Technologies

The Pixel 7A Raises the Bar for the Pixel 8

Commentary: The Pixel 7A proves that Google needs to do more to separate its main Pixel phone from its more budget-friendly option.

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We didn’t hear about the Pixel 8 at Google’s I/O conference, but the company did launch the Pixel 7A — a more wallet-friendly alternative to the Pixel 7. It’s great news for Pixel fans, since the 7A offers many of the same benefits as the Pixel 7 — such as a great camera and the new Tensor G2 processor — for $100 less. But it also makes me wonder whether Google’s A-series phones are beginning to overshadow its flagship Pixels.

Now that Google has narrowed the gap between the Pixel 7 and 7A, it should think more carefully about its target audience for the Pixel 8. If the Pixel 7A is for those who want a basic Pixel experience without compromising on performance and camera quality, and the Pixel 7 Pro is for photography enthusiasts, then who’s the Pixel 7 for? That’s the question I’m hoping Google answers with the Pixel 8, along with some other routine improvements to software support and battery life.

Google typically releases new Pixel phones in the fall, so we’re expecting to learn more about the Pixel 8 in a few months.

The Pixel 8 needs to stand out from Google’s next A-series phone

With the Pixel 8, Google needs to do more to make its upcoming mainline Pixel phone stand out. The $499 Pixel 7A already has many of the features most people are looking for in a new phone, such as a great camera, smooth performance, easy-to-use software and decent battery life.

The main differences between the Pixel 7 and 7A come down to the former’s slightly more durable design, larger screen and battery share. That latter feature lets you charge compatible accessories by resting them on the back of the phone, essentially turning it into a wireless charger. The Pixel 7 also has a larger camera sensor that’s more light sensitive according to Google, but I didn’t notice much of an improvement when comparing photos from both phones.

The Pixel 7 and Pixel 7A feel like they’re targeting the same audience: Android fans who want a general-purpose phone with a great camera and a reasonably sized screen. The Pixel 7 Pro stands out for its larger screen, extra telephoto camera and macro photography. It also comes in a 512GB storage option, unlike the Pixel 7, and has a screen with a higher, 120Hz refresh rate for even smoother scrolling. Case in point: There are plenty of factors that distinguish the Pixel 7 Pro from the Pixel 7, but not as many that differentiate the Pixel 7 from the 7A.

Moving forward, there are a few changes Google could make to fix that. Perhaps it could slightly increase the Pixel 8’s display size to 6.4 inches instead of 6.3 inches. That would put more distance between the Pixel 8’s screen and a future Pixel 8A, assuming Google keeps the same 6.1-inch display size for upcoming A-series phones.

Google could also give the Pixel 8 a speed boost when it comes to charging, since the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7A offer similar charging speeds (up to 18W on the Pixel 7A versus up to 21W on the Pixel 7). Increasing the charging speed to create more of a gulf between the Pixel 8 and the Pixel 8A could make the case for buying the Pixel 8 a little stronger. Increasing the base storage of the Pixel 8 to 256GB, much like Samsung has done with the Galaxy S23 Plus, along with offering an additional 512GB storage option could further distinguish the Pixel 8 from a future Pixel 8A.

These changes combined with the existing differences between the Pixel 7 and 7A could certainly make the Pixel 8 feel like a compelling choice over upcoming budget Pixel phones. Of course, this is assuming Google maintains its current strategy of releasing new flagship and Pro phones in the fall and a cheaper A-series phone in the spring or summer time frame.

Extended Android version support

Software is a big part of what makes Pixel phones so appealing, from the call assist features in the phone app to Google’s clutter-free version of Android. The problem, however, is that Google generally offers Android version updates for only three years following a Pixel phone’s release.

Though it does provide security support and other updates beyond that point, Google lags behind Samsung and Apple when it comes to operating system version support. Samsung typically offers up to four generations of Android platform updates on new phones, while Apple’s most recent software is compatible with iPhones as old as the iPhone X and iPhone 8 generation, which launched in 2017.

If Google could match Samsung’s four years, or surpass five years, that would make the Pixel line even more competitive.

Longer battery life

Battery life can never feel long enough, which is why I’m hoping to see some improvements in the Pixel 8. The Pixel 7’s battery life was long enough to get through a full work day and then some in my experience. But I’d want to pack a charger if I expected a particularly long day.

The Pixel 7A also performed better than the Pixel 7 in CNET’s three-hour battery test, during which I streamed a YouTube video at full brightness and tracked the battery percentage at each hour. It would be great to see Google make some improvements in this regard on the Pixel 8.

