Google Stadia

Also Buddy pass is delayed:

" Family Sharing, is a "high priority feature," but won't be available until early next year. The Buddy Pass, which will enable Stadia Founder's Edition owners to share their service with another person won't be available until an estimated two weeks after launch."
https://www.pcgamer.com/everything-we-know-about-google-stadia/

 

Microsoft xCloud looks interesting, all their demo's on mobile devices were wired to ethernet though... it could have been a precaution against usually poor trade-show level wifi - lots of interference:

Microsoft Project xCloud Hands-On: Xbox One on your phone
Engadget
Published on Jun 10, 2019
We take a first look at Microsoft's Project xCloud in action.

 

https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-2019-stadia-tech-review

 

LOL



Double LOL

 

Triple LOL.



Aaand my sides have officially entered low-earth orbit.

 

And the hits just keep on coming...

 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/paulta...a-technical-conceptual-disaster/#1eb0eeca5ec7
https://www.pcgamer.com/google-stadia-verdict-so-far-not-ready-for-prime-time/

 

As soon as customers with varying hardware and internet configurations get a hold of Stadia they are bound to have varying experiences.

Worse, reviewers out to protect their console and PC gaming worlds were going to easily find ways to show negative experiences with Stadia, instead of appreciating the technology for what it is and how it innovates and how Stadia has the goal of providing easy access affordable AAA gaming for those that don't have access.

Google gave too much time between announcement and release - time that woke up a lot of console and PC gamers and others invested in those markets to come out against any streaming service that took away investment in their markets.

It's going to be a long slog for Google to keep rolling out Stadia against those negative attacks, same for Microsoft to up or down sell established gaming buyers in the developed markets on stopping their use of their PC's and Consoles for gaming - and to instead move to the living room TV for gaming.

But, we probably don't really matter in the long term. There are lots of people that aren't already hardware / platform invested gamers that might invite a cheaper entry point into gaming. Especially the mobile phone / tablet owners that have hardware that limits their access to AAA games.

Google Stadia Reviews report massive lag as was expected
SidAlpha
Published on Nov 18, 2019
Google Stadia reviews are in and the verdict is massive lag and high latency. So, of course, I couldn’t help but talk about it.
Sources used:
Washington Post video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6pf9...
Stadia Reddit AMA: https://www.reddit.com/r/Stadia/comme...
PCGamer article: https://www.pcgamer.com/google-says-s...
The Rageaholic video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lojZX...


Google Are MAD Launching Stadia With These Problems…
Bellular News
Published on Nov 18, 2019
In todays story, silicon valley and consumer entertainment clash. Tech power users like myself will often be thrilled to get in on the early version of a new product or service, but when it comes to an entertainment product? Well, as good as Stadia’s tech may be, the service appears lacking in most other areas.

Spoiler: List of "complaints"...

- [The controller will need plugged in unless you’re using a Chromecast Ultra, at launch. You also aren’t able to use a Chromecast on TV with third party controllers or mouse and keyboard.]( https://www.reddit.com/r/Stadia/comme...)
- [You also can’t use other controllers with Stadia wirelessly, they’ll need to be plugged in.]( https://youtu.be/Pwb6d2wK3Qw)
- [Orders won’t all make it out on day 1. The Stadia service will be up though, so you can play with an existing controller on basically any device. The only phones that support it will be Google’s own Pixel phones for now, though. Also, the Product Director offered to deliver one by hand in the Bay Area, if someone close to where he commutes DMs him he’ll drop one over and even play a game with them. ]( https://www.reddit.com/r/Stadia/comme...)
- [The 720p limited version uses 4.5GB/hour. The 4K version, which will only be available via Chromecast Ultra and not PC, will use 20GB/hour. Balanced will limit you to 1080p.]( https://i.redd.it/ht06tq2v2iy31.png)
- [iOS support planned but they have no idea when. Making sure it runs on Pixel properly before branching out.]( https://www.reddit.com/r/Stadia/comme...)
- [16:9 looks like the only aspect ratio supported.]( https://www.reddit.com/r/Stadia/comme...)
* [Stadia names can be between 3 and 15.]( https://www.reddit.com/r/Stadia/comme...)
- [Non-answer for accessibility.]( https://www.reddit.com/r/Stadia/comme...)
- [Achievements available on launch day but no implemented UI. They say they don’t want to spam the devices.]( https://www.reddit.com/r/Stadia/comme...)
- [22 games announcement]( https://twitter.com/MrPhilHarrison/st...)
- [22 games list]( https://www.theverge.com/2019/11/17/2...)
- [xCloud Launch List]( https://www.theverge.com/2019/11/14/2...)

