Pixelated: Podcast by NewGeekGuide

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Pixelated 083: The gang does a tier list

Will Sattelberg 4 hours ago

Welcome to episode 83 of Pixelated, a podcast by NewGeekGuide. This week, Abner, Damien, and Will welcome their fellow 9to5 staff members Andrew Romero, Ben Schoon, and Jordan Floyd to the show to assemble a full tier list for 2025’s Android-adjacent launches. From phones and wearables to software upgrades and Gemini’s improvements, we manage to rank more than 20 launches from throughout the year from the best to the rest. Check out the complete tier list at the bottom of these show notes (spoilers!).

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Pixelated 082: Gone in a Glance

Will Sattelberg Dec 19 2025 - 1:30 pm PT

Welcome to episode 82 of Pixelated, a podcast by NewGeekGuide. This week, Abner, Damien, and Will break down their reactions to Google’s surprise release of Gemini 3 Flash. After talking through their preferred models and Gemini launchers, the crew discusses Android 16 QPR3’s arrival and the long-awaited option to remove the At a Glance widget on Pixel. Finally, all three offer their visions for where Google is headed in 2026.

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Pixelated 081: Gemin-eyes

Will Sattelberg Dec 12 2025 - 2:00 pm PT

Welcome to episode 81 of Pixelated, a podcast by NewGeekGuide. This week, Abner shares his experience with trying out some early samples of glasses running on Google’s Android XR platform with Will and Damien. After a surprisingly impressive demo, is it time to start getting excited for the return of Google Glass-esque technology? The trio also dips into some new changes coming to Wear OS and take a quick look at the first One UI 8.5 beta, if only to ask: what’s up with the iOS-ification of Android?

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Pixelated 080: A tale of two Android 16s

Will Sattelberg Dec 5 2025 - 1:30 pm PT

Welcome to episode 80 of Pixelated, a podcast by NewGeekGuide. This week, Abner, Damien, and Will talk through all of the new changes in Android 16 QPR2 and beyond. After digging through everything Google’s been working on these past few months, their attention turns to the newly-confirmed Galaxy Z TriFold. Can they make sense of what’s bound to be yet another ultra-premium device from Samsung, or does this feel like an experiment without a clear path to success?

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Pixelated 079: AirDrop me from your Pixel 10

Will Sattelberg Nov 21 2025 - 2:10 pm PT

Welcome to episode 79 of Pixelated, a podcast by NewGeekGuide. This week, Abner and Will talk through the launch of Gemini 3, breaking down all of the changes Google has made behind the scenes to its LLM. The duo also talks through the (breaking) arrival of AirDrop support on the Pixel 10, a change Google seemingly made all by itself. Finally, with Black Friday around the corner, we take a look at what deals you can score on your next piece of Google hardware.

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Pixelated 078: They don’t have Pixels in Oz

Will Sattelberg Nov 14 2025 - 1:30 pm PT

Welcome to episode 78 of Pixelated, a podcast by NewGeekGuide. This week, Abner, Damien, and Will tackle Google’s surprise Pixel Drop, a jam-packed update filled with new features like low-power maps, notification summaries, and a Wicked-inspired theme pack. Then Will walks through his thoughts on the OnePlus 15, a device that crushes in the battery life department but falls a bit short when it comes to, well, everything else.

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Pixelated 077: Putting Google Maps back in the driver’s seat

Will Sattelberg Nov 7 2025 - 1:30 pm PT

Welcome to episode 77 of Pixelated, a podcast by NewGeekGuide. This week, Abner, Damien, and Will discuss the latest AI improvements making their way to Google Maps in the coming months, including improved conversational guidance along routes and landmark navigation. From there, we cover Google’s ongoing feud with Disney following the expiration of their shared YouTube TV contract, before finishing up with a dive into some extremely impressive Pixel 10 sales numbers.

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Pixelated 076: Wait, do I want a Galaxy XR?

Will Sattelberg Oct 31 2025 - 1:30 pm PT

Welcome to episode 76 of Pixelated, a podcast by NewGeekGuide. It’s another round of Galaxy XR talk — this time, with a full week’s worth of use under Abner’s belt (or face, rather). From tablet comparisons to finding the true use case for this sort of headset, all three of your trusted hosts have found themselves pleasantly surprised and intrigued by the device Samsung and Google has managed to build, even if it’s tough to see this as anything more than an expensive stepping stone towards the lighter, more comfortable gadgets of your sci-fi dreams.

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Pixelated 075: Is Android XR a vision into the future?

