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I got my start in this job covering phones.
I’ve basically been using an iPhone since Microsoft pulled the plug.
Google Pixel 8’s AI wallpaper generator.
But, through friends and coworkers, the Google Pixel started to interest me.
It’ll never replace Windows Phone, but it’s actually exciting.
I didn’t bank on that.
Google Pixel 8’s AI wallpaper generator.
I actually enjoyed some of the individual touches and styles phone manufacturers would add on top of it.
By contrast, Windows Phone was never boring.
Moving back into Pixel life with the Pixel 8 feels different.
The rear of the Obsidian Google Pixel 8.
My favorite new waste of time, I mean, feature, is the generative AI wallpapers.
I ignore it, but it’s still a nice touch.
I still look at a Samsung phone and feel like my eyes want to vomit.
Theming is fun again.
So much color, so overwhelming.
Not Windows Phone stylish, nothing can ever touch that.
But it’s still pretty good.
We’re not all David Bailey.
Some of us just want to photograph our kids doing something cute or hilarious in a hurry.
That’s one of the things that kept me on an iPhone.
The Pixel camera has always been great, but not just because of its hardware.
I only have two lenses on the back of my phone, which is fine.
It doesn’t look ridiculous, but the magic lies within.
It takes good photos, but I am no photographer.
Being able to use Google’s software to quickly make those photos look better, though?
My input was just to hold the phone up.
These kinds of events are always oddly lit and leave you with limited time.
Probably better than if I’d actually taken the camera.
I still don’t really know how to use it properly and manually edit the images.
I’m all for something that makes life easier.
When competition is lost, we all lose.
The Pixel 8 gives me a bit of that Windows Phone buzz back.
Or even the best battery life, because honestly, it’s average on that front.
The Pixel also has a bit of a community vibe about it.
Sure, Google’s #TeamPixel is a marketing exercise, but there’s a real community behind it.
It doesn’t replace the community we lost, but it has a bit of that feel about it.
Puts a warm glow in this old man’s heart.
And so, there it is.
Now I’m off to make another AI wallpaper because it’s been at least a day.
