Tech

Google Pixel 4a vs older Google phones: Should you upgrade? – Android Authority

Published

4 years ago

August 11, 2020

8 hours ago

The Google Pixel 4a marks the second generation of Google’s affordable smartphone line, offering a tempting combination of affordability and premium camera smarts. If you’re a current Pixel owner contemplating an upgrade or simply out bargain hunting, the Pixel 4a’s value for money proposition is impossible to overlook, even if you’re currently rocking an older flagship-tier handset.

Should you upgrade to the Pixel 4a from an older Google phone? Here’s a rundown of how Google’s latest mid-ranger stacks up against its predecessors to see if it’s worth the upgrade.

Our full verdict: Google Pixel 4a review: Google’s best phone in years

Google Pixel 4a vs Nexus phones

Google’s smartphone ambitions didn’t start with the Pixel series. Before that came the Nexus range and, honestly, major kudos if you’re still using a fully functioning Nexus-era device.

Aimed more at developers while also showcasing Google’s vision for stock Android, the last entries in the series, the Nexus 6P and 5X, launched back in 2015. Unfortunately, Nexus smartphones often weren’t the most reliable. Given the sheer age of the hardware at this point, they’re well past due for a replacement.

The Google Pixel 4a offers an affordable update route with more powerful processing hardware than those old flagship chips, the latest and greatest version of Android without the hassle of manual installs, and industry-leading camera capabilities. There’s really no reason to hold onto a badly aging Nexus handset any longer except for pure nostalgia.

Google Pixel 4a vs Pixel 1

The original Google Pixel debuted in 2016, with flagship hardware in a 5-inch package and 5.5-inch screen size for the XL variant. The Pixel’s hardware looks a little dated by today’s standard though, even compared to the mid-range Pixel 4a.

The quad-core Snapdragon 821 processor is also slower than the mid-range octa-core Snapdragon 730G inside the Pixel 4a. This is thanks to more modern CPU core designs in Google’s affordable phone. The two are also pretty comparable with it comes to graphics, but you’ll probably get the best results from the more modernly optimized Pixel 4a.

Google’s latest camera package can trace its root all the way back to the original Pixel, but the newer model benefits from dual-pixel phase-detection autofocus, optical image stabilization, and Google’s latest approaches to processing. The first-gen Pixel also doesn’t boast any fancy features like an IP rating or wireless charging, so there’s nothing to miss moving to the Pixel 4a either. They also both sport headphone jacks!

The original Pixel actually looks pretty dated too due to the thick bezels. But, perhaps most importantly, Google stopped supporting the Pixel and Pixel XL with security updates as of October 2019.

With a marginally more modern camera package, better performance, and Android updates guaranteed until August 2023, the Pixel 4a is a solid update on the original Pixel flagship.

Google Pixel 4a vs Pixel 2

The 5-inch Google Pixel 2 and 6-inch Google Pixel 2 XL narrow the hardware gap with the newer 4a. But due to the age of the Pixel 2 series, it’s coming to the end of its time on Google’s support roadmap. Android and security updates officially end in October 2020, meaning the upgrade to Android 11 will be the last.

The phones’ octa-core Snapdragon 835 processor is slightly faster than the Snapdragon 730G when it comes to gaming, but we haven’t had any complaints about the Pixel 4a’s day-to-day performance. The same can’t be said for the Pixel 2, which is notoriously hampered by its 4GB RAM (the Pixel 4a has 6GB RAM) and resulting forced app closures. The newer model also offers superior battery life, making it a better phone to use day-to-day.

The Pixel 2’s support-cycle is coming to an end.

The camera package is virtually identical on paper. However, the Pixel 4a benefits from built-in support for Google’s astrophotography and other latest features. The Pixel 4a also boasts 18W fast charging versus 10W charging, as well as thinner bezels. However, the Pixel 4a lacks the Pixel 2’s IP67 rating and front-facing speakers.

The Pixel 2 series was controversial for dropping the headphone jack, which the Pixel 4a retains. The older phones also encountered display issues. Overall, the Pixel 4a is a more refined package that’s more practical to actually use versus the Pixel 2. Plus, it’s about time to switch from the Pixel 2 for long-term Android updates too.

Google Pixel 4a vs Pixel 3

The Google Pixel 3 and 3 XL are still reasonably modern flagships. They boast an IP68 rating, speedy Snapdragon 845 processor, and Qi wireless charging that you simply won’t find on the Pixel 4a. The Pixel 3 also supports Google’s latest camera features and boasts a secondary wide-angle selfie camera, a feature we were disappointed the Pixel 4a didn’t copy (especially after the rival OnePlus Nord included one). Google’s last-gen flagship is definitely the more feature-rich and powerful handset. Plus, the build materials are a notable step up from the Pixel 4a’s more basic feel.

