Google reportedly searching for 15 Pixel “Superfans” to test unreleased phones
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It doesn't make sense to get someone who is a superfan to test your products. They are going to like it regardless.
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I wonder if I should apply. If they have a "Why you're a superfan" section to fill out, I'd say something to the effect of:
"If you're going to sell more of these things get someone like ME, who's never owned a Pixel, to evaluate it. No preconceptions about its performance, and an honest review. Otherwise it's just marketing masturbation, so why bother?"
Yeah, that won't work, but that's kind of my feeling about this. It's pretty fucking pointless.
ETA: Has a what the fuck moment and checked out. They want Google sycophants and cheerleaders. They don't want honestly.
"If you're going to sell more of these things get someone like ME, who's never owned a Pixel, to evaluate it. No preconceptions about its performance, and an honest review. Otherwise it's just marketing masturbation, so why bother?"
Yeah, that won't work, but that's kind of my feeling about this. It's pretty fucking pointless.
ETA: Has a what the fuck moment and checked out. They want Google sycophants and cheerleaders. They don't want honestly.
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Or worse, they'll complain about things that make life easier for new users of the product line but are pointless/in the way for people who know them thoroughly. Or up-rate features that only make sense to the superfans and just confuse the new customers.
Bottom line, it's fine to do this, just make sure that you feedback-test your products on actual potential new customers as well.
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Agreed. But this is a long way from the worst recent news from Google about the future of Pixel/Android.
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I would love to do this. I really need to be a tech reviewer because I buy and try all manner of different devices. My nieces and nephews love getting my hand me downs. Right now my two phones are an iPhone Air and a Pixel 10 Pro XL. Love that Pixel camera.
The Pixel hardware with Niagra launcher is just
The Pixel hardware with Niagra launcher is just
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No they're not. I use Pixels because they're the only phones that offer a clean Android experience with monthly updates and a lengthy commitment for support. If Samsung offered a phone without their skin I'd give them a shot since their phones are pretty good aside from that. I'm not a huge fan of Apple's UI, but they also make great hardware.
Pixels have faults. If I got into that program I'm not gonna recommend things that the vast majority of people don't care about but lots of Ars readers do (headphone jack or memory card slots). Instead, I'd try to get them to address actual issues with Pixels, like their subpar video capabilities compared to their competitors. And maybe calm down with all the AI bullshit, though that could probably apply to most tech companies now. lol
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This month I got a Pixel phone for the first time and I absolutely hate it. Genuinely the most unhappy I have ever been with a new phone. Can I test their new phones and give feedback? I have a lot of feedback to give.
edit; since people will ask
From my sony xperia phone to this pixel phone, I can not:
Block calls that aren't in my contacts list (the on/off button to do so is removed from the menu it was at on the old phone)
Enable 3-button navigation in games (games are forced full screen)
Remove the time/date from the top of the home page
Remove the search bar from the bottom of the screen
Have 5 apps in a row
See if I have any notifcations without touching the screen (my old phone had a notification light that would blink)
edit; since people will ask
From my sony xperia phone to this pixel phone, I can not:
Block calls that aren't in my contacts list (the on/off button to do so is removed from the menu it was at on the old phone)
Enable 3-button navigation in games (games are forced full screen)
Remove the time/date from the top of the home page
Remove the search bar from the bottom of the screen
Have 5 apps in a row
See if I have any notifcations without touching the screen (my old phone had a notification light that would blink)
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After a Pixel 5a that had a bad motherboard (which is a common problem), and a Pixel 6a that could explode or catch on fire any day now, but one Google won't give me any money for... I just don't understand why I or any one else would ever want to buy a Pixel again.
That combined with the fact that they're doing everything they can to shut down any form of openness on Google-blessed Android with Google Play Services, Google is just making all sorts of choices to put me into a very anti-Google mood.
Right now, my intuition is saying that I will be using will be using a LineageOS-based phone. I hope some of you follow a similar path. We need open phones.
That combined with the fact that they're doing everything they can to shut down any form of openness on Google-blessed Android with Google Play Services, Google is just making all sorts of choices to put me into a very anti-Google mood.
Right now, my intuition is saying that I will be using will be using a LineageOS-based phone. I hope some of you follow a similar path. We need open phones.
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They want someone to simp for them on social media. By the current levels of popularity Google is enjoying these days, 15 people in the world is probably as much as they can do.
