Daydream VR? - Google Pixel XL Questions & Answers

Got my Daydream VR today, man phone got so hot it scared me silly.
It was so hot, I turned it off and place it under a desktop fan.
The merge VR that I bought for $17.00 at a pawn shop, heats up the phone but nothing like the Google daydream does.
This needs to be addressed by Google asap.
Although the phone warns you on screen it is overheating. Eventually we will see failures related to thermal stress.

Just curious, where are you located, and how did you order the headset? I'm in Chicago, and I submitted my rebate to receive the headset through VZW on 10/20. I got confirmation that my rebate was approved on 10/30, but the rebate site didn't have any details other than that it was accepted and I should receive the rebate within the next 30 days; no tracking # for shipping, or even confirmation on where my order is.
I'm curious for the people who are receiving their Daydream View if they got it through the Play Store rebate, VZW rebate, or if they bought the headset from the Play Store directly.

I preordered it thru best buy and got it yesterday.
Sent from my Pixel XL using XDA-Developers mobile app

humdrum2009 said:
Got my Daydream VR today, man phone got so hot it scared me silly.
It was so hot, I turned it off and place it under a desktop fan.
The merge VR that I bought for $17.00 at a pawn shop, heats up the phone but nothing like the Google daydream does.
This needs to be addressed by Google asap.
Although the phone warns you on screen it is overheating. Eventually we will see failures related to thermal stress.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you have your Pixel in a case inside the headset? Are you charging it while using the headset? Both can contribute to the phone heating up.

No,its not charging just trying apps out.
When I googled it I found several post about the heat issue.
It gets hot enough to warm your hands in freezing weather.
What app can I use, to record temperature while I'm using the headset?

Considering the stress testing results of the phone's thermal efficiency I find this really surprising.

Has anyone got their Free VR from Google for Pre-Ordering? I have gotten the phone but not the code for redemption.

bryantheawesome said:
Considering the stress testing results of the phone's thermal efficiency I find this really surprising.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not too surprised. You're putting the phone in a fabric cover with little air circulation and putting it under a heavy load. The fabric will act as an insulator just like your clothes do, and the heavy load will generate heat.
Sent from my Pixel XL

Well I'm sure they weren't testing these phones with VR in commercial coolers and calling it A-OK. If that's the case VR is an utterly useless gimmick.
Only reason I'd use it is to watch movies with a cinema like experience which I imagine would be really cool. Outside of that I won't use it anyhow.

they were showing it off on the BBC and one of their comments said it saved you money as it heated your room while using it. so it does seem they are getting hot in it, will be interesting to hear from google on it.

Belimawr said:
they were showing it off on the BBC and one of their comments said it saved you money as it heated your room while using it. so it does seem they are getting hot in it, will be interesting to hear from google on it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lol,, they are right this thing is warm.
Has to get at least 104 degrees minimum

It gets very hot but I haven't seen a overheat message. I used it the first time in a OtterBox commuter and obviously couldn't tell how hot it was but no overheat message.
I later read about the heat issues so started taking the case off to help with cooling. As far as the above mentioned fabric acting as insulation.... The phone sits in plastic with little bumpers that touch the phone so there is a little air gap all around the phone.
You want to see a hot phone? Pop a 6p in the daydream and give it a go for a couple minutes, haha.
Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

My note 7 would get very hot when I used the gear VR, it was never hot any other time. VR just puts a real demanding load on everything.

I've tried just holding the Pixel XL against the VR Headset and leaving the flap down.
Seems to keep temperature down better.
Watched about 5 to 6 movie trailers in 4K and 360.
Ended up on a phone call after about 30 min of use. Phone was only warm to the touch.
First time using daydream and I got the warning message after about 20 minutes (flap up)
Anyone else tried running it with the back of phone completely exposed? (pretty sure no one wants to hold their phone up for extended periods of time )

Well with my headset I got it 3 days ago and when I first got it I used it for periods of about 20 to 30 mins mostly at the time messing around getting used to it. I noticed my pixel get worm and I figured that must be because I was using multiple apps including games(games are kinda what I figured caused the heat) but I was wrong. Tonight I noticed googles deal on movies rentals for $1 for black Friday so I figured why not try using it with my headset. I got 53 mins into my movie and a box popped up on my screen saying something about the heat and it would need to lower performance. It's kind of an issue when you can't even watch a movie with out it having heat issues.

hello
i am trying to rung the daydream kit on another phone, but it prompts me to update the google vr services (and i can't do it because
the playstore says : incompatible phone)
could one of you check what daydream & google vr service version is installed on your pixel please ?
thank you

ingeras said:
hello
i am trying to rung the daydream kit on another phone, but it prompts me to update the google vr services (and i can't do it because
the playstore says : incompatible phone)
could one of you check what daydream & google vr service version is installed on your pixel please ?
thank you
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Pretty sure Google has to whitelist the phone somewhere.
See attached.

tiny4579 said:
Pretty sure Google has to whitelist the phone somewhere.
See attached.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Would it be possible to edit the build prop to show your phone is a pixel?
Sent from my Pixel XL using XDA-Developers mobile app

i edited the build to make it look like a pixel, but it's not enough
someone said that qualcom vr sdk is used in some library, not sure if it's true
but if that's the case you need a qualcom 64b cpu (snapdragon 8xx)

Related

[Q] Thinking of buying a Sony Smartwatch 3 and i need your feedback!

