Google rolls out its latest gadgets
Tech giant launches Nexus 6P and 5X, plus two Chromecast devices
Google announced two new Nexus phones, the latest version of its Android operating system and two new media-playing devices at its annual fall event Tuesday in San Francisco. Nexus phones The new Google Nexus 6P will be made by Huawei, and comes with a full metal body, a 5.7-inch screen Super Amoled screen, a fingerprint scanner, a new 12.3-megapixel rearfacing camera and an 8-megapixel front-facing HDR camera.
The Nexus 6P’s 5.7-inch screen is slightly larger than the iPhone 6s Plus. The Nexus 5X has a 5.2-inch display — slightly bigger than the previous Nexus 5’s 4.95-inch display.
Canadian prices start at $499 for the 5X and $699 for the 6P. You can order the 6P on Google Play, which will ship in 3 to 4 weeks. There is only a wait-list available for the 5X, with no word on delivery date.
Google is clearly trying to take on the typically superior iPhone cameras with its new phones. There’s a new camera sensor hub that moves the camera’s processing off the phones’ main processor and a new 1.5-micron pixel sensor for taking photos in lowlight settings. The new cameras come with laser-detect autofocus, support 4K videos and can shoot in slow motion. Android operating system The new operating system Android 6.0 (a.k.a. Marshmallow), announced in May, makes its debut on the new phones. Google calls it a “back-to-basics” update, with new voice interaction capabilities and optimized battery life. Android product manager David Burke said that they have also heard Android users complain about bloatware, so there will be fewer pre-loaded apps and users will be able to delete most of them.
It was given short shrift in the presentation, but one of the most interesting developments is the “Now on Tap” feature, which brings the power of Google search into apps. It gives expanded powers to Google Now, so it can explore the information that people call up in the mobile applications. The Marshmallow version of Android enables users to summon Google Now to scan whatever content might be on a mobile device’s screen so it can present pertinent information about the topic of a text, song, video clip or article.
The “Now on Tap” feature will be activated by holding down the device’s home button or speaking “OK Google” into the microphone. That action will prompt “Now on Tap” to scan the screen in an attempt to figure out how it can be most helpful. Users can also just say what they are seeking, such as “Who sings this?”
Android Marshmallow rolls out to existing devices starting next week. Chromecast video The company also launched two new Chromecast devices, the $45 media-playing dongle that originally gave dumb TVs smart capabilities.
The new Chromecast still does that, but has been updated and redesigned. It will provide better Wi-Fi and has a new Fast play feature that preloads streaming content. It also has software that learns and suggests content for you. An updated Chromecast app will feature new content discovery and serve up the shows available on the Chromecast apps enabled on your smartphone. There is also new playback function that allows any device on your network to work as a remote for the device. Chromecast Audio Chromecast Audio is a new product designed to bring streaming to existing speakers. It supports several music services including Spotify, Deezer and, of course, Google Music.
One of the keys for this product is that it might be one of the cheapest ways for consumers to wirelessly control music in multiple rooms. Google Pixel tablet Google also previewed the new Pixel C tablet, aimed at consumers and workers who want a device that can accommodate a lot of typing.
The $499 tablet comes with a 10.2inch screen, 32GB of storage and an attachable $149 keyboard that transforms the device into the equivalent of a laptop when needed. Apple will begin selling a similar model of its pioneering iPad later this fall.
The device is part of Google’s Pixel lineup, a series of high-end laptops that struggled to find widespread market adoption. The new gadget will be available in time for the holiday shopping season, he said.
Google is stepping up efforts to introduce products tailored for business customers. Although the Pixel C is a touch-screen tablet, it’s also designed to replace a traditional laptop. Google services Google also announced some new capabilities to existing services. Google Play Music will offer a family plan for $14.99 for up to six people.
Google Photos will be upgraded to have shared albums, which allow people to share photos and let other people join the album and watch as the picture roll grows. You can also label people and create searches that crawl through the photos and find all the photos of a person or event.
Chromecast will also now support Google Photos, so users can see their albums on the big screen TV. With files from The Associated Press