 

A second-hand Xbox One with games I can purchase for far less than the $60 a pop Google wants is much more affordable and just as easy to access.

 

Yes, absolutely. You can buy Xbox One or even better, a PS4 and buy a lot of preowned games on disks for a very cheap price (which will save a huge amount of money in a long run making initial hardware cost of gaming console irrelevant), games which you actually physically own (the physical copy of the game where nobody can take away your ability to play this copy even if you will lose access to your account due to a ban or doing something that Sony will consider against their ToS and which you can always give away or resell), games which will NEVER even come on Stadia for ANY price (Killzone, Infamous: Second Son, Persona 5, Horizon: Zero Dawn, God of War, The Last of Us and others) and games which you can enjoy playing even without any internet access or with very slow internet, at their full graphics quality.

Stadia has already failed no matter what Google will do at this point (even if they will increase the server capability by 1000x), and only an irrational, delusional person or a paid shill will try to argue against this ;-)

 

I've just watched the price of the games for this... Am i playing a "stupid" role when saying this won't have a future with such high prices for streaming games? Or is it just me thinking this way?

I mean, i would rather buy a console and get into a store and buy pre-owned games rather than paying for games and having to rent this crap

https://www.androidpolice.com/2019/...t-stadia-games-pro-subscribers-get-discounts/

 

Do you still go into stores and Buy DVD's, Blu-rays', Laserdisc's?

Optical drives are almost unseen in PC builds these days.

Edit for clarity: For the most part if I want to watch a movie or play a game I go to an online Library to watch movies, play games, read a book, and I may download it on Wifi temporarily to my mobile device to be able to reduce my need for cellular data usage, but even then I have enough data cap that I could stream it if I liked - coverage is still spotty all over for high speed data.

If people wanted to buy a used Xbox or PS4 they would have already done so, but they play games on their phone and tablet instead. Now they can play AAA games on their phone, tablet, and TV. The same game purchase enables play on all their devices - even their PC at home and work.

You can't take your Xbox or PS4 to class or work, but you can bring your smartphone and tablet, or use the free PC in the Library at School or the Public Library.

You may not be able to install games on your family PC or at Work, but you can open a browser, plug in a USB controller - or wireless, and without affecting your work or home computer you can play games.

There are lots of potentially advantageous reasons to have a game streaming service, even if it doesn't directly replace Consoles, gaming PC's, or any other alternative that is currently better.

Day One problems for a service suck, but it's Day One, give them a year to fail before declaring failure.

Besides, next year's Console releases are what Google and MS's xCloud are aiming at to siphon market share from, and it'll take'em a year after initial release to optimize things well enough to compete - maybe even longer, but if they don't start now they won't have a chance of being ready for next Holiday Season.

We aren't the target audience right now, that comes later.

 

A PS4 can also stream games from a server just like a Stadia or you can stream from your console to a PC. All you need for the latter is an app and your DualShock 4 controller.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Google cannot even design a good controller for this, only pathetic crap like this:



For the record, it took me just a couple of minutes to disassemble PS4 controller to upgrade the battery, with no physical damage to controller itself. On XBox controller you do not even need that because it uses easily removable AA batteries ;-)
Let's see anyone to try and rationalize this (the work you have to do to disassemble Google Stadia controller) ;-)

 

Yes, absolutely, I am just saying that buying games on disks is more rational decision if you are owner of current generation of consoles ;-)

 

I'd say Google's Controller designer / maker did a great job keeping the "kids" out of the hardware.

You did see Google's warnings and how to get the Controller Serviced, right? That's how you get it fixed / replaced.

Besides, what person kills their hardware while waiting for the "activation code" to arrive? Youtuber's looking for clicks that's who.

It looks to me like Google's controller needs a "jig" to hold the controller and force the halves apart - to unlock the plastic tabs - without cutting into it.

The Controller looks solid, well designed, and heavily engineered to be serviced easily once you are in to it.

