Google Pixel Buds UK review: A second opinion

Google’s smart earbuds are a decent proof of concept, but at £159 they’re a really tough sell.

With the removal of the headphone jack from this year’s Pixel phones it’s pretty clear Google expects buyers to go wireless for their mobile audio needs. And if you’re sticking within the Google ecosystem, the company is hoping to tempt you with a set of Bluetooth buds, nestled within a carpet-clad charging case, for £159.

Naturally, Google Assistant is a major selling point for the Pixel Buds, with the ability to instantly interact with Google via a touch, instead of using the “OK Google” keyword, and hear replies instantly and privately. Notification reading is another big value-add, offering a hands-free way to fire off message replies without pulling out your phone.

On the whole, the Pixel Buds are at least competent at everything they try to do. But after a few days of use, it’s clear to me that this is ultimately a “version 1.0” product. The Pixel Buds are promising, with occasional flickers of brilliance. But they’re also criminally overpriced, particularly in the UK, while suffering from a few classic early adopter gripes.

See at Google Store

The Pixel Buds ship, and are designed to be lugged around in, their fabric-coated charging case. This rounded-off clamshell case is around the size of a small power bank, with a magnetic clasp that (so far) has held securely in place whether the Buds are carried in a pocket or bag. Overall, it has the look of an even smaller Google Home Mini.

Although this material gives the case a unique look, it remains to be seen how well the carpet-like texture will stand the test of time, and that’s not the only durability concern around what is ultimately a soft plastic clamshell. On the inside, there’s a flimsy plastic hinge keeping this thing in one piece — likely a failure point in the future, even with the added strength of that carpet-textured backing.

The Pixel Buds live inside a tiny carpet-clad case that looks good, though with some durability concerns.

(If it does break, Google doesn’t sell the case separately, so barring a helpful customer service agent you’ll likely need to stump up the full asking price for a new set of Pixel Buds.)

The Buds themselves plug easily into the recesses inside the case, connecting them to an internal battery capable of providing up to an extra day of juice. After almost a week of use, I’ve been impressed with the longevity of the entire Buds-plus-case package. Unless you’re taking multiple long-haul flights without docking the Buds in their case, battery life probably won’t be an issue.

The earbuds themselves have large, rounded drums, with touch input enabled on the right bud, and a fabric cord holding them together. To keep everything secure in the case, you’ll need to double-loop this around the inside of the clamshell, which is a little awkward on the first few tries, but it gets easier with practice.

Also slightly awkward: the way the Pixel Buds fit in your ears. The fit isn’t as snug as other earbuds with rubber tips, and I often felt like they were in danger of falling out — even though they never did. That’s because the connecting cord can be adjusted into a loop via an adjustable toggle, holding them securely in the ear.

This fit is best described as just weird. It’s not terrible, and it’s easy to see why a conventional design might not work well with touch-enabled earbuds that are heavy, because of large internal batteries. But if you’re expecting the Pixel Buds to be as comfortable as your favorite set of neckbuds, you’ll be disappointed.

The best word for the in-ear feel of the Pixel Buds is just weird.

Opening the case and removing the Buds kicks off Google’s Bluetooth Fast Pairing. With your Android phone unlocked nearby, Play Services detects the Pixel Buds and kicks off the setup process, introducing you to the Buds and all their various features. It’s still Bluetooth, so managing multiple devices is a little painful. You need to either unpair the Buds from the first device, or make sure it’s out of range first, before pairing with the second device. (There’s also a button inside the case which you can use to force the Buds into pairing mode.)

This is a fringe case — Google clearly expects most people to use this product with one phone and just one phone. And for what it’s worth, in my experience the Pixel Buds rank pretty low on the Bluetooth frustration scale.

Google clearly expects most people to use this product with just one phone.

I used the Pixel Buds interchangeably with my Pixel 2 XL and an HTC U11+, and most of their functionality worked seamlessly across both devices. Audio quality was pretty good, with ample volume, clarity and and bass. (Without tweaking EQ levels at all, the Buds were a little bass-heavy, but not excessively so.) The Pixel Buds also work well for voice calls, which came through loud and clear, even in less than ideal conditions.