However, the Pixel 3 isn’t perfect. It endured similar problems with battery life as the Pixel 2, but its display is, thankfully, much better and the phone’s design isn’t as bulky either. Well, except for the Pixel 3 XL’s gargantuan and unsightly “bathtub” notch. Both phones also stuck with just 4GB RAM which again resulted in apps closing in the background at an alarming rate for a flagship phone. The Pixel 4a doesn’t have this problem.

Don’t miss: These 7 phones are the best Google Pixel 4a alternatives

However, unless iffy memory management (or the jump from 64GB to 128GB base storage) is a complete deal-breaker, there’s no compelling reason for Pixel 3 owners to jump to the Pixel 4a. The Pixel 3 also has more than a full year of software updates left in it. You may benefit from a switch if you’re having issues with the Pixel 3’s battery life, but if that’s a major bugbear, it might be worth leaving Google’s ecosystem altogether.

Google Pixel 4a vs Pixel 3a

This brings us to Google’s first and quite successful mid-range handset — the Pixel 3a. We’ve given these two a much deeper comparison already, but let’s recap the main pros and cons of upgrading.

The Pixel 4a boasts a handful of improved features, an ever so slightly larger display than the standard Pixel 3a (we didn’t get a Pixel 4a XL, sadly), and a punch-hole front camera. However, the core experience is similar enough between the two that Pixel 3a owners probably won’t feel the itch to upgrade any time soon. Especially as the two feature identical camera packages, which remains one of the main reasons to buy the affordable Pixel.

That said, the Google Pixel 4a benefits from 128GB UFS 2.1 storage versus the Pixel 3a’s slower 64GB eMMC 5.1. The newer Snapdragon 730G SoC also provides more CPU and GPU performance over the Snapdragon 670, and the phone sports 2GB more RAM. Combined, this can be the difference that makes this mid-range experience that little smoother. With more memory, the Pixel 4a should age a little better as a result too.

But unless you’re clamoring for a little more performance, the Pixel 3a/Pixel 3a XL and Pixel 4a are uncannily similar. For that reason, most Pixel 3a users will still feel very happy with last year’s phone.

Google Pixel 4a vs older Google phones: The verdict

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Smartphone tech continues to move at a brisk pace, even in more affordable market segments. Upgrading to the Google Pixel 4a is a no-brainer if you’re holding on to a handset from 2016 or older — Google phone or otherwise. Today’s mid-range tech is simply superior. Google’s latest affordable phone is also a reasonable improvement over the still relatively recent Pixel 2, especially given the handset’s well-documented flaws.

Moving up from last year’s Pixel 3a is less worthwhile, but perhaps justifiable if you want a modest storage and/or performance upgrade. As you’d surely expect, the modern flagship Pixel 3 and, by extension, the newer Pixel 4 offer enough bells and whistles that moving to the Pixel 4a would be a notable downgrade. That said, it’s a little trickier picking between the Pixel 4 series and the Pixel 4a if you’re choosing between the two for a brand new phone — check out our comparison for more.

Google Pixel 4a The best of Google for $349

Getting the Google experience has never been more accessible. A compact phone that’s easy to use, a beautiful screen, and one of the best cameras in this price range. The Pixel 4a is hard to beat.

Will you be upgrading from an older Google device to the new Pixel phone? Let us know in the comments!

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The Internet is Littered in ‘Educated Guesses’ Without the ‘Education’

Published

1 week ago

October 8, 2024

Nick Kossovan

Although no one likes a know-it-all, they dominate the Internet.

The Internet began as a vast repository of information. It quickly became a breeding ground for self-proclaimed experts seeking what most people desire: recognition and money.

Today, anyone with an Internet connection and some typing skills can position themselves, regardless of their education or experience, as a subject matter expert (SME). From relationship advice, career coaching, and health and nutrition tips to citizen journalists practicing pseudo-journalism, the Internet is awash with individuals—Internet talking heads—sharing their “insights,” which are, in large part, essentially educated guesses without the education or experience.

The Internet has become a 24/7/365 sitcom where armchair experts think they’re the star.

Not long ago, years, sometimes decades, of dedicated work and acquiring education in one’s field was once required to be recognized as an expert. The knowledge and opinions of doctors, scientists, historians, et al. were respected due to their education and experience. Today, a social media account and a knack for hyperbole are all it takes to present oneself as an “expert” to achieve Internet fame that can be monetized.

On the Internet, nearly every piece of content is self-serving in some way.

