Skip to main content

Google holds photography contest for Google Pixel owners to display their work

google pixel photo contest chromecast xl shooting
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Google Chromecast users can probably admit they are often mesmerized by the backdrop content that appears on the screen when there is nothing streaming on the device. With a new contest by Google, Pixel users now have a chance to see their own photography featured in the Chromecast lineup.

Posted on the Pixel User Community in a Google Forums post last week, a Google employee announced the opportunity for users to have their photos seen by millions around the world. According to the forum, the contest is only open to owners of the Pixel and Pixel XL.

Even though HTC manufactured the devices, Google’s Pixel and Pixel XL are the first phones “made by Google.” This means Google chose internal components for the devices which were then integrated with the Android operating system. With Google having control over the process, the device gives users an Android experience unlike any other.

The Pixel has 12.3 megapixels in the rear camera –with 1.55-micron pixels that are great for taking photos in low-light — and eight megapixels packed into the front camera. Similar to past Nexus devices, the Pixel also includes HDR+ — Google’s software used to capture multiple photos at once to produce an image with little noise by picking the best one to use as a base and layering the rest.

To have your photos considered for the Chromecast backdrop contest, the post explains users need to hashtag their photos on any social channels — Google+, Instagram, and Twitter — using #teampixel. A Google employee will reach out to potential candidates through a direct message on the platform the photo was posted on with additional instructions.

If you are planning on taking tons of photos to submit the perfect shot, you will be happy to know Google offers full-resolution storage in Google Photos for free. While this is also available in the app, for Pixel owners it will not take up your Google account storage. So, you will not have to worry about losing any of those precious outdoor photos if you don’t back them up.

According to the forum post, any photos submitted should stick to the same aesthetics as the ones already on Google Chromcast. The tips include submitting photos featuring landscapes, cities, nature, and animals — but asks to forego people and branded content.

Editors' Recommendations

Brenda Stolyar
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Brenda became obsessed with technology after receiving her first Dell computer from her grandpa in the second grade. While…
The Google Pixel 8 just got its first update. Here’s what’s new
Holding the Google Pixel 8 Pro in front of a bush.

Google has started seeding a new software update for its Pixel phones, which also happens to be the first one for its latest Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro models The update notes don’t mention the arrival of any new features, but the update does fix crucial problems that users have been complaining about in online forums for months and apply to the Pixel 8 series as well as its predecessors.
At the top of the list is a solution for display- and graphics-related woes, including the problem of “a green flash when the display is turning off in certain conditions.” Google’s post mentions a specific scenario where the green screen issue appears, but users have been reporting it for a while.
Moreover, the “green goblin for Pixels” manifests itself in various ways. One user shared an image of the Pixel 8 Pro on Reddit with a vertical green line running across the screen. Others mention random screen flashing or a permanent tint on the panels, both partial and full-screen. The reports date back at least a couple of years and seem to affect phones as old as the Pixel 6 series. 

Previous

Read more
I tested the Pixel 8 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro. This one has the best camera
An iPhone 15 Pro in Blue Titanium (left) and Google Pixel 8 Pro in Porcelain showing camera modules.

Every fall, there’s lots of pumpkin spice, spooks, and flagship phones from Google and Apple. This year, Google released the powerful Google Pixel 8 Pro, while Apple upped the ante with the iPhone 15 Pro.

While the Google Pixel 8 Pro is more comparable to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, we wanted to see how it would do against the smaller iPhone 15 Pro as well. After all, the regular iPhone 15 Pro is still considered a flagship, and both phones share the same $999 price tag.

Read more
There might be something wrong with the Google Pixel Watch 2
The Google Pixel Watch 2's charging puck.

Google introduced an updated charging system on the Google Pixel Watch 2 that juices up the battery inside at a quicker pace. It's also more secure than the previous charger and doesn't get quite as hot. For the most part, it's a good upgrade.

But it seems some users of the smartwatch are facing charging woes. Multiple users are reporting that the supplied charging kit won’t fill up the second-generation Pixel Watch's battery.
What's wrong with the Pixel Watch 2

Read more