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The time to ask for feedback on a phone is when its being designed, not when it is being already in production.
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If they really are looking for glazers, I definitely wouldn't qualify. Especially if they're looking for folks with a social media presence (I have none). I am signed up with Superfans but I don't engage much with them. I was hoping I'd get discounts on Pixel devices. I don't. lol
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"Best adequately adequate device with Graphene support! 7/10 would buy again if there were no alternatives; again."
Jokes aside; and not that I'd expect to get any traction in the cursed hellworld of 'engagement' crazed product managers and techbro bean counters; but I would sincerely offer advice along those lines:
It's so, so nice to use a device that is 'quiet' literally and figuratively; and everyone seems to have moved away from that. Everything just sitting there until you command it to do something. Nothing grabbing at the edge of your attention like an urchin. No 'recommendations', no 'highlights', no attempt to precog you for an enhanced user experience.
Being able to hear yourself think should be a default, not a privilege.
Jokes aside; and not that I'd expect to get any traction in the cursed hellworld of 'engagement' crazed product managers and techbro bean counters; but I would sincerely offer advice along those lines:
It's so, so nice to use a device that is 'quiet' literally and figuratively; and everyone seems to have moved away from that. Everything just sitting there until you command it to do something. Nothing grabbing at the edge of your attention like an urchin. No 'recommendations', no 'highlights', no attempt to precog you for an enhanced user experience.
Being able to hear yourself think should be a default, not a privilege.
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If the sentiments in the various Pixel subreddits are any indication, they'll be hard pressed to find 15 people in the world that are not constant complainers. They're by far the most negative of the phone forums I've come across.
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I am in the Pixel Superfans group; I joined it when it was first launched. I also signed up to be a tester as part of this program and would be delighted if they select me.
But I absolutely will not engage in sycophancy if selected. I understand how important it is to provide constructive criticism and if I get a chance to test unreleased hardware, I'll do my best to anticipate the sorts of things that would be in the "bad" or "ugly" category of an Ars Technica review and let Google know in the hopes that they might address some of those things before release.
And of course even though I really am a legit Pixel super fan — it's the only phone I've used since the first one came out — I have my own gripes with Pixels too that I would like to see addressed. My biggest axe to grind is I would like to see more work put into improving the camera hardware and less work put into "improving the camera" purely with software changes, since I am a heavy camera user.
But of course there are many other things to criticize too. No phone is perfect. The best kinds of fans are honest about these things and give real feedback instead of just gushing. Hopefully they select the right kinds of fans to get the best possible feedback.
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So, basically what Apple did when they released the Vision Pro?
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I bought a Pixel 9a and immediately flashed GrapheneOS. For those who don't know, Graphene is a free, degoogled Android fork. This means that you retain essentially all the benefits of Android in terms of app compatibility and optimization for mobile devices, with none of the downsides (remote control of the device by Google and extensive telemetry/surveillance). The OS is also hardened against various kinds of attacks.
At the moment only Pixels are supported by Graphene, but I feel they are a better value in terms of hardware and user experience than Linux phones.
At the moment only Pixels are supported by Graphene, but I feel they are a better value in terms of hardware and user experience than Linux phones.
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So not an online influenza.Ryan Whitwam said:
Someone with technical familiarity with many android mobiles but also the professionalism to not tell the world.
I think we know one person writing this article who fits the bill.
Superfan means not that Jerry guy.
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That's not how these Beta-testers actually operate. They get an opportunity to find out something and get to contribute, just a little bit, and because they are "super fans", they'll tolerate glitches and keep using the phones. A well run beta-tester program will find things that internal QA misses.
That's not the weird part, though. I really thought Google already had a beta-tester program. So what is this program? And why are there so few?
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I'm a superfan who can't stand my Pixel, and I've owned just about every Pixel and Nexus device since inception—including the Nexus Q.
Give me an unreleased Pixel; I'll gladly tell you what I loathe about it.
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Sounds like a way to get some free beta testing while harvesting the data on a pile of users interested in a new Pixel.
Although that assumes Google doesn’t already know all that info. But it’s Google, I always assume there’s a marketing ploy.
Although that assumes Google doesn’t already know all that info. But it’s Google, I always assume there’s a marketing ploy.
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Perhaps. But they’ll also give you relevant feedback on the evolution of your software and hardware, without comparing it to samsung or some other vendor who are aiming for a different experience.
