New Pixel’s and Nest’s: Google’s 2019 October Event Recap

Henry Man

Listening and improving on previous feedback.

Google has announced a slew of new devices at its October 16 event at New York, including the Pixel 4/4XL, new Pixel Buds, Pixelbook Go, Nest Mini, and Nest Wi-Fi.

Google Pixel 4/4 XL

The Mountain View’s latest smartphones remove the notch, introduces radar gestures, and an additional camera with some compromises.

  • Pixel 4: 5.7-inch FHD+ OLED display; Pixel 4 XL: 6.4-inch QHD+ OLED display with variable 90Hz refresh rate and ‘Ambient EQ’ colour adjustment
  • Pixel 4: 2800mAh battery; Pixel 4 XL: 3700mAh battery
  • 12.2MP rear camera with optical image stabilisation (OIS), dual pixel phase detection, f/1.7 aperture, and 77-degree field of view
  • 16MP telephoto camera with OIS, phase detection, f/2.4 aperture, and 52-degree field of view
  • Only one front-facing 8MP camera but with a wider 90-degree field of view (previously two)
  • Enhanced Super Res Zoom and Night Sight, live finder preview on the processing of HDR+ photos, and astrophotography modeDual exposure camera controls enable adjustment of exposure and shadows
  • 18W fast USB-C charging and 10W wireless charging
  • ‘Motion Sense’ radar with facial unlocking, proximity recognition that turns on and turn off the display, and wave gestures to control music, reactive wallpapers, and more
  • A forehead border replaces the notch on the Pixel 3XL
  • 6GB RAM64GB or 128GB storage‘New Assistant’ processes more commands locally on device for faster results and is more visually compact
  • Snapdragon 855 processor and Pixel Neural Core coprocessor allows local processing of speech transcriptions and ‘New Assistant’
  • Features minimal and unobtrusive Google Assistant interface
  • New voice recording app with local offline speech to text transcription
  • ‘Active Edge’ squeeze remains present
  • IP68 dust and water protection
  • Corning Gorilla Glass 5 (front and back)
  • Colours: Just Black, Clearly White, and limited edition Oh So Orange
  • Pricing: Pixel 4 from $1049AUD; Pixel 4XL from $1279AUD

Google Pixel Buds

Replacing the infamous original Buds, the new generation goes wire-free with automatic sound adjustments, and a wireless charging case.

  • Wireless earbuds with adjustable sized tipsPassive noise cancellation with microphone to let in environmental sounds
  • ‘Adaptive Sound’ adjusts volume levels based on surroundings (compatible with Pixel and Android 10 phones only)“Hey Google” detection when connected to Android devices
  • Touch gesture controls for music playback and volume controlTwo microphones for clearer voice calls
  • Claimed five hours standalone battery and 24 hours with charging case
  • USB-C and wireless charging for the case
  • Long-range Bluetooth 5.0 — one tap pairing for Pixel, and Android 6.0 and newer devices
  • Sweat and water resistant
  • Colours: Clearly White, Oh So Orange, Quite Mint, and Almost BlackPricing: $179USD (around $270AUD converted)
  • Expected to arrive in Autumn (Spring for the Southern Hemisphere) 2020

Google Pixelbook Go

Following the high-class Pixelbook and unsuccessful Pixel Slate, the Go arrives as a cheaper Chromebook alternative from Google.

  • Magnesium body with textured ridged base
  • 13.3-inch 1080p touch display (but cannot be flipped for tablet form use)
  • 13 millimetres thin‘Quiet’ keyboard with dedicated Assistant key
  • Two USB-C ports with a headphone jack
  • Front-facing 2MP, 60 fps, 1080p video camera
  • 12-hour claimed battery life with fast charging
  • Chrome OS with the Google Play Store to install Android apps
  • Processor: 8th generation Intel Core m3, i5, or i7
  • Google Titan security chip
  • RAM: 8GB or 16GBStorage: 64GB, 128GB, or 256GB solid state drives (SSDs)
  • Omits a fingerprint scanner and SD card slotColours: Just Black or Not Pink
  • Pricing: $649USD to $1399USD (around $950AUD to $2050AUD) depending on the configuration

Google Nest Mini

Rebranding the predecessor Google Home Mini, the Nest Mini improves its audio, introduces a proximity sensor, and built-in wall mounting.

  • Same and familiar design
  • 40 per-cent stronger base – enlarged and thickened
  • Three microphones enable better voice recognition
  • Dedicated machine learning chip to enable local processing of Google Assistant
  • Play/pause touch prompt on the Nest Mini’s top surface added alongside volume actions
  • Proximity sensor lights up volume control light indicators when a hand is nearby
  • Wall-mount hole now built in at the back
  • New Google Home mobile app brings a refreshed interface and home feedMade from 100 per-cent recycled plastic bottles
  • Colours: Chalk, Charcoal, Coral, and a new ‘Sky’ blue
  • Pricing: $79AUD

Google Nest Wi-Fi

The firm’s latest attempt into the Internet extender space improves speed, coverage, and includes a built-in Google Nest with speaker.

  • Up to two times speed and 25 per-cent coverage
  • Router includes built-in Google Assistant speaker, making the Nest Wi-Fi double as a Nest Mini
  • Halo ring lights located at the Point’s bottom indicates Assistant listening and if the microphone has been muted
  • Can be added to existing Google Wifi network devices
  • Made from partly recycled materials
  • Comes in the Router that directly connects with the Wi-Fi modem (white only), with the Point extending the coverage (Snow, Sand, and Mist)
  • A two pack can deliver coverage for a 3800 square-foot building (353 square-metre)
  • Router and Point available as standalone products; and one or two Point packs with a Router
  • Pricing from: $229AUD to $549AUD