Tag: Google

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Pixel 8 series may sport new primary camera with staggered HDR

It looks like Google could switch the primary camera in its next flagships, likely called the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro.

While still months away, we’ve gotten a glimpse of some camera details thanks to developer and leaker Kuba Wojciechowski. Wojciechowski claims to have obtained an “unobfuscated version” of the Google Camera Go app, which shares resources with the regular Google Camera app available on Pixel phones. In the Camera Go app’s code, Wojciechowski found references to ‘Shiba’ and ‘Husky,’ which are likely the codenames for the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro, respectively (Shiba and Husky turned up in a previous leak with details about the RAM and screen resolutions of the devices).

The references Wojciechowski found mention that Shiba and Husky support ‘staggered HDR,’ a different approach to HDR than what Pixel phones currently use. When you take a picture on a Pixel phone, the camera captures long and short exposures in quick succession, then stitches together the different exposures to create the final image. Staggered HDR, on the other hand, captures the long and short exposure at the same time, reducing the time taken to capture the image and, by extension, reducing the likelihood of ghosting or strobe effect caused when the phone can’t match the two exposures together.

The thing is, the camera sensor Google used in the primary camera for the Pixel 7 series and Pixel 6 series — the 50-megapixel Samsung GN1 — doesn’t support staggered HDR at a hardware level. That means if the code snippet is accurate, the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro will need a different camera sensor to support staggered HDR. Android Police points to Samsung’s GN2 sensor, noting it’s similar to the GN1 but offers staggered HDR support.

Aside from a change to the sensor, this would mark a larger shift for Google. The company previously stuck with the same camera hardware over multiple iterations of its phones, focusing on machine learning and software instead of hardware upgrades. For example, the camera sensor introduced with the Pixel 3 stuck around until Google switched to the GN1 with the Pixel 6.

Ultimately, it’ll be interesting to see what comes of the GN2 switch, if anything. We’re still really early in the rumour cycle for the Pixel 8 series, which likely won’t come out until the fall of 2023. A lot can change, so I wouldn’t bet on a new camera sensor just yet.

Source: @Za_Racze Via: Android Police

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Someone’s selling an unreleased Pixel Tablet on Facebook Marketplace

Google’s upcoming Pixel Tablet and ‘Charging Speaker Dock’ showed up for sale on Facebook Marketplace with several pictures showing off the device.

The search giant has given us a few glimpses of the tablet already, but aside from a vague 2023 release timeframe and some other basic details, we still don’t know a ton about the tablet. However, the Pixel Tablet for sale on Facebook Marketplace gives us some more information.

Spotted by leaker’ShrimpApplePro’ on Twitter, images in the Marketplace listing show the Pixel Tablet’s home screen (which looks a lot like the Pixel Launcher with a tablet-friend layout), the settings app with a two-column layout, how the Pixel Tablet looks sitting on the charging dock (like a thick Nest Hub Max) and a close-up of the charging dock itself.

We can see from the image of the Settings screen that the tablet has 256GB of storage and 70 percent battery with an estimated 15 hours and 54 minutes of remaining life. Moreover, 9to5Google was able to make out a USB-C port on the left edge of the tablet in one shot.

As for the charging dock, you can see four metal contacts on it — there are likely four metal contacts on the back of the Pixel Tablet too for connecting it to the dock. 9to5 notes that the charging dock’s port looks similar to the port on the Nest Hub Max, and the pictured power adapter also looks a lot like the one for the Nest Hub Max. It’s possible it could be the same 30W adapter with a barrel connector.

We’ll likely learn more about the Pixel Tablet in the coming weeks, either from continued leaks or possibly a full reveal from Google in the new year. My guess is someone will purchase the tablet from Facebook Marketplace and post more details online, but we’ll see what happens.

Images credit: ShrimpApplePro

Source: @ShrimpApplePro Via: 9to5Google

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Google developing Lens feature to decode doctors’ handwriting

Doctors are well known for scribbling hasty prescriptions that are near indecipherable for the average person. However, Google’s working on a solution that could allow Google Lens to detect the medicines listed in a prescription.

Google showed off the feature at its annual conference in India on December 19th (via TechCrunch), saying that it was working with pharmacists to decipher the handwriting of doctors. Once the feature rolls out to Google Lens, users will be able to either take a picture of a doctor’s note or upload one from their photo library. After processing the image, the app will detect and highlight medicines mentioned in the note.

However, Google hasn’t shared details about when the feature will launch, saying only that “much work still remains to be done before this system is ready for the real world.”

Moreover, Google Lens already offers some features for transcribing written notes. However, as noted by The Verge, how well the feature works depends on how legible the handwriting is. Given doctors’ notoriously illegible handwriting, it’ll be interesting to see how well the Lens feature will work, if at all.