Pixel 7A vs. Pixel 7 battery test

	Pixel 7A	Pixel 7
1 hour	96%	95%
2 hours	90%	88%
3 hours	85%	81%

We won’t know what to expect from the Pixel 8 until Google announces its new phones, which will likely happen in the fall. The camera has been a focal point for Google’s Pixel series, so I’m expecting to see some advancements in that area, along with a new version of the Tensor processor in the Pixel 8. If Google makes those changes while offering longer battery life, additional Android support and more exclusive features that differentiate the Pixel 8 from its A-series phones, Google’s next $600 phone could be a hit.

Technologies

McDonald’s KPop Demon Hunter Meals Include Bright Purple Nugget Sauce

The Derpy McFlurry mixes popping boba pearls and berry sauce into a soft-serve dessert.

McDonald’s has seen success with themed combo meals, including its holiday Grinch Meal. Now, the fast-food chain is capitalizing on Netflix’s Oscar-winning animated film, KPop Demon Hunters, with new upcoming menu items and both a breakfast meal and a lunch/dinner offering. Let’s hope you like the color purple.

The HUNTR/X Meal, named for the K-pop girl group in the movie, is a 10-piece chicken McNuggets meal that includes a medium drink and three special menu items.

Ramyeon McShaker fries come with a small bag of soy, garlic, sesame and spice seasoning, along with regular McDonald’s french fries. You sprinkle the seasoning into the provided bag, dump in the fries, shake it all up and eat.

The meal includes two new sauces for the fries and nuggets. Hunter sauce is a sweet chili sauce mixing notes of chili, garlic and pepper. But my favorite item on this new menu is Demon sauce, a bold mustard sauce with some heat and a bold purple color. There’s just not enough dark purple food out there.

There’s also a new dessert, the Derpy McFlurry, which blends creamy vanilla soft serve with berry-flavored popping boba pearls, served with a swirl of wild berry sauce. McDonald’s named it for the supernatural feline, Derpy Tiger, from the movie.

If breakfast is your bag, the new morning meal is the Saja Boys Breakfast Meal, named for the movie’s boy band.

It includes a Spicy Saja McMuffin sandwich, which is a sausage McMuffin with egg and a spicy Saja sauce, hash browns and a small drink.

Both meals come with a photocard for one of the bands and a Derpy card. The Derpy card includes a QR code you can scan to unlock online content about the film.

The full KPop Demon Hunters menu should be available at participating McDonald’s beginning March 31.

The McDonald’s Grinch meal (and its accompanying patterned socks) sold out quickly, so KPop Demon Hunters fans may want to mark their calendars and nab a meal when they are released.

Technologies

Melania Trump Escorted by Talking Humanoid Robot at White House Tech Summit

The first lady shared the spotlight with the robot to promote the use of artificial intelligence in education.

An unexpected guest escorted Melania Trump at the Fostering the Future Together Global Coalition Summit on Wednesday: a Figure 03 humanoid robot.

During the event, the first lady pitched a future where AI-powered humanoid robots — presented as an idealized educator named «Plato» — provide students with personalized and instant access to human knowledge, including philosophy and art.

The Figure 03 robot is made by Silicon Valley-based robotics company Figure AI, which introduced its third-generation humanoid robot in October last year. The Figure 03 robot costs around $25,000, according to Forbes.

Figure 03 was designed for people to use in their homes, with demo videos showing it folding laundry, lifting eggs from a carton, using a washing machine and delivering drinks to its owners lounging by the pool. It was also shown in corporate use cases as a receptionist and a package deliverer. Using a proprietary AI engine called Helix, it can autonomously perform these tasks and respond to your voice commands.

The humanoid was seen walking slowly down the red carpet at the tech summit and then delivering opening remarks.

«I’m grateful to be part of this historic movement to empower children with technology and education,» the Figure 03 humanoid robot said. It then said «welcome» in various languages.

The first lady later said that AI-powered humanoid robots could exist in children’s homes as an aid to their education to «boost analytic skills and problem solving and adopt in real time to a student’s pace, prior knowledge and even emotional state.»

The two-day summit is hosting leaders from 45 nations and 28 technology organizations, and is intended to «empower children through education and technology,» according to a White House statement. Guests included representatives from tech giants such as Google, OpenAI, Microsoft and AI data analytics company Palantir.

The summit is part of the first lady’s Be Best: Fostering the Future initiative, which aims to help children learn using advanced technology. It was introduced in 2018 as an awareness campaign aimed at combating cyberbullying and helping children affected by the opioid crisis.

US Education Secretary Linda McMahon spoke about AI being one of the Department of Education’s main priorities on the first day of the summit.