If you don’t you’re bound to get feedback that looks more like a gap analysis.
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This strikes me as just as silly as that Air Bud open casting call. If they didn't have it figured out before, I'm not sure how this is going to help them.
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They want superfans cause pixels kinda suck and they know only superfans will forgive them their shortcomings. i've had 3 and they've been one downgrade after another, which is why i'm finally ditching them this year
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Not sure I understand properly who is super fan.
On one side, it clearly implies a person who likes no matter what the company products. Usually, a fan is an irrational person who puts a blind eye on negative parts and focuses solely on positive parts, like an Apple fan. Usually, that is a person regardless of any objective criticism.
Google wants to test the device in real world outside lab that say that people are working for Google so they are forced to give more positive feedback than negative and Google is honestly worrying about it. Make a forum with discussion of the features, but I never saw a forum like that. Google's help pages are usually so outdated that at least some of them don't even match anymore to current operating system settings anymore. Any help that is more than just rebooting the phone is usually answered with a very vague answer asking to reboot the phone, even if the user is telling specific features or errors.Which seems to me like a really big barrier to acknowledging the real issues.
I it need to be a feedback from superfan is like a fan that's even more fun than average fan. So does it mean I completely ignore any clause and tell to any issues? This is a part of the intended design? What's the point of having such a feedback? I think it's cheaper to pay a contract to a random YouTuber and ask him to praise the phone, or maybe YouTubers are not agreeable anymore?
At the moment Google support is tick marking exercise for me. It doesn't exist any issues. I had a bit more serious issue than a frozen screen, which can be resolved by restarting. The film is usually answered by, "We're going to send your issue to your engineer. Send them." The team of engineers says, "Sorry, we don't have any answers for you." No, not exactly.Sorry, just pointing to the Google's outdated help pages that don't solve the issue in the first place.
On one side, it clearly implies a person who likes no matter what the company products. Usually, a fan is an irrational person who puts a blind eye on negative parts and focuses solely on positive parts, like an Apple fan. Usually, that is a person regardless of any objective criticism.
Google wants to test the device in real world outside lab that say that people are working for Google so they are forced to give more positive feedback than negative and Google is honestly worrying about it. Make a forum with discussion of the features, but I never saw a forum like that. Google's help pages are usually so outdated that at least some of them don't even match anymore to current operating system settings anymore. Any help that is more than just rebooting the phone is usually answered with a very vague answer asking to reboot the phone, even if the user is telling specific features or errors.Which seems to me like a really big barrier to acknowledging the real issues.
I it need to be a feedback from superfan is like a fan that's even more fun than average fan. So does it mean I completely ignore any clause and tell to any issues? This is a part of the intended design? What's the point of having such a feedback? I think it's cheaper to pay a contract to a random YouTuber and ask him to praise the phone, or maybe YouTubers are not agreeable anymore?
At the moment Google support is tick marking exercise for me. It doesn't exist any issues. I had a bit more serious issue than a frozen screen, which can be resolved by restarting. The film is usually answered by, "We're going to send your issue to your engineer. Send them." The team of engineers says, "Sorry, we don't have any answers for you." No, not exactly.Sorry, just pointing to the Google's outdated help pages that don't solve the issue in the first place.
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So what happens when this is cancelled 3 months into the project? Do they get to keep the phones?
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The contest is already closed. In fact, it was closed on Friday the 17th, long before this story broke. Kinda surprising, actually. Notification of selection goes out on 25th.
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I've been a Pixel Superfan member for a while now and I got that email to sign up to be a potential tester of new Pixel devices a few days back. I've been using Android since the original G1 and have had almost all the Nexus and Pixel devices. We'll see if I get selected.
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lol they dont even list the pixel 10 on their "which google devices do you own?" question.
Wouldn't superfans have the latest device? lol
Wouldn't superfans have the latest device? lol
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I've owned enough pixels to never, ever be a "superfan." Every update changes things up just for the hell of it, making it more difficult to set an alarm or use whatever assistant they want me to use this month.
The best phone I ever had was a Pixel 3a (imagine a fingerprint reader that always works!). Every software and hardware update since has been a downgrade.
The best phone I ever had was a Pixel 3a (imagine a fingerprint reader that always works!). Every software and hardware update since has been a downgrade.
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I just want to install ssh and rsync without compromising my phone's security, I have a sneaking suspicion this isn't enough to be a "superfan"
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