Pixel – Who’s in?

I recently left Sprint (and thus Samsung for the first time in 5+ years) and signed up for Google Fi and purchased the Nexus 6P.  I like the phone for the most part (a little too big for my hands).

Love the Fi service but the coverage in my area (Boulder) is lacking a bit. My understanding is that Verizon is the only one who has spent the money running lines up the Canyons.  When I trek into the mountains I never have service but all my Verizon friends do.  So I think i’m flipping to Verizon. And I think i’m going to try and grab a Pixel.

So, who’s buying a pixel? 

Conversation 31 comments

  • 5611

    Premium Member
    19 October, 2016 - 9:48 am

    <p>Not me!</p>

  • 399

    Premium Member
    19 October, 2016 - 9:57 am

    <p>It looks like a nice enough phone, but not for 600 quid.</p>

    • 5615

      20 October, 2016 - 12:14 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#21484">In reply to </a><a href="../../../../users/maethorechannen">maethorechannen</a><a href="#21484">:</a></em></blockquote>
      <p>Some of us are expecting one or both models to be discounted at some point for the upcoming holidays — U.S.-only, of course.</p>

  • 170

    19 October, 2016 - 10:25 am

    <p>I think the Nexus 6P should work on Verizon if you want to make the move with out getting a new phone. &nbsp;Unless the Nexus 6P that you buy&nbsp;when signing up for Google Fi is different than buying an unlocked one from Amazon?</p>

    • 2

      Premium Member
      19 October, 2016 - 10:49 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#21492">In reply to </a><a href="../../../../users/Sprtfan">Sprtfan</a><a href="#21492">:</a></em></blockquote>
      <p>This is true.</p>

    • 1

      Premium Member
      19 October, 2016 - 12:56 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#21492">In reply to </a><a href="../../../../users/Sprtfan">Sprtfan</a><a href="#21492">:</a></em></blockquote>
      <p>This actually occured to me today…</p>

    • 180

      20 October, 2016 - 11:19 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#21492">In reply to </a><a href="../../../../users/Sprtfan">Sprtfan</a><a href="#21492">:</a></em></blockquote>
      <p>Google Fi phones have custom firmware to deal with the network switching. I don’t know if you can just throw a Verizon SIM in and have it work without flashing to a different build. At least that’s relatively easy with a Nexus.</p>

      • 6998

        20 October, 2016 - 4:46 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#21665">In reply to </a><a href="../../../../users/Polycrastinator">Polycrastinator</a><a href="#21665">:</a></em></blockquote>
        <p>You may have to factory reset it when switching to/from Fi service. (I thought I might’ve seen that nugget of info on Fi’s help pages)</p>

  • 1572

    Premium Member
    19 October, 2016 - 10:36 am

    <p>I’m getting one to satisfy my tech hobby craving but I don’t think it will sell any better than the Nexus 6P – perhaps less given the cost.</p>

  • 2

    Premium Member
    19 October, 2016 - 10:48 am

    <p>Me. But I feel a bit weird about it. Very expensive, not clear what real world benefits there are over Nexus 6P. Granted, I don’t have the connectivity issues you do.</p>

    • 1

      Premium Member
      19 October, 2016 - 12:55 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#21496">In reply to </a><a href="../../../../users/paul-thurrott">paul-thurrott</a><a href="#21496">:</a></em></blockquote>
      <p>I’m told it has a robot that will make me pancakes in the morning and clean my car out for me all at the command of my voice.</p>

  • 5543

    19 October, 2016 - 11:07 am

    <p>I’m getting the XL. Had both the 5x and 6P and used both on Verizon in CO. Your coverage concerns are valid.&nbsp;I live in Northern Colorado&nbsp;just&nbsp;south of Fort Collins.&nbsp;I have horrible coverage via Verizon. I have to use a network extender to even make or receive calls and the LTE version won’t allow you to create an ACL (yet), so everyone within 1500 feet of my house gets to use it.&nbsp;I keep opening network trouble tickets, but they say it’s an issue with each individual area and who’s willing to have a tower put up. SOL basically. Coverage is&nbsp;great in Fort Collins, and likely&nbsp;is in Boulder as well, but venturing outside the city has proven to be sketchy at best. Your mileage may vary. Best of luck to you.</p>

  • 6601

    19 October, 2016 - 1:01 pm

    <p>I did!</p>

  • 738

    Premium Member
    19 October, 2016 - 3:29 pm

    <p>ordered XL 0ct.4 just fascinated with the direction their going with AI. Will keep you informed (still die hard windows junkie)</p>

  • 6055

    19 October, 2016 - 4:47 pm

    <p>I’m planning to buy one now. Was a windows phone user from the beginning of time. Moved to iPhone for the last 6 years. Deeply dissapointed with iPhone hardware reliability. I swear at Siri daily but it does work for me most of the time. I’ve had many android phones for testing purposed but not to rely on. I’m going to take a leap with the Pixel I think. Waiting to look at it in person this weekend and then ordering. I’m looking for a voice assistant, better functionality on my pebble steel watch (I don’t like the apple watch), and a good fast camera. The VR is interesting also.&nbsp; If i can fire off a picture quickly, respond to email, ensure OneNote works well and it understands my voice, I’ll be happy.</p>

  • 268

    Premium Member
    19 October, 2016 - 4:59 pm

    <p>Just got a shipping notice from Google today for my Pixel XL. I have a different use case than many. My kids (22 and 20) aren’t to the point where they buy their own phones yet. So I and my wife get a new Nexus (now Pixel) every year and the kids get a 1 year old device. So they all end up being used for 2 years. But it gets me a new toy every year. I’m on the 6p now and waiting for my Pixel XL in a few days!</p>

