Google Pixel and Pixel XL

sesevans · 24 Jan 2017 at 22:05

Google Pixel/Google Home smart "Home Control" coming to Pixel soon, according to a news item I saw recently. I have commented on my interest on Google Home when it reaches the UK (currently only available in US).

But this news item suggests that soon our Pixel will integrate a number of smart Home Controls on our Pixel, beyond the current range of Chromecast and Chromecast Audio here in UK.

So currently on Google Home device in US, you can control such devices as Philips Hue, Honeywell, Nest, SmartThings and WeMo. Soon we can expect to control most of these devices via Google Home on our Pixels.

Dirk Diggler · 24 Jan 2017 at 22:39

sesevans said:
Google Pixel/Google Home smart "Home Control" coming to Pixel soon, according to a news item I saw recently. I have commented on my interest on Google Home when it reaches the UK (currently only available in US).

But this news item suggests that soon our Pixel will integrate a number of smart Home Controls on our Pixel, beyond the current range of Chromecast and Chromecast Audio here in UK.

So currently on Google Home device in US, you can control such devices as Philips Hue, Honeywell, Nest, SmartThings and WeMo. Soon we can expect to control most of these devices via Google Home on our Pixels.

I sincerely hope we can opt out of that update. I can boil my kettle without using my phone as a 3rd party enabler.

sesevans · 24 Jan 2017 at 22:46

String said:
I sincerely hope we can opt out of that update. I can boil my kettle without using my phone as a 3rd party enabler.

Ha!

I'm not so sure that the prospect of having the kettle on the boil as we walk back into our home from a really cold walk is not something the wife would really like!

Anyway, found the link:

https://blog.google/products/home/your-home-just-got-smarter-new-google-assistant-partners/

Dirk Diggler · 24 Jan 2017 at 22:58

sesevans said:
Ha!

I'm not so sure that the prospect of having the kettle on the boil as we walk back into our home from a really cold walk is not something the wife would really like!

Anyway, found the link:

https://blog.google/products/home/your-home-just-got-smarter-new-google-assistant-partners/

My mother in law thinks that dishwashers are the ultimate in lazy, and I've been known to defend mine by asking why we should put in the graft if someone invented a machine to do it. But, all this Internet of things is a step too far for me.

For example, the app to turn the heating up... I already have a programmable thermostat! I don't even need to touch it. Even if I come in and it's cold (maybe arriving late at night), it takes the house half an hour at most to heat up! And the app to switch the lamp on... If I need it on then I'm in the same room as it, I can just lean over and switch it on!

We're solving problems that don't exist.

AndyCr15 · 25 Jan 2017 at 06:37

String said:
Even if I come in and it's cold (maybe arriving late at night), it takes the house half an hour at most to heat up!

I don't understand why you don't see it as an advantage to turn the heating on, on your way home instead, so as you don't have to have that half an hour of sat in the cold. It's the perfect example of why these things are quite handy.

_Jimlad_ · 25 Jan 2017 at 06:59

sesevans said:
Google Pixel/Google Home smart "Home Control" coming to Pixel soon, according to a news item I saw recently. I have commented on my interest on Google Home when it reaches the UK (currently only available in US).

But this news item suggests that soon our Pixel will integrate a number of smart Home Controls on our Pixel, beyond the current range of Chromecast and Chromecast Audio here in UK.

So currently on Google Home device in US, you can control such devices as Philips Hue, Honeywell, Nest, SmartThings and WeMo. Soon we can expect to control most of these devices via Google Home on our Pixels.

Sounds good to be. Any release date for Google home ?

Dirk Diggler · 25 Jan 2017 at 08:21

AndyCr15 said:
I don't understand why you don't see it as an advantage to turn the heating on, on your way home instead, so as you don't have to have that half an hour of sat in the cold. It's the perfect example of why these things are quite handy.

Because most people leave for work at the same time and arrive home from school/work at the same time, so a programmable thermostat is perfectly adequate. The one occasion that I would be arriving home at an unusual time, would be when I'm so drunk I can barely text my wife to get my excuses in, let alone get an app to switch the heating on.

unwashed potato! · 25 Jan 2017 at 12:13

String said:
We're solving problems that other people have that don't exist for me.

fixed that for you

Dirk Diggler · 25 Jan 2017 at 12:37

Fairly sure the answer is no said:
fixed that for you

The blog post linked above tells us that our phone can help us remember if we've forgotten to turn off our lights as we exit the house. Like, our eyes don't function any more? :eek:

Then we have a Samsung fridge that takes a photo of the contents of your fridge every time you close the door... just so you can look at the photo on your phone wherever you are in the world, and know what's in your fridge. I mean seriously, come on! The very moment before the last photo was taken, someone just accessed the fridge and that someone was probably the owner of the phone. If that person finds remembering what they just saw as a challenge, then what chance do they have of even being able to work the app to access the photo?

It's ridiculous. The only useful remote control app for the home I can think of is the Sky app for recording TV shows when you've forgotten to hit the red button. And even then, we've got catch up TV to solve that problem.

These are not problems being solved, they are expensive marketing gimmicks that offer nothing but a gaping security risk.

AndyCr15 · 25 Jan 2017 at 17:29

As said above, not issues for you. That's nice for you. No, maybe you don't need it.

sesevans · 25 Jan 2017 at 22:45

_Jimlad_ said:
Sounds good to be. Any release date for Google home ?

