Several years ago, if someone told you they had an Android phone, then it would have been safe to assume they were not talking about Google’s Pixel. Until recently, “Android” had a much stronger association with hardware from Samsung, OnePlus, Huawei, or even LG when it was still making phones. But that mindset may finally be shifting as the Google Pixel slowly gains more name recognition among the Galaxies of the world.

The goal of the Pixel is to bring out the best of Android and invite manufacturers and consumers to see what Google’s operating system could — and perhaps even should — look like. After all, the iPhone’s always been known for its consistent interface and cohesive ecosystem across Apple’s devices, while Android phones have long suffered from fragmentation leading to major differences in how the OS felt across manufacturers.

For Google, its strategy to push out devices that it sees as the perfect form of Android is a feat deserving of recognition, regardless if it’s a runaway success among consumers. The 2010 Nexus One, for instance, got the attention of Apple and Steve Jobs. And Android as an OS was able to take on the iPhone in a way that BlackBerry, Palm, and Microsoft were unable to do. Google learned from some of the best in the industry about how to build phones like the Nexus line by partnering with manufacturers like HTC, Samsung, LG, and Motorola — a company Google owned for a little while.

Let’s take a walk down memory lane and see not only every Pixel phone Google has made but also the phones that led to it:

Pixel 7 and 7 Pro (2022)

A stock image of the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro

The camera bar design introduced with 2021’s Pixel 6 is here to stay on the new Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro. The company’s latest phones use a new Tensor 2 chip that enables better call audio, recording, and transcribing, plus new photo processing features like unblurring faces. The Pixel 7 has the same 50MP main and ultrawide cameras as the Pixel 6. The Pro has the same main camera as well but gets an upgraded autofocusing ultrawide camera with macro photography. The Pro also has a new 5x optical telephoto shooter and can achieve a higher quality optical / digital 10x zoom equivalent via sensor cropping. In addition to an under-screen fingerprint reader, the phones have a face unlock feature. They also have a new Guided Frame feature that helps users with blindness or low vision take great selfies using audio cues. The Pixel 7 has a 6.3-inch screen, slightly smaller than the Pixel 6, and starts at $599. The Pixel 7 Pro has a 6.7-inch screen and starts at $899.

Pixel 6A (2022)

Google’s Pixel 6A stands out among $500 phones.

The Pixel 6A is part of Google’s affordable lineup that normally focuses on having the best available camera. But with the 6A, Google is instead focusing on performance by including its new Tensor chip. That means the 6A uses last year’s 12MP sensor. The phone is a little smaller than the 6 with a 6.1-inch screen, and it only has a 60Hz refresh rate. There’s no wireless charging, less RAM, and Google removed the headphone jack that came with every A-line phone before it. Like the Pixel 6, the 6A has the new camera bar design and under-display fingerprint sensor, though it’s using plastic instead of glass on the rear. But at $449, $150 cheaper than the Pixel 6, it’s one of the best deals in smartphones right now.

Verge score: 8 out of 10

Pixel 6 and 6 Pro (2021)

Google went for a total redesign with the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro in an effort to bring its phones back to competitive flagship status. It uses premium metal and glass materials, has a distinct new camera bar design, and lets go of the reliable rear fingerprint scanner in favor of a slower under-screen one. The company debuted its custom Tensor chip, which powers AI and machine learning on the Pixel 6, and it has new camera sensors for the first time in years. Both have wide and ultrawide cameras, but the Pro has a telephoto and also a wider and better 11MP front-facing camera. They’re huge compared to the 5: the Pixel 6 ($599) has a 90Hz 6.4-inch screen, and the Pro ($899) has a 6.7-inch 120Hz one with curved edges. The Pixel 6 supports sub-6GHz 5G and mmWave, though the latter is not on the unlocked model. The Pixel 6 Pro has both 5G options, no matter what model, and also has 12GB of RAM versus the regular 6’s 8GB.

Verge score: 9 out of 10

Pixel 5A (2021)

The Pixel 5A did midrange right. For $449, you got a bigger than ever 6.3-inch display, excellent battery life, IP67 waterproofing, a headphone jack, 128GB of storage, a metal body, and the same Snapdragon 765G from the Pixel 5. There’s no wireless charging, though, and even though the 5A had 5G, it didn’t have support for mmWave like some 4A 5G models, plus it lacked C-band 5G despite Google admitting the hardware is there. It also came in just one color called “mostly black,” though it looked like a dark green and was complemented by a mint green power button.

