Pixelated

This week is all about the Android 11 Developer Preview that Google released ahead of schedule. We've installed DP1 on our Pixel phones, and have spent the past day chronicling every change.

Alphabet Scoop is available on Google Play, Google Podcasts, iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, and through our dedicated RSS feed for Pocket Casts and other podcast players.

New episodes of Alphabet Scoop are recorded every Thursday afternoon at 4-5 PM ET and published on Friday mornings. Subscribe to our podcast in Google Play or your favorite podcast player to guarantee new episodes are delivered as soon as they're available.

Hosts:

Abner Li

Kyle Bradshaw

Links:

Google launches Android 11 Developer Preview ahead of schedule for Pixel phones

‘Columbus’ gives Pixels double-tap gesture for Assistant and more

Media controls may move out of notification shade [Video]

You can now check what codecs your Bluetooth headphones support

Android 11’s new ‘Gabeldorsche’ Bluetooth stack was given its name for a great reason

Pixel Launcher preps ‘smart hotseat,’ Back Gesture tutorial

‘Notification history’ prepares a much needed revamp of the log

Google prepares more tweaks for Android’s gesture navigation

You can now pin up to 4 apps to the share menu

‘Battery Share’ hints at Pixel 5 w/ reverse wireless charging, ‘redfin’

New developer option shows your display’s current refresh rate

Your Bluetooth headphones won’t disconnect in Airplane Mode on Android 11

Google prepares scrolling screenshots w/ revamped UI [Video]

Pixel 4 gets new Motion Sense gesture and better touch sensitivity on Android 11

Screen recorder arrives w/ Quick Settings toggle

Google Play to review all Android apps requesting background location access

Notifications add ‘dedicated conversations section’ for message apps

Feedback?

Drop us a line at [email protected]. You can also soon rate us in Google Play, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts or recommend us in Pocket Casts to help more people discover the show.

https://youtu.be/Le_KZpZThuU

This week is all about what Samsung announced at Unpacked 2020. We of course kick off by talking about the Galaxy Z Flip, which one of us experienced in the flesh, and then dive into everything else the company announced.

Alphabet Scoop is available on Google Play, Google Podcasts, iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, and through our dedicated RSS feed for Pocket Casts and other podcast players.

New episodes of Alphabet Scoop are recorded every Thursday afternoon at 4-5 PM ET and published on Friday mornings. Subscribe to our podcast in Google Play or your favorite podcast player to guarantee new episodes are delivered as soon as they're available.

Hosts:

Stephen Hall

Abner Li

Links:

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip debuts w/ less expensive ‘flip phone’ design

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip thoughts: Foldables might just matter

Galaxy Z Flip Hands-on: Samsung’s most exciting foldable is almost ready [Video]

Samsung airs Galaxy Z Flip ad during the Oscars, two days before its announcement

Galaxy Z Flip tidbits: Flex Mode coming to more devices, Hideaway Hinge, more

Samsung Galaxy S20 series goes official w/ Snapdragon 865, no headphone jack, $999

Hands-on: Galaxy S20 promises Samsung’s overdue camera revamp for a price [Video]

Samsung partners with Google to integrate Duo calling into Galaxy S20, more

Samsung Galaxy S10 series gets a permanent price cut, now starting at $599

Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus deliver upgraded battery life for a higher price tag

Samsung says Galaxy users are waiting longer to upgrade their phones

The Galaxy Home Mini will come as pre-order gift w/ S20, but only in South Korea

Feedback?

Drop us a line at [email protected]. You can also soon rate us in Google Play, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts or recommend us in Pocket Casts to help more people discover the show.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhBa8ISej_Y

This week we start with some insight into YouTube Music's long-awaited cloud upload locker then talk about declining hardware sales for Made by Google. We then recap what Google Maps announced for its 15th anniversary — yes, that icon.

Alphabet Scoop is available on Google Play, Google Podcasts, iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, and through our dedicated RSS feed for Pocket Casts and other podcast players.

New episodes of Alphabet Scoop are recorded every Thursday afternoon at 4-5 PM ET and published on Friday mornings. Subscribe to our podcast in Google Play or your favorite podcast player to guarantee new episodes are delivered as soon as they're available.