I am seriously debating getting myself a Sony Smartwatch 3, but my usage scenario is rather peculiar/complicated, therefore i really need your help.
First of all, let me tell you that i have had many smartwatches in the past, but never so far an Android Wear device.
My main phone is an iPhone 6 Plus and it shall remain my main phone. I also have an Android device handy at most times (right now it is a Galaxy K Zoom).
XDA member @MohammadAG has already demonstrated (but not yet released) his method for sending iOS notifications over to Android Wear and i have seen in some tech sites that an official Google solution might possibly come in the future.
Let me now tell you what my main usage case will be:
I have a BT 4.0 HR strap (from Wahoo) and i want to connect it to the watch and use it to monitor my HR while jogging. My health condition requires a rather careful monitoring of my HR so that it does not deviate from a certain comfort zone while exercising.
I have already seen there is a thread where people are discussing about this. However, i would be obliged if someone could certify that the Smartwatch 3 would work with a Wahoo HR strap while recording the route via GPS. Of course i need this to be happening while the Watch is offline - not connected to a phone. Can it also play music via BT at the same time?
I could instead purchase a dedicated sports watch, but:
a) I find them ugly
b) They are too big
c) They do nothing more
What do you think? Would the Smartwatch 3 work in this usage scenario?
Would you recommend the rubber one or the metal one?
Thank you very much in advance.
As long as your android device is 4.3 or later, you should be good to go. Someone in another thread said their wahoo tickr works fine. All btle HRMs seem to be working.
https://support.google.com/androidwear/answer/6056401?hl=en
Thank you sir. Any comments about the GPS accuracy?
Mine is accurate, im using runkeeper, I run without smartphone. ...booom what a feeling
@supac Are you also using a BLE HR strap at the same time? Does Runkeeper on the watch show the HR rate on screen ?
No iPhone and no HR device on Wear watch
I've seen a big deterioration on the GPS on mine, not in accuracy but in position lock. I only use mine for running nowadays so it's powered off mostly and I never get a GPS lock the first attempt. I have to first connect it to my phone, then go near a window, try to get GPS sync, then when I do I can disconnect the phone and go out running. Too much of a hassle IMO. I think the watch needs daily communication with a phone i.e. internet to have a properly working GPS. My guess is it needs to update the GPS data frequently.
gidi said:
Thank you sir. Any comments about the GPS accuracy?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Very accurate when it's connected to my Xperia Z3. I used it with my tablet before I got the phone and can say its a little lame without the portability of a phone, as well as data usage. I love Sony, and I'll say go support them, but if you're dum- very determined on using an iPhone then why not get Apple's shinanigans. I was debating between this and a Garmin 920xt and it was basically deciding between a milkshake and a smoothie.
I'm too consider this watch to replace my motoactv. But problem is I'm using iPhone even though I owned an android tablet. [emoji4]
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
My experience
I use the SW3 with a RHYTHM+ BT HRM and LG BT headphones and so run with no phone - GPS, music and heart rate tracking all through the watch. I use the Ghostracer app which has very customizable wear screens, and I have HR showing there. It also uploads seamlessly to Strava once I reconnect the phone.
The GPS accuracy is not as good as my old garmin, but it is better than my Samsung S5 in a waist strap (i.e., before I switched to just the watch)
Top tip, turn off the phone bluetooth before you start. The wear needs to be disconnected before it will work in standalone mode for the run.
Biggest downside? No audible feedback from the running apps yet. So no lap pace, time etc. But then again, the data is right on your wrist.
With my set up the watch battery dies at approx 30% an hour. So if you are running a marathon, better step it up!
Verizon has the watch for $199 - no need to use their cell service to order.
Oh - and in summary - YES, totally recommend it. Best thing since my MotoActv, and it means i can keep my phone in my pocket during the day where it belongs. Not to mention other cool apps, like one that will analyze your golf swing.
gidi said:
@supac Are you also using a BLE HR strap at the same time? Does Runkeeper on the watch show the HR rate on screen ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No hr strap...but I read that they do work. Planning to by one
---------- Post added at 08:54 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:52 AM ----------
mertzi said:
I've seen a big deterioration on the GPS on mine, not in accuracy but in position lock. I only use mine for running nowadays so it's powered off mostly and I never get a GPS lock the first attempt. I have to first connect it to my phone, then go near a window, try to get GPS sync, then when I do I can disconnect the phone and go out running. Too much of a hassle IMO. I think the watch needs daily communication with a phone i.e. internet to have a properly working GPS. My guess is it needs to update the GPS data frequently.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Tip: it takes about 40 seconds for a cold lock. Start your app outside, do stretches then start running.
supac said:
No hr strap...but I read that they do work. Planning to by one
---------- Post added at 08:54 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:52 AM ----------
Tip: it takes about 40 seconds for a cold lock. Start your app outside, do stretches then start running.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It used to but not any longer. The last time, before I started doing what I described, I waited for 5+ minutes without a lock. On that occasion the watch had been powered off for 2 weeks and not synced with my phone. So I went home, synced to my phone and then I got a lock within a minute. That's why I'm convinced the watch relies on some kind of A-GPS solution and needs access to the internet frequently to work properly.
I bought a Smartwatch 3 when they first came out; primarily because I wanted a simple heart rate monitor, but as I could get the Sony for not much more and perhaps get some additional functionality I thought it would be good to try. In the end though, I never did find a simple heart rate monitor application which I was satisfied with so 2 weeks ago I bought a Polar M400. This works superbly as a heart rate monitor and activity tracker, has a very good (albeit monochrome) display and also has a built-in GPS. In the 2 weeks I've has it, the battery indicator as gone down to a little over half, so I expect the battery to last 3 or 4 weeks.
Of course, the Polar doesn't give me notifications and I can't play flappy bird on it or talk to it, but Polar have announced that they will release an update which will enable it to show notifications and this is the only thing which I would in any way want anyway. Overall, this should be a good compromise for me as long as the battery life doesn't suffer too much. I'll probably sell my Sony and perhaps get another real smart watch when the battery life and apps have improved. In my opinion, Android Wear could have captured a good part of the sport watch market if it would have included a good fitness app right from the start.
-Mark.
guyoutred said:
Verizon has the watch for $199 - no need to use their cell service to order.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup. I went in there on my lunch break with my T-Mobile clothes and name tag on and they sold it to me. (No, I don't have an account with VZW! [emoji13] )
I love mine. I had the Moto 360 and G Watch R beforehand, but I really like the square, TFT screen of the Smartwatch 3.
swbf2lord said:
Yup. I went in there on my lunch break with my T-Mobile clothes and name tag on and they sold it to me. (No, I don't have an account with VZW! [emoji13] )
I love mine. I had the Moto 360 and G Watch R beforehand, but I really like the square, TFT screen of the Smartwatch 3.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The TFT screen is amazing! So many sites would knock it for it, but it's very impressive tech. Yes, it doesn't have the best colors like other watches but the best part of it is that I can ALWAYS see the time even with having the screen off. So battery life is very good on this watch. That is perfect for a watch and why I chose the Sony SW 3.
So the current deal on the Google Store is $50 off and $50 Google play credit, so a net $150. I would rather have the metal version, bit I think this may be too good of a deal. Any clue why Google only sells the silicon version?
brizey said:
So the current deal on the Google Store is $50 off and $50 Google play credit, so a net $150. I would rather have the metal version, bit I think this may be too good of a deal. Any clue why Google only sells the silicon version?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Think its the main version available everywhere. I think the metal version is very limited.
Sent from my SM-N910V using XDA Free mobile app
tu3218 said:
Think its the main version available everywhere. I think the metal version is very limited.
Sent from my SM-N910V using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, like pretty much unavailable limited here in the US, lol. I can't find anywhere but Ebay mark up trolls that have it, and most are in the Russian Federation.
It looks amazing, you should definitely buy it.
My experience is the same as guyoutred. I use it with a Mio Link BTLE HRM and Motorola S11-HD BT heaphones while running. Ghostracer is the way to go, also wish it had audible updates and autolaps. GPS was dead-on today, but yesterday (cloudy, rainy) it tracked my run but had my position move south several miles then back again. Showed me with a 2min/mile pace.
I'm using the Walkman app for music, tried the Wear Music app but it was very cumbersome. This bad boy has now turned into the perfect replacement for my old MotoActv. Too bad it took this long for a company to satisfy this demand.

