I love the smell of Pixel rumours in the morning! This morning it seems that upcoming Google hardware rumours are hot, with an Assistant powered headphone surfacing and now rumours of a new Pixel Chromebook and mini Google Home coming to light.
According to an Android Police source, Google will be an update to their Chromebook Pixel line with a 2017 model and a miniaturised version of Google Home at the event where they launch the Pixel 2 and Pixel XL 2.
Pixel Chromebook
The Chromebook is, they think at least, either Project Bison, or at least an offshoot of this project which they believe to be the original reference device for Andromeda OS – the now defunct merged Chrome OS/Android OS.
Specs are definitely only theoretical at this stage, with Android Police theorising based on rumours from Project Bison which would have had a 360-degree hinged 12.3″ screen allowing for a ‘tablet-mode’ and be less than 10mm thick. Internals are less definite with rumours of 32 or 128GB of storage and either 8GB or 16GB of RAM – it’s possible two configs were planned. A Wacom stylus accessory would have been available as an aftermarket purchase and given Googles move towards stylus support in education Chromebooks, this isn’t a stretch.
Rumoured price? How’s $799USD (just over $1,000AUD) sound? That’s what the rumoured Project Bison was rumoured to start at. Whether Google makes the Chromebook available in Australia is the other big question.
Home mini
Another product rumoured is a Google Home mini, similar to Amazon’s Echo Dot, which would fulfil a gap in some people’s homes where they feel a full series of $200AUD speakers isn’t particularly feasible. No pricing has been put forward, but hopefully at least half the price would be good, although a Google Assistant powered Chromecast with built-in mic would be a nice surprise.
Google’s last Pixel event was at the end of September last year, we’re likely looking at an event around the same time but as usual Google is remaining quiet about upcoming announcements.
I like the idea of a cheaper, less-speakery Home device as I’m not going to use its speakers instead of the good ones I have going over Chromecast.
But a “Google Assistant powered Chromecast with built-in mic”? I bet most people’s Chromecasts are stuck down the back of their telly or receiver, so how’s the mic going to pick up any voices down there?
Far field mic can pick up a fairly good voice. Mine isn’t wall mounted.
Am I the only one that wants a new Nexus player? sigh. guess I am!
Not at all. Pixel Player!
Assistant invading headphones : Sounds awful
Pixel Chromebook : Too expensive, just get a laptop
Google Home mini : About time, though the sensible move would be to combine it with a chromecast. Price still needs to be sane.
BTW, The Amazon Echo has just developed the ability to recognise its in Australia, complete with weather, traffic, local services, etc. – suggesting that a launch here might not be too far away
I completely disagree Fred,
I recently reviewed in ear earphones and one of the best features was having assistant only a tap away. Like all features you don’t have to use it, and if you don’t like the product you don’t have to buy them at all .
Issue is the same one you get with phone bluetooth headsets – you end up talking to yourself and looking like a dick in public. There are circumstances where voice input can work, in general where you can hear both sides of the conversation. But this looks to end up in the same ‘glasshole’ segment. Still, I’m guessing the difference between this headset and just a cheapo bluetooth headset is very minor, and thus with the forced removal of the simple wired solution they have to at least make it sound like it’s not like a retrograde step. I wonder… Read more »