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Google's smart home ecosystem has arrived
The building blocks of the "smart home" -- connected lights, plugs and other gadgets -- have been around for years. But they were strung together by a variety of confusing protocols. It wasn't until Amazon's Echo and its accompanying Alexa virtual assistant came along that the smart home started to make sense. We didn't need just smart devices; we also needed voice controls and seamless interoperability between devices. Basically, we needed a proper smart home ecosystem.
Chrome OS may be the 2-in-1 solution we've been waiting for
Tech's biggest companies are all about the 2-in-1. Google's latest effort is the Pixel Slate -- a tablet that becomes a sort-of laptop when you snap on its keyboard folio. This is a formula we've seen rise in popularity since the first Surface tablet. Think of the iPad Pro, Samsung's Galaxy Tab S4, HP's Envy x2 detachables and more. These devices are doing so well they're apparently all people want to buy anymore. According to IDC data, 2-in-1 shipments will grow by almost 10 percent this year while traditional PCs are expected to decline.
I miss being surprised by technology
Google's 2018 launch event was a piece of corporate theater, like so many before it, to unveil a new smartphone. I've watched and attended a lot of product launches in my time, dahlink, but this one was the least engaging for ages. Not because of the products, or the presenters, but because it lacked one key ingredient: surprise.
Google's revamped Home app puts all of your devices in one place
Google not only offered the Home Hub to connected households at its Pixel 3 event but also had a new version of the Home app for your phone. The revamped Android and iOS software promises both a much more organized approach to smart home control and more flexibility for where you take control. Similar to the Home Hub's new Home View dashboard, you now have a clear view of your various Home-friendly devices in one place rather than having to jump from app to app. It also organizes devices by room, so you won't have to remember which speaker is in the living room.
Watch Google's Pixel 3 event in less than 10 minutes
Google's Pixel 3 event may have been spoiled by an abundance of leaks, but that doesn't mean it was easy to follow along -- there was a veritable deluge of news. The Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL were undoubtedly the highlights, with their larger screens and dual selfie cameras. However, Google also introduced its first in-house smart display, the Home Hub, and fostered Chrome OS tablets with the Pixel Slate. And that's not including some of the lower-key news, such as the Pixel Stand wireless charger. If that's a lot to take in, don't worry. We've rounded up the highlights of the event in a roughly 10-minute clip that should help you catch up.
Google's Pixel 3 event by the numbers
Google offered everybody a peak at its fall product lineup during its Made by Google event in New York City on Tuesday. The internet search giant cum hardware purveyor showed off its latest handset, the Pixel 3 (as well as a wireless charging dock for it), a more robust Chromecast, a smart Home Hub, and a snazzy 2-in-1 convertible tablet.
Pixel Slate vs. the competition: Get some work done
We weren't too thrilled with the first attempt at putting Chrome OS on a tablet, with Acer's Chromebook Tab 10 getting slammed for its bad cameras and poor performance — and the fact that Chrome OS hadn't really been optimized for the form factor. Maybe things will be a bit better when Google takes the helm with its Pixel Slate. We have fond memories of tablets like the Nexus 9 from 2014, as well as last year's Pixelbook laptop (less so for the Pixel C, though). We won't know how this device will fare until we formally review it, but we certainly know what it's competing against and can compare specs in this handy chart.
Google's $30 USB-C earbuds offer access to Assistant, translations
Google's first attempt at wireless earbuds, the Pixel Buds, aren't for everyone. Not just because they don't live up to the hype -- due to jerky performance, overly sensitive touch controls and a tedious case design -- but also because they cost $159. If that's a lot more than you're willing to spend, Google has a budget-friendly option for you: the Pixel USB-C earbuds, priced at $30.
Here's all the new stuff Google's Pixel 3 phone cameras can do
The Pixel 2 had arguably the best smartphone camera on the market, and Google wants to make sure it stays that way. During its Pixel unveiling today, it introduced a raft of new camera features for the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3XL smartphones, including an improved zoom, wider-angle camera, smile and blink detection, bokeh control and more -- all with just a single lens on the back. The quality is apparently good enough for Terrence Malick, who shot a video that was featured at the event, so it might be good enough for the rest of us, too. Some of the features are enabled with the fresh hardware, to be sure. There's a brand new 12.2-megapixel sensor on the back, with a sharper wide-angle lens to allow for zooming. On the front, you get a pair of wide-angle lenses in that large notch, letting you adjust the zoom level via a slider. However, most of the heavy lifting is done by Google's AI, which can handle HDR+ chores, merge multiple photos for zooming and low light and pick the best photo from a sequence. It's much more powerful than ever thanks to the Visual Core co-processor Google developed in conjunction with Intel. The chip powers more camera features than it did on the Pixel 2, and is powerful enough that you don't need to be online to get the benefits.
