At 18 p.m. it was finally time. Google presents the latest devices and again emphasizes the Importance of machine learning and AI. The new ones were expected Smartphones Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL. But the Californians have a lot more plans.
AI + hardware + software
This is the credo of the internet giant. And that's exactly what was followed with every device presented. It started with the expected, smaller version of Google Home. The Google Home Mini will be released on October 19 and will cost €59. In addition to voice control, the device can also be operated with touches on the top. There are also four status LEDs that indicate when the device is listening or working. According to Google, the Home Mini should offer decent 360° sound for its size. Of course, the Mini Assistant is Chromecast compatible and can stream videos and content on your devices. The device comes in 3 colors: red, gray and black.
At the same time, Google is directly attacking its favorite competitor Apple and their HomePod with the new Google Home Max. The smart speaker is said to offer the best sound quality in the Home lineup, be 20 times louder than a normal Google Home and be able to understand the user even at maximum volume. In addition, Google promises that the speaker can dynamically adjust the sound according to its position. Furthermore, the device should be able to understand your daily routine through machine learning and, for example, be quieter in the morning than in the evening. Max should also be able to distinguish between different types of content such as music or news and adapt accordingly. The speaker supports well-known apps such as YouTube Music, Spotify, Play Music, pandora and iheartmusic, and the device can also be connected via Bluetooth and AUX. Google Home Max can be placed vertically or horizontally and will be available in the United States in December for $399. Other countries are to follow next year.
The assistant gets better
A big part of the keynote was the Google Assistant. With the new Voice Match feature, the language assistant should be able to distinguish different users from one another and thus output suitable results for different tasks. The device can automatically read out your personal calendar when you ask for the next appointment, even if the device is used by several people. Calls with the home devices should still be available in England this year, Germany will probably follow as one of the next countries. In addition, the device now uses your own number to inform the called party that you are calling. The assistant should now respond better to everyday routines and, for example, switch on the light directly in the morning. "Hey Google, good night" activates security systems, turns off the lights and provides information such as the next calendar appointment and wake-up time. With the command "Hey Google, find my phone" a notification will be sent directly to your Smartphone sent, which can also be heard in silent mode. iPhone users should receive a call instead.
In cooperation with the smart home manufacturer nest, Google wants to show other ways of networking. With the right camera, a video feed of the front door can be streamed directly on a Chromecast device. With Family Link, Google wants to help parents introduce their children to technology. This leads to the Californians being educational games and quizzes. The ability to read stories is also implemented. Through a partnership with Disney, well-known brands such as Mickey Mouse, Snow White or Star Wars can be accessed.
[article_gallery]Google fires in all directions
Not surprisingly, Google presents the Pixelbook and calls it a "high performance Chromebook". The design of the notebook is reminiscent of the Surface Book Microsoft. It can be made into one Tablet Flip mode and get a separately sold stylus. With a diagonal of 12,3 inches, a thickness of one centimeter and a weight of one kilogram, the Pixelbook will be easy to carry and will fit in any backpack. The display has a pixel density of 235 ppi with a QHD resolution. Google promises a battery life of 10 hours, the laptop's keyboard is illuminated. The Pixelbook is charged with a USB-C charger. The connection with the new Pixel devices is interesting. With "instant tethering", the Pixelbook can immediately access the smartphone's Internet if no WLAN is available. This saves creating a hotspot. The Google Assistant is also part of the game and even has its own button, at the bottom left between CTRL and ALT. The Pixelbook gets direct access to the Play Store. Snapchat and other developers are said to be making special versions of their programs for the notebook. There are said to be three different configurations, including i5 and i7 models. Since ChromeOS is not known for its enormous hunger for performance, even the cheapest configuration for $999 should be sufficient.