[Q] T-Mobile H811 (Brown Leather) get's awfully hot!!

Anyone experiencing a very hot phone with the new G4? I thought that they chose the 808 vs the 810 because of heat problems, but when I have Tune-in running in the background or Google Play is updating 6 apps, the phone gets extremely hot. I just got a warning that it was 51c/123F. That's quite hot for doing so little. Nothing else was going on.
Anyone else experiencing this issue?
that sounds concerning... probably yet another defective G4. I haven't seen a temp over 105 on mine
I've noticed it getting very hot in my pocket. I've only noticed this a handful of times with my previous phones (G3, G2, SG4, SG3, SG2, etc), but it's happened quite a bit in the week that I've had the G4.
Mine feels as cool as a dead cow.
Sent from my LG-H811 using Tapatalk
Most of the time, mine is too, but if it does anything slightly intensive (I don't think updating apps or playing tune-in radio as intensive), I get warnings about battery temps and it feels very hot right around the buttons/camera and on the glass side. There are times, when it's just sitting in my pocket and I can feel how hot it is. It's not burn-the-skin hot, but it's uncomfortable to keep in my pocket. Normally, battery temp in the high 80s low 90s, but at these times it's registering over 100F.
rsbenedict said:
Anyone experiencing a very hot phone with the new G4? I thought that they chose the 808 vs the 810 because of heat problems, but when I have Tune-in running in the background or Google Play is updating 6 apps, the phone gets extremely hot. I just got a warning that it was 51c/123F. That's quite hot for doing so little. Nothing else was going on.
Anyone else experiencing this issue?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use TuneIn regularly, also Google maps when driving, and I haven't noticed any increase on temperature at all, not even when charging.
Mine is always cool as a dead cow too, LMAO!
I tweeted t-mobile help to see what they have to say.
Mine hasn't even gotten remotely warm, even if I play with it while plugged in.
Nope.
Sent from my LG-H811 using Tapatalk
Mine got warm inmy pocket next to my wallet out in 105 degree weather...not hot but warm
I have the same issue. Gets really hot just from simple things like web browsing and games that are not graphic intense
I told T-Mobile and they keep saying that I'm running too many things in the background. I've used this phone the exact same as I used G3 and it never got hot like that. The only time it would get hot would be in the car with tune-in + gps + charging was going on.
I have had it get hot in my pocket too. So hot i needed to move it to a different place. Not sure what was causing it but i hope someone figures it out..
Same here. Not sure what to do since some say theirs doesn't get hot and some say they do.
So I took my phone to T-mobile today and they first went through "your phone is hot for idiots," telling me that running too many apps, leaving it out in the sun, using a case, playing games, etc, can cause the phone to get hot. I told them that it got hot when the play store updates apps. She said she could fix that and turned of auto update. Really? I showed her the current temp of 81F. I then turned on Tune-in Radio and made a phone call. In the matter of 7 minutes, the temp wen from 81F to 96F. Still okay. I turned off Tune-in Radio and hung up the phone and then turned on Periscope. The temps raced to 109F. The buttons were hot to the touch and my batter app warned me about the battery being too hot.
They told me it was too soon for the warranty. Really, too soon? And because I was in the buyer's remorse period, that since I bought it online, I would have to return the phone online and once they received the phone, they would send me out another one. What? They said I would be 7-10 days without a phone because they only ship ground, not overnight. The representative in the store offered me a loaner phone which was a flip phone circa 2002. I told her that was unacceptable. If I purchased it from T-mobile online, it should be just as if I purchased it at a local store. I can buy on Bestbuy.com and return to the local store. They said no. She talked to her manager who then told her to complain on the phone and after about 45 minutes, she got them to send me a new phone (5-7 days) and then when I receive it, I can ship back my too-hot phone.
The manager didn't think that 109F or 117F temps were too bad. I told him, that these were the temperatures that dangerous battery malfunctions are made of. I had a battery that bulged almost to the point of breakage on my Sprint PPC 6600 back in 2009.
So hopefully, this will resolve my problems. I'm supposed to get the LG second battery on Saturday. I'll swap batteries to see if it is just the battery.
Oh, I also forgot to mention that T-Mobile twitter told me to restore my phone to stock, out-of-the box state. Don't log in using my gmail credentials and leave the phone in the default stage for a few days to see if it happens again. Really? What's the point of having a smart phone if all you can do is text and receive calls? Without gmail credentials, I can't download apps, I can't check my email, or do anything else you're supposed to do with a smart phone. Of course texting and cell phone alone shouldn't tax a smart phone. Duh!
Frustrated, to say the least.
Did they require a receipt ? I am thinking of getting a replacement. i have a leather g4 that overheats and when it gets hot around 105f it is unusable almost as if it throttles the cpu down all the way to the point where its lagging like crazy…Its so annoying but anyways i think im going to try to get a replacement but i do not have a receipt..
They said if you ordered online, you must return online and yes with receipt. They said they need a store receipt (not an online one) to return at the store.
Mine gets so hot doing just dumb things, it can't be working correctly. It will go from 80 to over 100 in a matter of minutes.
Just called customer service and they got me to online store services and I told them mine was getting hot just from simple web browsing and if I could get an exchange. They said since its still within 20 days they can apply a buyers remorse thing and they next day aired it for me. They basically said because I'm still within the return window they'll send me a new one cause they want to be sure I get a good device.
Nice. Good for you. I hope once my new one gets here, I will no longer have any issues. I'm going to run the same apps simultaneously and see if the temps stay the same.
Found out how to fix it ! Factory reset your phone and it will also receive the stability software update. Mins seems better and is charging faster !

