In 1888, Kodak founder George Eastman promised the world: “You press the button, we do the rest.” It’s time to update Eastman for the AI age: You push the button, the robot does the rest.

That, at least, is the promise of Google’s Pixel 2 phone.

Unlike most flagship smartphones, which contain two or three cameras, the Pixel 2 boasts just a single camera, but this 12-megapixel sensor-and-lens combo is backed by some powerful AI smarts. Among the features powered by machine learning and neural networks is Google’s HDR+ technology, which records 10 images in quick succession and merges the exposures by only selecting the best pixels from each. The results are impressive. Though it has just one lens, the camera features a dual pixel sensor design that helps it capture depth information to create the faux bokeh portraits that have become popular among flagship smartphone cameras. Even without the artificial bokeh, the Pixel 2’s f/1.8 lens does an excellent job resolving details and keeping your scene steady thanks to its optical image stabilization.

The Pixel runs Android 8.0 (Oreo) with 4GB of RAM and has options for 64GB or 128GB worth of internal storage. The phone features a water-resistant body and a 5-inch 16:9 display (1920 x 1080 resolution). It charges rapidly, too. Google says you can get 7 hours of operation from a 15-minute charge via USB-C.

PRICE:From $649
INFO: www.google.com

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