November 18, 2019
The left phone shows traffic information
The photo display will take you down memory lane, as images from past trips,
weddings and family events come up. It’s not perfect, though: Google still
hasn’t figured out that I don’t own a car and have no use for driving
directions.Google wants to help you manage daily life, from screening unwanted
phone calls to predicting what you’ll type. Soon, you’ll be able to let Google’s
facial-recognition technology just pick out photos of your family, including new
shots as you take them (though not in the European Union, where privacy
regulations are tighter. Then there’s the task of tagging which is a number for
home, work or cell, and what context you met that person in.
Perhaps Google’s
assistant could one day handle all that for you without even ringing the phone,
then decide based on the response whether to interrupt your game of "Fortnite.
The Pixel 3, out Thursday, starting at about $800, is for those who can’t
wait.â€But legitimate callers would still find this annoying. It also works with
QR and barcodes.You still need a few extra taps to add the information to your
contact list. When screening calls, for instance, all interactions stay private
unless you report the number as spam, in which case it gets added to Google’s
database as a warning to others.A NOTE ON PRIVACYGoogle executives emphasise
that much of the AI analysis is taking place on the phone, not Google’s
servers.â€It’s a good concept, though it’s not clear that it really saves time.
The Pixel isn’t likely to work for anyone uncomfortable with that trade-off. If
only Google was smart enough to remove the party shots never meant for public,
sober viewing. Before bed, it offers to set your alarm. Google turns to software
to make up for what it lacks in hardware.
It starts to cross the line of
digital manipulation, but pictures do look nice. Or that I don’t need commute
information on weekends. So do most of the requests you make on the Pixel
stand.CALL SCREENINGNo doubt you’ve got an automated call from a telemarketer
pitching lower interest rates or vacation shares. You can even request more
information by tapping buttons such as "Tell me more. You still need to follow
the voice assistant’s chatter; taking the call and hanging up would often be
faster. Last year’s Pixel phones had this Google Lens feature, while Samsung has
a similar feature called Bixby Vision.The camera also uses software to combine
multiple versions of images, essentially filling in some gaps so that zoomed-in
shots come out sharper than they normally would.TEXT RECOGNITIONPoint the camera
at a business card, flyer or other printed text, and Google will try to extract
phone numbers and addresses.
It didn’t help that I kept tapping "I can’t
understand,†forcing friends to repeat themselves over and over to a robot. The
software underscores how Google is tapping its strengths in personalization —
and perhaps make money through ads in the process.The stand works well as a
bedside companion.If this sounds familiar, it’s because it is. It’s still no
replacement from a real zoom, which the latest Apple and Samsung phones offer
via a second lens. Or you can trust Google to select the best shots. The feature
is most useful if you have a business card or flyer handy when you’re ready to
make a call, visit a website or get directions through Google Maps. As
impressive as Google’s ambitions are, though, AI is still new at the job of
saving us from meaningless tasks.
The left phone shows traffic information as
part of assistant features on Stand and the right phone shows option to screen
incoming calls. The difference: Before, you had to tap something to activate a
feature. The basic text recognition for the Google Lens feature and the camera’s
image processing also are done on the device. It’s really a showcase for
Google’s latest advances in software, particularly in artificial intelligence.
Google now lets you fight back with an automated response.When a mystery call
comes in, just hit "Screen call. That may not come until an eventual Pixel 9 or
Pixel 13.You get free services in exchange for letting Google deeper into your
life.†Google’s voice assistant takes over and asks for a name and purpose of
the call. In the morning, one tap gets you the weather, upcoming calendar events
and details about traffic on your commute. That much management might incline
you to let those piles of business cards keep stacking up.Google wants to help
you manage daily life, from screening unwanted phone calls to predicting what
you’ll type.
There’s not much about the physical details of
Google’s new Pixel 3 phone that you can’t find elsewhere. China wholesale instant
heating tap Transcribed responses appear in real time, so you can decide
whether to pick up. For regular photos, Google captures extra shots
as
alternatives, in case someone blinks or blocks the view, though Google’s
recommendations aren’t always spot on, as even humans can disagree on what looks
best. That bigger display and curved design? Apple and Samsung phones already
have that.SMART SNAPPINGJust smile or make a funny face for the selfie camera to
automatically take the shot. But the Pixel doesn’t intend to wow people with its
hardware anyway. Now it’s automatic.A SMART STAND-INPlace the phone on an
optional $79 Pixel Stand charging station, and it can display a rotating set of
images from an album you choose. But more advanced Google Lens features, such as
recognizing museum paintings, require sending data to Google’s servers
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