Alongside the regular Mi 10 and Mi 10 Pro flagship smartphones, Xiaomi also offers more affordable variants in each lineup. The Mi 10T and Mi 10T Pro are great options for budget-conscious consumers who want a similar experience to the flagship Mi line without sacrificing much. The Redmi K30S sold in Xiaomi’s home country is in fact a rebranded edition of the Mi 10T, albeit the memory configuration of the Chinese variant is slightly different.
In case you have brought either of these phones and want to start tuning the stock kernel or port TWRP, then you will be happy to know that Xiaomi has released the kernel source code for the Linux kernel binaries that ship with each phone’s respective Android 10 releases.
The Xiaomi Mi 10T and Mi 10T Pro are very similar devices, sharing pretty much every specification other than the primary rear camera and the slight difference in weight because of this change. As a result, they even share a common firmware, backed by a unified kernel source. You can find the kernel tree for the device duo under the “apollo-q-oss” branch of the Xiaomi’s Github repo.
Apart from Xiaomi, Nokia has also updated their official “Open source releases” page with the kernel source code archive for the Nokia 5.3 (code-name “captainamerica_sprout”). Matter of fact, this is the first kernel source release corresponding to a fourth generation HMD Global device — categorized by the “x.3” moniker.
A kernel source release with a proper commit history is quite helpful for the aftermarket development scene. The modding community can fiddle with the code and improve the overall performance of the device by patching the stock kernel. Moreover, such releases also help developers to port popular custom ROMs (e.g. LineageOS) for the device which, in turn, benefit users who aren’t satisfied with the stock ROM.
A recent update for Google’s Carrier Services app seems to have broken SMS services for several Android users. According to recent posts on various social media platforms, the issue seems to affect devices from almost all Android OEMs, and it prevents users from sending or receiving text messages. Even when users are able to send a message, they’re experiencing delays of up to 30 minutes before the message actually goes out.
While we’ve spotted several complaints on Reddit and other forums, we’re yet to see any response from Google or smartphone manufacturers on the matter. However, as a recent report from Android Authority points out, uninstalling the Google Carrier Services app seems to fix the issue temporarily.
In case you’ve been facing issues with SMS services on your phone, you can try uninstalling the Google Carrier Services app. To do so, head over to the My Apps and Games section on the Google Play Store, locate the Carrier Services app and then tap on the uninstall button. Once the app is uninstalled, reboot your phone for the changes to take effect, and you should be able to send and receive text messages after that.
However, before you go ahead and uninstall Google Carrier Services from your device, do note that the app enables the latest communications services and features in the Google Messages app. So, you’ll not be able to use any of these features until you reinstall the app.
Fortunately, Google has pushed an update for the app today with several bug fixes and stability improvements. While we can’t confirm if the latest update addresses this issue, you can try installing it on your device and check if it resolves the issue. If you haven’t received the update yet, you can download the signed APK from APKMirror by following this link.
Back at CES 2018, Samsung showcased its first MicroLED TV called The Wall. The 146-inch TV made use of a system of configurable modules that required professional installation, and you couldn’t just pick one off the shelf, even if you had enough cash to purchase the TV in the first place. Then, at CES last year, the company showed off two more models in different sizes, but they also used the same modular design. So, once again, you couldn’t just pick one up at your nearest retail store and mount it on the wall yourself. However, this changes with Samsung’s latest 110-inch MicroLED TV.
Samsung’s new 110-inch MicroLED TV is the company’s first model to offer the stunning MicroLED experience in a traditional TV form factor. It makes use of a new surface mounting mechanism and a new production process derived from the company’s semiconductor business that simplifies mass-production of MicroLED screens as small as 110-inches for home installation. Samsung claims that these innovations will allow the company to produce even small MicroLED displays in the future, which should give more users the chance to experience the new display technology.
The 110-inch model is capable of displaying 4K HDR content, and it uses micrometer-sized LED lights that can last up to a decade. The TV includes a Multi View feature that can display up to four sources of content at once on split screens that can be up to 55-inches in size. Furthermore, the model comes with 5.1 surround sound capabilities and an innovative feature that can track objects moving on the screen so that it can project sounds to follow them.
Currently, Samsung’s 110-inch MicroLED TV is only up for pre-sale in South Korea. However, the company plans to bring the TV to more markets in the first quarter of 2021. Samsung hasn’t released any pricing information for the TV for now. We’ll update this post with all relevant information as soon as it’s revealed.