Hosts:

Stephen Hall

Abner Li

Links:

Sources: Internal YouTube Music gains music library upload as Play Music transition nears

‘Made by Google’ is a 'multibillion-dollar revenue business,' but Q4 2019 hardware sales see decline

Alphabet reports Q4 2019 revenue of $46.07 billion, $15B/year YouTube ad revenue

YouTube Music/Premium has 20 million paid subscribers, 2M for YouTube TV

Google Maps gets new public transit features, 'Live View' to expand this year

Google Maps gets redesigned mobile app, brand new logo on 15th birthday

Google Photos trialing monthly subscription to get your best pictures auto-printed

Feedback?

Drop us a line at [email protected]. You can also soon rate us in Google Play, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts or recommend us in Pocket Casts to help more people discover the show.

https://youtu.be/AjdCTTv3YjM

This week we review Stadia's past, present, and future. We start with how Google's streaming service has been for us since November, what it's done since then, and all of today's announcements.

Alphabet Scoop is available on Google Play, Google Podcasts, iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, and through our dedicated RSS feed for Pocket Casts and other podcast players.

New episodes of Alphabet Scoop are recorded every Thursday afternoon at 4-5 PM ET and published on Thursday mornings. Subscribe to our podcast in Google Play or your favorite podcast player to guarantee new episodes are delivered as soon as they're available.

Hosts:

Abner Li

Ben Schoon

Kyle Bradshaw

Links:

Stadia planning 120 games in 2020, shares 3-month features roadmap

Stadia 'going to get better' as Gylt developer hints at 'super cool' upcoming features

Google already testing Stadia on non-Pixel Android phones

Google sends out January Stadia update newsletter with 'Stadia cheer' ringtone

What’s coming next to Google Stadia: Feature parity and the promise of cloud gaming

Here's every game we know is coming to Google Stadia in 2020

Stadia games: 'Cyberpunk 2077' delayed until September

Stadia games: Marvel's Avengers gets delayed as Doom: Eternal gets a new trailer

Stadia’s ‘Semantic ML’ tool can help create ‘believable’ character and in-game AIs

Stadia Games and Entertainment hires first concept artist

Feedback?

Drop us a line at [email protected]. You can also soon rate us in Google Play, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts or recommend us in Pocket Casts to help more people discover the show.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ax3PRzpng38

This week we talk all about CES 2020. We recap what Google announced for Assistant and its giant booth, as well as 9to5Google's Best of CES 2020 and everything else unveiled in Las Vegas.

Alphabet Scoop is available on Google Play, Google Podcasts, iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, and through our dedicated RSS feed for Pocket Casts and other podcast players.

New episodes of Alphabet Scoop are recorded every Wednesday afternoon at 4-5 PM ET and published on Thursday mornings. Subscribe to our podcast in Google Play or your favorite podcast player to guarantee new episodes are delivered as soon as they're available.

Hosts:

Abner Li

Ben Schoon

Links:

Assistant will soon let you schedule smart home commands

Smart Displays adding sticky notes and speed dial card

Google previews ‘read this page’ Assistant TTS command on Android

Google’s CES 2020 booth gives a hands-on Assistant ‘journey’ with some snark

Review: Google slides into CES 2020 with a must-do attraction

9to5Google Best of CES 2020 Awards

Hands on: Samsung’s Galaxy Chromebook stole my heart in a matter of minutes [Video]

Hands on: Wear OS kicks off 2020 w/ Skagen Falster 3 and other Fossil refreshes

Hands on: Belkin’s Soundform Elite gives a Google Assistant speaker dual-purpose

Hands on: Lenovo IdeaPad Duet finally gives Chrome OS the tablet it needs

Hands on: Lenovo’s Smart Frame is begging to show off your Google Photos library

Lenovo Flex 5 is one of the first Chromebooks with Intel’s 10th-Gen processors

Lenovo Smart Tab M10 delivers Google Assistant’s Ambient Mode for $189

Hands on: OnePlus Concept One lays the groundwork for a useful feature [Gallery]

TicPods 2 go official w/ smaller case, USB-C, motion controls, starts at $99

TiVo Stream 4K brings Android TV and live television together for as little as $50

TCL 10 series brings quad-cameras, 5G, and slim bezels to the US for under $500

ASUS reveals Chromebook Flip C436 w/ 10th-gen Intel i7 and NVMe storage

Feedback?

