- cross-posted to:
- news@lemmy.world
- cross-posted to:
- news@lemmy.world
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I mentioned this in another thread, but this only applies to their “Team Pixel” ambassador program. Those aren’t actual reviewers, they’re contracted by Google’s PR firm, specifically to promote their product line. They’re not coming after MKBHD and the likes with this. This is just part of their sponsorship agreement.
Worst case scenario in this situation is a few lifestyle vloggers will stop getting free phones.
The second half of the article goes into that a bit. Seems like some reviewers were also grouped into that program before, and the terms weren’t like this before.
The Verge spoke with other independent reviewers and freelance tech journalists who say that they were grouped into the Team Pixel program for review units in the past. For those in the latter group, the new stipulation is a threat to their integrity and livelihood. Matlock says he’s since quit the Team Pixel program over the new terms.
YouTuber Kevin Nether, who runs The Tech Ninja channel, also says the clause led him to quit the Team Pixel program. “As someone who reviews technology for a living, I work with many brands. To be cornered into using one product — that doesn’t work for me, and that’s nothing I want to participate in.”
Nether echoes that he’s never seen this kind of stipulation in previous Team Pixel surveys. Usually, he says, the survey gauges a creator’s interest in various topics, like sports or fashion, to identify areas for collaboration. In the past, he says he’s made it clear to Team Pixel representatives that outside an obligatory post, he will review the device as normal. Nether also says this exclusivity term is atypical. Usually, when brands demand exclusivity from creators or brand ambassadors, they’ll offer payment, have clear disclosure rules, and have limited timelines.
Either Google changed the focus of the program, or the intent wasn’t clear enough in previous years
Either Google changed the focus of the program, or the intent wasn’t clear enough in previous years
I dunno, I got invited to it and I read through the application forms, which looked very similar to the ones they’re posting screenshots of now. Back when I first looked at it a few years ago, it seemed pretty clear that the whole deal was “we’ll give you free phones if you advertise us to your community”. The application process focused very heavily on determining what sort of following the applicant has, how receptive they are to calls to action, etc.
As far as I can tell, the only thing that’s changed is that Google is saying the quiet part out loud, which I would imagine is because a member likely bad-mouthed the product and raised a stink about getting cut off from the freebies. Not to sound victim-blamey, but if anybody in this programed was disillusioned into thinking it was anything short of “be our unpaid advertising monkeys”, then they must not have even taken a cursory glance at the description before signing up.
The only reason I am buying Pixel devices is the amazing third party os / rom support (especially GrapheneOS).
Same. I don’t care about the camera or AI features, the speakers could be louder, and a few other nitpicks, but it supports GrapheneOS, has a long SW support cycle, and has some great security hardware, so I bought one. I actually kind of prefer my older, crappy Moto phone in some ways, but I’m unwilling to use an insecure device, and ROMs aren’t supported (well, I guess I could sign an abusive agreement).
So yeah, Pixel wins for me because of GOS and longer SW support. That’s honestly it.
You could try the fairphone
I could, but I’m in the US, and only the Fairphone 4 seems to be available, and that has limited updates left. I’m also not sold on /e/OS, but it’s probably fine.
The Option to install Graphene OS onto the Pixel do be a very good argument for it.
I’ll always be distrustful of Google hardware, but yes. I’ve been considering a Pixel as my next.
When is the industry going to recognize that the camera needs to be flush with the back?
This is ridiculous
If the camera really does need to be that thick for lens reasons, couldn’t we at least make the rest of the body bigger with more battery?
Yes, but then it would be slightly heavier and have way too good of a battery life, reducing power bank sales and having the phone last longer without needing to be replaced due to battery degradation.
Literally nobody who cares about their phone is rawdogging it. It’s a perfectly sane design assuming there will be a case.
I wish I didn’t have to put a case on my phone
Why? It’s better to have the part most likely to suffer damage also be replaceable
Because it adds more bulk to an already massive device, and it’d be nice to have the device itself be able to withstand bumps and scrapes without needing extra padding.
I mean, if you want to withstand bumps and scrapes you need padding. But without a case you need the padding to be glued to the phone directly. The bulk remains the same no?
Also, fingerprint scanners don’t belong behind the screen.
Unless you have the greasiest fingers of anyone who ever lived, they just don’t work. I have to lick my fingers to make it see them…
As my grandmother used to tell me, “Your hands are dry, go lotion them up sonny.”
And from that point on, Granny never did question why lil’ Petey bought lube by the 55gal drum load.
At least his hands, amongst other things, were soft and well moisturized.
Tech reviews are a corrupt mess and can seldom be trusted, especially reviews by “influencers”.
Wow those camera bumps look so ugly. They had a nice look in the previous generations
I have the 8 and I find it so frustrating. It makes the phone uncomfortable to hold and pocket
I hate the bumps. The camera in the 4a/5 generation was fine. Hate the new look and feel but had to upgrade because of security updates and not wanting to custom rom because I value NFC payments too much.
I hate the camera bumps. Just make the entire phone the same thickness and - hey! This is crazy, but maybe then you could then add a bit more structural integrity and put a bigger battery and a SD card slot and a headphone jack in there as well.
I don’t like that this is the way things are (in relation to influencers) but it seems reasonable to me that if you sign up to shill for a company, you should be expected to shill for the company.