Source: TechCrunch, The Verge

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Casetify’s Pixel 7 cases are stylish and pricey

Earlier this year, smartphone accessory maker Casetify rolled out new cases for Google’s Pixel 7 and 7 Pro. The company sent me a couple Pixel 7 cases to test out. My impressions so far are that they’re well-made, durable and sport excellent, fun designs. My only real complaints come down to the thickness (I am ever in search of a thinner case) and price.

Let’s start with the good stuff. Casetify says its ‘Impact’ series of cases of the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro are made with 65 percent upcycled plastic and can withstand a drop of 8.2 feet (I did not drop test my phone to see if this is true, but if my Pixel 7 does take a significant tumble some day, I’ll update this with the results.) Beyond that, there are a ton of designs to pick from, and there’s an option to make your own custom cases too.

The wide range of options helps make up for the fact that Casetify only offers one type of case for the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro — the ‘Impact’ series — and only three colour options, two of which are black. While I would have liked to see more options (for example, the iPhone 14 Pro has nine different case types), the range of back designs makes it easier to accept the limited number of case designs.

However, when it comes to the three colour options, matte black is king. The other options are ‘clear black’ and ‘sheer kiwi’ — the former looks fine but doesn’t have as nice a feel as the soft-touch matte, and the latter didn’t really thrill me, although I’m sure some people might like the kiwi colour.

The two Casetify cases I tried were the ‘I’m leaving this planet‘ design in matte black and the ‘Research by Other Minerals‘ design in clear black. I really like both, but as mentioned above, I found I preferred the feel of the matte black. It’s more of a soft-touch texture and feels grippier than the glossy clear black. It’s a bit of a bummer since I really like the Research by Other Minerals design.

Interestingly, both cases came with a QR code attached, which I could scan to “authenticate” the case. Whether or not you care about having an authentic Castefiy case, going through the process does net you $5 USD to go towards your next Casetify purchase. Which, frankly, you’ll need.

All the Pixel 7 Casetify cases I looked at cost $50 USD (about $68.46 CAD). Casetify offers free worldwide shipping, which is nice, but the price is still steep, in my opinion. And if you start looking at some of the other options available for iPhone, prices can climb as high as $90 USD ($123.23 CAD). For me, that’s far too much to spend on a phone case, but if you’re flush with cash and want a nice case with a cool design, Casetify does deliver.

You can check out all the Pixel 7 cases here, or view Casetify’s other accessories here.

MobileSyrup utilizes affiliate partnerships. These partnerships do not influence our editorial content, though we may earn a commission on purchases made via these links that helps fund the journalism provided free on our website.

Categories
Mobile Syrup

2023 Honda Accord to support Android Automotive

The top-of-the-line Honda Accord Touring trim will support Android apps, Google Maps, and Assistant right from the dashboard in 2023.

The most interesting thing about this announcement is that Honda and Google seem to have taken to calling Android Automotive “Google Built-in,” which makes more sense and gives the appearance that the automakers are still in control of the general look and feel of their in-car software.

This update will allow Honda Accords to get over-the-air updates and download supported Android apps. In the past, I’ve found that infotainment systems built on Android are smooth, and ultra-convenient, so it’s exciting to see Honda jump into the fray. You can see some demos of some of the more exciting features in the video below.

However, the fact that this is only launching on one trim level of one car is highly disappointing. Honda has been lagging in the infotainment space and has offered fractured designs across its fleet for years, so ideally, the inclusion of Google built-in will start to align this, but from the launch, it’s not looking good.

Other companies such as GM, Volvo, Polestar and others have also signed on to build infotainment onto Google’s popular OS to get access to apps and Google Maps.

Source: Honda

Image/video source: Honda 

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Save $70 on the Pixel Watch when you buy it from Google

Google is back with hot holiday deals, including a $70 discount on the Pixel Watch.

The discount applies to both the regular and LTE versions of the Pixel Watch, with the following pricing:

  • 4G LTE + Bluetooth/Wi-Fi – $459.99 (regular $529.99)
  • Bluetooth/Wi-Fi – $379.99 (regular $449.99)

Coupled with discounts on other Google products, like Pixel phones, Nest, and more, you could kit yourself out with a new Pixel phone, smartwatch, and more for less.

One of the few things Google hasn’t discounted are the bands for the Pixel Watch. However, the $70 you save on the Pixel Watch could go towards a band, like the $79.99 Stretch band which is, by far, the best option right now.

You can learn more about the Pixel Watch here. You can find all of Google’s Boxing Week deals here.

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Here are all of Google’s Boxing Week deals: Pixel 7 Pro, Nest Audio, Nest Doorbell and more

It’s that time of year again.

