The 5 biggest announcements from Google's hardware event
  • 8 years ago
Google's new phone, the Pixel, was announced today. The phone includes Google Assistant (the Alphabet company's version of Apple's Siri), an incomparable camera, as well as Google Duo, the company's video calling app. They start at $650 and are available for preorder in the US, Australia and the UK. Google rolled out the first Daydream-compatible VR headset, the Daydream View, and a reasonably priced one at that: $70. Google Play Movies, Google Photos, Street View, Maps and YouTube will have immersive Daydream support. First revealed in May 2016 at Google I/O, the company showcased Google Home, a clear answer to Amazon's Echo. It incorporates all the features of Google Assistant and can get you answers to lots of questions and summarize information you need for your day. Google Home goes on sale today for $129 and will ship Nov. 4. Google WiFi, holds a few nice advantages over the OnHub line. Apart from being much smaller (no vase-like design here), its big trick is its ability to create an Eero-style mesh network. Preorders start in November. It ships in December and will cost $130 for a single, or $300 for a three-pack. We've got a 4K/HDR upgrade in the Chromecast Ultra. It's still a svelte puck like the earlier models, but it's got a bit of a stealth bomber aesthetic. And at $69, it's far more expensive than the current $35 Chromecast.