Pixel 3 XL vs. the competition: Beyond the notch
With all the leaks during the past few weeks, it may have seemed there wasn't a lot more to reveal about the Pixel 3 XL. But after today's announcement, we finally have some official confirmation of its internals, including a whopper of a front camera in that notch. While you'll have to wait a few weeks for our official review of Google's newest large handset, we can at least stack up the XL against its closest competition. Check out the table below to see how the specs fare against behemoths like the Galaxy Note 9, the budget-priced OnePlus 6 (the 6T is still a few weeks away) and of course, Apple's mega-sized iPhone XS Max.
Google's Pixel 3 is $150 more expensive
Google's Pixel 3 phones sound like solid upgrades, but there's one change that might not have you racing to place an order: the price. The new Android flagships start at $799 for the base 5.5-inch phone, or a $150 jump over the Pixel 2. The Pixel 3 XL, meanwhile costs 'just' $50 more than its ancestor at $899. And you're not getting any additional storage for the money, either, since both the 2017 and 2018 Pixels start with 64GB of space. You'll now have to think considerably more carefully about leaping in, especially when the price gap between the regular and XL models has shrunk to just $100.
Pixel 3 vs. the competition: Under the surface
It's October, which means we finally get an official look at Google's big phone release for 2018. The Pixel 3 may look plain on the outside, but it's packed with improved front and back cameras with souped-up software that we hope will make the shooters better than their predecessors. Of course, to find out we'll have to wait for the full review in a few weeks. For now, we can take a look at the handset's specs and see how it stands up to this year's crop of flagship phones. Check out the table below:
Google Home Hub hands-on: A surprisingly compact smart display
Sure, Google's new Home Hub wasn't a secret today -- but I was still surprised at just how tiny the device is in real life. I imagined a tablet-sized screen perched on top of something resembling the giant Google Home Max, but I couldn't have been more wrong if I tried. The Home Hub is positively dainty -- thin, light and unobtrusive. The photo below with my iPhone 8 Plus next to the Home Hub should give you an idea just how small this device is. It still feels like a Google Home product, with the same acoustically transparent fabric found on the Home Mini and Max. But, the display clearly sets it apart from Google's past smart speakers.
New Google Classroom feature forces kids to answer questions
As it launched a whole new suite of devices, Google was also updating its tools for educators, Google Classroom. In a blog post, Classroom product manager Lisa Wang outlines a new system to encourage engagement from students in class. Student Selector is, essentially, a way to randomly select kids to answer a question rather than waiting for hands to go into the air.
Google's AR Stickers are now appropriately called Playground
For the AR fans out there, Google didn't forget about you during its Made by Google event. The newly renamed Playground app (née AR stickers) brings in animated characters from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and even virtual Donald "Childish Gambino" Glover's dance moves to Pixel cameras.
Pixel 3 hands-on: Will Google's clever software be enough?
Google's hardware keynote just ended, and as usual, the horde of media professionals are raring to get their hands on all the new devices. Despite all the Pixel 3 leaks before today, I'm still desperate to get my hands on this thing too. I'll admit, I really want to see the selfies it can shoot, especially now that I can squeeze more people into my pictures with that second wide-angle camera. I've already briefly touched it and, man, I love that "Not Pink" color. The device feels really premium too.
Google's phone-calling AI comes to Pixel phones in November
Do you want to be one of the first everyday users to try Google's phone-calling Duplex AI? You'd better have a Pixel device. Google has announced that Pixel users in the US will be the first to have access to the feature in November. If you live in Atlanta, New York City, Phoenix or the San Francisco Bay Area, Assistant will book restaurant reservations for you over the phone. It'll be available in more US cities "in the future" -- sorry, there's no word on international availability.
Google Pixel 3 XL hands-on (again): Everything you didn't already know
We technically already spent some time with the Pixel 3 XL outside a dinky electronics store in Hong Kong, but this is one of the most important phones of the year. So it definitely deserves a little more scrutiny. Thankfully, Google's presentation here in New York has just wound down, so it's time to take a closer look at what the company has managed to pull off this year. I already know what some of you are probably thinking: Can a phone that has been leaked this thoroughly actually offer any surprises? Well, maybe not. What has been surprising, though, is just how complete and competent the 3 XL feels despite the fact that Google mostly played it safe with this generation of hardware.
Google's Chromecast gets a new look
Since its debut in 2013, Google's Chromecast has been the little streaming engine that could. It was cheap, at just $35, and gave consumers an easy way to stream video on older TVs. Now with its third-generation Chromecast (which was thoroughly leaked weeks ago), Google isn't changing the formula much. It's still $35, and it still relies on your phone as a remote control. While we initially thought the addition of 5GHz WiFi was new, it turns out that was also on the 2015 model. So really, this is just a slight design refresh, with matte cases instead of glossy ones.
Google's Pixel Stand is a wireless charger that doubles as a dock
Google is showing off a handful of new products today, including the highly leaked Pixel 3, and the company confirmed what leaks have suggested -- that the phone will support wireless charging. With it being the first Pixel with Qi charging, what better time to roll out a wireless charger? That seems to be Google's line of thought as today it unveiled the Pixel Stand, a dock that can wirelessly charge your phone while giving you access to Google Assistant.