Verge score: 8 out of 10

Pixel 5 (2020)

Google released just one version of the flagship Pixel in 2020, and it completely let go of the experimental Project Soli features that the Pixel 4 phones had. Gone was the huge forehead that also had the infrared face unlock feature; now, there was just a hole-punch camera and thin bezels all around. The Pixel 5 was announced on the same day as the 4A 5G, but the latter shipped a month later. Both phones shared the same Snapdragon 765G processor and also the really good wide and ultrawide cameras. The Pixel 5, at $649, was $200 more than the 4A 5G, but you got IP68 waterproofing, 8GB of RAM compared to 6GB, a premium aluminum design, wireless charging, and a 6-inch 90Hz OLED screen compared to an only slightly bigger 6.2-inch at 60Hz on the 4A 5G.

Verge score: 8 out of 10

Pixel 4A and Pixel 4A 5G (2020)

The power button on the Pixel 4A 5G is the only playful part of the design

The Pixel 4A was released about two months before the 4A 5G, and the Pixel 5 was released in between the two. At $349, the 4A was the most affordable Pixel yet and came with a sizable 5.8-inch screen with a hole-punched front camera that finally gave the Pixel thinner bezels. You got one camera on the 4A, but like the 3A, it was very good despite lacking an image processor that sped things up between snaps. The 4A 5G had a bigger 6.2-inch screen and included an ultrawide camera that took the place of the Pixel 4’s telephoto. The 5G version was more expensive, at $499, but it also had a faster processor and larger battery than the Pixel 4A. Google did save some money by not adding water resistance ratings and wireless charging to the 4A pair, but in exchange, you got the headphone jack again.

Verge score: 8 out of 10 and 7.5 out of 10 (5G)

Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL (2019)

Photo by Dieter Bohn / The Verge

If I had to describe the Pixel 4 and 4 XL in one word, it would be “ambitious,” but that’s not in the best of ways. Google decided to make its Project Soli radar technology the star of the show that year, which enabled features like waving your hand to snooze your alarm or skip music tracks. It could even tell if you were sitting near your phone or reaching for it with a feature called presence, and it could wake up ahead of time as you pick it up. The ideas were cool, but they didn’t work very reliably. Combined with a new infrared sensor for face unlock, the Pixel 4 pair had to be designed with a magnificent forehead and still had a bit of a chin on the bottom. You did get a nice 90Hz screen, and Google added a telephoto camera as well — though an ultrawide would probably have been more welcome. On the software side, the phones shipped with Android 10 and had a useful Live Transcribe feature. All these features, along with less than stellar battery life and starting with 64GB storage, could be had for $799 and $899 for the XL — the most expensive Pixels yet.

Verge score: 8 out of 10 and 8.5 out of 10 (XL)

Pixel 3A and Pixel 3A XL (2019)

Google started releasing affordable A-line versions of the Pixels earlier in the year, and the Pixel 3A and 3A XL were the first in the trend. At $399 and $479 (XL), the phones took the most important parts of their flagship counterparts and made them accessible to more people. The screens were still OLED and sized at 5.6 inches and 6 inches, respectively, but the processor was downgraded to a Snapdragon 670. They also lacked the dedicated image processor, but the quality of the camera remained legendary, and the devices sport great battery life. You can’t easily tell that the bodies are made of cheaper plastics than the more expensive Pixel 3 phones, but there are other compromises, like no wireless charging and no waterproof rating. Finally, Google also stopped offering the free full-quality photo backup it offered with previous models, but you’re still getting the best bang for your buck here.

Verge score: 8 out of 10

Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL (2018)

The Pixel 3 ($599) and the Pixel 3 XL ($699) gained wireless charging and larger higher-quality OLED screens — but the XL model got a huge notch cutting into it. The 12.2MP rear camera is the same sensor from the previous model, but Google upgraded the dedicated image processor from 2017’s Pixel 2, making pictures come out faster and better. The phones also had a wide front-facing camera so you could selfie with more people. There were still relatively large bezels compared to the competition, but the great front-facing speakers remain and sound even better. The headphone jack didn’t come back, but at least it came with wired USB-C headphones. Google debuted its call screening feature with the Pixel 3 that lets a robot talk to the caller to confirm it’s not a marketing call.

Verge score: 8.5 out of 10

Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL (2017)

The Pixel 2 welcomed IP67 waterproofing and an amazing camera with AI processing that would set the bar for years. Google dropped the headphone jack but included a dongle to hook up your own headphones. You could squeeze the Pixel 2 to activate Google Assistant, and the lock screen had a Shazam-like feature that displayed what song was playing around you. The XL model had a vivid 6-inch screen, but the regular model’s 5-inch screen was lacking in quality. There was still no wireless charging, and while the front still had huge bezels, it at least housed very good quality front-facing speakers.

Verge score: 8.5 out of 10 and 8 out of 10 (XL)

Pixel and Pixel XL (2016)

Google’s Pixel ($649) and Pixel XL ($769) were the company’s first phones to be developed internally and served as a blueprint for the “pure” Android experience. Other manufacturers continued to push their own custom launchers and features, but the Pixel served as a way to remind them what Android should look like. Google Assistant was the star of the show, and it seemed leaps ahead of what Siri was capable of — and that hasn’t changed to date. It looked similar to the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, but it still had a headphone jack. The Pixels had excellent battery life and OLED screens (5-inch and 5.5-inch for the XL) but lacked waterproofing. Google enticed customers with free full-quality photo storage on Google Photos for the lifetime of the phone.