Juan Sarmiento 39 minutes ago
"Not intended but watching you attempting to open this was comedy"

Hellonwheels999 1 hour ago
""I thought the codes were in here" ha ha ha ha ha I just died"

Street Guru 57 minutes ago
"We need a delidding tool for this controller"

Whether Google Stadia lasts long enough may depend on iFixit releasing special tools for getting into the Stadia Controller, early on.

I'm far more interested in how it handles gaming than how to break it open.
https://store.google.com/product/stadia_games

 

I mean, i bought a PSP recently and a couple of games for it!

Can you imagine that i spent 10€ and bought 10 games, all of them pre-owned UMD discs for the PSP?

the guy in the store even teached how to flash a custom firmware lol

But yes i do buy stuff in stores. I had a FAT PS3 about 7 years ago with a custom firmware... And did i buy games for it? I sure did purchase the Gran Turismo collectors edition and god of war too

I know we aren't the audience right now but i seriously hope they fix the major input lag the games have now but to be honest, i'm not considering any of these services on my own. Have a PC to run games and i don't like consoles that much but i like the idea of giving the possibility of people who don't have ways to purchase a decent computer nowadays to play games and not need to have a good powerstation for them

 

What I meant to say on that intro was to make a comparison between buying media on physical optical disks vs streaming from Hulu, Amazon Prime, Netflix, Disney+ etc.

And, yes I'm one of those - good habits die hard - but I don't buy as much as I used to as there really isn't much I like enough to buy and keep long term, vs checkout from Library, or stream.

Fixing problems is what Google likes to do. They release something and then iterate until people stop complaining, then twiddle with it endlessly afterwards. Google's gonna love playing with Stadia.

I've had my game libraries a long long time, and have divested myself of most of it because all it does it take up space. If I need to play a game I've got plenty of online games to choose from.

 

I think these are good balanced reviews:

Google Stadia Review In Progress
GameSpot
Published on Nov 18, 2019
Google's vision for Stadia is enticing, but it's a far ways off from where things stand today.


Google Stadia - Before You Buy
gameranx
Published on Nov 19, 2019
Google's Stadia streaming service/platform is here, and with it come tons of questions, updates, features, and everything in-between. Is this worth it? Let's talk.


Google Stadia review: Playable, not perfect
Engadget
Published on Nov 18, 2019
We'll say it, Google Stadia works better than we expected. The game-streaming service is capable of transmitting relatively smooth game play to a Chromecast Ultra, browser, or Pixel phone, and the experience is (relatively) lag-free. But it comes with a host of caveats. Controllers only work wirelessly with the TV, with a computer or phone, you'll need a cable; Graphics are certainly console competitive, but this won't replace a high-end PC; and it worked on our network, but slower connections may see worse graphics and far more lag. Still, call us impressed, this may be the best attempt at game-streaming we've seen yet. Read our full story on Engadget: https://www.engadget.com/2019/11/18/s...


Several people have said that you "pay full price" for games, but from the screen shots I've seen so far with the "buying" options, a number have discounts - I would hope more will follow - as that's gonna be a key benefit for Stadia to capitalize early on.

Google Stadia review! This is the future of gaming (if you have a high data cap)
Android Authority
Published on Nov 18, 2019
Read the full review: http://andauth.co/GoogleStadiaReview | Google Stadia is finally here, but is it any good?


The more Stadia I see the more I feel I will pick up a Founders / Premiere Edition at some point... I already see some being price cut on ebay...plenty of "double" priced scalpers are still hoping to sell at their overpriced listing...maybe more will drop closer to release price later.

Google Stadia Cloud Gaming Review!
Adam Savage’s Tested
Published on Nov 18, 2019
We spend a week testing and playing games on Google Stadia, the newly launched cloud gaming service that streams games to Pixel phones, Chrome browsers, and the Chromecast Ultra. Here's how the service performs at launch, from image quality to latency, as well as which of the promised features are ready today.
Update: after we filmed our review, Google announced that Stadia would launch with 22 games, not 12.
Watch our interview with Stadia's head of engineering to learn how the technology for streaming games works: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eouqo...

 

Now the employees of a company worth nearly a trillion dollars are hiding in Discord. LMAO.

 

Yep, keep defending this increasingly steaming pile of horse manure.

 

Hiding in their public support?

Yeah, his trash parody of serious coverage is up there with the worst reviews I've ever seen. He's turned simple setbacks into a joke.

If you watched the serious reviews I've posted, how could you take Gamers Nexus "review" seriously? All of those serious reviewers figured it out, and he's thwarted by simple setback's, and he is supposed to be "smart"?