«If we’re able to scale these resources effectively by investing in AI infrastructure and training, we can offer expert instructions across countless fields, to hire volumes of people at a fraction of the cost,» McMahon said Tuesday at a round table meeting.

According to McMahon, the Department of Education has already dedicated millions of dollars in grants to support the use of AI in schools.

The event follows criticism of the Trump administration’s 2025 executive order to dismantle the Department of Education. While the Department of Education hasn’t been officially abolished, it has undergone significant policy changes, funding cuts and workforce reductions.

The introduction of a humanoid robot at the summit sparked significant backlash among many who are wary of the technology’s role in the classroom. Critics took to social media to voice concerns that these machines could eventually replace teachers, stripping the education system of essential human connection, and leading to increased layoffs and cost-cutting.

On one Huffington Post Instagram post featuring the robot, commenters expressed deep skepticism, with one user sarcastically noting, «Nice, getting rid of educators in favor of a robot,» while another flatly rejected the concept, stating, «No, I don’t want to imagine a world with emotionless robots educating our children.»

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Technologies

Nintendo Dropped a Switch 2 Update With a New Mode You’ll Want to Turn On Immediately

This new feature is one of the best yet.

A new firmware update hit the Nintendo Switch 2 last week. Among the multitude of small changes is a new feature that will give Switch 1 games a notable upgrade.

Version 22.0.0 for the Switch 2 went live on March 16 and is available for download to the console. The big new feature in the update was Handheld Mode Boost, which will give Switch 1 games a visual upgrade when played on the Switch 2 in handheld mode.

[Nintendo Switch 2 System Update]
Version 22.0.0 adds «Handheld Mode Boost». This will make Switch 1 games think that they are in TV mode even when in handheld.
Games can run at higher resolutions in TV mode, taking better advantage of the Switch 2’s 1080p screen. pic.twitter.com/aXOKWosFAw

— OatmealDome (@OatmealDome) March 17, 2026

What does Handheld Mode Boost do?

Even though the Switch 2 supports backward compatibility with almost all Switch 1 games, there was an issue. The Switch 2 has a higher resolution screen: 1080p versus the older hardware’s 720p. When playing a Switch 1 game on a Switch 2 in handheld mode, the graphics looked blurry and jagged.

When enabled, Handheld Mode Boost makes a Switch 1 game act as if it’s docked, so it displays 1080p at 60 frames per second. This will give the visuals an immediate upgrade.

How do you enable Handheld Mode Boost?

Handheld Mode Boost has to be turned on to see the effect, and it takes a few steps:

Select Systems Settings from the Home menu
Select System
Select Nintendo Switch Software Handling
Enable Handheld Mode Boost

Is there a downside to enabling Handheld Mode Boost?

A user on Reddit tested the mode to see how it affects the Switch 2’s battery life. The test used Doom Eternal for the Switch 1 with and without Handheld Mode Boost. The test showed that the battery life decreased from 5 hours, 5 minutes to 3 hours, 43 minutes. That’s a 27% drop and should be taken into account when using Handheld Mode Boost.

How do I upgrade my Nintendo Switch 2?

If you have Software Auto-Updates enabled on your Switch 2, a pop-up window should come up whenever you start a game. If not, head to System Settings and choose to update the console from the menu.

What other features were added in version 22.0.0?

Handheld Mode Boost was the main star of the new firmware update, but there were a slew of other changes.

Changed the on-screen text and animations when you load a virtual game card in the HOME Menu.

Added the ability to save notes about friends on your Friend List. The note content is not displayed to friends.

Added the ability to invite friends to GameChat rooms you’re participating in. Some friends may not be able to be invited, such as supervised accounts.

Friends who haven’t finished GameChat’s initial setup can now be invited to GameChat. Some friends may not be able to be invited, such as supervised accounts or those who haven’t used a Nintendo Switch 2.

Added the ability to rewind 10 seconds/advance 10 seconds with the ZL and ZR Buttons when watching a full-screen video in News or Nintendo eShop.

Added the option to add the following data to «Automatic Uploads» from Album.

Text-to-Speech, under Accessibility, can now read the text in Album and during first-time setup.

Added the ability to see the breakdown of storage capacity by data type for the system memory and microSD Express card.

Added the ability to perform an audio test when «Linear PCM 5.1 Surround» is selected for TV Sound in Audio.

When Airplane Mode is activated, the previously set preferences for Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or NFC while in airplane mode will be saved and applied.

Added the ability to individually enable or disable Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or NFC during Airplane Mode from the Quick Settings.

Added the ability to see a notification in the Nintendo Switch Parental Controls smart device application when the Parental Controls PIN is input successfully on the console. This can also be set up to be a push notification to your smart device.

General system stability improvements to enhance the user’s experience.