Verge score: 9 out of 10

Nexus 6P by Huawei (2015)

Our trip down memory lane doesn’t end at the first Pixel; Google has at least 10 more phones it’s had a hand in making. The Nexus 6P was Google’s final form for the line that preceded its Pixel, and it was the best phone the company made at the time. Built by Huawei, this big phone had a pure Android 6.0 Marshmallow experience, a huge AMOLED screen, and a fingerprint sensor on the rear. It had USB-C, which was uncommon at the time but would later become ubiquitous. The camera quality was excellent, though it was one of the first to add a big camera bump to accommodate it.

Verge score: 8.8 out of 10

Nexus 5X by LG (2015)

LG’s Nexus 5X has a design based on the Nexus 5 from 2013, but now, it’s faster and has a bigger 5.2-inch screen. It was still easy to use with one hand despite the growth, had better battery life, and was even more affordable at $379. It felt cheap overall, though, and it had a slow camera — though image quality was good. If you wanted a better-built phone, you’d have to go for the Nexus 6P that released alongside the Nexus 5X.

Verge score: 8.3 out of 10

Nexus 6 by Motorola (2014)

The “phablet” trend, spearheaded by Samsung, became the focus of Motorola’s go at the Nexus line. Its 6-inch screen was larger than the iPhone 6 Plus, and at $649, it was $100 cheaper, too. It had stereo front-facing speakers and 32GB of internal storage but no SD card expansion. Stock Android Lollipop with the “material design” interface was a big focus on this phone, and it was also the first to work with Google’s Fi MVNO cellular network.

Verge score: 8.6 out of 10

Nexus 5 by LG (2013)

With the success of the Nexus 7 tablet, Google started getting serious about marketing Nexus phones to consumers rather than just developers / power users. It had a big 4.95-inch 1080p screen, but Samsung’s Galaxy S4 had a slightly larger one that had better quality. The Nexus 5 did finally get LTE, and it was the first to get Android KitKat. The new OS was smoother than ever and continues to be the oldest system that supports Google Play services.

Verge score: 8 out of 10

Nexus 4 by LG (2012)

The Nexus 4 is LG’s first go at the Nexus line, and it focused on build quality. While it was a solid phone, the Gorilla Glass rear was a concern for shattering, and like the iPhone, the battery was no longer removable. Phones at the time were starting to gain LTE, but this didn’t take advantage of that. It has a 4.7-inch IPS screen with a 1280 x 768 resolution, and it came with Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, which brought widgets to the lock screen and a quick settings menu that let you access Wi-Fi and Bluetooth in a few swipes. It also had a swipe-like keyboard for easy typing. The device supported wireless induction charging, a flagship feature of the Palm Pre (no one says “induction” anymore, but they did at the time).

Verge score: 8.3 out of 10

Galaxy Nexus by Samsung (2011)

Samsung’s second Nexus phone was the first to get Android Ice Cream Sandwich, which had cool new features like transferring files via NFC and facial recognition for unlocking. It later got the Jelly Bean update, with features like expandable notifications. The Android menu buttons became part of the system instead of the hardware, appearing on the bottom of the 4.65-inch Super AMOLED screen that made the iPhone 4S look tiny. It had a teardrop shape design and a 5MP camera with flash, but it didn’t have an SD card slot — although 16GB built-in storage was sizable for the time.

Verge score: 8.6 out of 10

Nexus S by Samsung (2010)

After Samsung made its Galaxy, it made Google’s next Nexus. The Nexus S was Samsung’s first Nexus phone and the second Nexus phone ever. Samsung installed a big 4-inch Super AMOLED screen in the Nexus S, and the display was slightly curved, which gave it a unique look. The body of the device was made mostly of plastic and had a glossy finish. The phone was the first to ship with Android 2.3 Gingerbread, adding a much-improved interface. The power button on the right and a headphone jack on the bottom were unique design choices at the time.

Nexus One by HTC (2010)

The Google Nexus One(L) smartphone with iPhone

The Nexus One is the phone that made Steve Jobs’ blood boil. “I’m going to destroy Android, because it’s a stolen product. I’m willing to go thermonuclear war on this,” Jobs said, according to his biography by Walter Isaacson. It’s the phone that could stand up to the iPhone 3GS, with a larger screen than Apple’s at 3.7 inches. It was slightly thinner as well. HTC and Google made a phone that truly could be the “Google Phone,” and it broke away from carrier lock-in and branding. Android controls were capacitive buttons below the screen (a trend that continued for several years), and physical controls were reduced to a sleep button and a trackball — making this the most touch-oriented Android phone to date.

