It doesn’t really come as a surprise that Google packed their keynote event full of exciting new products and upgrades of their already existing hardwares. Despite leaks and rumours, we were still gripped and amazed at this years announcements.
This years Google Pixel Event had everything we wanted to see and more. From the expected, such as the Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL and an updated Google Daydream, to an interesting take on a new camera called Google Clips, a new Google Home Mini and Max, a Pixelbook and Google Pixel Buds.
So just incase you missed it, we’ve recapped all the announcements right here:
PIXEL 2 AND PIXEL 2 XL
The Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL both use Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processors with 4GB RAM. They have the same camera, processor, and speaker specs – something Google made sure you were aware of during their event.
They house a 12.2-megapixel rear cameras that have an autofocus with laser and dual-pixel phase detection, and optical and electronic image stabilisation. In the front, the Pixels have a fixed-focus 8-megapixel camera. Both phones use USB-C, however they don’t offer wireless charging. There is no headphone jack and it runs on Bluetooth 5.0.
The Pixel 2 XL has a bigger battery and a 6-inch screen with a 2880 x 1440 smart OLED resolution; the Pixel 2 has a 5-inch screen and 1920 x 1080 OLED resolution. This year’s XL is slightly bigger than last year’s 5.5-inch screen and the Pixel 2 is also slightly lighter and slimmer than the XL.
The Pixel 2 comes in 3 colour ways – Kinda Blue, Just Black and Clearly White.
Both phones can be preordered today; they become available on October 19th. The Pixel 2 64GB will cost £629, while the Pixel 2 XL 64GB costs £799. The 128GB option costs £729 and £899, respectively.
GOOGLE CLIPS
Google has come out with a camera that uses artificial intelligence to capture intimate moments that you aren’t able to get on your own. The camera is trained to capture soundless videos of faces and pets that it recognises and deems “interesting.”
By only capturing soundless video, Google Clips dodges any laws against wiretaps. When the camera is on, an LED light blinks to let those in the room know they are being photographed.
Clips comes in a two-tone white-and-teal color, and has a battery life of three hours of continuous use. It has a 12-megapixel sensor, a 130-degree field-of-view lens, and takes photos at 15 fps. It has 8GB of internal memory and will be available for £
GOOGLE HOME MINI
Next up is the Google Home Mini, a smaller smart home device for listening to the news or podcasts. It’s tiny and fabric-covered, with a four-inch diameter and a height of over an inch and a half. The Home Mini costs £49 and will be available on October 19th in major retailers.
Google Home will add more actions surrounding routines, now you can say, “Good night, Google,” and Google Home will dim the lights, set your alarm clock for the next day, remind you of tomorrow’s appointments, and arm your security system.
It comes in three colours: Chalk, Charcoal, and Coral.
GOOGLE HOME MAX
Google also announced its Google Home Max, which boasts a stereo speaker with two 4.5-inch woofers, which is 20 times more powerful than the original Google Home. It comes in black or white, costs around £399 and is available in December.
GOOGLE PIXELBOOK
The new Pixelbook starts at £999 and goes up to £1700 for double the RAM, a 512GB NVMe, and a seventh-generation Intel i7 processor. The Pixelbook has a 12.3-inch high-resolution screen, and it’s the first laptop with the Google Assistant built in. It has soft touch keys that are backlit and promises 10 hours of battery life. You can either talk to the Google Assistant, or if you type to the Assistant, it responds silently.
It’ll be accompanied by an optional accessory, the £99 Pixelbook Pen, which is a stylus made in partnership with tablet maker Wacom. The £1699 option marks the first time that the company has returned at the high end of the Chromebook market since Google discontinued the Chromebook Pixel last year.
Pre-orders go live today and the Pixelbook and Pen become available on October 31st.
GOOGLE PIXEL BUDS
Last but certainly by no means least, Google also announced its own wireless headphones called Pixel Buds, which are the company’s answer to AirPods. The headphones are compatible with USB-C for charging and provide up to five hours of listening time per charge. Notably, you can activate Google Translate on the headphones to get real-time translations of conversations. They will cost you a hefty £159, but worth it given the translator feature.
Welcome to the future!
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