In case you’re not familiar with MicroLED technology, here’s a quick rundown of its features and benefits over OLEDs:
MicroLED panels, much like OLEDs, are self-emissive and don’t require a backlight. However, they use tiny non-organic LEDs that offer several benefits over the organic light emitting diodes found in OLED panels.
Thanks to the non-organic LEDs, MicroLED panels offer a significantly better lifespan (up to 100,000 hours of continuous use), and they don’t suffer from burn-in issues.
MicroLED panels are also significantly brighter than OLEDs, with a peak brightness of 4,000 nits in the first commercially available models. That’s four times higher than the peak brightness offered by current OLED displays. Samsung also claims that MicroLED panels will be able to go as high as 10,000 nits in the near future.
MicroLED panels are much thinner than OLED panels, as they don’t require a color filtering layer. This means that MicroLED TVs can have significantly slimmer bezels and exceptional thinness in comparison with OLEDs. The lack of a color filtering layer also results in better power efficiency, as the panels can get brighter without requiring as much power.
Despite probably being judged as one of the worst years of the decade, 2020 couldn’t have been a better year for gamers. Apart from new PC gaming hardware from Sony, NVIDIA, and AMD, Microsoft’s newest generation of gaming consoles, the Xbox Series X and the Xbox Series S, are also here. The Xbox Series X is the most powerful Xbox ever, while the younger sibling, the Xbox Series S, focuses on democratizing the gaming experience rather than just packing in brute power.
The Xbox Series X was first leaked back in early 2019, and Microsoft officially confirmed that it is working on a new console during E3 2019. During that time Microsoft had given it the codename “Project Scarlett,” while its final name and design as Xbox Series X was confirmed in December. Nobody was really expecting a version lower than the Xbox Series X until August 2020, when there was a strong rumor for the Xbox Series S which was quickly followed by a confirmation by the company in September 2020. Both the consoles were officially released on November 10 and are now available for purchase globally.
There has been a huge demand for chipsets this year, especially since a lot of major tech companies have moved to the 7nm architecture. There were also rumors that TSMC, which is one of the biggest suppliers of chipsets for big names including AMD, Apple, and Qualcomm, is “struggling to meet this demand for 7nm chips.” Hence, stocks for GPUs, as well as gaming consoles, have been limited around the world. In short, if you’ve managed to get your hands on one, consider yourself lucky.
Having said that, Microsoft sent us over one, and here’s our review of the Xbox Series S.
Specifications
Features
Xbox Series S
CPU
Octa-core AMD Zen 2, 3.6GHz (3.4GHz with multi-threading)
GPU
1.565GHz clock speed, 20 compute units, 4 TFLOPs
Memory
10GB GDDR6
Internal storage
512GB SSD
Storage expansion
1TB expansion card
External storage
USB 3.1 external HDD support
Optical drive
Not available
Resolution support
1440p at 120Hz refresh rate, upscaling up to 4K 60Hz refresh rate
Connectivity
3x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A ports
HDMI 2.1
802.11ac dual-band wireless
1Gbps Ethernet
Audio
DTS 5.1
DOLBY Digital 5.1
Dolby TrueHD with Atmos
Windows Sonic
Dimensions
275mm x 151mm x 65mm
Weight
1.93kg
Price
$299
About this review:Microsoft sent us the Xbox Series S for review. This review has been written after about 25 days of regular use. Microsoft had no input into the contents of this article.
Design
While the Xbox Series X goes for a completely new monolithic tower design, the Xbox Series S is basically a slimmed-down version of the Xbox One S. It continues to have a white and black color scheme, and that round grill that looks like a speaker is a vent to exhaust all the hot air. If you compare the Xbox One S with the Series S side by side, you would know that the previous-gen model had a similar vent but with a different finish on top. Overall, the Xbox Series S is quite compact. I was actually quite surprised at the size when I unboxed it. No wonder Microsoft calls it the smallest Xbox they have ever made.
You can keep the console horizontally, or just make it stand tall as there are rubber feet on both sides. Of course, you need to make sure that you are not blocking the round exhaust vent. I absolutely love the minimalistic design on the Xbox Series S. Not that the larger Series X looks bad, but there’s something about clean aesthetics that just makes me want to own one for myself.