Other features, like Google Assistant and notification reading, worked great on both phones. Long-pressing the right earbud activates Google Assistant instantly, and releasing tells Google you’re done talking, so responses are always super-quick. Google Assistant on your phone is doing the heavy lifting though, so you’ll need a reliable data connection to get the most out of this feature.

Touch input on the Pixel Buds also works great for pausing music with a single tap, or adjusting volume with a swipe. You can’t quickly change tracks — but that’s where Google Assistant comes in. More complex requests, like skipping ahead or playing a specific track, are easy to perform (not to mention extremely quick) via voice.

As for notifications, you’ll get alerts as normal through the Pixel Buds, occasionally with extra information like the sender name for messages. A double-tap then lets you hear the full message, and then compose a reply via voice. If you ignore a few messages in a row from the same place, Assistant is smart enough to stop interrupting your music with subsequent alerts.

The only awkwardness I’ve come across with this touch input is while re-docking the Buds back into their case. It’s easy to accidentally start playing whatever you just stopped listening to with an unintentional tap. (That’s a small part of the general fiddliness that goes with docking the Buds into the case and double-looping the cord.)

Notifications in your ear, and Google Assistant in an instant.

Unlike Andrew Martonik, I didn’t find notifications to be particularly bothersome with the Pixel Buds, and the additional context that notification reading gives was actually useful for me. I was also much more inclined to use Assistant for various tasks while using the Pixel Buds, compared to when I just had my phone on me. (It also helps that you look like less of a dork talking into an earpiece then you do saying “OK Google” at a phone.)

The utility of Assistant in your ears at all times will depend on how much you’re bought into the Google ecosystem, as well as whether you own other connected home or entertainment gadgets like smart bulbs, Chromecast or Google Home. For me, it was a nice bit of added convenience, but hardly a game-changer.

We’re still in early adopter territory here.

The one big feature that’s exclusive to Pixel phones is voice translation, which hooks into the Google Translate app on your phone to form a slightly clunky present-day version of Star Trek’s Universal Translator. You speak, they speak, and the Pixel Buds (and your phone) makes sure you can both understand each other. The big caveat here is that you still need to have your phone out for all this to work, and there’s a lot of awkward waiting while Google works its magic. My Pixel Buds arrived too late to go with me on a two-week stint in Taiwan, which would’ve been an ideal test for this feature. Even so, in some casual testing in French and German, translation on the Pixel Buds isn’t the seamless experience some will have been hoping for. (Nor is it the killer app Google tried to pitch it as during the October 4 announcement event.)

There are a lot of positives to take away from the Pixel Buds: the sound quality is good. (You’d hope so, for the asking price.) Google Assistant is extremely quick, though the overall value here will depend on your affinity for talking to technology. And I’m onboard with having Google read back my notifications to me, even if translation is (for now) a non-starter. What needs to improve is the elegance of the overall package. Having to squish a piece of cord around your ear to hold the Buds in place isn’t ideal, nor is the level of comfort from earpieces that don’t fit particularly snugly in the ear. And the case, though attractive on the outside, looks flimsy, and docking the earbuds and cord inside can be fiddly.

So we’re still in early adopter territory here, and for most people the Pixel Buds won’t be worth anywhere near the current £159 asking price. If money is no object, or if you must experience notifications in your ear, or fool around with the translation features, then go ahead and splash your cash. The rest of us can probably find better Bluetooth buds elsewhere — or wait for the Pixel Buds to get a price cut in the coming months.

See at Google Store

Get $20 off for every $100 you spend at Target, including drones, Nest thermostats, and more

Time to do all your shopping in one day!

Target currently has an online sale for Green Monday where you can get $20 off for every $100 you spend. It’s cumulative, so if you spend $200 you get $40 off up to a maximum discount of $100. if you’ve got a bunch of items on your Christmas shopping list, you could knock it all out at a discount with no one ever knowing you bought them stuff on sale.

Or you could go for some of those big ticket items you’ve had your eyes on for a while:

• Nest Learning Thermostat for $209.99 (from $250)
• Nest Thermostat E for $129.99 (from $150) – You can also get a free Google Home Mini with any Nest device. That’s an extra $29 in savings.
• DJI Spark drone for $289 (from $349)
• TCL 49-inch 4K HDR Roku TV for $299.99 (from $360)
• Brother monochrome laser printer for $99.99 (from $120)
• Instant Pot Duo 8-quart pressure cooker for $109.99 (from $130) – The 6-quart is one cent shy of $100, but if you can find something small, like this $1 bag of candy, to add to that you can get $20 off on it as well.

