Ben Sage

Google has just rolled a big update for the Pixel C with the Android 7.1.2 Beta. The first noticeable addition is the inclusion of the Pixel Launcher from the Pixel phone. The tablet launcher includes the swipe up app drawer and the circle icons and folders. It also adds an extra space for an icon in the bottom tray with 6 icons compared to 5 on the Google Now Launcher. The navigation buttons have also been filled in like those on the Pixel phone. Pixel Launcher on Pixel C There is also a major overhaul to the multitasking interface with a new tile interface for switching between apps and putting them into split-screen. The only annoyance with this is that you can't seem to swipe away the apps and instead have to click the crosses or clear all. New Multitasking Interface Another feature to come over from the Pixel phone is the wallpaper app that gives you loads of curated wallpapers straight from Google. Wallpapers This update is definitely the biggest sin...

I have finally received my Google Pixel! After a couple of weeks with stock issues I have got my hands on a Very Silver Pixel with 128GB of onboard storage. In this post I will go through my initial impressions of the device after 24 hours of having it. The OS The new Pixel Launcher on the Pixel is incredibly good looking with the circle icons and refreshed navigation buttons. Gliding through Android 7.1.1 on this phone is incredibly smooth with no lag whatsoever. Split-screen has also been surprisingly useful when I want to watch a YouTube video while scrolling through my Twitter feed for example. Hardware This handset is incredibly solid with the metal being more grippy than some other aluminium phones that I have held. I am also a fan if the glass panel on the back and in some respects I prefer it to a full metal back as it just makes the phone stand out a little bit more. One of my slight concerns was the positioning of the Pixel Imprint sensor on the back but after usi...

I've spent the last month deciding over which phone to purchase next and I've assessed a lot of options including the iPhone. In this post I will look at the reason as to why I'm choosing the Pixel Phone by Google over the iPhone. 1: Putting Google First I am fully integrated to the Google ecosystem in which I use a lot of Google apps such as Calendar, Keep, Inbox and Drive Pretty much everything I do on technology, apart from my Xbox One, always involves some kind of Google service or product so it makes sense to continue that by choosing the Pixel. I am of course aware that almost all of Google's apps are available on the App Store for iOS but nothing will quite beat that pure Google experience offered by the Pixel Phone. Google Daydream 2: Daydream This is something that I believe will completely revolutionise the virtual reality industry for everyday consumers with a simple affordable headset and controller combination this is the first place most peo...

An Amazon Echo Dot is the smaller sibling to the larger Amazon Echo and Tap but packs most of the same functionality. With support for Spotify and a variety of other apps this is a great low cost home personal assistant. Design The Echo Dot has a simplistic design that is discreet and small enough to blend into your living room. It comes in both black and white, there is also the option to buy fabric or leather covers from Amazon if you really want to make it look great in your setup. The Dot has a LED ring around in circumference that lets you know that the Alexa has heard your voice or if it is in either setup or disconnected mode. There a four buttons on top, volume up & down, mute mic and an action button for activating Alexa. It is powered via micro USB (provided in the box with a power adapter). Design = 4/5 Usability The Echo Dot is a simple voice activated speaker that you can ask many questions such as "What is the weather going to be like tod...

Apologies for this post being late... better late than never. Google Assistant A lot of talk about Google’s advancements in lots of areas of machine learning. Assistant has already been seen in Google Allo but will be rolling out to phones and Google Home. Pixel Phone Finally! The Pixel phones have been confirmed. They will be the first handsets with Google Assistant. According to Dxomark the camera gets a rating of 89 which is more than the iPhone 7’s score of 86, which is the best score for a smartphone camera. There is also have quick charging with 7 hours of power in just 15 minutes. Quite Black, Very Silver and Really Blue are the colours available at launch. Pixel will start at $649 ( £ 599). Pre-orders start today. Daydream View This is the follow up to what was already announced at Google I/O earlier in the year. The design consists of a nice fabric and soft cushioning. It also comes with a controller. The Pixel phones will be the first Daydream compatib...

Tomorrow is the day of the long awaited Google Event where we are expecting to see many products announced and showcased. Pixel Phones These handsets have being pretty much entirely leaked at this stage but tomorrow will see the confirmation of the leaks and hopefully a few surprises from Google with some additional features and exclusive software functionality for these phones Chromecast Ultra We are also expecting top see the follow up to the Chromecast 2 and Chromecast Audio. This new Chromecast will support 4k and cost $69. Google Home Tomorrow should see the release date announced for Google's Amazon Echo rival in Google Home. This device is rumoured to cost $129 which is considerably less than the Amazon Echo. We also expect to see the announcement of a 7-inch tablet, Google Daydream and the new Chrome OS/Android crossover operating system Andromeda.

The Pixel Launcher has been around for a while now and is expected to be the default on Google's upcoming phones Pixel and Pixel XL which are going to be announced at an event on 4th October 2016. My initial thought was how much bigger the icons are in this version. At first I was a bit taken back by this but after a while I began to like the larger size of the icons. The top of your home screen has to be taken up with the fixed Google G logo and date which, given the customisation Android is famous for, is a tad odd that their is no flexibility in the size or look of these 'widgets'. My favourite thing about the launcher is that the app drawer still exists in the form of swiping up from the bottom four icons. There are rumours every now-and-then that the app drawer will be disappearing from Android completely and this has already happened on the the LG G5. Overall this launcher has a lot of potential to be a great option as a launcher but I still prefer N...