ZDNET’s key takeaways
- The Pixel 11 collection has a number of helpful options off by default.
- You possibly can enhance your telephone’s show and its charging velocity.
- Some settings require customization.
I’ve been a devoted Pixel person for the reason that starting, so I used to be naturally excited to get my arms on Google’s newest iteration, the Pixel 11 Professional XL. I’ve been impressed with it total, however I seen that, as Google has performed earlier than, the gadget isn’t arrange completely out of the field.
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After spending a number of weeks with the gadget, I discovered that a number of options are both turned off by default or want optimizing to work in the easiest way doable.
1.Decide a Digital camera Look fashion
The digicam was the most important cause I first joined workforce Pixel again in 2016, so it’s one of many first locations I appeared on the Pixel 11 Professional XL. New this yr is Digital camera Seems to be, a setting that adjustments how photos might be processed earlier than you are taking them. You possibly can change plenty of settings, together with distinction, shadows, tint, sharpness, and heat.
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I’ve all the time cherished the digicam on any Pixel I’ve had, however I’ll admit that photos can look a bit over-processed at instances. If image high quality is essential to you in any respect, it’s important to set this characteristic proper out of the field as a result of it applies to each picture you are taking from that time on. You could find Digital camera Look by opening the digicam app, tapping the settings icon within the bottom-right nook, and making your adjustments.
2. Customise your lock display widgets
Pixel’s “At a Look” lock display widgets are one of the crucial sneakily helpful options, and also you’re lacking out when you’re not utilizing them. These widgets are off by default, however whenever you allow them, you possibly can see real-time data with out unlocking your telephone. You possibly can see climate data, sports activities updates, flight data, rideshare and meals supply updates, health data, and extra.
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To make use of these widgets, long-press on an open area on your own home display. To customise your widgets, go to Settings > Wallpaper & fashion > Extra lock display settings > Widgets on lock display. To entry your widgets, you simply swipe left out of your lock display.
3. Allow Easy Show
Out of the field, your Pixel 11’s show isn’t set to make the most of its full functionality. The Pixel 11 collection comes with a improbable low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO) show, however it’s barely throttled within the title of battery life. You’ll discover the elevated decision most on textual content and in advantageous particulars. It received’t make an enormous distinction to your streaming or giant show components, although. If you happen to learn persistently, both articles or e-books, you’ll need to make the change.
To vary this, head to Settings > Show > Display Decision. Bump the setting from “Excessive decision,” which is 1080 x 2404, to “Max decision,” which is 1344 x 2992.
4. Use Excessive Charging mode
If you happen to’re something like me, your telephone often wants a fast cost some evenings. The Pixel 11 collection launched Excessive Charging Mode, which accelerates charging by pausing background exercise and non-essential apps. Google says the mode ought to cost the Pixel 11 and 11 Professional to over 50% in half-hour, and the Pixel 11 Professional XL to 75% in half-hour. From my testing, that estimate was fairly correct.
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There are a number of caveats: this characteristic is barely out there when your telephone is at or under 50% battery, and also you do want to show it on each time you utilize it. However after the primary time you do it, it’s out there in your fast settings. Head to Settings > Battery & charging > Excessive Charging to show it on the primary time.
5. Customise HiLight
When you have the latest Pixel, you would possibly as effectively reap the benefits of considered one of its greatest promoting factors. I felt like this characteristic was gimmicky at first (and I’m nonetheless a bit grumpy it changed my beloved thermometer), however the extra I exploit it, the extra I prefer it. The multicolor LED on the telephone’s rear digicam bump can point out who’s calling, function a standing indicator for Gemini, and extra — and it’s nearly sure that extra usability will arrive over time.
The place I discovered essentially the most use was once I had my telephone on silent. After assigning particular colours to contacts (you are able to do this from the contact data display), I may simply see whether or not a name was value choosing up with out reaching for my telephone.
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To ensure you’re getting essentially the most out of your new gadget, head in and alter your contact HiLight colours straight away. It solely takes a number of seconds and makes deciding whether or not to reply a name loads simpler.
6. Activate Notification Historical past & AI Summaries
We’ve all by chance swiped away an essential notification or missed a notification in a sea of updates. The Pixel 11 affords two notification options that will help you keep up to the mark.
Notification Historical past is a characteristic that logs each alert from the final 24 hours, together with these you swipe away. That is off by default, that means whenever you dismiss a notification, it’s gone eternally. With this on, you get a searchable, chronological backup.
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AI Notification Summaries, because the title implies, takes lengthy multi-notification threads and stacked notifications and turns them into bullet factors. This characteristic is powered by on-device Gemini Intelligence, and you may select which apps to summarize.
You could find each of those underneath Settings > Notifications > Notification historical past & Notification Summaries.
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