  • 6998

    19 October, 2016 - 6:34 pm

    <p>Most likely getting the XL from Verizon this week. (Going to go in store to have a look at it). Had the Note 7. Then the replacement Note 7. Then the lack of a Note 7. /sigh. They shouldn’t have let their military division add features to it.&nbsp;</p>
    <p>Performance-wise? From what I’ve been hearing, the Pixel will be on par or better. Camera might be about the same; Just missing the stylus and the "That’s a 5.7" screen? it’s smaller than …" form factor.</p>

  • 5027

    20 October, 2016 - 12:34 am

    <p>not a chance. &nbsp;If nothing else the design is straight up ugly . &nbsp;iPhone clone in the front, complete mess in the back.</p>
    <p>Why would you put a fingerprint reader on the back, and then just next to it choose a glossy material, basically designed to catch fingerprints?</p>
    <p>Apparently "designed by Google" actually means designed by morons without any sense of design at all. &nbsp;Maybe let HTC design the phone, not just build it next time?&nbsp;</p>

    • 5577

      20 October, 2016 - 2:53 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#21585">In reply to </a><a href="../../../../users/JudaZuk">JudaZuk</a><a href="#21585">:</a></em></blockquote>
      <p>I have a Nexux 5x and I can’t tell you how much I love the fingerprint reader on the back. I take it out of my pocket, holding it normally, and it is unlocked before I’m looking at it. All with my hand holding it comfortably.</p>

      • 5027

        23 November, 2016 - 4:43 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#21703">In reply to </a><a href="../../../../users/Winner">Winner</a><a href="#21703">:</a>&nbsp;Sure if you never feel the need to unlock the phone when it is sitting on your desk, then a fingerprint reader on the back is fine I guess, &nbsp;but the issue I have is the glossy background next to the fingerprint reader. &nbsp;it is also stupid to have a glossy material where the camera is. &nbsp; Can cause extra reflection if you try and take a picture through a windows for instance. &nbsp;I don’t understand the point of the glossy area at all on the Pixel.&nbsp;</em></blockquote>
        <p>&nbsp;</p>

        • 5615

          01 February, 2017 - 10:21 am

          <blockquote><em><a href="#27064">In reply to </a><a href="../../../../users/JudaZuk">JudaZuk</a><a href="#27064">:</a></em></blockquote>
          <p>You can easily unlock the 5X while it’s sitting on your desk the same way anyone else unlocks an Android or iOS device that doesn’t have a fingerprint reader at all.</p>
          <p>Having said that, I usually pick my phone up to use it, anyway (since I keep it sitting off to the side and not right in front of me), so it’s not an issue at all for me. I realize YMMV, of course.</p>

  • 180

    20 October, 2016 - 1:08 pm

    <p>We ordered one for my wife to replace her Galaxy S6 with a cracked screen. Samsung rot has really reared its ugly head on that phone, as well as the screen, and it only lasts 3 or 4 hours on a charge. For a phone not even 2 years old, it’s really unforgivable, so I finally persuaded her to move away from Samsung’s bloated Android build to something better. I’m a year into paying for my 6S, but I may get whatever Google releases next year.</p>

  • 2068

    20 October, 2016 - 7:39 pm

    <p>I don’t see a need as most of the hardware is very close to my 6P and the price is just rediculus.&nbsp;</p>

  • 652

    Premium Member
    18 November, 2016 - 10:22 am

    <p>I just got a Pixel. I used to have an iPhone 6. Primarily, I was a Windows Phone guy until that came to a crashing end. I have found that I like the Pixel much more that the iPhone. An I like Project Fi a lot too.</p>
    <p>One BIG complaint is that I have not been able to tell Google Assistant to shut up. I work in a cubicle in a quite area, and Google Assistant is way too easy to summon, and I keep bothering my colleagues with it. I really hope they five us a way to turn off the assistant soon.</p>

  • 170

    18 November, 2016 - 10:05 pm

    <p>I did and really wish I didn’t. &nbsp;I was going to get a Samsung S7 but Verizon had a promotion going that let me get the Pixel for $200 cheaper than the Samsung. &nbsp;I didn’t realize at the time that a lot of people are having problems with the Pixel connecting via blue tooth in cars. &nbsp;After looking online and stopping in at a Verizon store, the issue is with Android 7.1 and they are working on it. &nbsp;Not sure when it will be fixed though and wished I had waited. &nbsp;If you are looking into getting a Pixel, I’d want to be able to try it out first or wait until there is a confirmed fix.</p>

  • 7102

    26 November, 2016 - 5:05 am

    <p>I would be interested in a Pixel phone. But they are not avaible in all markets like here in Sweden for example. So I bought a Sony Xperia XZ (yes the fingerprint sensor are enabled on those here)&nbsp;</p>
    <p>The Sony skin for android are close to stock Android on XZ, thats why im not going for Samsung with their Touchwiz.</p>
    <p>Might be a Pixel in the future if they will expand to other markets.</p>

  • 412

    Premium Member
    06 December, 2016 - 8:54 am

    <p>I tried the Pixel after two Note 7 recalls. I ultimately moved to the Moto Z Force Droid. Pixel was speedy but it had some significant Bluetooth Issues and the camera wasn’t all it was cracked up to be, IMHO. Took more bad shots than good ones. While the Moto Z is slower, the quality is on bar or better than the Pixel.&nbsp;</p>

  • 10378

    31 January, 2017 - 5:13 pm

    <p>Not me. Saw it in a shop and honestly thought it was an old Galaxy S4. Uninspiring design, too narrow, too much bezel.</p>

  • 991

    Premium Member
    31 January, 2017 - 7:18 pm

    <p>I’ve had a Pixed on order with Verizon since December 20. The latest update from Verizon is that it will ship on February 20!! I ordered the 128GB Pixel XL.&nbsp;</p>

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