Google Event Highlights: Pixel 4, Pixel Buds 2, Pixelbook Go, and More

[MacRumors]

Google today unveiled several new products at its Made by Google event in New York, including the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL smartphones, Pixel Buds 2 wireless earphones, Pixelbook Go notebook, and new Nest devices.

Pixel 4

The new Pixel 4 and 4 XL were widely rumored ahead of their release, to the point that Google even shared teaser photos of its own, and now the devices are official. Key features include 90Hz displays, a new rear-facing 16-megapixel telephoto lens, facial authentication, motion sensing, and more.

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The Pixel 4 sports a 5.7-inch OLED display, while the larger Pixel 4 XL has a 6.3-inch OLED display. Both displays are 90Hz for a smoother experience, compared to 60Hz for the iPhone 11 Pro and most other smartphones.

With the Pixel 4, Google says you can fine-tune the brightness and amount of detail in the shadows, helping with difficult shots like sunset portraits. And with a new astrophotography capability, Night Sight on the Pixel 4 can capture shots of the night sky, the stars, and even the Milky Way when visible.

Google has moved away from both the notch and rear fingerprint scanner of the Pixel 3, with the Pixel 4 and 4 XL instead featuring a sizeable top bezel housing an earpiece, front camera, and sensors for a facial authentication system similar to Face ID. Google says the Pixel 4 has the "fastest face unlock" of any smartphone.

Google says face unlock on the Pixel 4 is aided by a new Motion Sense feature that uses a miniature radar sensor to detect movement around the phone. The same sensor allows for quick hand gestures for snoozing alarms, dismissing timers, and silencing an incoming call, all without picking up the device.

The Pixel 4 is powered by a 2,800 mAh battery, while the Pixel 4 XL has a 3,700 mAh battery. Other tech specs for both devices include a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor, Adreno 640 graphics, 64GB or 128GB of storage, 6GB of RAM, Bluetooth 5.0, IP68-rated water and dust resistance, and stereo speakers.

The Pixel 4 and 4 XL start at $799 and $899 respectively, with pre-orders beginning today ahead of an October 24 release. Google will be selling the devices through all the major U.S. carriers for the first time. The devices come in three colors, including Clearly White, Just Black, and limited edition Oh So Orange.

Pixel Buds 2

Unlike the original Pixel Buds, the new version unveiled today feature a truly wireless design like AirPods.

Google says it scanned thousands of ears to create a design that is comfortable for as many people as possible. The new Pixel Buds feature a low-profile look that sits flush in your ear, with a so-called stabilizer arc and interchangeable ear tip ensuring a secure fit, even while exercising.

The ear tip gently seals the ear to isolate outside noises, but a spatial vent below the ear tip lets through a moderate amount of environmental sound so you can stay aware of the things around you. Pixel Buds can also dynamically adjust the volume based on the loudness of the surrounding environment.

Like Siri on the AirPods, the Pixel Buds have built-in Google Assistant.

The new Pixel Buds will be available for $179 in spring 2020 in four colors: Clearly White, Oh So Orange, Quite Mint, and Almost Black.

Pixelbook Go

Google's latest Chromebook is the Pixelbook Go, a slim and light notebook that is 13mm thick and weighs just over two pounds.

Tech specs and features include a 13-inch touchscreen, 8th-generation Intel Core processors, up to 16GB RAM, up to 256GB flash storage, up to 12 hours of battery life, a backlight keyboard with soft typing, two USB-C ports, and a headphone jack. Like other Chromebooks, the Pixelbook Go runs Chrome OS.

Pricing starts at $879, with pre-orders starting today in the U.S. and Canada, followed by the U.K. in January.

Nest Mini and Nest Wifi

Google also unveiled the Nest Mini, the successor to the Google Home Mini, with key new features including stronger bass and faster response times. Also under the Nest umbrella is a new Nest Wifi router, which builds upon the Google Wifi router with two times the speed and up to 25 percent better coverage.

Article Link: Google Event Highlights: Pixel 4, Pixel Buds 2, Pixelbook Go, and More

 

[Baymowe335]

Are they serious with the top and bottom bezels?

I am long GOOGL, but they should stick to ads and data mining.

 

[dumastudetto]

The event was a complete borefest with the most unenthusiastic team of presenters I've ever seen. Interesting that Google is now trying to pretend they are privacy-focused company, when their business model betrays this messaging.

