Google Pixel Buds, Pixelbook Go, Nest Mini and Wifi announced
Google’s hardware events have been expanding to include more and more diverse hardware and this year we have four new additions – the new Pixel Buds headphones, the Pixelbook Go Chromebook and a couple of Nest devices alongside the newly announced Pixel 4 duo.
Pixel Buds
Starting off with the new Pixel Buds, Google is finally bringing truly wireless in-ear headphones. They come with all the same features as the original Pixel Buds with always-on Google Assistant functionality, live translation and music control but in a much more compact shape. The construction features a flush in-ear design with a hook which according to Google should fit more ear shapes. The buds come with an oval-shaped charging case.
The Pixel Buds bring Adaptive Sound which adjusts volume dynamically as you move through different environments. Call experience is also reworked with two microphones present in each earbud that help suppress outside noise. There’s even a voice accelerometer that detects speech through the vibrations in your jawbone.
Google is promising increased Bluetooth range which can “stay connected at a football field-distance outdoors” or three rooms apart indoors. They work with any Bluetooth 4.0+ device. Battery life is rated at 5 hours of music playback and goes up to 24 hours with the wireless charging case. The new Pixel Buds are also water and sweat resistant and come in Clearly White, Oh So Orange, Quite Mint and Almost Black. They are scheduled to arrive in spring 2020 for $179.
Pixelbook Go
The second new device to be announced at the event is the Pixelbook Go which is Google’s latest flagship Chromebook. The new machine comes with a 13.3-inch FHD touchscreen (there’s a 4K option as well) with a 16:9 aspect ratio. It weighs just over 1kg and is a mere 13 mm thick making it highly portable. The body is made from magnesium and features nice curves around with a matte finish.
The base version comes with an eight gen Intel Core m3 processor with 8GB RAM and 64GB storage. There’s also eight-gen Y-series Core i5 and i7 options with up to 16GB RAM and 256GB storage if you need more power and space.
Your I/O consists of two USB-C ports and a headphone jack. The top of the screen houses a 2MP webcam, which also serves for face unlock authentication. You get up to 12 hours of battery life with fast charging which can get you 2 hours of use in just 20 minutes.
The Pixelbook Go will be available in Just Black and Not Pink colors with a starting price of $649 for the Core m3 8/64GB model and goes up to $1,399 for the i7 16/256GB version. Pre-orders start today in the US and Canada with shipments scheduled in the coming weeks.
Nest Mini and Nest Wifi
Google’s Nest lineup also got an overhaul with the new Nest Mini smart assistant and Nest Wifi router. The Nest mini is the spiritual successor to the popular Google Home Mini and brings a larger speaker in the same body as the previous Nest Mini. There are new capacitive buttons for interacting with the smart speaker with several small LED indicators for ease of use. The Google Nest Mini will go on sale for $49 and will be available in chalk, charcoal, coral, and sky blue colors. Sales start on October 22.
Nest Wifi is a smart speaker and mesh router combined into a single device. It connects directly to your modem and extends your Wi-Fi range. According to Google, you’ll be able to experience 25% better coverage with a single Nest Wifi unit. Google is also introducing additional Nest Wifi points that work together with the Nest Wifi to further extend network range.
Alongside all the benefits the Nest Wifi can be used as a smart speaker and features Google Assistant integration. Pricing starts at $169 for a single Nest Wifi unit, $269 will get you an additional Nest Wifi point and $349 will get you a Nest Wifi alongside a three-pack of Nest Wifi point extenders. The Nest Wifi goes on sale starting November 4.