Simply whining about things he couldn't do - and making a big deal about it - droning on and on about it, complaining about nothing after nothing, is nothing. And, for me that put's the rest of his reviews in a perspective I've not considered before.

Anyone else would deal with the troubles of the first days of a new service with maturity and dignity, but instead he resorts to silly stunts. I'm not impressed.

Here's how a mature person deals with not getting a code... they wait patiently. And, then he received his code. Surprised?, I'm not.

Google Stadia unboxing. Still no code
steve e miller
Published on Nov 20, 2019
Google Stadia unboxing. Still no code.


1blktalon 4 hours ago
" @steve e miller That's not right that you don't have a code yet. I have no problem waiting since I was so late ordering. Just last week their processing said I wouldn't get it until next week. I was surprised the hardware showed up so soon."

steve e miller 4 hours ago
" @1blktalon Well, I can't do much about it. It's a bummer for sure. At least the chromecast is all set up and ready to go.

steve e miller 2 hours ago
" @1blktalon I got an email confirmation of delivery about a half hour ago and then 30 minutes later, the email with the code showed up. So far so good. Really convoluted setup though."

At least there's one "Steve" that could figure out the solution to not having their code yet, without resorting to silly antics - they waited patiently.

We don't know why the staged rollout of "codes" for access, but they delay's could be based on region based on managing service quality.

Google's cellular service Google Fi is one such example from the past that limited access at rollout to match the bandwidth available by region to make sure customers weren't added too fast overburdening the infrastructure.

Google manage's their bandwidth and service quality, I'm sure they know better than we do why the delays are happening.

It might be a simple matter that "Julie" had to take off for her doctor's appointment and her backup "Sam" was called away for another problem, and so the pipeline for handling code distribution had a people bottleneck.

Or, the automation that controlled the release of the codes has a glitch with the code monitoring the bandwidth or load from the area the user resides, that Google is working on fixing now.

There could be many valid reason's why at launch some things glitch out and interrupt the happy flow of codes to customers.

To jump up and down like a clown on camera for simple new service glitches is silly. Steve of Gamers Nexus needs to tone down the buffoonery a few notches, and show video's of his Cat(s) - or him mountain biking - or run some other backup content if he has no new content when a topic bogs down due to vendor technical glitches.

I'd be far more happy to watch his kitties being silly on camera than to watch Steve try to fill the time with his silliness disrespecting technology that many of us are excited to see roll out - waiting for codes is part of his job, and he couldn't even be patient enough to do that.

I've seen Steve wait for drivers, hardware, media embargoes, plane travel, technical glitches of his own, but he couldn't wait for the "code" to enable his Stadia access? - instead he breaks up the hardware and burns things like a spoiled child?

Working with cutting edge technology takes a "can do" mindset. There are always bugs and setbacks even in the smoothest of releases. Finding the good and working with it while waiting for fixes. Staying positive while others work hard on their parts to set them right. Not being a burden to the process to assure success.

Those are all hallmarks of the technically adept engineer that also exhibits the personal maturity required for a position of responsibility that people can rely on.

Maybe Steve hasn't worked in the "real world"? If so I am not surprised he has these reactions. I take that into account when listening to his normally helpful content. It sure is annoying when he pulls this silliness when I am wanting mature serious content. I don't mind waiting for it, hopefully he'll get his code and do positive coverage we can find useful.

I can only patiently wait.

 

Live now:

Red Dead Redemption 2 on Google Stadia! Ask me anything!
GrandNoodleLite
Started streaming 2 hours ago
Enjoy the stream? Be sure to like and subscribe for more #Stadia!


Google Stadia Review: 4K Image Quality Analysis, Latency Tests. Is This Really The Future Of Gaming?
Digital Foundry
Published on Nov 21, 2019
Our first look at Google Stadia concentrates on the 'Pro' subscription service and its 4K image quality, alongside the usual latency tests. Everything stacked up against Xbox One X - how does Stadia hold up? Note that while we've tried our best to preserve image quality on YouTube, Stadia footage is going through two tiers of compression here, so will look better in 'real life'.


Playing Stadia isn't Fun - Google Stadia Review - Hot Take
Hot Take: Gaming News Rants
Published on Nov 20, 2019
We received our Google Stadia Founder's Edition and here is what we found.


