Apple device, you know what I mean. So there is my verdict, check out the Google Pixel; I think you'll enjoy it.

To start I'll list everything it comes with in the box. The Google Pixel phone itself of course, 2 USB C cables, a USB C adapter, the Wall charger, sim card tool, and the user guide with other papers. The charge cable itself is a little short, but it works ok. Set up was fast and easy. You have the option to transfer your data from an iphone, or other android device, but I decided to start fresh. You then add your google account, and set up the voice assistant. Thats all. I tested out the messaging and was genuinely surprised out how fast it sent and received messages. Quite a bit faster than my other phone which is an S7. Call quality was very clear both regular and on speaker phone. I had no issues sending or receiving calls. I tested out my LTE speeds up against my Galaxy S7, but of course this will depend on your carrier but here is what I got. Pixel LTE Speed average of 3 tests: 13.98 Down - 3.22 Up Galaxy S7 LTE Speed average of 3 tests: 6.57 Down - 3.42 Up Google has done a lot of advertising about how good the camera is and I have to say thats been true for me. I took some pictures using my Galaxy S7 and the Pixel and did some comparisons. The thing that stood out the most for me was that the pictures the Pixel took had a lot more detail in areas with low light. And the pictures really look good. If a great camera is on the top of your list for what you look for in a new phone this is a great choice. One thing I thought I would notice when comparing the Pixel up against my Galaxy S7 was the quad HD screen on the S7 vs the 1080p screen on the Pixel. And I cant tell any difference at all. The text, icons, and screen all look great. One thing I thought my be an issue was that this version of the Pixel has only 32gb of storage, with no SD card slot. But after setting it up and installing a couple apps I had 7.31gb used of the total available 29.70gb, leaving me with 22.39gb left for the rest of my apps, games, future pics and videos, etc. But this is not that big of a deal because the Pixel comes with unlimited picture and video cloud storage. And a system that automatically backs them up so you dont have to worry about running out of space. Although I dont use fingerprint security since Im the only one that ever touches my phone I tested it out and its awesome. It is extremely fast and never errors out asking for your chosen back up security type. You can set it up to fully unlock to your home screen just by holding your finger on the sensor. Ive used Samsung devices for the last few years so Ive never really been able to use pure Android. And I really like it. Its simple with no overlay that can complicate things. And since its a Google phone you'll get the latest security and firmware updates when they come out rather than having to wait for your carrier to approve the update. The new 7.1 is very fast. I havent experienced any delays, errors, or anything of the sort. Everything just works and works fast. Ive never been much into the whole voice assistant thing, but this phone has made me think twice about that. The new Google Voice assistant is MUCH smarter than before. It works for so many different things, and you can continue in whatever topic you are searching for. It will remember what you are asking rather than having to start over. I think this new voice assistant has won me over. Ill be using it for sure. So overall Google has really knocked it out of the park with this phone. I am very happy with it and the new Android 7.1 features have won me over. If you are looking for the best of Android the Google Pixel is it. Thank you for reading.

After spending a day with the Pixel, I'm sold. There was a lot of hype around Google's release of this new model and they have come through. While pricey (but what new phone isn't?), the features packed into this device are awesome. What I loved: -The camera (front and rear) are said to be the best available. I agree. Not only is the picture quality great, but the photo app features are plentiful and useful. - Fast charging via USB-C. - Nougat OS seems impressive. This is my first stock Android phone and the lack of bloatware was appreciated. - The integrated google assistant worked amazingly well. The first several voice commands I attempted worked flawlessly, from checking the weather to providing directions to playing music from one of my favorite bands. - The fingerprint scanner on the back can be used to scroll notifications. This means I can get updates with one hand if I'm busy with the other. What I didn't like: - I couldn't find a way to wake the phone up other than pressing the power button. You can wake it up with the fingerprint scanner, but only if you have a lock on the phone as well and I don't like to lock my phones. That's my only negative. Google set out to impress with it's first phone where it controls the hardware and the software and they succeeded.