HTC Magic / T-Mobile myTouch 3G (2009)

A woman presents Vodafone’s Smartphone H

The second Android phone ever ditches the Keyboard, navigating closer toward the full-screen iPhone design. Released widely as the T-Mobile myTouch 3G in the US, it had a 3.2-inch screen, which was smaller than the iPhone’s 3.5-inch and didn’t have a very good software keyboard in comparison. While it only had 4GB of storage, you could extend it via microSD and get more pictures and music on it, though you’d have to connect a dongle to plug headphones in.

HTC Dream / T-Mobile G1 (2008)

T-Mobile G1 Phone Goes On Sale In San Francisco Ahead Of Nat’l Launch

You’ve made it to the beginning of time — well, at least for Google’s hardware story. Before the phones by Google — the Pixels and Nexuses of the world — there was the phone with Google. That’s what was printed on the rear of the HTC Dream since it was the first phone to run Google’s new Android OS. The Dream was known more widely as the T-Mobile G1 because many phones sold in the US at the time needed a carrier partner with its own marketing and branding to succeed. The HTC Dream was designed for those who wanted to cautiously step into the full-screen phone world that Apple was selling. It included a built-in slide-out keyboard like some Windows Mobile phones had at the time plus a BlackBerry-like trackball to help navigate.

Correction October 6th, 8:53AM ET: A previous version of this article suggested Samsung made the Nexus S before the Galaxy S. The Nexus S came out after. We regret the error.

Resolution and night video

Both the Arlo Pro 4 and Ring Spotlight Cam Pro capture incredible footage, but Arlo has a significant advantage over the competition — instead of capturing 1080p HDR footage like the Ring Spotlight Cam Pro, the Arlo Pro 4 captures 2K HDR footage. That’s a significant increase in resolution, and it’s a huge win for Arlo, as it allows you to zoom in on your footage and pick out distance details that’d be lost on a lesser camera.

Both products also feature color night vision and integrated spotlights for capturing movement after the sun goes down.

Winner: The Arlo Pro 4 wins this category, thanks to its crisp 2K resolution.

Feature and spec list

If you’re looking for something that will capture the entirety of your yard, Arlo has you covered. With a 160-degree viewing angle, it barely beats out the 140-degree viewing angle offered by Ring. Beyond that, there’s not much offered by Arlo that you won’t find on the Ring Spotlight Cam Pro.

The Ring Spotlight Cam Pro also has a few tricks that you won’t find on the Arlo Pro 4. This includes 3D Motion Detection and Bird’s Eye View that can pinpoint exactly where motion is coming from in your yard. You’ll also get to choose from four unique models (wired, wireless, plug-in, and solar) that deliver you several ways to power your camera. Arlo, meanwhile, only offers the Pro 4 as a wireless product.

Ring’s product also benefits from two spotlights instead of one, allowing it to shine brighter and light up a larger portion of its environment.

Winner: Ring beats out Arlo in this round thanks to some high-tech features and multiple available models.

Monthly fees and what you get

Both the Ring Spotlight Cam Pro and Arlo Pro 4 require a monthly subscription plan to experience everything they have to offer. Arlo offers two different premium options, while Ring offers three.

The entry-level Arlo Secure plan will run you $3 per month for a single camera or $10 per month for unlimited cameras. This unlocks unlimited cloud storage for 30 days, along with interactive alerts and priority support. Step up to Arlo Secure Plus, and you’ll pay $15 per month for unlimited cameras and get 24/7 emergency response — along with all the benefits of your standard Arlo Secure membership.

Ring memberships start at $4 per month for the Basic plan. For the price, you get 180 days of video history, video saving and sharing, snapshot capture, person alerts, and Rich Notifications (which offer a photo preview of your most recent alert). The Plus plan runs $10 per month and adds extended warranties to your products. Then there is the Pro plan, which clocks in at $20 per month. Along with all the other perks, you’ll get several backups for your captured images and videos, along with a possible reduction to your home insurance.

Winner: Ring and Arlo tie this round. Arlo’s entry-level package is a bit cheaper than Ring’s ($3 per month compared to $4 per month), but Ring’s premium plan offers a bit more than Arlo’s.

Ease of use

Both the Arlo Pro 4 and Ring Spotlight Cam Pro are incredibly popular, and the simplicity of their designs is a large reason why. Getting them installed on your property is simple (thanks to detailed instructions, multiple power formats for Ring, and a slick, magnetic, and wire-free format for Arlo), and checking in on your live feed or reviewing notifications is easy, thanks to intuitive smartphone apps.

Arlo also lets you set up alerts with HomeKit, Alexa, Google Home, and SmartThings, while Ring is largely designed with Alexa in mind (Ring is an Amazon product) but offers some HomeKit and Google Home capabilities.

