GOOGLE has given us great software over the years, as well as the almighty search engine that brings the world to our fingertips and our eyes. But Google is making new headlines in a new arena – hardware. Some of it is not yet ready for our shores, like its streaming device, Chromecast, but most of it’s new products will work just fine in a connected Zimbabwe.
Having introduced a new mobile phone poised to battle the Apple i-Phone in build quality and software amongst other rhings, the device will be able to act seamlessly with other new innovations. First, we look at the all new, Google Home. Google Home is a device powered by the new Google Assistant, also present within the new Google phone, the Pixel.. Ask it questions. Tell it to do things. It’s your own Google, always ready to help. Google Home plays nice with products and services that you already know and love – and more new integrations are being added all the time.
It looks great too, like an interior design accessory. Say to it, ‘Ok Google, play music by Sia’ You can ask Google Home to play tunes from services like Spotify, YouTube Music, Pandora and more. You can also stream music from your phone to 100+ Cast-enabled apps. Get answers when you need them most. Ask, “OK Google, what is 18% of 92?” to finish last-minute homework, or “OK Google, how many teaspoons in a cup?” when you have flour-covered hands in the kitchen.
You can manage your everyday tasks with Google Home – get your daily schedule, traffic and flight info. Set an alarm by saying, ‘Ok Google, wake me up tomorrow at 6.30 a.m.’, or tell it to add things to your shopping list, start a timer and more. ‘Ok Google, set the thermostat to 20 degrees’ Google Home seamlessly connects with smart home technologies such as Samsung SmartThings among other automated home systems. So you can say things like, ‘Ok Google, dim the lights in the kitchen’ without interrupting what you’re doing. You can also tell it to stream entertainment to your TV with the Chromecast (not yet locally available).
It’s got superior sound and voice technology. Google Home works over Wi-Fi and its integrated high-excursion speaker delivers crystal-clear highs and rich bass for hi-fi sound. It can also hear you reliably when you say ‘Ok Google’ – even while playing music – thanks to far-field microphones and sophisticated natural language processing. It’s versatile by design. Google Home is crafted to fit naturally in many areas of your home. You can customise the base with different colours and finishes to reflect your personal style. Now, meet Google Wi-Fi. A new kind of Wi-Fi system that beams a powerful signal throughout your home. You’ll get fast Wi-Fi in every room, on every device. You can have one or more Google.
Wi-Fi points to cover your home in reliable Wi-Fi. If you have a smaller home you start with a single point. Add on if you need more coverage – the 3-pack set covers even reasonably sized homes. Google Wi-Fi can handle multiple devices, so you can stream in the living room and bedroom while someone games in the basement, without a battle for bandwidth. Google Wi-Fi has Network Assist technology that works behind the scenes to avoid Wi-Fi congestion. It also transitions you to the closest point for the fastest signal, and offers helpful insights to get the most out of your Wi-Fi. Through the Google Wi-Fi app, it’s a breeze to share your password with guests, prioritise devices on your network and more.
With the Google Wi-Fi app, you can pause the Internet on your kids’ devices at bedtime or during homework hours. Most of us get Wi-Fi in our homes through a centralized router, but using a single router to spread signal throughout your whole home is like expecting one light bulb to light up every room. Walls and distance make it difficult for a single device to send a strong signal to every corner of your home, resulting in slow Wi-Fi and dead zones. Lastly, the new technology marvel, Virtual Reality (VR), also had Google putting on it’s thinking caps and they came up with what’s currently seen as the best in it’s class.
Meet Daydream View. With its apparently comfy design (unlike others we tried locally), you painlessly unlock the world of virtual reality with this immersive VR headset. You can browse from an evergrowing collection of apps and games in its Daydream app – a home for all of your virtual reality experiences. Simply place your Daydream-ready phone, like the Google Pixel and other upcoming phones, into the headset to get started. The app brings featured content front and centre, so you always return to something new and fresh when you put on the headset. With VR you don’t just see the world, you experience it.
Swim with a school of dolphins, take in the full majesty of the Taj Mahal and even explore the world’s most famous paintings in a virtual museum. With Daydream View, you can teleport from virtually anywhere to pretty much everywhere. Experience concerts and sports in full 360° panoramic view. Binge out on top shows and videos on YouTube, Hulu, Google Play Movies and more, all of it distraction free, on your own personal big screen. Daydream View’s intuitive, expressive and easy-to-use controller means plenty of games to get immersed in too. Pop your Daydream-ready phone into Daydream View and experience mobile virtual reality wherever you are.
Daydream View’s lightweight, durable headset is made from soft, breathable fabric to help you stay comfortable longer – and it fits over most glasses. Plus, with a handwashable face pad, you can keep the headset fresh and clean so that you can share it with your friends. To maximise the effect of the Daydream innovation, the Pixel and Pixel XL Google’s newest phones, (available in two sizes: 5-inches and 5.5 inches) coming with the new Android Nougat, are the perfect companion. They also come with the Assistant and Duo (Google’s video calling app). They also have a special feature, where, if you charge them in 15 minutes, you’ll get seven hours of battery life.