Will Sattelberg Oct 24 2025 - 1:30 pm PT

Welcome to episode 75 of Pixelated, a podcast by NewGeekGuide. This week, we dive into the long-awaited launch of Galaxy XR, the realized name for Project Moohan and our first glimpse at a real Android XR product. But what spot can Google and Samsung claim in a market that hasn’t shown much demand yet for premium hardware? And is the future of Android XR other third-party headsets, or is this a stopgap on the way to glasses? Abner, Damien, and Will try to make sense for this vision of wearable computing.

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Pixelated 074: Is the ultra-slim smartphone race already over?

Will Sattelberg Oct 17 2025 - 2:15 pm PT

Welcome to episode 74 of Pixelated, a podcast by NewGeekGuide. This week, Abner, Damien, and Will turn their attention to the rumored cancellation of next year’s Galaxy S26 Edge. The trio discuss what this means for the S25 Edge’s poor sales, and how it relates to Samsung’s ongoing strategy of trying to compete with Apple product by product. Plus, Abner takes the opportunity to share his thoughts on the iPhone Air a month after launch, and a look into what Google can learn from all of this.

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Pixelated 073: Watches and earbuds and foldables, oh my

Will Sattelberg Oct 10 2025 - 1:30 pm PT

Welcome to episode 73 of Pixelated, a podcast by NewGeekGuide. Abner, Damien, and Will jump on their respective mics to talk over their experience with Google’s second round of 2025 Pixel hardware, including the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, the Pixel Buds 2a, and the Pixel Watch 4. Is one of these Google’s standout products of the year? Can we be wowed by a minimal upgrade over last year’s foldable?

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Pixelated 72: Welcome home, Gemini

Will Sattelberg Oct 3 2025 - 1:30 pm PT

Welcome to episode 72 of Pixelated, a podcast by NewGeekGuide. Abner, Damien, and Will reconvene to talk all about Google’s recent smart home announcements. From Gemini for Home and Google’s revised subscription service to the new Home Speaker and that very, very red Nest 2K smart cam, it’s feeling like a fully revitalized smart home platform, and we’re here to talk you through every announcement.

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Pixelated 71: A convergence of ChromeOS questions

Will Sattelberg Sep 26 2025 - 1:30 pm PT

Welcome to episode 71 of Pixelated, a podcast by NewGeekGuide. Damien and Will dive deep into the world of ChromeOS, reacting to the news out of Snapdragon Summit that Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon has seen Google’s Android for PCs replacement and that it’s, in his own words, “incredible.” What should we expect out of Google’s latest laptop venture? Could this be enough to get us to switch from Windows or MacOS? Our thoughts on all of those questions, plus a quick peek at the early unveiling of the OnePlus 15.

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Pixelated 70: Do smart speakers still make sense in 2025?

Will Sattelberg Sep 19 2025 - 1:30 pm PT

Welcome to episode 70 of Pixelated, a podcast by NewGeekGuide. This week, Abner, Damien, and Will talk through their feeling surrounding the upcoming smart speaker Google appears to be readying for launch next month. From whether a Gemini-powered smart speaker fits with what people ask for in their homes to debating if a display is absolutely necessary to make the device worth it, all three hosts work through their feelings on the looming reboot of a once-booming market, and where Google might intend to take the lineup moving forward.

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Pixelated 069: A Pixel-Apple-Pixel sandwich

Will Sattelberg Sep 12 2025 - 1:30 pm PT

Welcome to episode 69 of Pixelated, a podcast by NewGeekGuide. This week, Abner, Damien, and Will kick off by talking about Pixel sales growth, with a recent Counterpoint report suggest 105% YoY growth for Google’s smartphone lineup. After analyzing just what it means for the future of both Pixel and Android, the crew hops over to the other side of the fence to share their thoughts on Apple’s latest iPhone lineup. Don’t worry, loyal listener — they also make sure to wrap-up with some extended thoughts on the Pixel 10’s battery and camera performance, with a promise of much more to come.

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Pixelated 068: More M3E for you and me

Will Sattelberg Sep 5 2025 - 2:00 pm PT

Welcome to episode 68 of Pixelated, a podcast by NewGeekGuide. This week, Abner, Damien, and Will break down their feelings towards Material 3 Expressive now that Android 16 QPR1 is finally out in the wild. Is this the best Android has ever looked? Will Samsung follow Google’s Material 3 Expressive rather than rushing towards a Liquid Glass-esque reality? Do we spend a large chunk of this episode breaking down how we’ve laid out our quick settings menus? That last one has an easy answer: you bet we do.