Anybody still use Daydream VR ?

With all the hype and many people wanting it I wonder after a month or two if you still use it?
Mine is mostly collecting dust.
1) Need to find it when I think about using it
2) Is the remote charged
3) Gets hot after 30 minutes
4) The apps I used are not that great
When I get mine I'll probably be using it more for watching movies and TV shows if the quality is good enough. I'm hoping that won't heat up the phone like the games do. I just like watching in my bed versus the living room at night. Hopefully it's not too disturbing to my wife.
Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
You know... I was using it, but I really wanted it to watch movies and netflix in it. However, I found no way to use it with youtube screen or netflix screen, or much anything while laying down. I have to be in a seated position to see it.
If anyone finds a way to do it, PLEASE, let me know... nothing like laying down and looking up to watch a movie when you are really tired!!!
I second that, I'd love to be able to lie down and use it. Probably need to find a way to trick the accelerometer in the phone so it thinks you're sitting up, I'm guessing that would be the easiest way
Re-centering doesn't work?
karikian said:
However, I found no way to use it with youtube screen or netflix screen, or much anything while laying down.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I haven't tried it myself, but AFAIK Youtube does work while laying down.
The menu may not be in front of you but the video can be adjusted after it starts playing, so you can lay down and watch it.
---------- Post added at 07:14 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:11 PM ----------
This guy swears his Daydream VR app will eventually include the option to watch standalone videos while laying down.
It currently lets you browse for locally stored movies. Which is nice.
https://www.reddit.com/r/chaisoftwa...eta_2_rc_test_needed/?st=ix88z182&sh=cabc0e70
I'm not sure you can get the beta any longer though.
I use my VR and enjoy it but I'm always more into watching content like Netflix and YouTube. YouTube you can watch when laying down but not Netflix currently anyway. That does kinda suck. My Pixel XL does get hot when using it but I've watched vids for a good amount of time and haven't gotten a heat warning yet. I didn't get mine for free either cause not offered here in Canada. I bought mine.
CZ Eddie said:
I haven't tried it myself, but AFAIK Youtube does work while laying down.
The menu may not be in front of you but the video can be adjusted after it starts playing, so you can lay down and watch it.
---------- Post added at 07:14 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:11 PM ----------
This guy swears his Daydream VR app will eventually include the option to watch standalone videos while laying down.
It currently lets you browse for locally stored movies. Which is nice.
https://www.reddit.com/r/chaisoftwa...eta_2_rc_test_needed/?st=ix88z182&sh=cabc0e70
I'm not sure you can get the beta any longer though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can now watch downloaded movies while laying down!
I personally don't like daydream as it keeps two static icons "settings" and "exit" on at nearly all times. That and it gets pretty hot and shifts around a lot.
It will be a win if all movies all apps can be watched laying down.
Late at night, lying in the bed, or just laying down anywhere relaxing I want to be able to watch a video.
Thanks for the link showing somebody is working on a solution.... hope it get posted on Google Play soon.
I think most heat is generated with games play a normal game long enough and intense enough it gets warm. I can see us watching a 2 hours video with no major issues
AstroDigital said:
Thanks for the link showing somebody is working on a solution.... hope it get posted on Google Play soon.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The non-Beta is on Play:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=se.chai.vrtv&hl=en
Dunno if it has all the Pixel fixes or not though.
CZ Eddie said:
The non-Beta is on Play:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=se.chai.vrtv&hl=en
Dunno if it has all the Pixel fixes or not though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your link is to the same beta from November. I don't see a newer or non-beta version.
Ahh, I didn't realize he was calling the Play version beta also. Sorry!
Or maybe he recently changed it.
I found the experience horrible (compared to the Gear VR I briefly had before my Note 7 exploded). There is just no way to get the headset situated on my face where there is no light leak from the bottom - the single strap just isn't cutting it. Any kind of movement caused massive drift, meaning I had to constantly re-center. Hardly any apps support it (at least, the kind I would use). My XL came out of the headset after watching 30 minutes of Netflix so hot I almost ended up in the burn unit. And I really hate the remote - I much preferred the side-mounted controls on the Gear VR.
So yeah, it's collecting dust on my desk...
I don't use mine and I got two sitting on my desk. I think VR in general is still in the gimmicky stage. Once the tech reaches the point where we have a hard time separating VR from reality then I'll be amazed. But for where the tech is currently, the Daydream is sufficient in doing what it says. Needs more content though.
I am returning mine... Still within 30 days of purchase...
karikian said:
You know... I was using it, but I really wanted it to watch movies and netflix in it. However, I found no way to use it with youtube screen or netflix screen, or much anything while laying down. I have to be in a seated position to see it.
If anyone finds a way to do it, PLEASE, let me know... nothing like laying down and looking up to watch a movie when you are really tired!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The youtube app lets you adjust the screen to your desired position with a simple click and drag with the remote
I love it for looking at my own pics. Photosphere is amazing seem through daydream
Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
To me Daydream seems like a developer demo mis-advertised for consumers.
It's useless and not even finished, Google again announced the same headset but for SD835 only phones now and with a headtracking that should have been included with the first headset...
Still no proper motion controls. So it's useless for anything else than watching youtube. Daydream games are pretty much a scam at this moment. Developer demos sold as games.

Pixel XL Overheating issue?