There are a lot of exclusions including Bose, Sonos, Samsung, Xbox, Nintendo, and PlayStation. However, it also says Google Products are an exclusion, but Nest is owned by Google and works just fine. So it can’t hurt to try if you’re interested in something.

See on Target

STEM toys are on sale at Amazon today, like the $56 littleBits base kit

Hide some learning in their playtime.

A variety of STEM toys and games are on sale today only as part of Amazon’s Deals of the Day, including the popular littleBits Rule Your Room Base Kit which is down to $55.99 from its average of $80. This deal also brings it within $6 of its lowest price ever.

STEM toys promote the fundamentals of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math to children in fun, exciting ways. The littleBits Rule Your Room Base Kit focuses on the T and E in STEM, allowing a child to build a variety of inventions to have more control over their room, such as a burglar buzzer and a programmable pop-up puppet.

The coolest part about this littleBits base kit is that it can be combined with other similar kits to widen the kinds of inventions your child can create. One such kit is the Makey Makey which is also in Amazon’s sale, available for its lowest price ever of $34.34 at a discount of $15 off the average. This kit lets you create a controller for your computer, tablet or phone out of everyday objects like a banana or a notepad. Best of all, these kits prioritize learning and provide steps for your child to begin to understand how these inventions actually work.

Amazon’s STEM toys sale features other kinds of toys too, like the $5 kit that lets you turn a tin can into a robot, an 11-inch globe for $12, and National Geographic’s Ultimate Construction Engineering Set which lets you build 100 different motorized model vehicles for just $34.99.

See at Amazon

Google Home, Pixel 2 deals hit the UK holiday season

If you’re looking to treat yourself or a loved one this holiday season, Google’s UK store has reintroduced deals on the Home, Home Mini and Pixel 2 in the run-up to the festivities.

As recently as Black Friday deals could be had on the same items, but discounts are back as folks are clamoring to get their last gifts in time. The Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL are both reduced by £50, to £579 and £679 respectively. You can also still snag a free Google Home Mini when you buy a phone as well, as an extra sweetener.

The Google Home and Home Mini are also hacked down in price. The Home is down to just £89, matching the latest generation Amazon Echo, while the Home Mini is back at its Black Friday pricing of just £34. At these prices, both are fantastic value.

The discounted prices are valid it seems until December 16, so not too long to take advantage, so hit the Google Store linked below and get them while they’re hot.

See at Google

Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL

• Pixel 2 FAQ: Everything you need to know!
• Google Pixel 2 and 2 XL review: The new standard
• Google Pixel 2 specs
• Google Pixel 2 vs. Pixel 2 XL: What’s the difference?
• Join our Pixel 2 forums

Best Buy
Verizon
Google Store
Project Fi

Here’s how to sync smart home gadgets using Google Assistant

“Ok, Google, sync my devices.”

Thanks to products like Philips Hue light bulbs, WeMo smart switches, and more, our homes are now smarter than ever before. However, as awesome as these things are when they work, they can often be a pain in the butt to pair new gadgets, move them to another room, etc.

Thankfully, it looks like there’s now a command for Google Assistant that makes these tasks a whole lot easier.

When talking to the Google Assistant on your phone, Google Home, etc., saying “Ok, Google, sync my devices” will automatically search for any smart gadgets and sync them up to your Google account. In addition to this, you can also get a tad more specific by saying something such as “Ok, Google, sync my lights” if you only want to sync up your smart light bulbs.

This functionality is available for Google Assistant now, and while it’s not revolutionary or ground-breaking, it should make your life with smart gadgets a whole lot easier.

Google Pixel Buds UK review: A second opinion

Your shiny new OnePlus 5T can’t stream HD videos

A future software update will fix this, but why is it an issue in the first place?

Our phones are capable of more than ever before nowadays, and because of this, there are some things we no longer have to think about as we just expect it to work. Pretty much every phone from the past few years has been able to stream HD videos without a hitch, but for whatever reason, the all-new OnePlus 5T is currently unable to do this.

