Happy Days! My first Google Pixel 😊. T-Mobile Pixel 4a 5G - Just opened the box.

[NewYork_NY]

This device has arguably one of the best cameras on a handset (at least in its price range) and true clean Android OS. I can't wait to try it out. Of course, the camera experience is yet to be seen, but as soon as I do I’ll share my thoughts.

Today though, just a literal unboxing of the Pixel…

Opening The Box

1. The box is easy to open. Yeah, sounds stupid and all, but when trying to take video and unbox with one hand, that’s a big deal. The box has pull tabs, so I didn’t need to whip out a blade of some sort to delicately cut the tape. (I’m a dork. I save the boxes)... Yes I know this is silly. Just having fun here.

2. The phone – Very nice. It has a plastic back, but it’s solid and has a nice touch to it. It’s smooth and feels nice on the fingers. The well placed finger print scanner on the back is also covered in the same plastic, giving it a real slick streamlined look. I don’t know for sure, but this could prove a bit slippery. I’ll give it some time without the case and report back, though  I’d still recommend the Pixel 4a 5G official case. Case aside the Pixel feels very well made and pretty durable. It’s not particularly heavy, and still has a premium touch. From what I can tell of the front, there’s 1 punch hole 8MP selfie cam on the top left of the 6.2” OLED 60 Hz display (1080x2340 pixels). Which, I’d argue 60 HZ will be plenty good enough for your ‘phone’ gaming needs. That’s yet to be seen – but Google also includes a 3-month Stadia trial which I’m looking forward to taking advantage of. On the top/bottom and sides you have a USB Type-C, 3.5 mm headset jack on top (Love this! I use BT for some things and my kick-@ss wired headphones for real listening), and the Power button and Volume controls. Also 2 microphones with noise suppression and 2 bottom firing stereo speakers.

The Pixel 4a 5G and Case

3. Camera: On the back you find the square camera console that houses a 12.2 MP dual-pixel main lens and 16 MP ultrawide lens. What I know about the camera, but haven’t tried just yet: The Pixel 4a 5G touts it can take vibrant photos even in the dark with “Night Sight”. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing some of these pictures and I have to agree they look amazing. Also the ability to capture pictures of the stars and moon! None of my phones have ever done that justice, so I can’t wait to try it! They also have “Portrait Light” which allows you add light to specified areas in your photo – during and/or after the picture has been taken.

Some dorky camera specs: Main: 12.2 MP dual-pixel, 1.4 μm pixel width, Autofocus with dual pixel phase detection Optical + electronic image stabilization ƒ/1.7 aperture, 77° field of view 
Secondary: 16 MP ultrawide, 1.0 μm pixel width ƒ/2.2 aperture, 107° field of view

While we’re on camera specs – the video is supposed to have some really sick image stabilization I can’t wait to try out.

• Video: Rear Camera 1080p @ 30 FPS, 60 FPS, 120 FPS, 240 FPS, 4K @ 30 FPS, 60 FPS Front Camera, 1080p @ 30 FPS

4. Charger/Accessories – In the box you also receive a USB-C to USB-C cable, a 18W fast charger for its 3885 mAh battery, a Quick Switch adapter to connect to and move from another device and a SIM removal tool. And of course a quick start guide and informational booklet.

What Else is In The Box?

5. Recommending the official Pixel 4a 5G case - Why? Well, for one it looks awesome. It’s also a nice fabric feel made from 70% recycled materials. It feels great in and not slippery. It’s got perfectly placed buttons and a minimalistic design. Doesn’t add much to the size/weight. This is my first fabric case ever, and I like it! Oh, and you can pick up different colors to reflect you!

6.  More! There’s a lot more to know about this device than what’s just in the box. I haven’t had experience with them yet, and in some cases I hope I don’t need to – Like the ability for the Pixel 4a 5G to identify when you’ve been in a car accident and automatically call for help! Also has built in spam protection and a Titan-M chip for securing the operating system and your passwords and other sensitive data.

7. 5G Network: I really can’t wait to light this up on T-Mobile’s 5G network. This phone can access T-Mobiles low-band (600 MHz) and mid-band (2.5 GHz) 5G spectrum for both speed and broad coverage. We’ll test that out at a later time!

I probably missed a few things, but hey – I’ve only just unboxed this bad boy. Next is to get activated and get going! I’ll set it up and get it ready to rock and roll for the next edition.

So, what do you think? You ever had a Pixel before? Have a couple of tips to throw my way?

Getting one?

The price point seems to be spot on at only $499. That’s a lot of phone and features. Also T-Mobile has 2 offers for a Free Pixel 4a 5G when you add a line or a 50% off deal too at t-mobile.com/google-pixel.

Please, if you have any questions or thoughts – feel free to send them my way.

Disclaimer: I am super lucky to be able to take part in the T-Mobile Device Ambassador program. T-Mobile Product Ambassadors are T-Mobile employees from many different areas of the company. We are passionate about technology. We volunteer to offer information, experiences and opinions freely to the Community. Each T-Mobile Product Ambassador shares her/his/their own opinion, therefore the information in this post does not necessarily reflect the opinion or statements of T-Mobile. T-Mobile Product Ambassadors do not represent the company in an official capacity. My opinions are my own. I am a Device Ambassador, Blogger, Nerd, Dork and well, a lot of things... I am not a Corporate or Device Manufacturer spokesperson. #tmobileemployee #TeamMagenta #Pixel4a5G, u/madebygoogle, u/TMobile, #teampixel