The Xbox Series S is a subtle yet classy looking machine
At the front, you get a single USB Type-A port, and a controller sync button on the left while the discrete power button is on the right, which has a white LED underneath. The top and bottom of the console have round perforations for improved airflow and at the back, you get all the ports. The port selection is similar to the Series X including two USB Type-A ports, an HDMI 2.1 out port, an ethernet port, a storage expansion slot, a Kensington lock port, and the standard dual-pin power port. You don’t get an HDMI input this time so you cannot hook it up with an external device like a TV box.
Unlike the PlayStation 5, which looks like a futuristic spaceship of sorts, the Xbox Series S is a subtle yet classy looking machine. There is a bit of retro and modern design language packed into a tiny package, which in my opinion makes it the best-looking console this year.
Xbox Wireless Controller
Along with the console, you get the new Xbox wireless controller, which looks similar to the last generation, but with very minor changes. The Xbox Series S Controller gets a white finish, unlike the black one that you get with the Series X. The top part of the controller has a smooth finish while the bottom part, including the grips, has a textured finish. The shoulder triggers also get the textured finish, and honestly, I like how it brings a comfortable grip and feel. The D-pad is now ‘hybrid’ having a more circular design that feels more ergonomic and should offer accurate inputs even for diagonals. There is also a new share button right in the middle that allows you to take screen-grabs in a jiffy.
This controller is backward compatible, meaning that it can be used with the older Xbox One consoles. Similarly, you can use the existing Xbox wireless controller with the new Xbox Series S or the Series X, as it’s forward compatible. You still get AA batteries with the new controller, which can be both a pro and a con, and a USB Type-C port for wired connections. There is the option to swap out the batteries for a rechargeable pack just like the last-gen controller, which essentially means an additional cost of about $25 (₹ 1,818).
The Controller does not have any significant difference as it mostly works and feels the same way
Microsoft claims that there has been some improvement in terms of latency as it now uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and Dynamic Latency Input (DLI). Overall, there isn’t any significant difference as it mostly works and feels the same, which is not bad news as the existing controller was pretty good on its own. While I personally prefer the keyboard and mouse combo over a controller, I actually had fun using the controller on the Xbox Series S. I did not notice any sort of lag, and it instantly connects to the console as soon as you power it on.
Hardware
The Xbox Series S comes with a custom octa-core processor made by AMD based on its Zen 2 architecture. It is clocked at 3.6GHz and with multi-threading, it can go up to 3.4GHz. It comes with 10GB of DDR6 memory while the graphics are handled by AMD’s RDNA2 GPU capable of 4-teraflops performance making use of 20 compute units at 1.565GHz. For storage, there is a 512GB NVMe SSD out of which only ~364GB is actually available for the user. The console does come with a proprietary storage expansion slot, and extra storage is going to be a must if you are going to invest or already have a large library of games from your previous generation Xbox console. Of course, you also get support for external hard drives and SSD, but at the cost of relatively slower speeds.
While these specs are a big jump over the Xbox One S, the Xbox Series X dominates them all, specifically in the graphics department. Microsoft promises 4K gaming with up to 120fps on the Series X that can be pushed up to 8K resolution at lower frame rates. The Xbox Series S on the other hand is optimized for 2K (1440p) gaming at up to 120fps but can offer dynamic resolution going up to 4K. Thankfully, there are some well-appreciated features that are common to both the consoles including ray tracing, support for Quick Resume, HDR as well as variable refresh rates (VRR). Both the consoles also offer similar audio features including support for DTS 5.1, Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby TrueHD with Atmos, and Windows Sonic.
Setup and User interface
Setting up the Xbox Series S is a pretty simple process. Connect the power cord to the console and hook it up with your TV or monitor using the bundled HDMI cable. Next, press the power button on both the console and controller, and do make sure that you put the AA batteries in the controller. You will then be guided to download the Xbox app on your smartphone. The setup is pretty simple and straightforward there onwards. You can also download your older previous-gen games optimized for the Series X/S if you’ve previously owned an Xbox device.
Once you are done, you should see the Xbox home screen which should look familiar if you have owned or used any of the Xbox One consoles. It has a tiled interface that can be personalized using either color of your choice, a custom wallpaper, or the inbuilt dynamic wallpapers that were recently added with the latest November update. So yeah, make sure you download the latest update as well.
Another bit of advice, head over to the Settings and configure your TV/monitor settings to get the best experience. As in my case, I primarily used the console on my LG Ultragear GL650F 27-inch IPS monitor that comes with 1080p resolution, HDR10, and 144Hz refresh rate. As per the console’s configuration, I could run upscaled 4K at 60Hz or 1440p at 120Hz. This was possible thanks to the support for variable refresh rate on the console as well as the monitor.