The line between actual expertise and self-professed knowledge has become blurry as an out-of-focus selfie. Inadvertently, social media platforms have created an informal degree program where likes and shares are equivalent to degrees. After reading selective articles, they’ve found via and watching some TikTok videos, a person can post a video claiming they’re an herbal medicine expert. Their new “knowledge,” which their followers will absorb, claims that Panda dung tea—one of the most expensive teas in the world and isn’t what its name implies—cures everything from hypertension to existential crisis. Meanwhile, registered dietitians are shaking their heads, wondering how to compete against all the misinformation their clients are exposed to.

More disturbing are individuals obsessed with evangelizing their beliefs or conspiracy theories. These people write in-depth blog posts, such as Elvis Is Alive and the Moon Landings Were Staged, with links to obscure YouTube videos, websites, social media accounts, and blogs. Regardless of your beliefs, someone or a group on the Internet shares them, thus confirming your beliefs.

Misinformation is the Internet’s currency used to get likes, shares, and engagement; thus, it often spreads like a cosmic joke. Consider the prevalence of clickbait headlines:

You Won’t Believe What Taylor Swift Says About Climate Change!
This Bedtime Drink Melts Belly Fat While You Sleep!
In One Week, I Turned $10 Into $1 Million!

Titles that make outrageous claims are how the content creator gets reads and views, which generates revenue via affiliate marketing, product placement, and pay-per-click (PPC) ads. Clickbait headlines are how you end up watching a TikTok video by a purported nutrition expert adamantly asserting you can lose belly fat while you sleep by drinking, for 14 consecutive days, a concoction of raw eggs, cinnamon, and apple cider vinegar 15 minutes before going to bed.

Our constant search for answers that’ll explain our convoluted world and our desire for shortcuts to success is how Internet talking heads achieve influencer status. Because we tend to seek low-hanging fruits, we listen to those with little experience or knowledge of the topics they discuss yet are astute enough to know what most people want to hear.

There’s a trend, more disturbing than spreading misinformation, that needs to be called out: individuals who’ve never achieved significant wealth or traded stocks giving how-to-make-easy-money advice, the appeal of which is undeniable. Several people I know have lost substantial money by following the “advice” of Internet talking heads.

Anyone on social media claiming to have a foolproof money-making strategy is lying. They wouldn’t be peddling their money-making strategy if they could make easy money.

Successful people tend to be secretive.

Social media companies design their respective algorithms to serve their advertisers—their source of revenue—interest; hence, content from Internet talking heads appears most prominent in your feeds. When a video of a self-professed expert goes viral, likely because it pressed an emotional button, the more people see it, the more engagement it receives, such as likes, shares and comments, creating a cycle akin to a tornado.

Imagine scrolling through your TikTok feed and stumbling upon a “scientist” who claims they can predict the weather using only aluminum foil, copper wire, sea salt and baking soda. You chuckle, but you notice his video got over 7,000 likes, has been shared over 600 times and received over 400 comments. You think to yourself, “Maybe this guy is onto something.” What started as a quest to achieve Internet fame evolved into an Internet-wide belief that weather forecasting can be as easy as DIY crafts.

Since anyone can call themselves “an expert,” you must cultivate critical thinking skills to distinguish genuine expertise from self-professed experts’ self-promoting nonsense. While the absurdity of the Internet can be entertaining, misinformation has serious consequences. The next time you read a headline that sounds too good to be true, it’s probably an Internet talking head making an educated guess; without the education seeking Internet fame, they can monetize.

______________________________________________________________

Nick Kossovan, a self-described connoisseur of human psychology, writes about what’s

on his mind from Toronto. You can follow Nick on Twitter and Instagram @NKossovan.

Tech

Tight deadlines on software projects can put safety at risk: survey

Published

1 week ago

October 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

TORONTO – A new survey says a majority of software engineers and developers feel tight project deadlines can put safety at risk.

Seventy-five per cent of the 1,000 global workers who responded to the survey released Tuesday say pressure to deliver projects on time and on budget could be compromising critical aspects like safety.

The concern is even higher among engineers and developers in North America, with 77 per cent of those surveyed on the continent reporting the urgency of projects could be straining safety.

The study was conducted between July and September by research agency Coleman Parkes and commissioned by BlackBerry Ltd.’s QNX division, which builds connected-car technology.

The results reflect a timeless tug of war engineers and developers grapple with as they balance the need to meet project deadlines with regulations and safety checks that can slow down the process.

Finding that balance is an issue that developers of even the simplest appliances face because of advancements in technology, said John Wall, a senior vice-president at BlackBerry and head of QNX.

“The software is getting more complicated and there is more software whether it’s in a vehicle, robotics, a toaster, you name it… so being able to patch vulnerabilities, to prevent bad actors from doing malicious acts is becoming more and more important,” he said.