I've only had my Pixel XL for about 5 weeks. Yesterday was the first hot summer day when I used it in my non-air-conditioned car with the GPS navigating and music playing via Spotify and the Pixel XL shut down 3 times because of extreme overheating. Is this an issue with the phone? I've never owned any phone that ever did this before. If the Pixel XL is going to do that all summer it's going to be pretty useless.
Pixel support made me downgrade from Android O to Nougat because if there is anything wrong with your phone and you are running Android O they use that as an excuse to get rid of you and move on to the next sucker who bought one of these things. I seriously doubt that Android O had anything to do with it.
Support sent me a long and ludicrous list of ways to keep the Pixel XL from overheating. If you spend 900.00 on a premium phone you shouldn't need to baby it to keep it running. I'm thinking about getting a One Plus and just canceling my Fi Service if this keeps happening.
Anyone else have experience with the Pixel XL shutting down because of overheating?
Here are the tips from Pixel Support if the phone keeps overheating on Nougat:
Hi Joe,
Thanks for contacting Google Support!
This email is in regards to the chat conversation we are having right now, as discussed, once you roll back to Nougat update, please follow the recommendations below if the issue persists.
Your device may warm up with use. Letting the device ‘take a break’ from use or limiting/turning off features (even those running in the background) could remedy the situation. Here are some tips/suggestions:
Media apps (music, video games)
1) Close or turn off other apps and features that you're not using; they may be running in the background.
2) Discontinue using the media temporarily until the temperature normalizes.
User-installed apps
1) Put the device in safe-mode to disable 3rd party apps and see if the issue improves.
2) Try uninstalling recently installed apps to pinpoint the app causing the issue.
Display brightness
1) Manually setting the brightness to be very bright may contribute to higher device temperature.
2) Consider setting to auto brightness to manually reducing the brightness setting.
GPS / 3G / WiFi - prolonged data connectivity
1) Turn off feature when not in use.
2) Stop or limit use and allow device to cool down if it gets warm.
Exposure to direct heat
1) Remove from heat and keep away from direct heat or excessive sunlight.
Poor ventilation
1) Expose the device rather than keeping it tucked away in poor ventilated/tight areas (layers, small pockets, bags).
Cases
1) Don't use a case that covers the front and back of the device.
2) Use official case (available on Google Store in some countries).
Chargers
1) Don't use unofficial chargers which can overcharge and degrade the battery.
2) Use official charger (available on Google Store in some countries).
Daydream View
1) Daydream View requires high performance from the device. The device's temperature should stay within safe limits.
2) Remove any protective cases from the device to improve thermal ventilation.
3) If your device feels too hot, stop using Daydream View and allow the device to cool down.
Android Wear
1) Power off the device for 5-10 minutes and turn it on again.
2) Try using the watch for another day to see if your issue improves. If your watch is still warm after a day, reply to this email and let us know.
Thanks,
Madasu
The Google Support Team - Supervisor
Why are you complaining exactly?
You were beta testing O when this occurred right?
Ish happens when you beta test.
thats what beta testing is for.
We should all be thanking you because when we all finally install the release for O we will probably not have that issue.
Thanks
I'm complaining because the current version of Android O is stable enough not to cause the phone to repeatedly overheat and Pixel support has tried to blame Android O for problems I had with this phone when I was still on Nougat--like awful phone reception in many parts of the city, which wasn't a problem with the same carrier on my Nexus. Is that clear enough? I did some research and Pixels overheating is frequently mentioned as a problem for this phone before Android O was ever released. If this is a premium phone it should behave like one.
Applications available from the play store may not have been optimized for O yet, so while it may seem like a stable build it is marked as a beta because it is still a WIP. It's like asking for support here on a custom ROM, would you go complaining to the dev about their latest nightly not playing nice with whatever? No, the dev would ask you to try replicating the issue on the last known stable build so they can begin to determine where from there things went wrong.
With all that said, I also recommend trying this using Nougat and see if your issue persists before anything else. All the overheating issues I have seen are either from using daydream or a defective device that needed to be RMA'd
Phone overheated and shut down again --on Nougat this time. Pixel support says that doesn't mean there is anything wrong with my phone--they consider this acceptable and normal behavior for their 900.00 phone.
Yes well regardless of the price there are conditions in which electronic devices cannot survive.
You seem to be subjecting your phone to one of those conditions.
You arent the first one to experience overheating.
Many people have experienced over heating with devices a lot more expensive.
I for instance blew a hose on my jeep and drained the radiator, thank god it was a steel block and I didn't do any irreparable harm.
Jeeps dont have the luxury of a cut off system for over heating like your phone does.
parakleet said:
Yes well regardless of the price there are conditions in which electronic devices cannot survive.
You seem to be subjecting your phone to one of those conditions.
You arent the first one to experience overheating.
Many people have experienced over heating with devices a lot more expensive.
I for instance blew a hose on my jeep and drained the radiator, thank god it was a steel block and I didn't do any irreparable harm.
Jeeps dont have the luxury of a cut off system for over heating like your phone does.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're making excuses for Google which makes you either an employee or a moron. It's June. If Summer is a condition that this phone can't function under then it's crap. No excuses are possible --its just crap.
jhs39 said:
You're making excuses for Google which makes you either an employee or a moron. It's June. If Summer is a condition that this phone can't function under then it's crap. No excuses are possible --its just crap.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is where I leave you.
Good luck.
like I mentioned earlier, you may have to RMA. Complain all you want, until you contact Google to get your device replaced you're beating a dead horse. Dude, we're people just like you trying to help you figure out what's up if you want to act like that go for it. It's your problem, not mine. Good luck.
I've contacted Google. This phone is 6 weeks old and was purchased from the Google Store. I not only have the standard warranty but I purchased the extended warranty because of the shabby way owners of the Nexus 6P were treated by Google and Huawei. I thought I was protecting myself by paying extra for the extended coverage--but if Google maintains that my phone is operating normally no warranty on the world will do me any good.
I've owned 100 dollar phones and 300 dollar phones and the Nexus 6p was a 600 dollar phone. I have lived in Chicago all my life and used all of these phones in the same city under the same exact conditions. I have never owned a phone before the 900 dollar Pixel XL that repeatedly overheated and shut down under the same conditions. And its only June! What is this phone going to do in July when it gets hot out every day?
It's disappointing that this XDA thread seems to be filled with Android fanboys who think it's a-ok for a 900 dollar phone to overheat and shut down as soon as the first hot summer days come along. I would have thought no reasonable person could possibly find that acceptable. Instead nobody on XDA offers useful suggestions, nobody on XDA offers support, understanding or empathy and as far as I can tell nobody on XDA seems to think the way my phone is behaving is unacceptable.
My conclusion is that the Pixel XL was only purchased by Android fanboys because of its prohibitive price, unlike previous Nexus devices that I owned, and that Android fanboys are every bit as useless and annoying as those of the Apple variety.
The XDA threads for Nexus devices are filled with smart people who provide useful feedback and help. The XDA threads for the Pixel XL are something different altogether. Dealing with people here is no better than dealing directly with Google.
if you purchased the extended warranty, then use it @jhs39 we can't call google for you
jhs39 said:
I've contacted Google. This phone is 6 weeks old and was purchased from the Google Store. I not only have the standard warranty but I purchased the extended warranty because of the shabby way owners of the Nexus 6P were treated by Google and Huawei. I thought I was protecting myself by paying extra for the extended coverage--but if Google maintains that my phone is operating normally no warranty on the world will do me any good.
I've owned 100 dollar phones and 300 dollar phones and the Nexus 6p was a 600 dollar phone. I have lived in Chicago all my life and used all of these phones in the same city under the same exact conditions. I have never owned a phone before the 900 dollar Pixel XL that repeatedly overheated and shut down under the same conditions. And its only June! What is this phone going to do in July when it gets hot out every day?
It's disappointing that this XDA thread seems to be filled with Android fanboys who think it's a-ok for a 900 dollar phone to overheat and shut down as soon as the first hot summer days come along. I would have thought no reasonable person could possibly find that acceptable. Instead nobody on XDA offers useful suggestions, nobody on XDA offers support, understanding or empathy and as far as I can tell nobody on XDA seems to think the way my phone is behaving is unacceptable.