Winner: Because Arlo allows for easy, seamless integration with other platforms, it narrowly beats out Ring. However, if you’re a fan of Amazon products and frequently use the Alexa voice assistant, then Ring might be a better fit for your needs.

Apps and monitoring

As mentioned above, both the Ring Spotlight Cam Pro and Arlo Pro 4 offer robust smartphone apps that let you check in on a live feed, review old footage, or customize your notification settings. Both are well-designed and easy to use.

Both products are equally great at monitoring your property. Ring and Arlo designed these smart cameras to differentiate between various objects — allowing you to personalize notifications based on what’s happening on your property. For example, you can have both Arlo and Ring only alert you when a person is at the door or trudging through your yard, as opposed to getting alerts every time an animal triggers the motion sensors.

Winner: Thanks to their powerful apps and premium monitoring tech, Arlo and Ring tie this round.

Integration with other smart home systems

The Arlo Pro 4 is fully compatible with Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant. The Ring Spotlight Cam Pro is fully compatible with Alexa devices, although you can get some features running with HomeKit and Google Home. Since Ring is owned by Amazon, it should come as no surprise that it works incredibly well with other Amazon products, such as the Echo Dot and Echo Show. This point also means that integration with other platforms is a bit limited compared to Arlo.

Winner: Arlo wins this category due to its wide compatibility and integration with most smart home ecosystems and other products already on the market.

You can’t go wrong with either

If you’re deciding which of these two security cameras to purchase, you’re in luck — both are fantastic products, and you can’t go wrong with either. There are a few minute differences between the Arlo Pro 4 and Ring Spotlight Cam Pro, but at the end of the day, they’re arguably the two best spotlight cameras on the market.

Folks with tons of Amazon devices at home that are already familiar with the ecosystem will probably find the Ring Spotlight Cam Pro to be the better choice. Conversely, folks running with Google or Apple HomeKit will find Arlo to be the better option.

Pricing is another factor to consider, as the Arlo Pro 4 costs $200 (and is frequently on sale for less), while the Ring Spotlight Cam Pro starts at $230 and climbs to $250 for the solar and wired options. Then there’s the monthly subscription, which is a bit more expensive for Ring than Arlo — positioning Arlo as the better choice for budget-conscious buyers.

Fri, 14 Oct 2022 00:30:15 -0500 en-US text/html https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/arlo-pro-4-vs-ring-spotlight-cam-pro/ar-AA12V8oD Killexams : Google Launches Nest Wifi Pro Mesh Router With 6GHz, Plus a New Nest Doorbell Google announced several new smart home products, including a new Nest Wifi Pro Mesh Router. Google

Google announced several new smart home products, including a new Nest Wifi Pro Mesh Router. Google

Google's Nest team announced new hardware and software updates for its smart home lineup Tuesday, including a new Nest Wifi Pro mesh router with full support for Wi-Fi 6E, as well as a new hardwired version of the Nest Doorbell. Their arrival helps set the stage for Google's Pixel launch event on Thursday, where we're expecting to see a new lineup of Pixel 7 smart phones along with the long-awaited debut of Google's Pixel Watch.

Taken together, Google's flurry of announcements this week represents the brand's latest effort to present a compelling pitch for a more unified smart home.

"We need to evolve the smart home outside of just thinking about the smart home devices that exist today," said Google Nest general manager and vice president of product Rishi Chandra, pointing to the importance of phones, tablets, watches and other primary interface devices as pillars of a cohesive connected home. "Thus far, as an industry, we've kind of separated those mobile computing ecosystems from the smart home ecosystems, and we've got to think of that as one holistic ecosystem. That's how users are thinking of it."

To that end, Google has big plans for the Google Home app, with an upcoming redesign that's built with expanded automation capabilities, better camera controls, automatic device grouping and better scalability. Many of the coming changes are structured around Matter, the soon-to-launch universal smart home standard that aims to make it easier for users to control smart home devices built by different brands or for different platforms.

"Millions of Matter devices will be available for software update later this year," said Kevin Po, a Nest product manager working on the brand's integration with Matter. "What that creates is this kind of scalable platform that device makers and a vibrant ecosystem can build on top of."

Nest Wifi Pro embraces Wi-Fi 6E, ditches the smart speakers

The new Nest Wifi Pro mesh router is available for pre-order today, and comes in your choice of four colors. Google

First up on the hardware front is the Nest Wifi Pro mesh router, a follow-up to the original Nest Wifi and Google Wifi routers that preceded it. With the Pro model, users get an upgraded, tri-band Wi-Fi 6E design that can connect with devices over the usual 2.4 and 5GHz bands, as well as on the recently opened 6GHz band, which offers more than twice as much bandwidth as 5GHz and a significant reduction in device congestion, as well.