The UI is easy to use and as you scroll down, you will see different sections including your most recent activity in the first row, followed by a dedicated row for My games and apps (all your downloaded games and app), while the third row includes Game Pass. You also get tiles for the Microsoft Store, Entertainment, Events, Microsoft Rewards, and so on. The Guide or the in-game overlay menu has been revamped and now offers improved sections and tabs that can be personalized as well depending on your usage.
Performance
We already know that the Xbox Series S is not as powerful as its elder sibling. But what kind of capabilities do you get out of the $299 console? Well, if you are only going to be hooked on next-gen games, then you might need to lower your expectations by a small bit. Microsoft does push its Smart Delivery feature, that ensures you always play the best version of the games you own for your console, across generations. However, this is going to depend on the console that you use. For instance, with its latest update that was released last month, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla includes new toggles for ‘Performance’ and ‘Quality’ modes. The Series S has the option of setting the Quality mode enables the game to run maximum resolution and graphic settings at 30fps. You can however get higher frame rates if you lower the resolution to 1080p, which wasn’t a huge deal for me since I was using the Series S with my 27-inch gaming monitor. On a 4K TV though, it did not look very impressive as one could easily tell the difference in quality. Though, the same game should run easily at 4K 60fps on the Xbox Series X with the Performance mode enabled.
A handful of Xbox One and previous-gen games do look impressive thanks to the various optimizations available on the Xbox Series S. For instance Gear 5 can run at 4K 60fps, and it actually felt really good in terms of graphics and texture quality. With the latest update, Microsoft has also added a feature where the game will show you a tag that denotes whether the game has been optimized for the new Xbox consoles. You can also check if the game supports HDR, which brings a massive improvement in terms of colors and contrast.
In short, expect a sort of mixed experience when it comes to actually gaming on the Xbox Series S. While you can play almost every single next-gen title on this console, you will not be able to experience them at their highest quality. A bunch of previous-gen games now look much better and run efficiently, so that plays out to the benefit of the Xbox Series S.
Expect a mixed experience when actually gaming on the Xbox Series S. While you should be able to play almost every single next-gen title on this console, you will not be able to experience them at their highest quality.
I do however appreciate how Microsoft has introduced some well-needed features. The most important one is Microsoft’s new Velocity Architecture. By utilizing the new custom NVMe SSD along with Hardware Accelerated Decompression, DirectStorage API, and Sampler Feedback Streaming, the Xbox Series S doesn’t show any signs of slowing down. Not only are the game load times much shorter, but the console itself boots up rather quickly. I was able to cold boot the Series S in about 20-22 seconds while powering on the console from standby mode hardly takes 4-5 seconds.
There was never an instance where I had to wait and think, “this is taking too much time.” The DirectStorage API and Sampler Feedback Streaming help in taking off the load from the CPU and improves the GPU usage by only rendering certain parts of the game assets instead of loading everything. Additionally, the use of an SSD has also enabled Microsoft to introduce the Quick Resume feature. Basically, this allows you to switch or resume playing a gaming title (almost) instantly where you left off, without having to load the entire game again. I was able to switch between 4-5 games at a single point in time, which in itself is a great achievement. The Series S manages to achieve all of this without being too loud. I was not able to hear the cooling fan at all even after playing games for a full hour. Yes, the exhaust vent does get warm, but it was pretty evident that the thermals on the console are in fact implemented well.
Game Pass and Apps
This was said to be a big weak point, especially when compared to Sony’s PlayStation 5, but the new Xbox consoles don’t come with any solid first-party gaming titles. Microsoft had only mentioned Halo Infinite, which is delayed, for now, leaving the new set of consoles with a clear disadvantage going against the Playstation 5. Microsoft’s Ace card is, however, the high and mighty Game Pass subscription. It gives you access to over 200 games that you can download and play on your console for a monthly fee of $10. This includes titles for the Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Xbox 360, and original Xbox. There is also the Game Pass Ultimate that additionally offers Xbox Live Gold, Xbox Game Pass for PC, EA Play, and access to Xbox’s Cloud Gaming service. The subscription lets you download and play any and all of these games as long as your subscription is active.