From all of the reports I've seen from Stadia users / owners of great experiences, most of that is down to the network, hardware host, and the success of the owners application of past experiences with their hardware, network, and games in covering all of the setup details.

So much revolves around the technical savviness of the user, and even savvy people can miss the options and tunings until they find them, Google needs to have some in depth "tuning" and "setup" guides, something they aren't known for. I hope Stadia owners stay with it and learn over time how to get the best performance on their network and computer hardware, and I expect that Google sticks with improving the experience while taking feedback seriously

Also, Chromebooks are so slow and that's why I never got them, and refused to use them. I hope Google does a better job moving forward with listing exactly what performance is useful for the various resolutions available on Stadia.

 

Introducing "OK, Boomer: The Console"



But at least now I can take some comfort in knowing exactly where Google's priorities were. Much more important than delivering a reliable service at launch.

 

I'm not passionately for or against Stadia, but that gave me a good laugh.

 

I'm not fundamentally against the idea of Stadia, but literally everyone who has executed a similar concept, from NVIDIA to Sony has done it better and in a more consumer-friendly way. Heck, even OnLive's launch was smoother. I can understand some features not being available at launch, but the depth and breadth of what's lacking is shocking. Combine this with people not getting their systems and the sheer difficulty in getting it running in the first place, and the early adopters who would be your brand ambassadors are lost. I figured this experiment would last 3-5 years. At this rate, it will be lucky to survive 18 months.

 

Some people are experiencing hardware overheating when playing Stadia games on their Chromecast Ultra devices.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Stadia/comments/dzd6v8/chromecast_ultra_overheating
Looks like Chromecast was not designed to properly cool especially when requiring extra processing power to decode Stadia streams.

 

Yea, this is really stupid. People of same gender can like different colors, there is no such thing as "gender neutral" color. Google just trying to jump on current "gender" bandwagon but can't do even this correctly.

I am glad I returned my Pixel 3a XL back to Amazon. This company and their products is not worth supporting (I still use Galaxy S9 which does run Android but at least it has good build quality unlike all of current Google hardware and Samsung has good customer support unlike Google).

 

From that article whose picture I posted above:

I have small hands and can grip a DualShock 4 and Xbox One controller just fine. So can my wife. My young son is getting there.

 

I wondered about that, being a static puck with what looks like no vents or active cooling? Time for another USB fan placement to extend the playing time?

I've done that for a number of devices over time when my usage pattern is much longer than expected. Like when using a Sony video camera for long shoots; it helps to cool devices to get more reliable operation.

Remember the xbox 360's overheating? Same thing. But, the duty-cycle of the Chromecast Ultra required for gaming - I would think - would require a new design with better active cooling - a Chromecast Ultra Gaming Edition, or some such. Hopefully an external fan will help until Gooogle works this out on their own.

Maybe not...

imjustchillingman 33 points 1 day ago
"For those who have never owned a Chromecast Ultra before, mine that I've had for a while now has always got way hot when I'm streaming Netflix or something on it too. More so when streaming 4K. Especially after prolonged use it's shut off a couple times I think. I just unplug it and give it a rest for a little bit. I hope stadia doesn't make them much hotter than they typically get though.."
https://www.reddit.com/r/Stadia/comments/dzd6v8/chromecast_ultra_overheating/f8772gj/

Unfortunately there are a number of contributing factors that need to be working for Stadia to work, so if it stops working and you start to investigate - and you have a hot Chromecast Ultra, maybe keep looking for the real problem - it might be bandwidth, connectivity, or just a glitch - of course if everything looks good and your Chromecast Ultra runs better / longer with a fan pointed at it, complain to Google via Feedback with details so they can improve the service.

 

Yeah, a bunch of "woke" people at Google, always complaining about the ill's of the World and taking actions to resolve them - giving attention to the trivial to some marginalized people so that they can have a nice day. Silly people, right?

Google does their best and has a bunch of hard working people there, but most of them are young with focus on subjects and concerns you may have never heard of - or simply have no empathy toward.

You'll see little things like this that can make you laugh - if you haven't a clue what they are talking about - but there are actually people out there that have real concerns that are attached to projects to help balance the tech with the people that tech touches.

So we see these sensitive issue's addressed by Google staff that aren't directly involved with the engineering, but are involved in the UI and texture aspects of the physical devices.

It's only weird because you are being "left behind" in your own keeping up with the times. Maybe it's not them, maybe it's us?

