What Google showed in its presentation

A few hours ago, Google finished a big event in New York where she announced her new gadgets. This coincided with the celebration of the Android decade, and the main attention, of course, was focused on the new Pixel smartphones (although there were a lot of leaks about them before, and official models even began to be sold in Hong Kong).

The presentation took longer than Apple , and everything was decorated on a white background, creating a contrast with the black scene of the Steve Jobs Theater. Honestly, Apple looked much more expensive and more professional. Although Google introduced a new device much more. And most importantly, everything is from different areas: here you have smartphones, tablets, home hubs, and media players under TV, and even new (rather unexpected) ways of using artificial intelligence.

Google Pixel 3 and Google Pixel 3 XL

Google sold about 4 million smartphones in 2017 - two times more than a year earlier. But before the mass recognition is still far away. For comparison, Apple last year shipped about 217 million iPhones. However, Google says that it's not about profit, but about competition. And the biggest HYIP was formed just around the release of a new smartphone company. They, like last time, there were two: Pixel 3 and larger Pixel 3 XL. The main upgrade, apart from all the changes in the software, is wireless charging and a wide-angle front camera (to make, for example, steeper selfies, if you want to put a lot of people in the photo).

The technical characteristics of the two smartphones are essentially the same. The rear camera is 12 megapixels, the front is 8 megapixels. IP68 dust and moisture protection. Snapdragon 845 processor, 6 GB of RAM, drives - either 64 or 128 GB (in this device seriously lose the latest iPhone , which have both 256 and 512 GB). Connector microSD card is not provided. Models will come preloaded with Android 9.0 Pie.

Versions differ in size, display and battery. Pixel 3 is equipped with a 5.5-inch OLED-screen with a resolution of 2160x1080 (443 ppi). The Pixel 3 XL screen is 6.3 inches (2880x1440 pixels, 523 ppi). The smaller version looks standard, the larger version has a distinctive “eyebrow” above the screen, like the latest iPhones.

The battery capacity for Pixel 3 is 2915 mA ∙ h, for the XL version - 3430 mA h. To open up the possibility for wireless charging, both smartphones at the back are glass, with a matte finish, which they have already been praised for (pleasant, without fingerprints, gets dirty more slowly than all other glass smartphones on the market and so on). In the same place, behind - a fingerprint scanner. In unlocking the smartphone face, like Apple, Google does not yet believe. The edges of the devices are susceptible to pressing: by squeezing the smartphone in your hand, you can call the voice assistant Google Assistant.

Gadgets received a lot of updates for software, especially camera software. Pixel 2, in the opinion of many reviewers, was ahead of the quality of what the iPhone could do, and in the new Google model went for broke. They even enlisted the support of the legendary photographer Annie Leibovitz, for whom this is the first such partnership. Leibovitz will travel around the country with Pixel 3 for an unnamed project so far, shooting portraits of "inspiring people and places."

Among the camera features is Top Shot mode, which uses AI to eliminate common photo problems, such as photo blurring or occasional blinking of the eyes of one of the participants (problems are eliminated by fixing additional frames before and after you take a photo, and then layout). In the same piggy bank - Super Res Zoom, which helps with the clarity of images when the camera is in zoom mode. And with Night Sight technology, as Google says, you won't need to use a flash, even under low light conditions.

Of course, it was not without the new AR. From more or less interesting things, we merged with Marvel and added stickers of different superheroes to the Pixel 3 camera application (then they are promised to be transferred to Pixel 2 / Pixel 1). If anything, these stickers in Pixel allow you to put 3D characters on the screen, and then take pictures or shoot videos with them in the background. Some, like the "Iron Man" or the imperial soldier from Star Wars, look pretty realistic. If you take a photo with him in the corner of your room, many will believe that you really have such a figure. The way Google showed it at the presentation - as if you were friends with them and you literally took a picture of yourself - it still doesn’t look very natural.

New smartphones come in three colors - white, black and "not pink." The price of Pixel 3 is $ 799, Pixel 3 XL is $ 899. This is noticeably cheaper than the new iPhone (there are $ 999 and $ 1099). Devices will be sold in 12 countries (USA, Japan, Ireland, India, France ...). Russia is not on the list, but, as usual, you can buy it at an American address, and no one will ask you.

Both smartphones are open to pre-order directly from Google , shipping starts on October 18th. Complimentary comes 6 months of YouTube Music, plus owners get unlimited in the Google Photo service until January 2022.

Google Home Hub

Seven-inch screen with integrated voice assistant. In fact, the same column is Google Home, only with a touchscreen connected. It can play videos, display the results of voice queries, manage other smart devices in the house. Google sees this device almost fundamental in the house, and all other systems (which, preferably, also with Google Assistant) will be launched from it. So that it can be safely put in the bedroom, the company did not specifically equip it with cameras, and the screen automatically adjusts to the level of ambient lighting.

Under Google Home Hub, they redesigned the interfaces of the Google Photos and YouTube services so that they can be comfortably controlled both from the touchscreen and the voice. There is an integration with Google Maps and all Nest products (thermostat, external cameras), which is also part of Google. The design of the device itself is quite interesting: it is a soft column of Google Home, which seemed to be incised, and a screen was attached on top. If the device is not used, it automatically turns into a digital photo frame where your photos from Google Photos are spinning. At the same time blurry (and obscene!) Photos are automatically filtered out.