Nearly everything is on sale in the Google Store, including the Pixel 7 Pro ($300 off), the Nest Audio ($60 off), the Nest Doorbell ($70 off and more. Even the Pixel Watch and several Fitbit wearables are on sale.

Below are all of the tech giant’s offers:

Pixel 7 Pro: Now $879, was $1,179 ($300 off)

Pixel 7: Now $649, was $799 ($150 off)

Pixel 6a: Now $499, was $599 ($100 off)

Pixel Buds Pro: Now $199.99, was $250 ($60 off)

Pixel Buds A-Series: Now $99, was $139 ($40 off)

Pixel Watch: Now $379.99, was $449.99 ($70 off)

Fitbit Sense 2: Now $299.95, was $399.95 ($100 off)

Fitbit Versa 4: Now $229.95, was $299.95 ($70 off)

Fitbit Inspire 3: Now $99.95, was $129.95 ($30 off)

Nest Audio: Now $69.99, was $129.99 ($60 off)

Nest Mini: Now $34.99, was $69 ($35 off)

Chromecast with Google TV HD: Now $29.99, was $39.99 (save $10)

Chromecast with Google TV 4K: Now $54.99, was $69.99 (save $15)

Nest Doobell (Battery): Now $169.99, was $239.99 (save $70)

Nest Learning Thermostat: Now $249, was $329 (save $80)

Nest Thermostat: Now $129.99, was $179.99 (save $50)

Nest Cam: Now $179.99, was $239.99 (save $60

Nest Cam with Floodlight: Now $269.99, was $379.99 (save $110)

Nest Cam (Indoor, Wired): Now $89.99, was $129.99 (save $40)

Image credit: Google

Source: Google

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Buy Google’s Pixel Buds Pro for $60 off for Boxing Week

If you’re looking for a solid pair of wireless earbuds at a discount, the Google Store’s deal on the Pixel Buds Pro is pretty stellar.

Right now, the high-end wireless earbuds are on sale for $199.99, $60 off their regular price of $259.99. Google ran a similar offer on the Pixel Buds Pro during Black Friday.

Google’s Pixel buds Pro are available in ‘Charcoal,’ ‘Fog,’ and ‘Lemongrass.’ In Brad Bennett’s MobileSyurp review of the Pixel Buds Pro, he praised their great sound, solid battery life and excellent mic.

Find Google’s Pixel Buds Pro deal below:

Pixel Buds Pro: Now $199.99, was $250 ($60 off)

Along with this offer, Google also slashed the price of all of its smartphones, including $300 off the Pixel 7 Pro, bringing the device’s cost down to $879.

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Google Boxing Week deals include up to $300 off Pixel 7 Pro

If you’ve been waiting for a significant price drop before picking up the Pixel 7 Pro or Pixel 7, the time has arrived.

The Google Store’s Black Friday offers have returned for Boxing Week, with the Pixel 7 Pro’s cost being slashed $300 down to $879 (regularly $1,179) and the Pixel 7’s price coming down $150 to $650 (regularly $799). Though this is identical to what Google offered during Black Friday a few weeks ago, it’s still a stellar deal on the tech giant’s recently released flagship smartphones.

Further, if flagship devices aren’t what you’re after, Google’s well-reviewed Pixel 6a is $100 off, bringing its cost down to $499 (regularly $599). Google is also offering several other notable deals, including $70 off the Pixel Watch and discounts on various Fitbit wearables.

Below are all of Googe’s offers on smartphones:

Pixel 7 Pro: Now $879, was $1,179 ($300 off)

Pixel 7: Now $649, was $799 ($150 off)

Pixel 6a: Now $499, was $599 ($100 off)

Source: Google

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Google’s reputation is stopping it from launching ChatGPT-like function

Google is citing its reputation for not creating a platform similar to ChatGPT.

“This really strikes a need that people seem to have, but it’s also important to realize these models have certain type of issues,” Jeff Dean, the head of Google’s AI division, said at a recent all-hands meeting, according to CNBC.

ChatGBT is an AI chatbot that answers complicated questions and writes essays. It has quickly grown in popularity, crossing 1 million users earlier this month. However, issues of bias remain, and Google is citing this as one of the reasons why it hasn’t launched a similar platform yet.

“We are absolutely looking to get these things out into real products and into things that are more prominently featuring the language model rather than under the covers, which is where we’ve been using them to date,” Dean told employees. “But it’s super important we get this right.”

Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai hinted the company has “a lot” planned in the space in 2023 but followed Dean’s cautionary tone. “This is an area where we need to be bold and responsible, so we have to balance that.”

Image credit: Shutterstock 

Source: CNBC