In order to stream videos in HD from the likes of YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Video, etc., phones need to support something called Widevine Level 1 DRM. As some users on OnePlus’s forums have noted, the 5T only supports Widevine Level 3 which is capable of just SD video streams.

What’s even more peculiar is that The Verge has tested and confirmed that this is an issue that also plagues the original OnePlus 5 that was released this past summer.

OnePlus says that a software update will be available in the future for the 5T that’ll enable support for Widevine Level 1, but the company has failed to state why in the world this is something that wasn’t supported out of the box.

We wouldn’t necessarily deem this as a reason return or not purchase a 5T seeing as how it’s a fix is on the way, but it’s just mind-boggling as to why this is an issue in the first place.

OnePlus 5T and OnePlus 5

• OnePlus 5T review: Come for the value, not the excitement
• OnePlus 5T specs
• Should you upgrade from the OnePlus 3T?
• OnePlus 5T vs. Galaxy S8: Beast mode
• All of the latest OnePlus 5T news
• Join the discussion in the forums

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Amazon

The Best Universal Remotes

You don’t have to go too far to find a really good universal remote control. And, in fact, you’ve got some really options.

Remote controls, as a general rule, suck. It’s not a matter of your device — stereo, TV, set-top box, whatever — having a good remote. It’s more of “OK, which is the least worst?” … and “How many do I have to keep on hand?”

Universal remotes changed all that. Though for years and years they also were a source of frustration. Were all of your devices supported? Was there any way to update the remote for new devices? How hard was it to program? Just how well (or poorly) would all of this work?

That was then. This is now. Universal remotes are good again. And there’s really only one company whose remotes I’d turn to. That’s Logitech and its Harmony system.

And there are a number of options — and price points — to consider. Let’s take a look.

The basics of Logitech Harmony

Here’s Harmony in a nutshell:

The Harmony Hub: This is a hub that connects to your Wifi and makes all the things work. It connects to the internet so you’ll always have access to the latest device profiles. It also does Bluetooth control, which can be important for things like Apple TV and Android TV boxes. And it also does old-school infrared controls, and it has extenders that you can connect to make sure that all of your devices are within sight, even if you want to keep the hub hidden away somewhere.

The Harmony app: This is how you’ll set up all your devices and activities. And you can control various smart devices through it as well. While it’s maybe a little slower to use than I’d like, it’s also methodical in the setup process, making what used to be a complicated task into something anyone can do. It also lets you control everything via your phone or tablet, if that’s how you roll.

The Harmony remotes: Logitech has a number of remotes of various degrees of sophistication, and at various price points. Some are simple and (relatively) inexpensive, while others have touchscreens. Both have their merits.

Smart assistant integration: Logitech Harmony also works with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant (and that means Google Home), so you can control things with your voice, if that’s how you roll. Note that it is not compatible with

Let’s take a closer look at what I think you should be taking a closer look at:

Logitech Harmony Hub

If you’re only going to get one thing, get this. It’s the heart of the Harmony system. And while I’d still recommend getting an actual Harmony remote control, you can do a lot with just the hub.

For starters, it’s the one thing that links all the other things together. That’s kind of important. It also lets you control everything from the Harmony app, which is available on Android and on iOS.

And it’s the thing that talks to Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. You’ll at the very least want this, and it’s only about $80.

See at Amazon

Logitech Harmony Companion

The Harmony Companion is certainly more than a bare-bones basic universal remote. And while it’s certainly not inexpensive, at about $133, you get a whole lot here.

First and foremost, you get the Hub. So that’s covered. And then you get a beautiful universal remote. It’s still probably the most nicely designed product in my home — and that’s including smartphones.

If you want to go cheaper, there’s the Harmony Smart Control. But I’d spring the extra money for the Companion for this reason — it has dedicated buttons for smart devices like lights and plugs. That’s great future proofing if you’re not already using those things — and it’s an excellent silent way to turn off the lights at night if you already are.

If you ask me which remote to get, this is the one I recommend.

See at Amazon

Logitech Harmony Elite

This remote control is ridiculous. As in ridiculously cool. It’s not nearly as svelte as the Harmony Companion, and it’s more expensive. (It lists at about $350, but big discounts aren’t uncommon — I’m currently seeing it 25 percent off.) But Logitech also has crammed a touchscreen in here.

