Take it outside – a review of the Google Pixel

Having been privileged to handle the Google Pixel 5-inch “Really Blue” phone for about a week. I have penned down a few thoughts.

https://twitter.com/DadaBen_/status/849543184820600834

These thoughts, I tried to make them more local to Nigeria and other developing countries. Also, I attempted to spare a lot of the technical fluff and get down to what this really means for the regular user.

1. It is NOT dust and Waterproof: Apparently, I am supposed to have started with the brilliance of its camera but no, I decide to start with a vibe killer. Where I originate from, dust is a thing and it is the reason many African children have to wake up and “dust” the house. Now, imagine having to dust your phone too. While a lot of electronic gadgets are moving towards the waterproof regime, the Google Pixel so far has shown no move. Did I try placing the phone in water? NO, I don’t have that money to spend. So, how do I know it is not dust and water proof? Holly Brockwell, of the Inquirer, told me, she also said the Galaxy S8 is.
2. Boy!, is the design sleek?: Well, if you like the way an iPhone looks, then you most likely would like the way this looks too. The 5-inch Pixel phone is a beauty to behold and hold. Curved corners and slim body. Would not say too much here. Like many recent smartphones, there is a fingerprint sensor behind. The cool thing about this is that you can use it to scroll down your notifications bar. Also, you can set it up such that you do not have to unlock your phone if you are at home.
   

   

3. Quick support (Call or chat): Today, I triggered a support request from my settings tab on the phone and I didn’t have to stay longer than 30-seconds online before talking to an actual representative. Once my request was sent, I got the usual automated response call and a real person was put through to me in no time. The fact that I didn’t have to leave the comfort of my phone just did it for me. Also, I even hear you can share your screen with them. Hope this level of service is received in Nigeria and across the board?
   

   

4. Fast: It uses a 4GB Ram for processing, what most regular laptops possess. So yeah, unlike my old phone which was a lot of headache, this one responds quicker to screen taps and icon-push.
5. Google Assistant: “Ok! Google”, that is how I start my morning, reciting a list of to-dos… I wish I could write my essays this way. Provided you don’t talk fast, the translation is pretty decent. You can also have it read out news to you; all you do is select your preferred news source.
   

   

6. Your home screen doesn’t have to be boring: You can customise your wallpapers which would change daily. Select from a variety of themes such as the Google Earth Photos.
7. Now, battery life and power banks: With only an hour (60 minutes) of charge split into 4 cycles, the phone would stay on for the entire day. In simple English, it takes about 15 minutes to charge if you plug to a wall socket and use the USB and Adapter that came with it. So, does this mean you save cost on Power banks? Well, for me, YES. Also, because I believe for some reason, power banks damage the battery of a phone. Hence, when Nigerian-born musician, Tekno sings in his hit single “Rara”, “I know get e charge oh, my phone e don die”, hopefully, you can’t relate.
8. Freebies – unlimited Google Photos storage + music (3 months): Your Pixel phone comes with 3 months worth of FREE Google Play Music. This for me (a non-music app user such as iTunes, Spotify etc) is revolutionary as I can now search for almost any song in the world. I heard Wizkid’s Come Closer ft. Drake here first. But, what is the catch? Unlike easily disposable Sim Cards that come with free credit. You can’t easily dispose your phone…LOL. So, if you know paying about $10 ($9.99) per month is not your thing, then, you need to be sharp enough to deactivate your account, else, you automatically get charged. Also, Unlimited online storage from Google photos! People, I back-up everything now(snapchat, instagram, gallery, twitter etc)!
   Be sure to launch your Google Photos, once you open it.
9. The Camera, my God!: This is the most important reason why I bought the phone, I wanted to foray into photography. Although, I haven’t had the time to read up on Photography or work with a Master. I have shot a few pieces I am quite proud of.For the technical stuff, back camera spots a 12.3 MegaPixel (MP) and the front camera 8MP. The goodness of this is that, it can adjust to your light situation, please don’t go into a dark room! The Back camera has an auto-focus, while the front camera is light-sensitive, so it adjusts in low light. The video quality features a cinematic film quality. It is best you do that with the back camera (and relatively stable lighting) else your video comes out like this:https://twitter.com/stutern/status/847835745125576704Interested in purchasing the phone? You can visit the Google Store!