The Pixel 8a provides such a different experience from the 4a! It’s bigger and it’s heavier, and it’s… it’s… uh… did I mention it’s bigger and heavier? The battery lasts a lot longer, but I was doing fine with the 4a’s battery until its runtime was cut in half by that mandatory Android 13 update.
Well, it’s done. For $300 I have a Pixel 8a and keep the Pixel 4a. Everything has been copied over, the SIM swapped, and the cellular phone service checked. To my surprise, 5G came up. The last I knew, my plan was limited to 4G/LTE.
All of the many updates have been taken. Now there’s the arduous task of logging onto many accounts and pairing all of the Bluetooth devices.
How did I take a picture of both phones, while both of them were busy? With my ol’ reliable Canon PowerShot SD1000. I don’t know how long it had been since I last used the camera, but it powered right up without needing a charge.
This old commercial with Maria Sharapova had absolutely nothing to do with why I bought a Canon PowerShot camera! Not a thing, I swear!
The battery in my Pixel 4a has gone through some changes since I took the mandatory Android 13 update. The first day, the battery seemed to last much longer than it ever had. The second day, it returned to its previous rate of discharge. Today, it seems to be running down somewhat faster than usual.
Half an hour ago, Google sent me a $100 discount code for the purchase of a new Pixel phone. Checking the Google Store, I saw the Pixel 8a is once again at $400, a hundred bucks off its list price. Can the discount code be combined with the sale price? Yep, it can, so I ordered one.
With my Pixel 4a’s battery at 35%, I attempted to manually take the battery update.
After charging the phone the update completed.
Now I will watch for changes related to this update, while waiting for Google to send me the promised code for the $100 discount on a new Pixel phone. If they’re recommending the battery be replaced, how can I not be eligible? In the past, something like this would have been considered a First World Problem, but that’s no longer true.
Update: So what has changed? The battery meter is locked at 100%, which can’t be correct. Having no idea when the battery is about to die means Google has effectively broken my phone.
Update Update: After sitting at 100% all day, the battery is at 94%. Most curious. Maybe I’ll resort to checking a 4a forum to see if anybody else has taken the update.
Denmark is well-known in audio markets for its brands of high-quality loudspeakers. These companies would be harmed by Trump imposing import tariffs on Danish goods in his mad wish to take possession of Greenland.
The granddaddy of Danish speakers was the now-defunct Dynaco, which also made highly regarded amps. I am the proud owner of a pair of beautiful Dynaco A25 speakers, now over fifty years old.
Here are present-day Danish manufacturers of premium loudspeakers that Trump is unknowingly threatening. Bang & Olufsen is a brand, now 100 years old, that you may have heard of before.
Also based in Denmark is a leading manufacturer of raw speaker drivers that other companies incorporate into their designs. Its woofers and tweeters were used in the original line of Dynaco speakers.
And, oh yes, let’s not forget Denmark’s Ortofon, my favorite phono cartridge maker. Will Trump follow through on his reckless threat?
My Google Pixel 4a is four years old. Software support ran out something like 18 months ago, but that wasn’t enough to motivate me to get a new phone. Today, this message came in from Google.
Hi Douglas We wanted to let you know about an upcoming software update for your Pixel 4a that will affect the overall performance and stability of its battery. Pixel phones, like other smartphones, use rechargeable lithium-ion batteries that, over time, may experience performance, capacity, or runtime degradation. In the coming days, your Pixel 4a will receive an automatic software update to Android 13 that introduces new battery management features to improve the stability of the battery. This update will reduce your battery’s runtime and charging performance. To address this, we’re providing some options to consider. Please take a look and choose which one works best for you. More details related to this change are available here. Eligibility criteria and other terms will apply. Thank you, Pixel team
Argh. I’ll take the update manually when it becomes available in a couple of days. There’s no point in putting it off. Once I see the effects of the change I can decide what to do. Maybe it just limits charging to 80%. That’s becoming a thing now.
Update: I called up some special 15-digit number from my phone and submitted it to see if I’m eligible for a $100 discount on a new phone from the Google store. If so, I’ll order a Pixel 8a.