Drop us a line at [email protected]. You can also soon rate us in Google Play, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts or recommend us in Pocket Casts to help more people discover the show.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAyzVuO_v1s

This week we talk all about some Google Pixel news, the first Pixel 4a rumors, some Pixel 4 sales rumors, and a Fuchsia tablet?

Alphabet Scoop is available on Google Play, Google Podcasts, iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, and through our dedicated RSS feed for Pocket Casts and other podcast players.

New episodes of Alphabet Scoop are recorded every Wednesday afternoon at 4-5 PM ET and published on Thursday mornings. Subscribe to our podcast in Google Play or your favorite podcast player to guarantee new episodes are delivered as soon as they're available.

Hosts:

Stephen Hall

Abner Li

Links:

Google Pixel gets first ‘Feature Drop’ w/ Auto-Call Screen, Portrait Blur, better memory management

Pixel 4 December security patch OTA starts rolling out

All Google Pixels will apparently get Automatic Call Screen ‘in the coming weeks’

Pixel’s improved memory management may expand to other phones w/ future Android versions

Comment: Pixel ‘Feature Drops’ are great for everyone, but slow rollouts ruin the fun

Pixel’s Call Screen now saves audio from calls, automatic settings roll out

Stadia Holiday Pop-ups: Taking game streaming to the streets [Gallery]

Stadia players immediately access Destiny 2 update, as some consoles fail to install

Google apps for Glass Explorer Edition will be killed in 2020 after final update

Feedback?

Drop us a line at [email protected]. You can also soon rate us in Google Play, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts or recommend us in Pocket Casts to help more people discover the show.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUcSPTbewDc

This week we talk all about the announcements at Qualcomm's Snapdragon Tech Summit 2019 (including the Snapdragon 865, Sundar Pichai takes over Alphabet, and some Pixel things.

Alphabet Scoop is available on Google Play, Google Podcasts, iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, and through our dedicated RSS feed for Pocket Casts and other podcast players.

New episodes of Alphabet Scoop are recorded every Wednesday afternoon at 4-5 PM ET and published on Thursday mornings. Subscribe to our podcast in Google Play or your favorite podcast player to guarantee new episodes are delivered as soon as they're available.

Hosts:

Stephen Hall

Abner Li

Links:

Qualcomm unveils new Snapdragon 865, Snapdragon 765 chipsets to bring 5G to all

Snapdragon 865 will be first SoC to support on-phone ID card APIs in Android R

Qualcomm unveils new ‘3D Sonic Max’ fingerprint sensor that’s… a lot bigger

Motorola announces plan to re-enter the premium smartphone space

Xiaomi, Oppo, Motorola, HMD confirm devices built on 5G-ready Snapdragon 865

Breaking: Larry Page, Sergey Brin name Sundar Pichai CEO of Alphabet

[Update: Final patch] Google stops updating the original Pixel and Pixel XL

December security patch rolling out to Google Pixel, factory images & OTAs live

December Pixel 4 update coming next week w/ fixes for display flickering, Bluetooth, more

Android 10 gestures for other launchers, Pixel Themes come to older Google phones

PSA: December update for Pixel 3, 3a causing crashing issue w/ Pixel Launcher

Feedback?

Drop us a line at [email protected]. You can also soon rate us in Google Play, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts or recommend us in Pocket Casts to help more people discover the show.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEN_N7mDe98

This week we talk all about Stadia, Google's ambitious streaming service that could change gaming. Day one issues aside, we've all received our Founder's Edition kits and had a chance to play on a multitude of devices.

Alphabet Scoop is available on Google Play, Google Podcasts, iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, and through our dedicated RSS feed for Pocket Casts and other podcast players.

New episodes of Alphabet Scoop are recorded every Wednesday afternoon at 4-5 PM ET and published on Thursday mornings. Subscribe to our podcast in Google Play or your favorite podcast player to guarantee new episodes are delivered as soon as they're available.

Hosts:

Abner Li

Ben Schoon

Kyle Bradshaw

Links:

Google launches Stadia, an ambitious streaming service that could change gaming

Google Stadia first impressions: It works!