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Pixelated 067: Pixel 10, one week later

Will Sattelberg Aug 29 2025 - 1:30 pm PT

Welcome to episode 67 of Pixelated, a podcast by NewGeekGuide. This week, Abner, Damien, and Will reconvene after a week with the Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, and Pixel 10 Pro XL to talk about their respective experiences. These three phones might look familiar, but between Tensor G5, Magic Cue and Daily Hub, and Pixelsnap, there’s plenty to break down.

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Pixelated 066: A very different Made By Google

Will Sattelberg Aug 22 2025 - 1:30 pm PT

The Pixelated crew reassembles after an absolutely exhausting week covering Made By Google. Abner, Damien, and Will break down Google’s wild swing at this year’s event, featuring countless celebrity cameos alongside a musical performance, all hosted by Jimmy Fallon. After talking through all of Google’s various new devices, they also touch on the surprise release of Android 16 QPR2 Beta 1, that blink-and-you-miss-it look at new smart speaker hardware, and deliver a quick tease for the next NewGeekGuide podcast.

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Pixelated 065: A Pixel pre-order pickle

Will Sattelberg Aug 8 2025 - 1:30 pm PT

Welcome to episode 65 of Pixelated, a podcast by NewGeekGuide. This week, Damien, Abner, and Will take a break from talking about the endless onslaught of Pixel 10 renders to take in a more zoomed-out look at Google’s current ecosystem. As the company starts advertising the Pixel 10 series, new reports suggest we might be waiting a few months for the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, Pixel Watch 4, and the Pixel Buds 2a. Meanwhile, the company’s decision to stop selling refurbished Pixel 6a models has us thinking about hardware longevity compared to software longevity, and how the two sometimes collide in unexpected ways.

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Pixelated 064: Oh snap, Pixel 10 has magnets

Will Sattelberg Aug 1 2025 - 1:30 pm PT

Welcome to episode 64 of Pixelated, a podcast by NewGeekGuide. This week, Abner and Will make up for Damien’s absence by discussing the latest crop of Pixel leaks, including US pricing for the phones and watch that seemingly avoids tariff-mania. It’s not just prices, though — a new “Pixelsnap” leak all but confirms the native Qi2 support we’ve been begging for for years, while a new Pixel Buds 2a leak points towards a pretty familiar set of earbuds.

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Pixelated 063: Pixel 10, now in living color

Will Sattelberg Jul 25 2025 - 1:30 pm PT

Welcome to episode 63 of Pixelated, a podcast by NewGeekGuide. This week, the Pixel leaks start comin’ and they don’t stop comin’, as we break down the massive amount of Pixel 10 and Pixel Watch 4 leaks that continue to fall into our lap. Come for the conversation on which colors are doing it for us — and which aren’t — and stay for the breakdown on why the Pixel 10 series just might arrive with Qi2 built-in. Plus, what’s the deal with foldables, and is the Pixel Watch 4’s new charger ridiculous, or ridiculously awesome?

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Pixelated 062: The Pixel 10 countdown begins

Will Sattelberg Jul 18 2025 - 1:30 pm PT

Welcome to episode 62 of Pixelated, a podcast by NewGeekGuide. This week, we’re prepping for all things Pixel 10. With Made By Google officially announced for August 20th, we have less than five weeks to go until new Google hardware hits our desk. From phones to wearables, earbuds to foldables, there’s a lot to look forward to — and frankly, it might all boil down to some software secrets we don’t know much about yet.

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Pixelated 061: Samesung no more

Will Sattelberg Jul 11 2025 - 1:30 pm PT

Welcome to episode 61 of Pixelated, a podcast by NewGeekGuide. This week, we’re unpacking Galaxy Unpacked, exploring everything Samsung announced at this week’s foldable-focused event. We also discuss some new Circle to Search tricks on Android and debate whether Gemini for Wear OS is the wrist-based assistant we’ve been waiting for.

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Pixelated 060: Much Ado About Nothing

Will Sattelberg Jul 3 2025 - 1:30 pm PT

Welcome to episode 60 of Pixelated, a podcast by NewGeekGuide. This week, Damien, Abner, and Will talk through Nothing’s latest launch event, including the company’s first flagship Android phone, the Nothing Phone (3). From its divisive design to its new Glyph Matrix display, there’s a lot to take in, as the company seemingly pivots towards a more premium market.

The trio also speculate on what Gemini’s new four-color icon could mean for the future of Google as a company. Is this simply about aligning the logo with Google’s standard theming, or does it tell us something about where Search and Gemini are headed in the future?

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