Game Pass Ultimate increases the number of games at your disposal at a fraction of the price of owning all of them
I believe that Game Pass Ultimate is a must, especially for owners of the Series S. Since there is no optical drive on this machine, you cannot purchase pre-owned games for cheap, meaning that you will largely be restricted to buying games as new and for their full sale value. Enjoying games then becomes a bit of a cost problem. Game Pass Ultimate remedies some of this, by increasing the number of games at your disposal at a fraction of the price of owning all of them, albeit as a recurring subscription. The titles within also get refreshed from time to time, so you do get fresh content too.
The Xbox Games Pass Ultimate is priced at $15 which is actually not a bad deal as you get access to a wide library of games without spending on each and every one of them. Of course, you need to be mindful of the fact that Microsoft adds and removes certain titles from time to time. Also, the internal storage on the Xbox Series S is just enough for 6-8 gaming titles, and on top of that, not every single game is going to be optimized.
When you are not gaming, you can use the Xbox Series S as your personal home media entertainment device. You get a wide variety of apps including Netflix Disney Plus, YouTube, YouTube TV, HBO Max, Apple TV, Spotify, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Twitch, and many more. Additionally, some of these apps will also support Dolby Atmos and take advantage of the HDR and Dolby Vision capabilities.
Backward compatibility on the Xbox Series S
Microsoft had announced that the Xbox Series X and the Series S would both offer backward compatibility with older-gen titles. One can expect as far as the original 2001 Xbox games as well as the Xbox 360, to run at an enhanced resolution. While the company had claimed that the Series S does have the capability to upscale a game to 1440p resolution with some performance benefits, it will solely depend on the developers to update their respective games. As for Xbox One titles, the Series X can benefit from Xbox One X enhancements while the Series S can capitalize on the performance of the Xbox One S titles. This means that the new console will offer increased resolution in games that use dynamic resolution scaling, alongside improvements in texture filtering quality. With features like Auto HDR and ray tracing, most of your older supported games will offer an enhanced visual experience, even if they don’t natively support high dynamic range. Additionally, the Series S will be able to run select Xbox One titles at double the frame-rate. You can check out the entire list of backward compatible games over here.
Xbox Series S: Verdict
We’re going to be frank: the Xbox Series S is not meant for someone who wants the highest gaming performance with the best graphics at 4K resolution, and Microsoft has another product in store for people that chase this goal. The Xbox Series S makes sense only if you are a gaming enthusiast who wants to experience the latest gaming titles and all your streaming services in a neat and sleek-looking package. There are two primary issues with the Series S – the 512GB SSD and limited performance for next-gen games. You can tackle the first issue by investing in a $220 storage expansion card or maybe an external SSD, but that seems pointless as you can just pay $200 extra and get the Xbox Series X, which will basically solve both of the above-mentioned problems. There is no optical drive on the Series S too, but for someone like me who doesn’t indulge in physical copies at all, it hasn’t been a huge issue. There’s no going around the limitations in performance, other than by opting for the bigger and better console.
It might seem like the Xbox Series S is not worthy of your money. However, at $299 as its retail price, the Series S is basically the perfect console for new and younger gamers, or for someone who doesn’t have or want to spend extra on a 4K television, or maybe someone who just has a very tight budget. It doesn’t natively support 4K resolution, but it does include some of the features that are available on the more expensive Series X including upscaling capabilities along with faster game load times via the NVMe SSD. There are also a bunch of software implementations that the Series S borrows from its elder sibling including enhanced ray tracing, HDR, and various other optimizations that make the overall experience worthy, if not the best in this world. There is clear room for improvement, and Microsoft does not hide that as these form the selling points for the Series X, but even then, the gaming experience is enjoyable. Just keep your expectations grounded and get pleasantly surprised. Also, one should not forget, that the PlayStation 5 also comes in a non-optical drive or Digital Edition which is just about $100 more than the Xbox Series S. But unlike the cheaper Xbox console, the PS5 Digital Edition does not compromise on hardware and is as powerful as the regular version that comes with an optical drive. Of course, getting your hands on the new PlayStation 5 is as difficult as the new Xbox consoles.
The Xbox Series S is the more affordable console from Microsoft this year that promises some of the next-gen features and capabilities in a small package.
There’s another problem, one that affects all of the new gaming hardware that has come out in the past few months. If you actually want to go and buy the Xbox Series S, chances are that you will not find it that easily. The few stores that do have the console in stock, seem to be selling it at an inflated price going up to $500-$600. In my opinion, you shouldn’t be paying that kind of money, especially for the less powerful Series S. My advice is to hold on and wait for it to restock on websites like Best Buy that are actually selling the console at its listed price of $299. For that price, the Xbox Series S makes sense for gamers who are just about getting started in their gaming journey.
