Google held a special event in San Francisco yesterday, where it presented several new products, including two smartphones, a hybrid computer it calls a “4 in 1” device, a camera, an updated Daydream, speakers, and a low-cost version of its home assistant, among other things. However, what stole the attention was a pair of wireless earbuds. The Pixel Buds not only try to follow the line drawn by Apple’s AirPods, but also include support for real-time translation into 40 different languages.
It’s increasingly difficult to be surprised at these events. A smartphone that improves its specifications compared to the previous model, second-generation products that optimize performance and (supposedly) lower costs, home accessories… maybe I’m channeling some personal disappointment, but I know I’m not the only one who feels this way. So what does it take to break that? Surprisingly, not much. Let’s see what happened at the last official Google conference in San Francisco. Of course, the star of the event was the Pixel 2, and its bigger brother, the Pixel 2 XL.
The Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL
The Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL both pack a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 octa-core SoC, 4 GB of RAM, and come with AMOLED and P-OLED displays of 5 inches (1080p) and 6 inches (1440p) respectively. They feature two cameras: a 12.2-megapixel main and an 8-megapixel front. Storage options are 64 or 128 GB, and they run Android 8.0. Both models are water-resistant, they do not have a 3.5 mm headphone jack (a dongle is included), and color choices extend to five (three for the Pixel 2 and two for the Pixel 2 XL). Prices start at $649 for the base Pixel 2 and $849 for the Pixel 2 XL.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/zpLVsR8cSFoPixelbook: a hybrid Chromebook
Next up is the Pixelbook, a reinterpretation of Chromebooks that was presented as a “4 in 1” device, but in reality it’s a hybrid. Basically, Google thinks the concept of a “premium Chromebook” is viable, and it aims to prove it with a laptop that has an aluminum body, Intel hardware based on Core i5 and Core i7 processors from the Kaby Lake architecture, a 12.3-inch touchscreen with 1600p resolution, up to 16 GB of RAM and up to 512 GB of solid-state storage. Its keyboard is backlit, the battery lasts 10 hours (with a 15-minute fast charge that yields 2 hours of use), it has a 720p webcam, two USB-C ports, WiFi ac and Bluetooth. Now, Google believes the starting model of the Pixelbook (Core i5 / 8 GB / 128 GB) is worth $999, while the Pixelbook Pen stylus is an extra $99. A thousand dollars for a Chrome OS laptop...?
https://www.youtube.com/embed/y8hTxocaxdoPixel Buds: wireless earbuds with a twist
Fortunately, the event organizers decided to leave one of their best things for last, and yes, I’m talking about the Pixel Buds earbuds. At first glance, the Pixel Buds are Google’s direct answer to Apple’s AirPods. In fact, they share the same goal: to compensate for the absence of the conventional 3.5 mm port. The Pixel Buds connect via Bluetooth, have a five-hour battery life, and the dedicated case can recharge them up to five times before needing help itself. When used as earbuds, the Pixel Buds work with Android 5.0 and later, and iOS 10 or higher. However, that’s only half the story...
The Pixel Buds stand out from the rest thanks to a small touchpad on the right earbud. That touchpad provides a direct link to Google Assistant, and it should work on all Android devices with version 6.0 or higher. A tap is “Play/Pause,” swiping back and forth changes audio volume, and holding it down activates the assistant, since it also includes a microphone. And that brings us here today. The interaction between the user, the Pixel Buds, and Google Assistant takes on a new dimension with the possibility of activating real-time translation. The process is as simple as placing your finger on the touchpad and speaking. The artificial intelligence monster in the background handles the translation, and the smartphone plays the result. All the other person has to do is speak into the phone, and the translation sounds in your earbuds. It’s not perfect, it requires fairly robust connectivity, and it’s limited to Pixel and Pixel 2 smartphones, but it’s the closest we’ve been to a universal translator.
How much does Google want for the Pixel Buds? $159, and interested parties must join a waiting list. We can’t deny it: the potential is enormous. From lost tourists to emergency situations, we definitely want accurate real-time translation. I imagine professional translators and interpreters have a thing or two to say, but beyond the errors (or rather “horrors”) that Google Translate commits, the platform has not stopped growing. Has it reached enough maturity to take on this role? We’ll know soon.