I read a few months ago when they released Google Home in the US, they said they would be bringing Google Home to the UK in 2017.

Google is actively adding third party services to Home and negotiating with many other potential providers. They are pulling out all the stops to get the Developers on board so that by the time they do enter the UK (hopefully very soon), they will have a very robust offering.

Meanwhile, as mentioned in an earlier post on this subject, they are soon bringing some of Google Home voice features to the Pixel.

The retail price in the US is $ 129. During Christmas I saw a $ 99 promotion advertised.

My guess is that they way Google will make money on the device (as they will on other voice activated devices like Pixel) will be eventually by charging a service/introduction fee to the party providing the service---eg, Dominos Pizza, Uber, etc-- although I have not seen this confirmed yet. The service will therefore be free to the user.

With many of my expected voice actions on Home expected initially to be search queries (eg, the way I use Google search everyday now), I expect Google will dominate this space as it is a natural search engine which Amazon is not.

sesevans · 26 Jan 2017 at 20:36

AndyCr15 said:
I don't understand why you don't see it as an advantage to turn the heating on, on your way home instead, so as you don't have to have that half an hour of sat in the cold. It's the perfect example of why these things are quite handy.

I appreciate Google Home is not for everyone but I tend to forget where I place things or remember passwords, etc. I found these feature where Google Home helps you to remember these and other pieces of info/data probably really useful for me:

https://www.cnet.com/how-to/google-home-remember-where-i-put-things/

Dirk Diggler · 26 Jan 2017 at 21:00

sesevans said:
I appreciate Google Home is not for everyone but I tend to forget where I place things or remember passwords, etc. I found these feature where Google Home helps you to remember these and other pieces of info/data probably really useful for me:

https://www.cnet.com/how-to/google-home-remember-where-i-put-things/

It's just a glorified notepad and pen, but with a notepad and pen at least I can tear up the paper and destroy it with confidence. Not so simple with Google Home, apparently.

Security is pretty low on a device like Google Home, so if you've told Google to remember something sensitive, you may also want it to forget that information at some point.

Unfortunately, managing everything you've told Google Home to remember is clunky at best. The only way to find out everything you've had Google remember is to ask. There's no way to manage it in the Google Home app.

You also have to delete the reminders for each remembered item individually, so it may take some time. Say, "OK Google, forget what I told you about my password." Google will stop storing anything you've told it to remember about that item.

AndyCr15 · 26 Jan 2017 at 21:11

String said:
It's just a glorified notepad and pen

Sounds good. It's also a glorified directory, clock/timer, stereo, home remote control... loads of things

TripleT · 26 Jan 2017 at 21:50

Got my XL yesterday. Ordered a 128GB from EE but they rang and said they weren't getting any more in at all. So had to go for the 32GB but I only used 20GB on my Nexus so should be fine.

Living it so far.

GMac11 · 26 Jan 2017 at 22:56

TripleT said:
Got my XL yesterday. Ordered a 128GB from EE but they rang and said they weren't getting any more in at all. So had to go for the 32GB but I only used 20GB on my Nexus so should be fine.

Living it so far.

Keep on living

Glad you're liking it. I went straight for the 32gb, could not see how I'd ever need 128gb plus the price was just eye watering.

Thanks to my 20gb data plan and all the Google Cloud storage features I am still only at 13gb used on my device (including the OS).

I have found that since I moved to my new tariff that I just stream everything now, be it showbox/iPlayer/BT TV(and sport)/Sky Go and from my home NAS drive.
On the occasions that I am going on a trip or whatever I just load up a Micro Sd Card and use the included adapter with an OTG cable. I will admit it looks like a rudimentary explosive device but I just copy over what I want to watch for the next 4 or 5 hours and then remove all the accessories.

uvarvu · 27 Jan 2017 at 08:49

I wonder why that is regarding EE and 128GB models. Is it down to the ongoing stock issues?

whiskycycle · 27 Jan 2017 at 10:44

uvarvu said:
I wonder why that is regarding EE and 128GB models. Is it down to the ongoing stock issues?

Probably stock, as one of the staff I talked to the other day in the Darlington call centre said they were like hen's teeth...

DAIR · 27 Jan 2017 at 14:40

Picked up this phone last week. Can any of you recommend a good case?

sesevans · 27 Jan 2017 at 16:25

undergroove said:
Probably stock, as one of the staff I talked to the other day in the Darlington call centre said they were like hen's teeth...

My theory: Demand far outstripping supply.

HTC (original source of Pixels) is a relatively small OEM these days and probably having trouble getting parts from their suppliers (eg Samsung, Qualcomm, and many more).

However I did read an article this week that estimated Google sold 1.5 million Pixel phones in the the Oct-Dec 2016 quarter, which is far more than they ever would have sold of any Nexus phone I believe in a three month period.

One could argue that had they chosen another, larger supplier to work with, they might have been able to produce many more Pixel phones. But perhaps Google wanted such a strong input on everything about the Pixel phone that a larger supplier such as Samsung or LG or Huawei or Lenovo might have been less accomodating to Google.

Bottom line: the Pixel phone is here to stay and Google seems very pleased with their new strategy. I expect by October 2017 when the Pixel 2 is released, Google may choose to work with another supplier, or put in a much larger pre-order now knowing how successful the Pixel brand has become.