 

[osx86]

again with this ctl-c -> ctl-v snoozefest

 

[sunapple]

So what do the phones look like without the plastic bumper case?

 

[Arcus]

Is that a G in your ear or are you glad to see me?

 

[RockStar90s]

The camera bundle looks a lot like another phone recently released, is samsung going to do it next?

 

[tennisproha]

Honestly those Pixel Buds look amazing from a design factor. AirPods should looks like that instead of the comical long white shaft sticking out the ear.

 

[Mc0]

That’s a rather sizable forehead...

 

[mi7chy]

Looking forward to Apple copying Night Sight v2 for future iPhones. Marc Levoy, computational photography pioneer, was the highlight of the presentation.

Birth of what is now known as Night Sight and Night Mode from 2015/2016.

http://graphics.stanford.edu/talks/seeinthedark-public-15sep16.key.pdf

 

[Stromos]

Jesus I was considering the Chromebook until I saw the prices. I use my $250 Asus Chromebook right now to pay bills and stream to my Vizio TV on occasion. Are they out of their minds with the pricing? I could buy an amazing Asus Zenbook with a full OS for those prices.

Full price for Linux only laptops....

 

[The Game 161]

No 4K 60
No ultra wide

Hell the iPhone 11 has better front facing video than anything pixel has

Motion features just seem like gimmicks to me but each their own

Overall it seems the pixel will continue to sell badly

 

[alexandr]

just look at that ugly camera square. good thing apple hasn't... yea yea...

 

[realtuner]

Wow, how innovative. /s

 

[burgundyyears]

That pixelbook pricing is crazy. The whole appeal of a Chromebook is something you won't be too sad if it goes missing, is stolen, or breaks. Full size laptop prices for a glorified web terminal? No.

 

[jimmy_uk]

Google just need to stop playing now. Disappointing design and gimmicky.

 

[agsystems]

Leaking your own product cause the presentation to be too predictable - about the only thing I found impressive was the Super zoom feature - its insanely good.

 

[StellarVixen]

“iPhone XR and 11 have noticeable bezels”

-people: ew, it’s ugly!!!

“Pixel 4 has noticeable (huuuge) bezels”

-people: it’s OK.

 

[Mansu944]

Does it really have a square camera set up? Really?

 

[daniesy]

So let's recap:
1. the camera on the Pixel 4 is lightyears ahead of the one on the iPhone.
2. The display is as well.
3. FaceID on Pixel is instant.
...and somehow, people here still find ways lie to themselves that the iphone's better. Amazing!

 

[Unregistered 4U]

That’s a rather sizable forehead...

AND a chin. Maybe they’ll bring back the left and right bezels, too?

 

[rpe33]

Looking forward to Apple copying Night Sight v2 for future iPhones. Marc Levoy, computational photography pioneer, was the highlight of the presentation.

Copying or improving?

 

[dojoman]

Why would anyone buy Google products they will abandon in 2-3 yrs just like they always do?

 

[Zimmy68]

So let's recap:
1. the camera on the Pixel 4 is lightyears ahead of the one on the iPhone.
2. The display is as well.
3. FaceID on Pixel is instant.
...and somehow, people here still find ways lie to themselves that the iphone's better. Amazing!

Watching the Verge preview, I'll give you #3.
But display and cameras light years ahead of the newest iPhone Pros?
90hz is nice but let's see what Displaymate has to say before throwing around lightyear.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

So let's recap:
1. the camera on the Pixel 4 is lightyears ahead of the one on the iPhone.
2. The display is as well.
3. FaceID on Pixel is instant.
...and somehow, people here still find ways lie to themselves that the iphone's better. Amazing!

The Google event was held on the planet Earth. As a result, it is a fact that the camera on the Pixel 4 is not even 1 lightyear in distance away from the camera on the iPhone, so there’s no way it can be multiple lightyears AHEAD of the camera on the iPhone. There may be qualitative differences that make the Pixel 4 phone better in some respects, but ”relative distance from iPhones” is not really one of them.

And, you can bet they’re going to change that “instant”. Impressive for a demo, but even the Google employees at the event were wanting there to be a delay before just dropping you back into your last app. There’s actually a good reason why getting back to your phone on iOS requires a distinct additional step.