Google’s Pixel phones get more details, fun color names ahead of launch

Momentum is building towards the October 4^th launch of Google’s new Pixel smartphones. According to the folks over at Tech Times, the two phones, the Pixel and Pixel XL, will be made by HTC and will compete head to head with the new Apple iPhone 7 and other top-shelf handsets. The three colors for the phone also have appropriately Googly names: Quite Black, Very Silver and Really Blue, according to a reliable source.

On the spec side of things, the phones will likely have screen sizes between 5.2 and 5.5 inches depending on the model, with full HD resolution, 8 and 12 megapixel cameras, a fingerprint scanner, USB type-C connectors, and a chewy Android Nougat 7.1 OS. Dual cameras like the iPhone 7 plus? Doesn’t look like it. But hey, who can resist a phone in “Quite Black” or “Really Blue?” We’ll see just how blue it really is in a couple of weeks.

Projecting into the future (of smartphones)

Speaking of phones, how does one with features like this sound to you? How about a 30-megapixel rear camera, 4K HDR display, quad-core processor, 6 gigs of RAM, dual micro SD slots, and hey, don’t forget the built-in video projector, retina scanner for security, huge 4200 milliamp battery and every wireless connection option imaginable. Fantasy phone? Maybe, or maybe not.

According to a Chinese social media post, that might be the spec sheet for the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S8, which is expected to debut in the spring. Now, none of this is confirmed, of course, and some things – like that built-in projector – sound more like a tech fantasy than a possible reality, but given how competitive the smartphone market is – and how much it needs some fresh new features – we’re not gonna totally rule it out either. Stay tuned.

Elon Musk lays out his quest for Mars

Today’s a big day for Tesla and SpaceX and Solar City boss Elon Musk. He’s speaking at a space travel symposium in Mexico and he is expected to lay out specific details for his often-stated goal of sending people to Mars. As in, permanently. And maybe within the next ten years. Musk has said time and again he’s not interested in just going to Mars to look around, he wants to settle the planet as a human outpost and then transform it.

You don’t have to look any farther than SpaceX’s banner photo on their twitter page to get a thumbnail of his plans. But can he do it? Following an explosion of one of his rockets on the pad last month, it would seem he has… a ways to go. But if there’s anything we’ve learned about the guy who’s apparently able to juggle running three tech companies at once, it’s not to underestimate him.

We’ll have all the details of his big announcement later today.