Google is blatantly lying about the quality of Stadia’s games, and that’s not okay

Opinion: Google needs to allay Stadia concerns — its botched launch does the opposite

Stadia Founders invite codes not arriving as promised, Google working on a solution

Some Stadia Founders Edition pre-orders are being put on hold and cancelled

Google Stadia adds 10 more games to launch lineup, reveals second Pro title

Some Chromecast Ultra units are overheating and shutting down while playing Stadia [U]

PSA: You won’t lose your Stadia Pro discounted purchases when you unsubscribe

Google Stadia Review Roundup: Impressive tech that you should probably wait for

Comment: Google Stadia won’t matter for a year

Google Store lists ‘CLAW’ Pixel holder for Stadia Controller, ‘coming soon’

Google’s ‘CLAW’ accessory can damage the Stadia Controller when you put it on

Microsoft xCloud plans 2020 launch, preview adds 50 games to embarrass Stadia

Microsoft xCloud hands-on: Almost Xbox gaming on the go [Video]

Feedback?

Drop us a line at [email protected]. You can also soon rate us in Google Play, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts or recommend us in Pocket Casts to help more people discover the show.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=If7QIqHeaUI

This week we talk about Chromebooks and how they're great for school, the RCS rollout is finally happening, Stadia, and Motorola announcing a weird new nostalgic foldable.

Alphabet Scoop is available on Google Play, Google Podcasts, iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, and through our dedicated RSS feed for Pocket Casts and other podcast players.

New episodes of Alphabet Scoop are recorded every Wednesday afternoon at 4-5 PM ET and published on Thursday mornings. Subscribe to our podcast in Google Play or your favorite podcast player to guarantee new episodes are delivered as soon as they're available.

Hosts:

Stephen Hall

Abner Li

Links:

Apple’s Phil Schiller takes shots at Chromebooks, says kids are ‘not going to succeed’

Google announces Stadia’s launch day game lineup and what’s coming in 2019

Google shows off Stadia interface on Android/iOS and televisions [Gallery]

Stadia AMA confirms Assistant features, Chromecast Ultra firmware requirement, more

Google teases ‘Claw’ phone clip to attach Stadia Controllers and Pixels

Google ‘aiming to release’ new Stadia features weekly, including achievements

Stadia Founders names must be alphanumeric, can be changed later

A Google Stadia team member will personally deliver a Founder’s kit on launch day

Google ‘Cache’ to partner with banks to offer checking accounts

Motorola revives the Razr as an Android Foldable, $1,500 Verizon exclusive

Feedback?

Drop us a line at [email protected]. You can also soon rate us in Google Play, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts or recommend us in Pocket Casts to help more people discover the show.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aA-dlPhSu8E

This week we talk about Google buying Fitbit and its (lack of) implications for Wear OS, some followup on the Pixel 4, and the recent RCS fiasco.

Alphabet Scoop is available on Google Play, Google Podcasts, iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, and through our dedicated RSS feed for Pocket Casts and other podcast players.

New episodes of Alphabet Scoop are recorded every Wednesday afternoon at 4-5 PM ET and published on Thursday mornings. Subscribe to our podcast in Google Play or your favorite podcast player to guarantee new episodes are delivered as soon as they're available.

Hosts:

Stephen Hall

Abner Li

Links:

Review: Subtlety makes and breaks the Pixel 4’s new Google Assistant

Google Pixel 3 vs Pixel 4 comparison: Should you upgrade?

Pixel 4 camera white-balance algorithm can cause stark color differences by mistake

[Update: Official explanation] Google Pixel 4 drops from 90Hz refresh rate when you lower the brightness

Google Pixel 4 disables 90Hz display for these four apps, including Google Maps

[Update: Google responds] Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile join forces to bring RCS to Android in 2020

Google Messages trick enables RCS on any Android phone and carrier

Google parent Alphabet has reportedly made an offer to acquire Fitbit

‘Snapdragon Wear 3300’ for Wear OS may bring 5 years of performance improvements

Xiaomi Mi Watch shows off Snapdragon Wear 3100, UI for China in latest teasers

Xiaomi shows off design and specs for its Wear OS smartwatch in more teaser images

The Moto 360 is being re-released for 2019 w/ new internals, familiar design

Feedback?

Drop us a line at [email protected]. You can also soon rate us in Google Play, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts or recommend us in Pocket Casts to help more people discover the show.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aA_M5FiaVYk