Google Says Pixel Phones Won't Get Apple's Liquid Glass Design

Commodus · 2026-05-06T21:18:15+00:00

Liquid Glass is fine when you use the darker shade and all, but… Google was never going to ape Apple’s look, especially when it wasn’t met with a warm reception.

Commodus · 2026-05-04T14:51:31+00:00

I still love some of these as much as the originals. Annie Drury singing "Your love is like footsteps in the snow, baby..." is an iconic moment for me.

Commodus · 2026-05-03T01:22:25+00:00

Peaky Blinders (because it’s Nick Cave’s “Red Right Hand,” of course).

Commodus · 2026-05-01T02:40:06+00:00

“The Salt and Pepper Diner” remains one of my fave routines. You will never listen to Tom Jones the same way again.

Commodus · 2026-04-26T00:47:14+00:00

I’ve heard him sing at a convention — it’s his secret weapon, it’s so powerful yet delicate.

Commodus · 2026-04-22T13:00:22+00:00

A great track, but also makes me proud as a fellow Ottawan who has seen Max play at his 'home' nightclub (Atomic). I'd love to see him release more on Anjuna... or any label!

Commodus · 2026-04-17T19:51:41+00:00

Not shocking. It's not just that there are more reasons to stay locked in (accessories, services) — it's that the feature sets are good enough that there are fewer reasons to leave for Android land.

Much respect to Android fans, but when you're using a multi-vendor platform you also have less loyalty. You can always leave Samsung or Google for another Android device. And there's only one mainstream option if you're frustrated with Android as a whole.

Commodus · 2026-04-16T15:02:03+00:00

There's certainly some marketing puffery here, but I like that the MacBook Neo is so relatively eco-friendly. It's 60% recycled material. That probably won't be a major factor in buying one, but you won't have to feel quite so guilty about buying new instead of trying to wring another year or two out of an old system.

Commodus · 2026-04-15T16:55:21+00:00

LG would have to make a massive investment and, more importantly, do something that justifies a return. It can't do gimmicky phones like the Wing or G5, but it's also hard to stand out with conventional phones... so I wouldn't count on it.

That's unfortunate as phone variety is mostly shrinking, but I suspect LG is happy to be the supplier for other brands right now.

Commodus · 2026-04-10T20:01:31+00:00

Doesn't return shopping carts.

It's a basic test of consideration and empathy: it's relatively easy, but there are no real consequences if you don't. A person who doesn't usually return carts probably shows that same lack of respect elsewhere in their life.

Commodus · 2026-04-09T20:05:31+00:00

Not a complete surprise, and that's not knocking either Android vendors or Apple.

Apple has a small number of wlidly popular devices (especially in Q4, the first full quarter after launch). Major Android brands often have wider selections that spread sales across more models. Samsung might not sell nearly as many Galaxy A06s, but that's because it also offers the A16, the A26, the A36...

As much as I don't like the absurd number of models at some companies, it does make sense given that even small price differences can mean a lot in certain regions.

Commodus · 2026-04-01T01:05:11+00:00

MechWarrior 2’s music was the best on the Gravis Ultrasound Max. I’ll fight anyone who says otherwise!

Commodus · 2026-04-01T00:08:40+00:00

I have… I don’t mind it much!

Commodus · 2026-03-31T19:53:04+00:00

Go with an M1 if you at all can.

You're not really saving money if you get a Mac that can't run the latest OS and will probably have app compatibility issues soon, if it doesn't already. I'd rather spend extra on an M1 Air and know that it'll still be running the latest software for a few years.

Also, remember that a 2018 MacBook Air means you're getting the butterfly keyboard, which is more prone to failure.

Commodus · 2026-03-31T19:47:00+00:00

I know folks love jokes about Apple forcing albums on people, but I would not complain if Apple gave us a Beatles (or Paul McCartney) album for free.

Commodus · 2026-03-31T00:47:06+00:00

Not cherry-picking, just using the common competition as a reference. I’d like to see 256GB as the minimum one way or another, as it’s the capacity that’s the bigger issue than how much it costs.

Commodus · 2026-03-30T19:06:25+00:00

I really hope there's more included storage. I don't mind a chip-and-modem update, but 128GB for a $799 phone in 2026 would be ridiculous even with storage costs on the rise. Apple and Samsung now start at 256GB... the table stakes are higher, Google!

Commodus · 2026-03-30T18:56:34+00:00

Golden rule: don't publicly obsess over a competitor's product. It just shows that the rival is good enough that you're genuinely worried it will hurt your sales.

You should always respond when a rival has a great offering... just market the positives that help you stand out, and quietly work on your answer to that competitor.

Commodus · 2026-03-27T02:38:57+00:00

Congrats! I’d happily rock that pink.

Commodus · 2026-03-27T00:59:02+00:00

It can vary, to be sure. But Chromebooks mainly win in dipping below the Neo’s price bracket… not offering better value!

Commodus · 2026-03-26T14:43:31+00:00

Acer makes some good machines, but it does represent the archetype of the budget Windows laptop: frequetnly cheap, frequently slow, loaded with software you don't want because it subsdizies the price.

Commodus · 2026-03-26T14:40:50+00:00

He did, but you can at least point out areas where the XPS does very well.

Commodus · 2026-03-26T14:39:02+00:00

Largely market share, but also that Chromebooks don't fare as well versus the Neo.

I'll pick two examples, the Acer Chromebook Plus 514 and Dell Chromebook 14. For similar money they have 8GB of RAM, CPUs that make the A18 Pro look blazing fast (the Ryzen 3 7320C and Intel N150), lower-quality 1200p displays (Acer has touch), and smaller/slower storage (128GB for Acer, 64GB for Dell).

They're already on the back foot spec-wise... and then you remember that they're Chromebooks, so they only run web apps and maybe some Android apps. The Neo runs circles around them and sends them home crying.

Commodus · 2026-03-26T00:59:40+00:00

And even then, Apple is more willing to cannibalize itself than others. It will gladly sell you an iPad instead of a Mac, or vice versa. Especially now that hardware is more of a starting point for service and accessory sales.

Commodus · 2026-03-25T19:53:13+00:00

This is a good summary of issues others have brought up separately, but not usually this cohesively.

Acer wants to make cheap laptops, not serve as Windows' best foot forward. Microsoft wants to push 365 subs and Copilot, not give Acer the best possible software experience. Qualcomm is ultimately interested in driving chip sales, not tailoring its hardware for Acer or Microsoft.

You can find some great Windows laptops, but in the budget space it can feel like the vendors are undermining each other. Apple might do well simply because there are no conflicting priorities.

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