My conclusion is that the Pixel XL was only purchased by Android fanboys because of its prohibitive price, unlike previous Nexus devices that I owned, and that Android fanboys are every bit as useless and annoying as those of the Apple variety.
The XDA threads for Nexus devices are filled with smart people who provide useful feedback and help. The XDA threads for the Pixel XL are something different altogether. Dealing with people here is no better than dealing directly with Google.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Whelp with that said. Go pound sand. If you can't get Google to replace you're faulty device because you're a little push over, then that's you're problem. Don't get mad at everyone else for not knowing whether or not you're phone is actually busted.
My pixel gets hot under very specific and limited circumstances. I RMA'ed my first one for this reason and now my second one does the same thing. Also, I got this second one on June 6th, little over a week ago.
So the conditions that make my pixel get very hot, very fast is this. Looking at XDA on Chrome, gets my phone HOT. It stutters, lags, and battery nosedives. A few other non mobile optimized sites warm it up, or sites with alot of ads, but XDA is basically un-browsable on it on Chrome. I'm on the O beta, and also using Chrome beta, but it acted this way on N too. So I just stay off the website and only use the app.
It's kinda annoying but everything else seems to work fine, so I'm not going to RMA another one.
I ride around with my Pixel XL in a black car, connected to my head unit, running Android Auto, Maps, and Spotify. The only thing I'm not doing that you probably are is running the screen at full bright.
I can give that a whirl to see if I can duplicate it, but as of right now I've never had an overheat shutdown.
Some questions:
Where do you have your phone mounted?
What kind of mount?
Is your phone in a case?
Do you have the same overheat problem if you place the phone in a different location with the same apps running? (say, in a cup holder or dash cubby?)
UPDATE: One hour of driving. Black car. Black interior. Mostly sunny. 85F ambient temp. Nougat 7.1.2 (5/17). Verizon network. Cell, WiFi, Bluetooth, and GPS radios enabled. Maps running. Spotify streaming via BT. Phone plugged into quick-charger. Screen full bright (100%). No holder in this car, so it was kept in the center console. No case. White phone. Windows open.
Result - did the phone get hot? Yes, it got hot, but not uncomfortably so. Did it overheat? No. Did it shutdown or display any other thermal alert? No, it did not.
So, either your phone is generating a hell of a lot more heat than mine, or something about where you have it mounted or the mount is causing a lot of heat buildup. If you've window mounted or dash mounted, consider vent mounting. Especially if you've a black phone and the sun's beating on it through the windshield. Also, if your mount either covers a great deal of the phone or has foam padding pressing against the back, consider switching out the mount for one that doesn't. That ****'s just an insulator and lets heat build up.
Mine has been very hot unplugging it from the usb cable for android auto in my vehicle but I haven't experienced anything yet like on the 6P. While I loved the design and some features that it had over the Pixel...that thing was a farking overheating throttling all the timepiece of shiite.
I tried the Pixel XL on Android O and the phone overheated. I tried Nougat and the phone overheated. I tried a custom Rom (DU) and the phone hasn't overheated yet, but the normal temperature of the battery when I'm in my air conditioned apartment iand the phone is completely idle s between 90-100F. Is that normal for this phone or should I press Google for an RMA? The only. othervthing I can think of is taking off the case and seeing if that makes a positive difference but I've been using Spigen cases on my last few phones and never had a problem with them.
Any constructive feedback would be appreciated. Anyone know what the normal operating temperature on this phone should be?
The reason of overheating may have to do with the SD821. If that is the case then there is no work around. The reason why I didn't buy the Pixel XL was because of the SD821. However i will buy the Pixel XL 2 with either SD835 or SD836.
dieselhazza said:
The reason of overheating may have to do with the SD821. If that is the case then there is no work around. The reason why I didn't buy the Pixel XL was because of the SD821. However i will buy the Pixel XL 2 with either SD835 or SD836.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well that sucks. I know the processor in my Nexus 6P was supposed to have overheating issues but I thought that had been solved with the processor used in the Pixel.
Pixel Support offered to RMA my phone but they will send a refurbished one in its place and since the phone isn't even 6 weeks old and I paid 900 for this thing at the Google Store getting stuck with a refurb so fast seems like a rip-off. The Pixel XL already seemed like a ripoff at 900 for a new one--but for a refurb?
A replacement might not even be any better if the CPU is to blame like you suggest. I'm tempted to just sell this thing, go back to using my 6P until the inevitable boot loop of death and then get a One Plus. I will definitely never buy another Google device after getting burned twice in a row.
Instead of bashing Google, let's try to resolve this issue.
I would try installing an app to see if you have any wake locks. What's great about Android vs iOS is we have deep sleep. So when that phone shuts off your CPU goes down exponentially. If you are having heat issues, it could be your phone failing to go into deep sleep. I am on a non rooted phone and I get over 7 hours of screen on time and my phone lasts me easily a day and a half. Do you have anything synced? I check all my stuff manually besides Facebook and Snapchat. I would turn everything else off. Also I had a battery case and they all caused my phone to have wakelocks. I have read if you do not use the charger that comes with the device aka car chargers not from Google for the pixel, then I would assume that would give you heat issues. Are you having any other problems besides heat?
Dj21Oh said:
Instead of bashing Google, let's try to resolve this issue.
I would try installing an app to see if you have any wake locks. What's great about Android vs iOS is we have deep sleep. So when that phone shuts off your CPU goes down exponentially. If you are having heat issues, it could be your phone failing to go into deep sleep. I am on a non rooted phone and I get over 7 hours of screen on time and my phone lasts me easily a day and a half. Do you have anything synced? I check all my stuff manually besides Facebook and Snapchat. I would turn everything else off. Also I had a battery case and they all caused my phone to have wakelocks. I have read if you do not use the charger that comes with the device aka car chargers not from Google for the pixel, then I would assume that would give you heat issues. Are you having any other problems besides heat?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The primary problem is that the phone seems to run hot even when it's completely idle. Pixel support claims to have no information regarding what an acceptable temperature range is for this phone so I have no way of knowing whether my phone is running warmer than it should. They did offer to RMA my phone but admitted they would be sending me a refurbished one in return. The phone was 900 dollars and I bought it from the Google Store less than 6 weeks ago. I don't think they should be sending me a used phone. Any charger is going to make the phone warmer because that's the nature of the quick charge technology. GPS use according to the list Google sent me will make the phone warmer. GPS use also drains the Pixel battery quickly, so it's pretty much impossible to use the GPS on a long drive without also using a car charger at some point. I'm using the exact same car charger I used with my Nexus 6P and had zero overheating issues with that phone--at least that I'm aware of. The phone definitely ran much cooler than my Pixel does but the boot loop of death that plagues that phone is likely caused by too much heat for the solder to withstand over time--similar to the LG phones that also permanently bootloop. It's possible Google is trying to avoid a similar issue with the Pixels and that they are programmed to shut down before damage can occur. The problem is that I need a phone where I can reliably use the GPS and a car charger simultaneously on a hot day. The Pixel left me stranded because the phone kept overheating and I had to keep pulling off the highway to let it cool down so I wouldn't get lost. Google considers cool down periods for the Pixel normal and says so in the long list they e-mailed me of all the things that can cause the Pixel to overheat. I don't think Google should have sold this phone in the first place if they thought there was a good chance that it would overheat and shut down if you were using the GPS and a car charger at the same time. I'm still thinking about selling this phone and buying something cheaper and more reliable. I didn't pay a fortune for this phone only to be told by Google that it's fragile and needs to be treated with kid gloves.
I've tried to use the phone without a case. I tried a custom rom and kernel. I tried Greenify. I tried Naptime. The phone just continues to run at a high temperature no matter what I do. Maybe I do need to RMA the phone but getting stuck with someone else's used phone after paying so much for this thing really pisses me off. If I had a problem with a Samsung phone they would replace it with a brand new one in full retail packaging. Google should do the same.

