Made by Google 2019 highlights – Pixel 4, Pixel Buds, Nest Wifi, and more

Google kicked off the event with an announcement of Stadia’s launch date (which is November 19th, by the way). But, they blew us away with their approach to automation, sustainability, and unprecedented access. With a focus on Google Assistant and privacy, their new hardware helps you remain connected while having a customized experience. From the new Pixel 4 and 4 XL to the Pixel Buds to Nest products, Google is further paving the way technology integrates into our lives.

Whenever there’s a Made by Google event on the horizon, rumors are abuzz as we anticipate the latest hardware. Of course, the news outlets are filled with rumors, leaks, and exciting updates as we near the event date.

Google takes all this anticipation and excitement to heart and they never disappoint. This year is no different. The Made by Google 2019 event was chock-full of updates across all industries from smart home devices to gaming and everything in between, including Google Assistant.

The brand started the event with Stadia’s November 15th launch date, a quick intro to the Pixel Buds, and a healthy dose of their environmental achievements before diving into more new hardware.

Of course, the event was nicknamed the Pixel 4 event for obvious reasons and they saved the best for last. If you couldn’t tune in live, here are all the Made by Google 2019 highlights:

Finally, Google Pixel 4 is here

Pixel 4 is the first smartphone with a radar sensor. It comes with the fastest face unlock thanks Motion Sense. The Motion Sense feature doesn’t just power down your phone when you walk away (and power up when you return), but it also entertains gesture control for seamless human-level interaction. Privacy is built-in for this phone from the start. The data is never shared with other Google devices unless you want it to. The Google Assistant is present throughout, making multitasking a breeze even between apps and functions. You also have new ways to manage your data. In fact, you can manage your data with just your voice. Titan M is built-in on Google Pixel 4 for enhanced security.

The phone has a whole new recorder that can transcribe meetings, speeches, and whatever you can think of. You can actually do all this recording on the device itself, even when it’s on the Airplane mode.

Pixel 4 comes with a smooth 90 Hz refresh for a great visual experience while still preserving battery life. It comes with three months of Google One plus 100 GB of cloud storage and 1:1 pro sessions so users can get the most out of the device.

The Pixel 4 camera raises the bar with HDR+ and Night Sight. The square camera rig includes five sections – rear, wide, telephoto, sensor, mic, and flash. It comes with a 2X telephone lens and super-res zoom. This whole new form of computational photography includes live HDR+ to make images look crisp and natural. Pixel 4 also includes dual exposure controls – brightness and shadows. White balancing in photography is improved by incorporating it in all photo modes. Portrait mode is also improved with machine learning so that you can target large objects plus long-distance portrait shots. The next improvement is in the Night Sight with astrophotography which can achieve powerful captures without the limitations of current DSLRs on the market.

It comes in three colors – Just Black, Clearly White and Oh-So-Orange” and two sizes. Prices start from $799 and shipping will begin from October 24, 2019.

Google Stadia is almost here!

The first update from the event is that Google Stadia will finally be available starting from November 19, 2019. So, playing games on any mobile device, including the new Pixel phones will be as easy as ever (just make sure you grab a compatible controller).

Google Pixel Buds are made for the everyday commuter

These earbuds give you five hours of battery life on a single charge and twenty-four hours with a wireless charging case. The hybrid design of the Google Pixel Buds has a spatial vent just underneath the buds which allows in just enough ambient noise to keep you aware of your surroundings. Plus, they automatically adjust to the noise around you so you won’t have to constantly raise or lower the volume.

The Pixel Buds can detect speech through your jawbone so that you can speak normally for accessing Google Assistant. Google does put privacy at the core of all its products. You can now delete a system data just by asking through your Pixel Buds, via the Google Assistant. They will be available in spring 2020 with a starting price of $179.

 

Sustainable Design Philosophy at Google

At Google, news designs have always been about solving the world’s challenges. Sustainability is one of those challenges of our generation. So, Google aims to consider sustainability from every angle. They’re already using plastics in designing Chromecast and Stadia controllers plus the 2019 Nest products. Incredibly, the Nest thermostats have helped people save 41 billion kilowatts of energy. The Stadia approach also makes gaming more sustainable with just one controller and a screen.

Google is planning to invest $150 million in sustainable energy projects. So, when you choose to buy Google Hardware products, you will be contributing to this sustainable energy project mission.

Pixelbook Go has a better battery in a thinner design

Next up is the Google Pixelbook Go with a thin and slim design made for taking on the go. It comes in black and features a new, grippable design. It’s just 13mm thin and weighs only 2lbs. But the laptop is complete with a 15% larger battery than its predecessor for over 12 hours of battery life. The device also comes with ultra-quiet Hush Keys and includes the secure and reliable Chrome OS. The Pixelbook Go is available for pre-order with a price of $649.

The Google Nest Mini comes in beautiful colors to fit right in

Google is protecting your home data with better security features. With this whole-home audio solution, you can now control content around the home with simple voice commands. Next in the series is Google Nest Mini which is available in four beautiful colors.

It comes with a simple wall mount so that you can attach it anywhere in the house. Nest Mini comes with 2X stronger bass and a more natural sound. There’s also a third mic so it can hear you even in noisy environments. The Nest Mini starts at $49 and is available from October 22 in 23 countries.

Nest Aware plans get a revamp

Google also announced new pricing for its whole-home pricing models. Whether you have two cameras or 10, you pay the same pricing. It will be available from early 2020. The Nest Aware plan will cost $6 per month while the Plus plan will cost $12 per month.

The Google Home app also gets a design refresh with a feed layout to show you the most important data at the right time. 

Nest WiFi is a complete smart home connectivity system

The Nest WiFi comes with two products that include a Nest WiFi Router and a Nest WiFi Point. Every Nest WiFi system needs one router and one point to ensure consistent coverage around the home. Nest WiFi is designed to perform in the open and comes in different colors to blend with your interior design.

You can easily access the WiFi system from the Google Home app. It does everything your Nest Mini does but it’s also a router at the same time. The 2-pack starts at $269 whereas the 3-pack starts at $349. These will be available from November 2019.

As quick as it began, the Made by Google 2019 event comes to an end. The products clearly show that no matter the competition, Google will never stop surprising us with new designs, powerful functionality, and intuitive controls. Which new Made by Google hardware did you like the most? Share with us in the comments below.