Google has been working on adding a native clipboard manager to Chromebooks for the last few months. We first spotted evidence of the feature in June this year, when a new commit called “Multipaste” was added to the Chromium Gerrit. At the time, we had learned that the clipboard manager would allow users to paste the last 5 copied items by using the “Search+V” keyboard shortcut. But back then, we had no information regarding a possible release timeline. Now, we’ve spotted another merged commit in the Chromium Gerrit, which suggests that the feature will be making its way to users with Chrome OS 89.
The new commit is titled “Enable Multipaste by default,” and its description states the feature will be “Launching in M-89,” and it will be enabled by default. In case you missed our previous coverage, the Chromebook clipboard manager will store the five most recent items that have been copied. These could include text, formatted text, images, links in a bookmark format, and something called “web smart paste.” Google may also add a button in the quick settings tray to open the clipboard manager without the keyboard shortcut.
Since Google recently released Chrome OS 87 on the stable channel, there’s still some time before the new native clipboard manager reaches users. But we’re definitely glad that Google decided to push forward with the feature, as it can really come in handy if you do a lot of copy and pasting. Windows 10 and Gboard offer similar clipboard managers, and I use them quite often. So I can assure you that it’s a fantastic addition and it will help you save a lot of time. But I do wish Google considers upgrading the Chrome OS clipboard manager to save more than just five items. While the commit currently doesn’t highlight any such changes, Google may increase the limit by the time the clipboard manager is ready for primetime.
If you use Google Drive on your mobile device, we have some good news. Google on Wednesday announced an update to Google Drive on Android that will help users search more quickly and efficiently.
Here’s how Google is improving search in Google Drive on Android:
See and re-run recent desktop and mobile searches.
View and select intelligent suggestions as they type, including suggestions for people, past searches, and keywords, as well as recently accessed files.
The bit about re-running recent desktop and mobile searches will be particularly helpful. I often find myself searching for the same files over and over — a master document, for example. It’ll save me time not having to type in the same searches over and over.
Intelligent suggestions should also come in handy to make performing certain actions easier. Both of these features are being introduced in the name of convenience, and based on their descriptions they should come in handy quite often — at least for me.
Google said that with changes in working patterns due to COVID-19, more people need to get work done while they’re away from their desk. “Finding files quickly and easily on your phone helps ensure you can still share, review, collaborate, and create, wherever you are.”
Since lockdown restrictions went into effect, Google has introduced a number of features for people who suddenly find themselves working from home. One such feature will be support for opening encrypted files on Google Drive, which we discovered in an APK teardown early last month.
The update with improved search is available in the latest version of Google Drive on Android and iOS. Google said that you may not see the feature for a few days. To see if you have access to the new feature, simply start a search query in the search bar.
Maybe you don’t want to hop on the 5G bandwagon just yet, or maybe you don’t need your device to have the latest camera improvements. If you’re not too keen on upgrading your device to the Pixel 5 or Pixel 4a 5G, why not pick up a Pixel 3?
Google is now offering refurbished models of 2018’s Pixel 3, and it’s available for just $249. Even with two years’ worth of smartphone innovation in the rearview, the Pixel 3 still isn’t half bad. The specs might not be up to date, but the design still holds up; it’s actually the last Made by Google phone to feature the “window” design.
Here are a few reasons why you might consider the Pixel 3: you get free unlimited Google Photos storage until January 2022. The device should also get software updates through 2021, keeping the device as current as can be. In fact, the handset just received some new features — plus a hefty security update — thanks to a recent Pixel feature drop.
In other words, if you need a “no fuss, no muss” device that will allow you to take pictures, message friends, and play a few games, the Pixel 3 is a solid option. You get a Snapdragon 845 processor, 5.5-inch FHD+ OLED display, and a 2915 mAh battery. The device also features a 12.2MP camera and runs Android 11.
If someone in your family is getting their first smartphone, or perhaps you need a second device for work, $249 is pretty good value. That gets you 64GB of storage; pay $30 more and you can get yourself a Pixel 3 with 128GB of storage.
As of now, it appears Google’s refurbished store is only offering the Pixel 3 in white and black. It’s unclear if the Not Pink version will be offered, or if we’ll see Google offer a refurbished Pixel 3 XL. Either way, with the holidays right around the corner, this could make for a nice last minute gift.