Although Google wrote Android and supports it long term, and their devices are the first and at times the only devices that get updates, and bear the standard for pure Android, they are more affordable than extravagant.

Imagine the scene, Google needs hundreds - thousands - of devices to populate their development, testing, QA, field - and customer developers with devices in order to support new technologies and software to run them.

Do you overload those devices with heavy expensive parts and unnecessary geegaw's to blow the budget of every project inside Google?

Or do you develop the device focused on new technologies that Google is developing and need to have for software development - focusing on function over form.

If you don't need an Android phone for development, or you aren't a fan of raw Android and cutting edge roll out of new features, and you don't use multiple devices - this would be your only device - then sure get another phone too and dedicate the Google phone for things like Stadia, so you don't miss out on the cool new things at the cutting edge of Android.

What was wrong with your Pixel 3a XL? I know it's off topic, but if we keep it brief it might be ok, since those are the only Android devices currently supported by Stadia.

Hey, "Google Stadia Android Interfaces" are on sale on Black Friday:

Giant Black Friday phone deal slashes price of 2019's Google Pixel 4 and 3a
But not the XL models
By Tom Bedford 2019-11-22
https://www.techradar.com/news/gian...-slashes-price-of-2019s-google-pixel-4-and-3a

Techradar has already found a few good deals for me in the US ahead of the holiday sales...

"Not in the UK? There's a great deal on the Google Pixel 3a in the US, and we'll monitor the Pixel 4 prices to see if they drop too.

Google Pixel 3a, 64GB $399.99 $249.99 at Best Buy
Just ahead of Black Friday, Best Buy is offering up to $150 in savings on the Google Pixel 3a. You can save $100 instantly, plus an additional $50 with qualified activation from AT&T, Verizon, or Sprint." [New line or new account $299.99, upgrade $349.99.]

Black Friday sale for Stadia Pro subscribers
https://community.stadia.com/t5/Sta...riday-sale-for-Stadia-Pro-subscribers/ba-p/41

" GraceFromGoogle
Community Manager Tuesday
"Be sure to check out the store on the Stadia app for special promos! Please note that you must be subscribed to Stadia Pro in order to access the deals, and you must be accessing the store through the mobile app.

Happy Launch Day everybody! "

 

True. I have both PS4 controller and XBox controller and they fit fine, and I know some female players who also use Xbox controller fine. Google saying that their controller is somehow "better" in terms of size is nonsense, both Sony and Microsoft did extensive studies to come up with design which would fit average hand size of any gender and they had much longer experience than Google.

 

Maybe that's why Google is pointing out that they are taking the time to do the same ergonomic and user focused testing of their own?

Just because Sony and Microsoft have already done it for their hardware doesn't mean that Google doesn't need to do the same for their hardware too.

Make sense? Why boast about Sony and Microsoft doing the same thing then rip Google for doing the same due diligence while testing and designing for their products?

Google Stadia LYING & Deleting Evidence! A Gender Neutral Controller (Obviously)
Nov 22, 2019
TheQuartering
Google Stadia continues to have a VERY rough launch and now apparently they are pandering too? Yikes, maybe get your games working?

 

The Pixel 3a XL is actually a great phone. I'm considering a decision between the 4 XL, 3a XL or One Plus 7T to replace my aging Pixel XL. Mostly because the Dec update is going to be the last security update it gets.

I keep going back to deciding between the 4 XL and the 3a XL just for the timely security updates. The two most important aspects for me are security updates and battery life. Though One Plus seems like one of the best OEMs for timely updates. I'm thinking the 3a XL might be the best option.

I guess this is off-topic.

 

Well, if someone is thinking of trying Stadia right now on a phone, selecting a Pixel is on topic for them.

I mean, we can actually buy the access code and Stadia hardware on Ebay right now, and cut through the launch bottlenecks.

Google Stadia is a Mismanaged Train Wreck.
Nov 22, 2019
BeatEmUps
Google Stadia is kind of a mess. Destiny 2 works really well, but Samurai Showdown has terrible input lag. Also, just getting your Stadia Invite Code is an issue.