What’s so important about the touchscreen? For one, it’s a totally different paradigm for controlling things. While I’m not at all interested in only using my phone as a remote, when you’ve got a mash-up like this it opens a lot of doors.

It also makes things easier. Instead of guessing which activity button turns on the TV and which one launches the Xbox and which one switches things over for the Nintendo Switch — it’s all there, using words and stuff. So kids can use it more easily. Grown-ups can use it more easily.

And I’m a huge fan of the one-touch access to things like my Sonos favorites. Wanna start up some music? It’s literally just a swipe and a touch away. No loading up apps.

Plus this has the Harmony Hub included and a bunch of home control buttons. If you want the best of the best, this is what you get.

See at Amazon

Tech pioneers tell FCC: ‘You don’t understand how the internet works’

Today, pioneers of the internet such as Steve Wozniak, Tim Berners-Lee and Vinton Cerf sent a letter to the FCC telling them, “You don’t understand how the internet works.” The letter calls on the FCC to cancel the December 14th vote, which would repeal net neutrality.

The letter specifically says, “it is important to understand that the FCC’s proposed Order is based on a flawed and factually inaccurate understanding of Internet technology.” These problems were outlined in detail and sent to the FCC as part of a 43-page-long comment back in July. The FCC did not correct its misunderstandings, but instead “premised the proposed Order on the very technical flaws the comment explained,” according to the letter.

The letter also calls out the problems with issues with the FCC’s comment system. FCC commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel wrote a powerful op-ed at Wired asking for an investigation into the public comments on the proposal, after it came to light that around a million comments were fraudulently filed using the names of real people. Another half million were from Russian email addresses. The letter makes it clear that the FCC has failed to respond to a FOIA request from the attorney general of New York about these problems.

We’ve discussed in detail how the repeal of net neutrality would be disastrous, and also how it would hurt artists and small businesses the most. Plenty of companies and organizations have come out against the repeal, but it’s unclear whether the ongoing commentary surrounding the issue is having any effect on the FCC. Apparently we’ll find out on December 14th.

Source: Pioneers for Net Neutrality

‘Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp’ adds gardening to its list of chores

Collect fruit, trade it with villagers, build furniture, rinse, repeat. That’s been the experience with Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp thus far, and if it’s getting tedious, know that there’s an update coming soon that’ll add some variety to the mix. Next month, you’ll be able to start crafting clothes like shirts, pants and shoes. Players will also gain access to a garden. As you might expect, the garden is where you can plant flowers, and you can even water friends’ flower beds for them.

At this point, the flowers could just be another resource type for building stuff (like apples), but there’s every chance that gardening could be a full-blown new activity. We won’t know until we get our hands dirty. Even with this update, Pocket Camp is a far cry from full-fat Animal Crossing, but it’s a step in the right direction. Compared to something like Nintendo’s Fire Emblem Heroes, though, it’s feeling pretty sparse at the moment.

Source: Animal Crossing (Twitter)

Netflix leads the streaming pack with nine Golden Globe nominations

Nominations for next month’s Golden Globes ceremony were announced this morning and streaming services had a pretty decent showing. Netflix led the pack with nine TV nominations while Amazon and Hulu each received three.

Netflix’s The Crown took two nominations — one for Best Drama Series and another for Best Performance by an Actress, which went to Claire Foy. Stranger Things also received two nominations — another Best Drama Series nod and one for David Harbour, nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. Master of None received two as well with the first going to the show itself for Best Comedy Series and the other going to Aziz Ansari for Best Performance by an Actor. Ozark, 13 Reasons Why and Glow each received one nomination each. All were for Best Performance by an Actor or Actress and they went to Jason Bateman, Katherine Langford and Alison Brie.

Two of Amazon’s went to the brand new show The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. One nomination was given to the show for Best Comedy Series and the other to the show’s lead, Rachel Brosnahan. The third nomination was for Kevin Bacon’s role in I Love Dick.

All three of Hulu’s nominations were for The Handmaid’s Tale. It received a Best Drama Series nomination and Elizabeth Moss and Ann Dowd received nominations for Best Performance by an Actress and Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role.

The Golden Globes ceremony will air on January 7th on NBC.

Via: Variety

Source: Golden Globes