Available for pre-order today in four colors (snow, fog, linen and lemongrass) and expected to hit retail on Oct. 27, the Nest Wifi Pro costs $200 for a single device, or $400 for a 3-pack. That positions it as one of the most affordable Wi-Fi 6E routers available today.

See it on the Google Store

The Wi-Fi 6E support isn't the only noteworthy change with Nest Wifi Pro. Most notably, the system no longer features Google Assistant smart speakers built into each extender, and it doesn't feature separate router and extender devices at all, so any Nest Wifi Pro device can connect to your modem over Ethernet and serve as the main router of your setup. That also means that you can use an Ethernet cable to connect two Nest Wifi Pro devices for a fully wired backhaul with faster performance than a wireless setup. With the original Nest Wifi, the extenders were smaller, separate, devices from the main router of the system, and they didn't offer Ethernet jacks at all.

Each Nest Wifi Pro device is identical and interchangeable -- and unlike before, none of them feature built-in Google Assistant smart speakers. Google

Another change from the the first-gen Nest Wifi mesh router: Nest Wifi Pro isn't backward compatible with earlier-gen Nest and Google Wifi systems. Google Nest's director of product management for energy and connectivity Ben Brown chalked that up to the way the new Pro system leverages Wi-Fi 6E as a central part of the system, including as a wireless backhaul.

"To do that with Google Wifi and Nest Wifi generations that don't support 6GHz was not going to be a good experience for users," Brown explained.

As for specs, the Nest Wifi Pro is designed to work particularly well with Matter thanks to built-in Thread radios that allow it to communicate directly with other Thread-compatible Matter gadgets, a carryover feature from the original Nest Wifi. Range-wise, Google says that each Nest Wifi Pro can cover up to 2,200 square feet.

Google says that the combined top speeds of each of the Nest Wifi Pro's three bands is 5.8 gigabits per second, but genuine speeds will be much lower than that since your devices can only connect to one band at a time, and since the WAN port caps incoming wired speeds at 1Gbps. That's a bit disappointing given the current trend towards multi-gig internet plans -- including from Google.

A new wired Nest Doorbell promises the best picture quality yet

Google's second hardware launch of the day is a new, hardwired version of the Next Doorbell. Available today for $179, the updated doorbell cam comes in your choice of four colors and promises 24/7 access to your front door footage, two-way talk, customizable activity zones, object-specific alerts for people, packages, animals, and vehicles, and improved picture quality by way of larger-size pixels and new software updates.

See it on the Google Store

Google points to independent analysis from DXOMARK, which rated the new device as the top doorbell camera for picture quality. With a 960p feed -- the same as the existing, battery-powered Nest Doorbell, released last year -- it isn't leaning on improved camera hardware, but rather, on new software updates that promise to enhance the image that's already there.

"What we really want to call out is that in terms of image quality it's not just about the pixel count, it's really about the ability to fine-tune the genuine image, making the most out of the hardware," said Julie Zhu, a product manager on Google's Nest Doorbell team.

The Nest Doorbell comes in your choice of four colors: Snow, Linen, Ash and Ivy. Google

Like the battery-powered Nest Doorbell, the new wired version uses a 3:4 vertical aspect ratio for comfortable viewing on your phone and a better head-to-toe look at front door visitors or packages at your doorstep -- though CNET reviewer David Priest noted last year that the otherwise likable vertical-minded approach can lead to horizontal blind spots to the left and right.

With the Nest Doorbell hardwired at your door, you'll be able to receive motion alerts and respond to visitors in real time using live video and two-way talk. Add in a subscription to Nest Aware for $6 per month and you'll gain access to up to 30 days of event history. You can make that up to 60 days of event history and up to 10 days of 24/7 video history by upgrading to a $12-per-month Nest Aware Plus subscription.

As for privacy and security, the Nest Doorbell uses encryption to protect video data in transit, as well as two-factor authentication, which makes it much harder for someone to break into your account. However, Google doesn't offer end-to-end encryption, which would block the company from accessing your footage. Earlier this summer, the company acknowledged that it reserves the right to comply with police requests for user footage during emergency situations, similar to Ring -- though Google added at the time that it had never done so.

Expect to see a new design for the Google Home app in coming weeks, complete with live video in the homescreen and new Spaces that automatically group your devices together. Google

Google Home is getting a makeover just in time for Matter

On the software side of things, Google is currently prepping the Google Home app for relaunch, with a new redesign aimed at improving the app's automation capabilities, ease of use and scalability for an incoming flood of devices that support Matter. The update is scheduled to go live in the coming weeks, with sign-ups open now for a public preview of the new features.

Here's a peek at the newly re-designed Google Home app, available now via public preview and set to launch in full in the coming weeks. Google

Chief among them are new Spaces, which automatically group your devices at the top of the app's home screen for quick access. Next year, Google plans to roll out customizable Spaces, allowing users to create groups of devices pertaining to whatever they like -- pets, kids, you name it. The new app also features improved controls for smart home routines and automations, with a custom automation script editor for advanced users on deck for release in 2023.