The stylus mentioned is called the Pixelbook Pen and is said to work extremely smoothly with a latency of 10 ms. In combination with the Google Assistant, there are interesting possible uses. Parts of images can be circled in order to start an image search directly. For example, you can tag a face in a group picture and Google will spit out the celebrity's name. The same works with text as well. The Pixelbook Pen is said to cost $99. Along with the Pixelbook, the pen will be available later this month in the US, Canada and England.
In addition, Google also presented the new version of the VR glasses Daydream. It should now be even lighter and more comfortable, and the Californians also point out the mass of new apps. Thanks to a cooperation with IMAX, there will now also be high-quality 360° videos. During use, content can be streamed to Chromecast devices to share the experience with friends.
Google managed the biggest surprise with the presentation of Google Clips, a kind of AI-controlled camera. She looks for special moments and learns about important people. The recordings can then be saved in the form of short snippets as an image or motion photo. A strap on the back allows the camera to be conveniently placed. Clips is coming soon and will cost $249.
The star of the evening
All nice, but actually everyone was just waiting for the expected new models of the Pixel series, Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL. The models manufactured by HTC and LG have been leaked more than enough in recent weeks. Now it turns out that the most recent releases were correct. Both devices are almost identical. There are only differences in design, battery and display. The Pixel 2 measures 5 inches with a 16:9 Full HD resolution and an AMOLED display. The XL comes with 6 inches and a QHD+ resolution. While the Pixel 2 has to make do with 2700 mAh, the XL gets a 3520 mAh battery. In terms of design, the XL looks much more modern with its narrow frame and round display.
Best news first: The Pixel 2 will continue to have the best camera on a smartphone. With a DXOScore of 98, the Pixel's successor was even able to gain 9 points. The camera supports a portrait mode, similar to that of the S8 and iPhone 7. Unlike the competition, however, Google uses machine learning instead of two cameras. This means that the portrait mode also works with the front camera. The exact specifications of the camera are: 12,2 MP, f/1.8, OIS and EIS, 4K at 30 FPS, Full HD up to 120 FPS; 8 MP, f/2.4, Full HD at 30 FPS.
As expected, Google installs the Snapdragon 835. The same processor also powers the Galaxy S8. We particularly like the front-facing stereo speakers. So Nexus 6P users can finally upgrade. Thanks to the POLED display, there is now also the well-known always-on display. Notifications and the like are displayed here. In addition, the Pixel 2 automatically recognizes songs that are being played. Both smartphones are made of aluminum and glass on the back, and are water and dust resistant according to IP67. With fast charging, the devices should charge 15 hours of use within 7 minutes. Both devices support Bluetooth 5.0 and come with an Active Edge Sensor that starts the Google Assistant when you press the smartphone frame. The feature is known from the HTC U11 and should even work with cases.
Last year Apple was mocked, this year Google is following suit and removing the 3,5 mm port. A USB-C to jack adapter is included as a replacement. Speaking of Apple, the switch from an iOS device to the new Pixel 2 is said to take just 10 minutes. You don't want to scare away customers who are willing to change.
The Pixel's new user interface looks good and doesn't really resemble the Oreo version that has already been rolled out. Important information such as appointments and traffic reports are now displayed at the top. Google search takes a seat at the bottom and stays pinned to every page of the home screen. The Californians were very proud of Google Lens. The service is reminiscent of Samsung's Bixbi and is intended to help extract information from images. However, the moderator herself did not sound really convinced and directly noted that the service was still in its infancy. We will see.
The two devices will appear on October 19th and, surprise surprise, cost significantly more in this country than in the USA. With €800 for the basic version of the Pixel 2 and €939 for the Pixel 2 XL, Google is making a big deal. Anyone who has looked at the current price of the Galaxy S8 in the last few days will think. Ultimately, the right ones were found Bluetooth Headset presented for the Pixel series. The Google Pixel Buds run for 5 hours and come in a charging case. There are three colors again and the headphones allow for real-time translations. How well this actually works remains to be seen. The whole thing will cost $159.
