Google announced plenty of new devices today at an exclusive event in San Francisco. The phones are made by LG and are dubbed the Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P. Likely, one of the coolest new offerings is a a 10.2-inch tablet with USB-C that starts at $499. And instead of running Chrome OS, the Pixel C runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow.
Speaking of Marshmallow Google said they have made a number of tweaks to its mobile operating system in order to make using Android phones easier. Also there is a new smart battery-saving mode called ‘Doze’ mode that will put the device into sleep when it’s left unattended for a long time.
Both of the new Google Phones will come with a free 90-day subscription to Google Play Music, and if you’re pre-ordering in the US you’ll also get $15 Google Play credit. Also available only for US customers is Nexus Protect ($69), which extends the standard one-year warranty to two years for mechanical breakdown and accidental damage. You can get a replacement phone the next day.
The C in Pixel C stands for convertible and this tablet is poised to do battle against Microsoft and Apple for the business and productivity space. It has an Nvidia X1 quad-core processor, a “desktop-caliber” Maxwell GPU, and 3GB of RAM, which should be plenty to power most everyday tasks. Its display packs in 308 pixels per inch, well beyond the iPad Pro’s 264. It has stereo speakers on either side. You can also have voice interactions from across the room, thanks to far-field microphones embedded. Its USB-C charger gives some future-proof assurances, and will let you charge and transfer data through the same port. It starts at $499 for the 32GB tablet, $599 for the 64GB tablet, and $149 for the keyboard attachment.”
The two Nexus handsets and tablet aren’t the only piece of hardware Google announced during their event. The company has also showcased the new Chromecast and Chromecast Audio devices. The new Chromecast is basically a successor to the original Chromecast dongle back in 2013. This time around we’re not looking at a USB stick-like device, the new Chromecast is actually round-shaped, and it has an integrated HDMI cable. The device comes with support for 2.4 and 5GHz 802.11ac Wi-Fi, while it also has 3 antennas on the inside which actually pick the best frequently to cast using Google’s new adaptive antenna system. The device will be available for $35 in Black, Lemonade and Coral color options starting today in 17 countries. Google also mentioned they sold over 20 million of the first generation models.
The Chromecast Audio, much like the new Chromecast, sports a circular design, but has a somewhat different purpose. The Chromecast Audio lets you stream audio directly to your speakers from cast-enabled apps. All you need to do is connect it to a speaker, turn the wi-fi on, and you’re ready to go. The Chromecast Audio also comes with support for RCA & Optical Input. This device is priced at $35 and available starting today in 17 countries.
Nexus 5X Review
Nexus 6P Review
Pixel C Review
Michael Kozlowski is the editor-in-chief at Good e-Reader and has written about audiobooks and e-readers for the past fifteen years. Newspapers and websites such as the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and the New York Times have picked up his articles. He Lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.