The new Pixel 5 smartphone was presented last night during a streaming event organized by Google. Many of the features of the phone, and of the several other devices shown during the presentation, had already been anticipated by some tech sites in the past few weeks. The new products were announced in the run up to the Christmas shopping season, usually the most profitable for these products.
Pixel 5
The Pixel 5 does not bring with it big news compared to last year's model: Google's designers have mostly dedicated themselves to working on innovations previously introduced.
Aesthetically, the new Pixel is reminiscent of the previous model: it has a 6-inch screen (OLED, with a resolution of 2340 x 1080) that covers the entire front, except for a small circle at the top left with an aperture for the lens. 8 megapixel selfie camera.
The Pixel models produced so far by Google have always received excellent reviews regarding the rear camera, and the software used to process images in different lighting conditions. The new Pixel 5 has a set of two rear cameras: one 12.2-megapixel and another 16-megapixel ultra-wide angle, for wider shots. The algorithms and artificial intelligence systems to manage images have been further improved, with the addition of functions to obtain cinematic effects with video shooting.
The new Pixel 5 uses a Snapdragon 765G processor, less powerful than the processors used on several smartphones recently presented by other manufacturers. This choice allowed Google to contain the price of the smartphone, without having to give up the addition of a module to allow the phone to connect to the new 5G networks to surf the cellular network at high speed. The RAM memory of the new smartphone is 8 GB, while the internal memory capacity is 128 GB.
The Pixel 5 are also water resistant (IPX8), can be charged wirelessly and can in turn wirelessly charge compatible accessories.
Google has for now announced that the Pixel 5 will be sold at the starting price of $ 699 in the United States, but has not provided information on availability and prices for Italy.
Pixel 4A 5G
Google also updated a variant of the cheaper Pixel 4A that it unveiled this summer. As the name suggests, the novelty is the possibility of using the smartphone to connect to 5G networks.
The smartphone has a 6.2-inch screen and uses the same processor as the Pixel 5. Unlike the latter, it doesn't have a wireless charging system, the same degree of water resistance and the same set of cameras. ; moreover, it can rely on 6 GB of RAM and not 8 GB as in the higher model.
For now, Google has not provided information on availability in Italy, nor on the price, which should in any case not differ much from the $ 499 expected for sales in the United States. The Pixel 4A model without 5G already available costs 389 euros.
Chromecast
The new version of Chromecast, the device to be connected to an audio / video input on the TV to view streaming content, can be used without a smartphone. It is controlled via a remote control, in which a microphone has been inserted to send voice commands via the Google Assistant.
The new model is very reminiscent of the latest versions of Fire Stick, the competing device of Amazon, which for some time has provided a remote control to be controlled, even vocally via Alexa.
The new Chromecast can already be booked on the Google Store at the price of 69.99 euros.
Google TV
Chromecast uses new software to browse the contents of its subscriptions to streaming services, such as Netflix and YouTube, and which has been called Google TV. The system is very reminiscent of the one already developed by Amazon, with the possibility of viewing particular contents in a single menu, even if belonging to different streaming services.
Google TV also has an internal search engine, which allows you to search for movies and TV series among your subscriptions, which should reduce the time to find something to watch. If you are using the new Chromecast, you can search by voice using the system's remote control.
Google plans to add its new television service to Android smartphones, tidying up the apps that can currently be used to access its content, and compatible smart TVs.
Nest Audio
As had been widely anticipated in recent weeks, Google also presented a new device to have its Assistant always available at home. The new Nest Audio does essentially the same thing as its predecessors (like the Google Home Mini), but gives you the ability to listen to music with greater fidelity thanks to a larger, more refined speaker system.
The new Nest Audio replaces the classic Google Home, which will no longer be available in countries where it was still on sale. Google says that compared to the old model, the new one has 75 percent higher volume and better bass output.
Nest Audio can already be pre-ordered for € 99.99.