The main fun is that Google is still blocking the connection of Amazon columns to its YouTube - because of the serious dislike of companies for each other . And for a screen speaker, this is, in fact, the most important and most popular service. So instead of a half-hour presentation here, we could just go out, say that “we have the Echo Show, only ours works with YouTube, hello,” throw the microphone and leave. As long as the lock is in force, and AmazonTube is still just in the project, columns with a screen from Google will always be in the lead.

Pre-orders started, the column costs $ 149, shipping starts on October 22. In the form of a bonus give 6 months YouTube Premium.

Google Pixel Slate

The company's first tablet is two-in-one since Pixel C (2015), and the first from Google on Chrome OS. Freely switches between desktop and tablet mode, plus a full suite of suitable apps on Google Play. Secretly created under the codename Nocturne as a competitor to Microsoft Surface Pro. There are two speakers in front (for mini-stereo), two microphones and a front camera, another camera at the back and the Google logo. Both cameras - 8 megapixels. Supports work with the stylus, the stylus is not included.

Above - the power button, with built-in fingerprint. There are two USB-C connectors, one on each side. Mini-jack for headphones missing (sadness). The side faces are antennas to provide better wireless communication.

The device comes in mass specifications, with RAM from 4 GB to 16 GB, SSD 32-256 GB, processors up to the Intel Core i7 eighth generation. The screen is 12.3 inches, 3000x2000, LCD. Weight - 725 grams. The battery should live up to 10 hours.

What was surprising - this “two-in-one” tablet does not come with a keyboard. It must be bought separately. Without a keyboard in any laptop, he can not turn. However, in this solution there is a plus - if you already have a Bluetooth keyboard, it will connect to Pixel Slate without problems, and it has iron, in fact, just like a laptop. If there is no keyboard, Brydge releases a Bluetooth option specifically for the Pixel Slate style for $ 149, and Google itself offers a plug-in version for turning the tablet into a full-fledged laptop, for $ 199.

Price Pixel Slate - from $ 599 to $ 1,599, depending on the filling. Keyboard or stylus must be taken separately. Pre-orders are open , the exact time of shipment is not told. The bonus to the tablet is three months YouTube TV.

Google Pixel Stand

A wireless charging station that can also be used as a photo frame. The smartphone does not fall here, and put - to become part of the beauty of the interior and generally be more useful. If Pixel 3 is placed on such a station, its interface changes to make it easier to read from a distance. Then you can give voice commands to the smartphone, and it, for example, changes the photo while it is charging, or sets the music. In this mode, he also has a special setting for the alarm "Sunrise", which provides a more peaceful awakening.

The station has a USB-C port; for wireless charging, any device compatible with the Qi standard is supported. Pixel Stand is open to pre-order, will cost $ 79.

AI fights telemarketing

Not super important, but very funny. New smartphones allow a completely unique way to deal with annoying phone calls. It simply turns on Duplex AI - the “creepy” voice bot, the storm of all call centers that cannot be distinguished from a person. If you turn it on, AI will answer the call for you, accept the data, understand what they want from you. And then squeeze out and give you on the screen useful information - who is calling, name, what he wants to tell. And you, while the bot communicates, can decide whether to take the call, or you can ignore it. True, while Duplex AI so famously passes the Turing test in English only.

Google pixel earbuds

Google also silently, without telling anything at the presentation, today began selling new headphones in its store. And they are already completely ready for delivery, that is, it is not even a pre-order. In terms of features and design, these are exactly the same Google wireless headphones , also with real-time translation capabilities and Google Assistant support at the touch of a button. They only work not via Bluetooth, but via wire, via USB-C. Therefore, they are almost an order of magnitude cheaper, only $ 30.

3rd generation chromecast

The digital media player has also been very quietly updated - now Google will have it with Bluetooth and a microphone. Iron accelerated by 15%, video in 1080p now goes to 60 FPS. Worth $ 35. There is still no support for 4K and HDR - for this you need to take the more expensive Chromecast Ultra for $ 69. For Russia is not relevant. Interestingly, Google didn't calculate something here either: the new Chromecast somehow went on sale at Walmart and Best Buy a few days before the conference.

In general, Apple’s presentation a month ago for live viewers was much more impressive in terms of atmosphere. In the style of “look, this is a historic day, these are great devices that will change the world!”. Google simply, technically and without much pomp, showed its latest achievements. Although the search engine firm is far ahead in the number of new devices: two smartphones, a speaker, a tablet, headphones, a media player and a stand-up charge - against three smartphones and one smartwatch. Yes, and funny chips here like a little more, even though there is something to talk about.

How do you think Google has a future in consumer electronics? Interesting such new items?

PS All Google products can be bought directly from them on the site (even from Russia, if you register a US Google account - for example, using a VPN). And we give us a free American address for the delivery of goods, Pochtoy.com. Forwarding goods from the States to Russia now costs only $ 11 per kg (instead of $ 16). Favorite Habr readers get another -7% after registering with the HABR code.