Google also notes the app's improved camera features -- namely, a more intuitive timeline display of past camera events, as well as the ability to view the live feeds from favorited cameras straight from the center of the app's homescreen. Google Home's camera features are also heading to a new interface that users will be able to access straight from their web browser, and there's an entirely new version of the Home app for smartwatch users headed to WearOS, as well.

All of it comes as Google and other major smart home players like Amazon, Apple and Samsung prepare for the arrival of Matter, a new universal smart home standard expected to launch by the end of the year. Google is leaning particularly hard into the standard, offering developer tools that help put it to work and promising built-in Matter support in Android for easier device pairing and accessibility across devices. Meanwhile, the second-gen Nest Hub and Nest Hub Max smart displays and the Nest Wifi and Nest Wifi Pro mesh routers will all double as Thread border routers, helping to facilitate wireless, low-power connections between Matter devices.

To that end, it's probably a safe bet to expect that we'll hear a lot more about Matter and about Google's larger vision for the smart home this Thursday at the company's Pixel launch event. Expect to see plenty of coverage on that front later this week, and when we have hands-on first impressions of the new hardware to share, we'll pass those along, as well. Stay tuned.

Tue, 04 Oct 2022 02:12:13 -0500 en-US text/html https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/google-launches-nest-wifi-pro-mesh-router-with-6ghz-plus-a-new-nest-doorbell/ar-AA12AaEc Killexams : You Can Buy The Pixel 7 And Pixel Watch Today—Here Are The Best Deals

If you’re an Android enthusiast, few smartphones offer a better experience than those made by Google—creator of the Android operating system. Today, the company launched the latest generation of Pixel 7 smartphones, along with its first smartwatch, Pixel Watch. These products join the growing Pixel family, which includes the recently released Pixel Buds Pro wireless earbuds and the forthcoming Pixel Tablet (teased for release in 2023). Shipping begins today for both phones, and for the smartwatch.

Google announced its new Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro smartphones, and Pixel Watch smartwatch available ... [+] for pre-order today.

Google

Google continues to offer two smartphone options in the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro. They're more alike than they are different, with Android 13's arrival and a trio of colors to choose from (the Pixel 7 comes in Obsidian, Snow and Lemongrass; the Pixel 7 Pro comes in Obsidian, Snow and Hazel) among the similarities. The two models also share the same core guts: Both also use the new Pixel Tensor G2 processor and the new Titan M2 security chip which power many of the new features in the Pixel 7 series. In terms of differences, aside from a bigger display and a 48-megapixel telephoto sensor on the Pixel 7 Pro, the Pro model increases the system memory to 12GB of RAM, up from the base model’s 8GB.

Google has a history of introducing innovative new features ahead of some other smartphone makers (the company already had a crash detection feature before Apple introduced it in the iPhone 14). The Pixel 7 series continues that tradition with enhanced security (including an integrated VPN coming via software update) and improved speech recognition. Plus, the front- and rear-facing cameras and on-phone image editing all gain nifty upgrades, many of which rely on Google’s processor and AI-assisted imaging. Read on to find the best Pixel 7 deals, plus everything else that’s new with the Pixel 7 phones.

Pixel 7 Best Buy Deal

Earn A $100 Gift Card, Plus Trade-In Credit At Best Buy

Get the new Pixel 7 smartphone (unlocked) at a starting price of just $599 at Best Buy when you activate service with a participating carrier. The starting price includes 128GB of storage; you can double the memory to 256GB for $100 more. Best Buy also offers up to $700 in credit when you trade in an eligible phone (trade-in value can’t exceed the value of your phone purchase). Buy the unlocked model in Obsidian or Lemongrass and you also get a $100 e-gift card.

Pixel 7 Pro Best Buy Deal

Get A $200 Gift Card, Trade-In Credit At Best Buy

Order an unlocked Google Pixel 7 Pro from Best Buy and get a $200 Best Buy e-gift card. You’ll also get up to a $700 credit with an eligible trade-in. The Pixel 7 Pro comes with 128GB of storage. Up the storage to 256GB for an additional $100, or to 512GB for an additional $200.

Hands-On With The Pixel 7

Vetted smartphone reviewer Janhoi McGregor has already spent plenty of quality time with the smartphone. The full review is incoming, but here’s an excerpt from his early hands-on thoughts:

As an overall package, at first glance, the Pixel 7 is a very nice phone that has some unique AI-generated features and arguably takes the best still images money can buy.

Read the full Pixel 7 hands-on preview.

