Google unveils new smartphone, laptop and connected home device
The tech company has also revealed a new stylus pen, wireless headphones and hands-free camera device, all of which incorporate its AI system Google Assistant.
Tech giant Google has revealed the second generation of its Pixel smartphone, which aims to compete with rivals such as Apple and Samsung.
Pixel 2 features an improved camera, all-day battery life and is integrated with the company’s artificial intelligence (AI) system Google Assistant, which is a rival to Amazon’s Alexa and Apple’s Siri.
The handset also incorporates Google Lens, a new feature that uses computer vision to allow users to look up landmarks, books, albums, films and artworks by pointing their phone towards them and clicking the Lens icon.
Pixel 2 is available in two different sizes, five-inch and six-inch, and comes in black, white, blue, and black and white colour options. They are available to pre-order in the UK starting at $649 (£492).
Pixelbook and Pixelbook Pen
Google has also taken on Apple’s range of MacBooks with its new laptop, Pixelbook. It features a multi-use design that enables it to be used as a laptop, folded into a tablet shape, or propped up into “tent mode” to sit more easily on flat surfaces, says Google.
Alongside the laptop, the company is also launching a Pixelbook Pen to be used for sketching and writing. The stylus can also be used for looking up words, finding out more about a picture or adding an event to the calendar.
Pixelbook retails from $999 (£757) and the Pixelbook Pen costs $99 (£75). Both are available to pre-order now.
Google Home Mini and Max
The company’s new connected home devices come in two different sizes. Google Home Mini is round in shape, roughly the size of a donut, and comes in three colours – chalk, charcoal and coral.
The Max version of the device comes with sound that is 20 times more powerful than the original Google Home, according to the company. It is Google’s first speaker with Smart Sound, a new AI-powered audio system that automatically adjusts depending on where it is placed in a room.
Google Home Mini costs $49 (£37) and is available from 19 October. Google Home Max will be available to pre-order starting 13 November, and costs $399 (£302).
Clips
The company has also unveiled a hands-free, mini camera called Clips and smart, wireless headphones called Pixel Buds. Powered by AI, Clips captures “stable, clear shots” of “spontaneous moments”, says the company, and syncs videos automatically to other devices via the Google Clips app.
Pixel Buds come with a fabric loop that keeps both of the headphones attached to each other. All of the audio controls are on the right earbud, which can be tapped to play or pause music, and swiped to control the volume.
Clips will be available soon in the US, and retails at $249 (£189), and Pixel Buds cost $159 (£120) and are available to pre-order now.
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for a company as big as google, they lack the precision in their integration that apple do, in order to compete you have to be innovative and the way their marketing and branding is just straight copy apple, I feel the big designers at google need to think up some creativity around the way they advertise and show the product. I wish they didn’t play it safe and went for the harder more adventurous road because if they don’t it will always be a cat and mouse situation why settle for second best especially at these prices? just my opinion