Question What do you all think about the Pixel Watch?

Does it look good? I think it does!
Want to see some hand's on detailed reports for for a 1st generation smartwatch....
And how it compares to 5th generation Samsung Galaxy Watch 5!
It looks nice, even though I'm not too sure about these bezels and super rounded screen (scratches anyone?).
Got it for free through the 7 Pro pre-order though so we'll see.
I'm curious if it's going to work with Spotify. It shows that it will work with YouTube Music. When I purchased my Fitbit Ionic, they said it would work with Spotify but it doesn't. Being able to use Spotify without my phone is a must for me to purchase this watch. Does anyone know for sure if Spotify will work? I'd like to preorder.
The price is not helping it.
Some spec comparisons:
Pixel Watch Vs Galaxy Watch 5/5 Pro: Is Google Too Late?
Google has finally launched the Pixel watch, but how does it fare with the Galaxy Watch 5? Here's Pixel Watch Vs Galaxy Watch 5.
fossbytes.com
QueenVanderveen said:
I'm curious if it's going to work with Spotify. It shows that it will work with YouTube Music. When I purchased my Fitbit Ionic, they said it would work with Spotify but it doesn't. Being able to use Spotify without my phone is a must for me to purchase this watch. Does anyone know for sure if Spotify will work? I'd like to preorder.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Spotify is mentioned here: https://support.google.com/googlepixelwatch/answer/12662429
I'm getting one (as is my wife) but only as they are coming free with our Pixel 7 pro's. I've had many smart watches along the way but the only one I've settled with really was the withings. I'll give this a go though. I do worry it looks small (diameter). Not convinced I will like the daily charging again. I wonder how many will actually buy at full price rather than own them from similar deals.
We don't have any good deals in the US. No free watch with 7 pro purchase. I do feel like the diameter is too small
My opinion may not be the most representative because this is the first smart watch I own, but after having it for ~24 hours, I think it's pretty good! Probably a bit overpriced, the battery is a little bit on the low side, but I had no problem with fluidity or anything like that, I originally thought the screen would be too small, but it's fine honestly, the watch's UI is pretty well optimised to work with this screen, overall a good watch in my opinion, I just don't really know about the durability, seems fragile..
Views so far on the pixel watch, coming from a galaxy watch 4 classic 46mm. only had it just over 24 hours
Like it so far, fluid design, comfortable on the wrist, personally i would of preferred it to be slightly bigger but it doesn't bother me too much its small.
Spotify does work on it
cant get ecg working in the uk, investigating further
battery life has been just as much as the galaxy watch 4
assistant works well
step counts seems a bit too high
vibrations are much better than the galaxy watch
love the scroll wheel on the side compared to the bezel scroll on the galaxy
Watch bands come on and off very easily (reviews seemed to have issues with it but i didn't at all)
would i pay the asking price, not a chance its way over priced, £379 for the LTE, it should be 279 and i then i would consider it.
Anyone want me to try something go ahead and ask
QueenVanderveen said:
I'm curious if it's going to work with Spotify. It shows that it will work with YouTube Music. When I purchased my Fitbit Ionic, they said it would work with Spotify but it doesn't. Being able to use Spotify without my phone is a must for me to purchase this watch. Does anyone know for sure if Spotify will work? I'd like to preorder.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It works fine with Spotify, but it won't play any music directly from the watch. I find the latter part a little odd considering it has a speaker for taking calls.
Corvida said:
It works fine with Spotify, but it won't play any music directly from the watch. I find the latter part a little odd considering it has a speaker for taking calls.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ugh, then I won't purchase the watch! I had to download Deezer with my Ionic which was fine, however then I had to pay another subscription to another music program. Thanks for answering this question!
I like it so far! Only tinkered with it to set it up but it looks nice, everything is fluid. The stock band seems to be comfortable too.
I think it looks a little small on my wrist compared to the OG Huawei Watch and I don't have big wrists!
It came for free with the Pixel 7 Pro, I don't think I would buy it otherwise. It's too expensive. It should have been 250 euros for the Wi-Fi model and 299 for LTE.
Will post more impressions when my P7P is set up and running.
Phil750123 said:
Views so far on the pixel watch, coming from a galaxy watch 4 classic 46mm. only had it just over 24 hours
Like it so far, fluid design, comfortable on the wrist, personally i would of preferred it to be slightly bigger but it doesn't bother me too much its small.
Spotify does work on it
cant get ecg working in the uk, investigating further
battery life has been just as much as the galaxy watch 4
assistant works well
step counts seems a bit too high
vibrations are much better than the galaxy watch
love the scroll wheel on the side compared to the bezel scroll on the galaxy
Watch bands come on and off very easily (reviews seemed to have issues with it but i didn't at all)
would i pay the asking price, not a chance its way over priced, £379 for the LTE, it should be 279 and i then i would consider it.
Anyone want me to try something go ahead and ask
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ECG app kept telling me to update the app - but the app said it was up to date. on the phone uninstall the Fitbit app and the Fitbit ECG app and then it will give you the option to update them.
Oh .... and unlike my withings they dont mean put fingers on top of the screen they definitely mean the crown on this watch. missed that a few times just by being presumptuous!
So far, I'm really liking it. Wish band availability was a bit better. Would love to have a fabric band but I can wait. Setting up the various parts seems a little convoluted. Trying to figure out which apps you need to get to make everything function and what you can actually set and what is just done automagically. Getting my main credit card onto the watch was a bit of an adventure that I finally solved.