 

I've had all those, I'd get the 4XL and don't look back but do it on one of the sales. No one with a functional brain pays full price for a Pixel. The reasoning is that the 3a XL is subject to dropping apps out of memory so you have to reload them from scratch more than you should. This was thanks to the 4 gigs of memory which is not enough anymore. Other problems with the lower ram count is doing something like opening the camera can empty out your memory and involve a wait. It can also be forced to redraw they UI when going to and from the main settings. Other than the memory issues the phones are solid as long as the storage is adequate. That's today though, memory requirements are just going to go up and the phone is likely to be tired by the time it reaches the end of it's useful life. The 4 does not have these problems and should be sprightly to the end of it's service life. I'd skip the vanilla 4 in favor of the XL just for the extra battery. Going to the OnePlus I've had many and they are good phones with great specs and the 7T easily wins the hardware bullet point war. On the other hand if you're an XDA type everyone is trying to add Pixel features, make it more like a Pixel. Some of these you can do successfully, some will partially work, some Pixel features will never make their way over there. Take the most obvious one, everyone want's the Goog camera software and you can install the port. It doesn't however work correctly and has bugs. You see this all over the place with trying to Pixelify your OnePlus device, get the dialer port and it almost works but not quite correctly, it goes on and on.

So why are they trying to get all those Pixel features? It's because the Pixel line does the little things that you appreciate every day. It's like the girl you like to hang out with versus the one that seems more exciting but the hanging out part is not so good. The much maligned Soli for example: I use it and appreciate it for the odd times I need it, like changing songs or taking calls while doing the dishes. It's not sexy, it doesn't make a great bullet point, but in the day to day it and all those other Pixel things make it that girl, the one I want to hang out with.

 

That's quite an indictment of how bloated Android has become recently. The 3 GB in my iPhone 7 Plus is still more than adequate especially since Apple fixed the memory management issues I was having prior to the latest iOS update (13.2.3).

 

Supply chain reports suggest that Apple is also moving to 6 gigs, time marches on for everyone and in any event Android doesn't manage memory with the same strategy and must work across a range of hardware. It is not in any way an apples to apples comparison when considering the actual management itself between the two. Right now almost everyone will have no problems with 6 gigs on Android, eventually that number will go up just as the number has been going up for Apple and will continue to do so for both. At the user level what matters isn't a number, it's whether the job is getting done.

 

Pixel 3a XL is ok for the price, especially if you do not care for watching movies/videos. I ordered it on Amazon but had to return after receiving replacement units with same issues. Here are the issues I had:

1) Poor build quality: the vibration motor was producing rattling sound which was unpleasant when using haptic feedback for onscreen buttons and keyboard. I have various Galaxy smartphones, I also used Apple phones, I know how good haptic feedback should feel like. This is probably due to manufacturing defect since other users were happy with haptic feedback of 3a.

2) Poor display quality: there is a very noticeable color shift when you are tilting the display, much more than on Samsung phones with OLED display. Also, the second replacement unit had a display defect where lower portion of display had pink tint (known issue with various Pixel phones). In addition to this, I watch Amazon Prime shows and movies. When I watched them on Pixel 3a XL with latest updates, Prime player did not want to enable "HD" and there is no way in Prime player to force it. This issue does not happen with any Samsung phones. I don't know why this happens but I could not resolve this.

3) There are not enough adjustments. For example, I can adjust display sensitivity on my Samsung phone and also vibration strength for calls or for on-screen buttons. This is not possible on Pixel 3a XL.

The battery life and camera quality were great, though, so if you do not care for lack of options, poor display quality and poor QC in general - it may be worth buying it from a place where you can easily return it. I got mine from Amazon, they did not charge me for returns.

 

That's not the fault of OS but more the fault with particular version that Google uses. I had used Samsung Galaxy phones with 4GB of RAM, my parents still use them, they run fine and manage plenty of apps in background without closing them. The Google Pixel does memory management differently and Google's software quality control is pretty poor so this is why Pixel 3 users had serious issues with 4GB of RAM in terms of too aggressive app closing and random slowdowns. Personally I did not notice anything like that on Pixel 3a XL running latest Android version so maybe they have fixed it.

 

When you've lost Dave2D...

 

So can you not run stadia using a keyboard and mouse?

 

Most of the Google hoopla is to attract Console gamers - cheaper to run than a Console - so the Controller is the initial interface Google is featuring, but you can play on PC mouse / keyboard interface as well - varying by game, here's a couple of articles that discuss Stadia keyboard and mouse use:

I Just Played Doom on Google Stadia: Here’s How It Feels
Playing Doom on Google's new Stadia gaming platform answers some of our questions about the upcoming release. Here's what we learned from our hands-on time.
By Marshall Honorof March 20, 2019
https://www.tomsguide.com/us/doom-on-google-stadia,news-29683.html

"When Google says that its upcoming Stadia platform is input-agnostic, the search giant is not kidding.