Pixel 7 And Pixel 7 Pro: Design And Display

The Pixel 7 offers a 6.3-inch OLED display (1,080 x 2,400 pixel resolution at 416 ppi) with a refresh rate up to 90Hz, while the Pixel 7 Pro offers a 6.7-inch OLED LTPO display (1,440 x 3,120 pixel resolution at 512 ppi) with a refresh rate up to 120Hz. You get a peak brightness of 1,400 nits from the Pixel 7 and 1,500 nits from the Pixel 7 Pro, both high enough to see screens in sunlight.

Pixel 7 And Pixel 7 Pro: Cameras Gain Guidance, Boost in Low Light

Both the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro have an ultra-wide 10.8-megapixel front-facing camera, allowing you to snap still images with a 92.8-degree field of view. This means you can now take selfies with a small group of your friends or family members and include everyone in your shots.

The Google Pixel 7 and Google Pixel 7 Pro are available to purchase right now.

Google

The new Guided Frame feature talks you through taking the perfect selfie. And the front-facing camera now unlocks the phone using face recognition—an alternative to typing a passcode or using the device’s built-in fingerprint scanner.

Both Pixels have 50-megapixel wide and 12-megapixel ultra-wide cameras; the Pixel 7 Pro adds a 48-megapixel telephoto camera. Thanks to the Tensor G2 chip and the upgraded camera hardware, we're getting new features like Super Res Zoom for taking shots at 0.5x to 30x zoom with enhanced image stabilization and clarity, and Macro Focus mode to capture subjects from three centimeters away.

Google says the phones’ hardware and software also work together to provide crisper and sharper images with even more vibrant color and less visual noise than before, regardless of the lighting conditions. The phones can process photos taken in Night Sight mode twice as fast as before, and automatically sharpens images using machine learning in the new Photo Un-blur feature. And Real Tone filters get an update to better reflect authentic skin tones.

Like the iPhone 14, video capture also gets a boost with Active Stabilization mode. The phones use both hardware and software to mitigate the effects of motion to ensure your moving subject remains in focus and the camera stays wobble-free.

Add The Pixel Watch For Good Measure

Streamlined Design, Powerful Fitness Features

At Best Buy, trade in an older smartwatch from Apple, Fitbit, Garmin and Samsung for instant credit towards the Google Pixel Watch. Or, build a product bundle and save money by purchasing extra watch bands or the Google Pixel Buds Pro wireless earbuds at the same time.

Google’s First Smartwatch In Detail

The new Google Pixel Watch comes in three stainless steel finishes (black, silver and gold) and offers a range of optional bands whose new design seamlessly connects it to the watch’s casing. In addition to strong integration with the new Pixel smartphones, this smartwatch works with all popular Google services, from Google Wallet to Google Maps. It also provides real-time updates from apps on a paired smartphone. Google says the battery lasts 24 hours.

Pixel Watch is the first Google-branded smartwatch, and it’s notably the first device from Google to integrate Fitbit’s fitness, activity and sleep tracking capabilities. (Google acquired Fitbit in 2019.) As such, it provides real-time heart rate data and a full range of tools designed to help you enhance or maintain your fitness and overall health.

Thu, 13 Oct 2022 09:29:00 -0500 Jason R. Rich en text/html https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbes-personal-shopper/article/best-pixel-7-pro-deals/ Google-PCSE exam dump and training guide direct download
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Google Pixel 7 Pro

Google Pixel 7

Tough to fix

History repeating

Phones from and made by Google: a visual history of the Pixel and its predecessors

Phones from and made by Google: a visual history of the Pixel and its predecessors

Not only do we break down every Pixel phone — we’re also reminiscing about every Nexus and the phones that came before it

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Pixel 7 and 7 Pro (2022)

Pixel 6A (2022)

Pixel 6 and 6 Pro (2021)

Pixel 5A (2021)

Pixel 5 (2020)

Pixel 4A and Pixel 4A 5G (2020)

Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL (2019)

Pixel 3A and Pixel 3A XL (2019)

Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL (2018)

Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL (2017)

Pixel and Pixel XL (2016)

Nexus 6P by Huawei (2015)

Nexus 5X by LG (2015)

Nexus 6 by Motorola (2014)

Nexus 5 by LG (2013)

Nexus 4 by LG (2012)

Galaxy Nexus by Samsung (2011)

Nexus S by Samsung (2010)

Nexus One by HTC (2010)

HTC Magic / T-Mobile myTouch 3G (2009)

HTC Dream / T-Mobile G1 (2008)

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Pixel 7 Best Buy Deal

Earn A $100 Gift Card, Plus Trade-In Credit At Best Buy

Pixel 7 Pro Best Buy Deal

Get A $200 Gift Card, Trade-In Credit At Best Buy

Hands-On With The Pixel 7

Pixel 7 And Pixel 7 Pro: Design And Display

Pixel 7 And Pixel 7 Pro: Cameras Gain Guidance, Boost in Low Light

Add The Pixel Watch For Good Measure

Streamlined Design, Powerful Fitness Features

Google’s First Smartwatch In Detail