The medical, industrial and automotive industries have standardized safety measures and anything they produce undergoes rigorous testing, but that work doesn’t happen overnight. It has to be carried out from the start and then at every step of the development process.

“What makes safety and security difficult is it’s an ongoing thing,” Wall said. “It’s not something where you’ve done it, and you are finished.”

The Waterloo, Ont.-based business found 90 per cent of its survey respondents reported that organizations are prioritizing safety.

However, when asked about why safety may not be a priority for their organization, 46 per cent of those surveyed answered cost pressures and 35 per cent said a lack of resources.

That doesn’t surprise Wall. Delays have become rampant in the development of tech, and in some cases, stand to push back the launch of vehicle lines by two years, he said.

“We have to make sure that people don’t compromise on safety and security to be able to get products out quicker,” he said.

“What we don’t want to see is people cutting corners and creating unsafe situations.”

The survey also took a peek at security breaches, which have hit major companies like London Drugs, Indigo Books & Music, Giant Tiger and Ticketmaster in recent years.

About 40 per cent of the survey’s respondents said they have encountered a security breach in their employer’s operating system. Those breaches resulted in major impacts for 27 per cent of respondents, moderate impacts for 42 per cent and minor impacts for 27 per cent.

“There are vulnerabilities all the time and this is what makes the job very difficult because when you ship the software, presumably the software has no security vulnerabilities, but things get discovered after the fact,” Wall said.

Security issues, he added, have really come to the forefront of the problems developers face, so “really without security, you have no safety.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 8, 2024.

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Tech

Beware of scams during Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days sales event: cybersecurity firm

Published

1 week ago

October 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

As online shoppers hunt for bargains offered by Amazon during its annual fall sale this week, cybersecurity researchers are warning Canadians to beware of an influx of scammers posing as the tech giant.

In the 30 days leading up to Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days, taking place Tuesday and Wednesday, there were more than 1,000 newly registered Amazon-related web domains, according to Check Point Software Technologies, a company that offers cybersecurity solutions.

The company said it deemed 88 per cent of those domains malicious or suspicious, suggesting they could have been set up by scammers to prey on vulnerable consumers. One in every 54 newly created Amazon-related domain included the phrase “Amazon Prime.”

“They’re almost indiscernible from the real Amazon domain,” said Robert Falzon, head of engineering at Check Point in Canada.

“With all these domains registered that look so similar, it’s tricking a lot of people. And that’s the whole intent here.”

Falzon said Check Point Research sees an uptick in attempted scams around big online shopping days throughout the year, including Prime Days.

Scams often come in the form of phishing emails, which are deceptive messages that appear to be from a reputable source in attempt to steal sensitive information.

In this case, he said scammers posing as Amazon commonly offer “outrageous” deals that appear to be associated with Prime Days, in order to trick recipients into clicking on a malicious link.

The cybersecurity firm said it has identified and blocked 100 unique Amazon Prime-themed scam emails targeting organizations and consumers over the past two weeks.

Scammers also target Prime members with unsolicited calls, claiming urgent account issues and requesting payment information.

“It’s like Christmas for them,” said Falzon.

“People expect there to be significant savings on Prime Day, so they’re not shocked that they see something of significant value. Usually, the old adage applies: If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.”

Amazon’s website lists a number of red flags that it recommends customers watch for to identify a potential impersonation scam.

Those include false urgency, requests for personal information, or indications that the sender prefers to complete the purchase outside of the Amazon website or mobile app.

Scammers may also request that customers exclusively pay with gift cards, a claim code or PIN. Any notifications about an order or delivery for an unexpected item should also raise alarm bells, the company says.

“During busy shopping moments, we tend to see a rise in impersonation scams reported by customers,” said Amazon spokeswoman Octavia Roufogalis in a statement.

“We will continue to invest in protecting consumers and educating the public on scam avoidance. We encourage consumers to report suspected scams to us so that we can protect their accounts and refer bad actors to law enforcement to help keep consumers safe.”

Falzon added that these scams are more successful than people might think.

As of June 30, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre said there had been $284 million lost to fraud so far this year, affecting 15,941 victims.

But Falzon said many incidents go unreported, as some Canadians who are targeted do not know how or where to flag a scam, or may choose not to out of embarrassment.

Check Point recommends Amazon customers take precautions while shopping on Prime Days, including by checking URLs carefully, creating strong passwords on their accounts, and avoiding personal information being shared such as their birthday or social security number.

The cybersecurity company said consumers should also look for “https” at the beginning of a website URL, which indicates a secure connection, and use credit cards rather than debit cards for online shopping, which offer better protection and less liability if stolen.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 8, 2024.

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