You can use Google’s proprietary controller; you can use a PS4 controller; you can even use a clunky old Logitech controller, as most of the demo stations at GDC were doing.

However, I learned firsthand that you can also use a mouse and keyboard— a real boon for playing an FPS like Doom (2016)."

How to use Stadia on PC
By Wes Fenlon 7 days ago
What works at launch, and what doesn't, with Google Stadia on PC.
https://www.pcgamer.com/how-to-use-stadia-pc/

 

Except that it's not, especially this time of year. Base PS4s that include three games are selling for $200 brand new and will give you a completely lag-free experience when playing single-player games.

And now Stadia is causing Chromecast Ultras, the thing that's required to get 4K on the very small handful of games in an already small launch library, to overheat.

 

Yeah, reading all this, I was really hoping Google could make this a viable product. It still might be OK for people that just want to play some games and aren't really enthusiast level gear heads.

For me though, I think the XBox gamepass for PC was a better option... Between that, my stupid steam backlog, and the free games EGS has been tossing me and my Cyberpunk 2077 pre-order on GoG, I don't think I'm going to have to buy any new games until 2021.. lol .. By then most of the 2018-2020 releases that I've missed will probably be at least half price or appear on game pass...

It's gotten to the point where I just can't keep up with all these releases. I'm just getting around to finishing Divinity OS2 .. DAMN There's Baldur's Gate 3 as well.. ugh.. yeah I'm just going to have to resign myself to not playing a lot of games that look pretty good. I haven't even bought any AC games past Unity and I love that series.. RoTTR is still in my backlog and Shadow is like pittance level price.. TOO MANY GAMES NOT ENOUGH TIME.

 

Oh looky here, we have an optimist among us boys!

I'm pretty sure I have a more humble collection of games than you, but even then it should last me until 2025. Yours could probably go as far as 2030
Currently not interested in streaming at all, but am curious about MS' subscription. Unfortunately once I will be forced to move to Windows 10 I might give it a go, especially with MS2020 around the corner (still no news on how it's gonna be priced and distributed).

 

You were expecting Google to make a "viable product" out of Stadia? No offense but this is very naive and foolish to think this way about Google. A company who still can't make competitive flagship smartphone, still has horrible customer support (if you ever had to replace few smartphones through them or contact them about your YouTube channel issues - you will know what I am talking about, or you can just read /r/googlepixel and /r/youtube subreddits), still does not have iMessages alternative for Android (they have started to roll out RCS messaging in US this month but many other countries still do not have access to it and only their own messenger and few others have access to RCS messaging and they do not yet support end-to-end encryption with RCS messaging) and a company which, like no other company in existence, is known to waste millions of dollars on dozens of abandoned projects:
https://killedbygoogle.com

It is pretty foolish at this point to expect them to succeed in cloud gaming because of high level of incompetence of the leadership.

I would not say PS4 would give a lag-free experience if you are playing it online, but yes, this is a much better hardware platform right now in all regards, especially the amount of games available and the price of the games (you can buy used disks from anyone and play them then resell them for same price you bought them for once you don't want to play these games anymore).

Another fact irrational people fail to understand is that if Google will ban you (including for behavior not associated with Stadia, for example you decided to ask your bank to initiate chargeback for something like Pixel smartphone if you ordered it from Google) - you will lose Stadia account and all the games you paid for. If Microsoft or Sony will ban you from their network - you can still use all games you purchased on disks. They are forever yours.

 

Stadia works for what is does, which for enthusiast that will probably be primarily on tablet and smartphone interfaces, which will be a more then welcome thing to have and Especially if all you want is just some fun and dont want to climb up the long enthusiast latter of learning. I believe there should be a warning for those with satellite internet however, unless someone can prove me wrong?

 

I should have clarified - I meant lag free from a single-player game perspective. Also, if you want a game streaming service, Sony's is actually quite good. It might not ultimately be as robust as XCloud once that launches, but PS Now's library of more than 800 games is very compelling.

 

Yes, if the medium already has enough lag to ruin interactive gaming then adding Stadia isn't going to magically fix that.

Until we get a server on Mars, we shouldn't play from there either.