There's been a lot to take in at today's Made by Google event in New York, not least the Pixel 4 phones that have just been unveiled. Google had updates to several more of its product lines as well, and we've got all the details you need to know.
First up is the Pixelbook Go, a lightweight 13.3-inch Chromebook that effectively replaces the more angular 2018 Pixelbook (it certainly has a more conventional design). You get Chrome OS of course, plus an 8th-gen Intel Core CPU (up to an i7 processor), up to 16 GB of RAM, and up to 256 GB of internal storage.
What's noticeable here are the choice of configurations, which means prices range from US$649 to $1,399, depending on how much power you want under the hood and the quality of the screen – that top-end Pixelbook Go offers a 4K display. Google is promising 12 hours of battery life between charges.
We have new versions of the Pixel Buds too, which now come as an unattached pair without a connecting cable (see the 2017 originals). Google Assistant is on board again, they're water-resistant, and offer five hours of battery life between charges. The 2nd-gen Pixel Buds will set you back $179, but don't go on sale until early next year.
The Google Home Mini has been given a more minor upgrade: it's now called the Nest Mini, though not much else has changed. It supposedly sounds a little better, with improved audio tuning, but you don't have to rush to upgrade. There's now a little hook hole on the underneath, should you want to mount it on a wall.
Capacitive buttons have been added, so you can tap on the speaker to adjust the volume and pause playback. The chalk, charcoal and coral colors are retained, though aqua makes way for a slightly lighter sky shade, while the price remains the same at $49.
Lastly, Google has also pushed out a new version of its mesh networking kit, under the name Nest Wi-Fi. This time the router nodes also double as Google Home smart speakers, which is a synergy that makes sense when you think about it. For $269 you get the main router hub and one satellite node, which a variety of different packs available.
One neat trick is the ability to turn the Wi-Fi on or off with a voice command – should you want the family to congregate for dinner or actually go to bed, for example. Apparently a single router and a single node is enough to support 200 devices.
While these hardware refreshes might not grab as many headlines as the Pixel 4 phones, they were all necessary – some of the products being replaced are now two years old. It also emphasizes how serious Google is about hardware going forward – though it's not yet pushing out quite as many weird and wonderful bits of hardware as Amazon is.
Product pages: Google