The last puzzle piece was trying to figure out the camera remote app working between the watch and my phone. (Pixel 6 Pro) I kept getting connection errors. Finally this morning, I was able to get it to connect. Seems that when I'm on a wifi network for my phone and watch, they don't know how to detach from the network in order to talk to each other. Which makes me wonder what fiasco I'm in for when both disconnect from each other and attempt to reattach to the wifi network.
Overall, I'm not sure I'd really want it much bigger. FitBit integration has been nice to have again. (My work place ties our health insurance discount to a "health" app that's just one giant gamification. FitBit is well known for inflating step counts. Making it easier to hit point levels.) The weather app not being permanently broken like it was on my Fossil is great. And MyRadar showing radar on my watch..... amazing!
I got mine through T-Mobile. They do half off when you add a line for the watch. Unfortunately, I have two apps that keep me from completely ditching my phone at this point. (Signal and Google Voice)
I don't see any more recent reviews or opinions and I'm looking for feedback from users or those who have decided it is not for them. I posted on another forum but will also ask here.
So, what are the on-going feelings about this watch? Happy, okay, disappointed?
I've got a dying Samsung Gear S3 (battery lasts about two hours). I've been quite happy with the Gear S3 for a number of years.
I see Amazon now has a return window through Jan for the Holiday shopping season. I suspect that while still new it may go on sale sometime in the next few months. I am concerned about its "bezel-less" face and hitting it into things.
So looking for opinions now that you've had it for a month or so.
Oh, I do have the Pixel 6 Pro phone on Google Fi.
Thanks in advance.
Ok Got Mine (LTE Version)
I can't make any comparisons to other watches since this is my first...
But I'll tell you my experience so far.
1 - Face is small but manageable. Nearly impossible to type on however which I suspect os common with most watches. Expect to use Voice for the most part.
2 - I expected to find a lot more App support than I did. a whole load of Fitness monitoring crap but not much else. Expect to use the many tools found here on XDA to sideload stuff the watch should have but doesn't. Most work well, some will not.
3 - While I went for the LTE I have yet to see any benefit to it as most things merely send you to the phone for the most part.
4 - Battery life is quite good.
5 - My main uses are to control Spotify, Google Assistant and read notifications while the phone is charging.
6 - DOES NOT SUPPORT NEST DOORBELL!!!! WHY? Have to look at the phone to see who is at the door.
7 - Comes with a Qi Charger pad but no AC plug to plug it into. Thankfully I have an Anchor 3 port quick charger. The Qi Charger is magnetic but any jostling or vibration of the table will make it stop then ding when it reseats.
8 - The Watch App (on Phone) is great toa point but is limited in options. A good Watch Face Editor is needed here.
9 - While you can set Tiles, Open Apps should also show up as tiles. (this maybe my lack of how to use this device perhaps there is away to see opened apps another way)
10 -All in allI love it,but as I said there may be much better options out there for the price and better app support.
Since I had the Unlimited Plus Data plan from Google Fi for my Phone it didn't cost a penny to add the Watch to the Service.
Hope that helps someone....
Asphyx said:
Ok Got Mine (LTE Version)
I can't make any comparisons to other watches since this is my first...
But I'll tell you my experience so far.
1 - Face is small but manageable. Nearly impossible to type on however which I suspect os common with most watches. Expect to use Voice for the most part.
2 - I expected to find a lot more App support than I did. a whole load of Fitness monitoring crap but not much else. Expect to use the many tools found here on XDA to sideload stuff the watch should have but doesn't. Most work well, some will not.
3 - While I went for the LTE I have yet to see any benefit to it as most things merely send you to the phone for the most part.
4 - Battery life is quite good.
5 - My main uses are to control Spotify, Google Assistant and read notifications while the phone is charging.
6 - DOES NOT SUPPORT NEST DOORBELL!!!! WHY? Have to look at the phone to see who is at the door.
7 - Comes with a Qi Charger pad but no AC plug to plug it into. Thankfully I have an Anchor 3 port quick charger. The Qi Charger is magnetic but any jostling or vibration of the table will make it stop then ding when it reseats.
8 - The Watch App (on Phone) is great toa point but is limited in options. A good Watch Face Editor is needed here.
9 - While you can set Tiles, Open Apps should also show up as tiles. (this maybe my lack of how to use this device perhaps there is away to see opened apps another way)
10 -All in allI love it,but as I said there may be much better options out there for the price and better app support.
Since I had the Unlimited Plus Data plan from Google Fi for my Phone it didn't cost a penny to add the Watch to the Service.
Hope that helps someone....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
@Asphyx
Thanks for a pretty thorough review of attributes and limitations. I think I can also add it to my Fi account although, not the unlimited. I've not had LTE support before but the Samsung also sends me to the phone for more info or detail. And typing on the watch face is a real challenge there, too.
Any apps that you'd recommend? From here or Google store? I understand that its charger is proprietary and that other Qi charging stations do not work which is too bad.
Again, thanks.
Been using the watch for a few days now and it's nice. I still wish it were a little bigger. Battery life is OK, I actually used mine for 2 and a half days (not including nights) with light use.
I'm glad I got it for free with my P7P. Would I buy it at full price? No because I'm not big on smartwatches (or watches in general for that matter).

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