Google this evening streamed their latest event which was fast and to the point dropping some more tech goodness to the fore including new handsets which might look familiar on the outside but have changed under the hood. Also dropped was their new Nest Audio which is a larger version of their previous iterations and an all new Chromecast with Google TV so there is something for everyone here and if you have bought into the Google Eco System you will find something here of value.
Pixel 4a 5g and Pixel 5
These are their new devices which both sport 5G. The 4a has been well received and has been my daily driver since it launched, The 4a 5G comes with more power with a 3800mAh battery and ultra wide lens and an edge to edge OLED 6.24 inch display, the wide lens was one thing many people where giving out about with the 4a and now this has been addressed, You also get a 12.2MP rear camera and an 8MP front facing camera but we get no wireless charging here. The device will cost €490.89 and is now available to pre-order
The Pixel 5 is the one that has my interest though, A metal unibody, 6 inch FHD OLDED display more RAM same camera set-up and chipset the 765G this has wireless charging and reverse wireless charging which is really cool so you can charge your Pixel Buds on the go with the 4000 mAh powerpack inside the Pixel 5 and this comes in two colours unlike the 4a which is Just Black you get the option to buy Sorta Sage here which would be my preference of the two. You can pre- order this now for €618.71
To top things off if you order either device you get a free pair of BOSE headphones but this is a limited offer so you will need to be quick, again these devices are on the small side and there is no XL variant this year but I and typically use to using the bigger device but have been using the 4a now some time and have found it fine bar typing sometimes so the trade off is not bad having a less bulky device in your pocket. There is also cases now available to order too for both devices and as always I advise you pick one up..
Google Nest Audio
If you are a fan of their smart speakers this one is something to check out offering 50% more Bass which for me is a win and any Bass fan and even louder claiming 75% more volume plus it has a bigger footprint over the Nest Mini and that cloth like finish this allows more tech to be packed inside giving the user an enhanced experience. This is also now available to pre-order for just €99 and is aimed at music fans and of course you can connect to pre existing google homes in your house or better again get two of these for some real oomph in your home. Read more on their blog HERE
Google TV and Chromecast
A new look and style and updated this is ideal for the home or those on the go, I do bring my existing chromecast with me when travelling and it is a must have you have 400k plus titles to pick from and a Google Assistant built into the remote to do more things in the home as well as search what is on, This is also now available on the waiting list for just €69.99 You can see more on the blog HERE
Having put the Pixel 4a through its paces the last couple of weeks I can safely say this is a phone for all,even power users, given the size of the phone which is something much smaller than I typically use I have got use to using it, shot hours of video reviews on it and it has not let me down once bar the odd freeze which can happen to any phone, One has to question the constant One Plus promos but when it comes to the best bang for your buck the Pixel 4A WINS..
I did a first impressions some time back so I wont be boring you with the specs we all know about now but there is some shortcuts taken to get the device to this price it will go on sale for which are not bad but some might get in the way but for a cohesive phone you can forgive the shortcomings and look at the overall package on offer here with the Pixel 4a.
You have no face unlock,no wireless charging,one size for all and no wide camera or telephoto but does it matter?? With the shots the pixel devices take and are known for most people use their devices to take snaps and you can be guaranteed a great shot almost every time with this device and it has been a trend on the pixel devices for some time now. Given they have the obvious looking camera hump on the rear it has ONE LENS not a set up like a spider looking at you on the back which is getting a bit silly looking now these days.You also have no SD card expansion but you get massive storage here (128GB) for your troubles which at this price again is not seen too often.
When it comes to multitasking it worked a treat from my heavy usage and I used this as my daily driver fully loaded with my usual apps which is quite a few being a tech enthusiast but for the average user you will see a day but for a power user you will need to look for a charge in the evening,my phone typically goes on around 7am and by 6pm on a good day I would need to be looking to charge the device but its not an issue as I have power banks and alway near a plug. Battery life does vary day to day but overall for the size of the battery it aint that bad but it is something to consider especially if you are a power user but as mentioned this can be easily overcome depending on your usage and your personal needs, My daily routine changes all the time and some days I might not be so heavy on the device and would shift to evenings instead but having said that I am a power user in general..
Recently we checked out the iPhone 11 case line up and last year the Pixel 4 now this time around it is the all new Pixel 4a case line up from our friends at MNML, Again these are simple clean cases with no branding and access to all ports and a minimal design hence the name. One thing to keep in mind is you will need a screen protector as the front will be exposed to the elements but overall a nice clean case for your phone that is thin..
The Pixel 4a was made for minimalists. Compliment your Pixel 4a with a MNML Case for the ultimate one-two combo.
. Slim, sleek design preserves the original look and feel of your phone without adding excess bulk
. Raised back camera bump protects your world-class camera from scratches
. Precision cutouts around curved glass screen and speakers allow for unhampered media consumption
Whilst we are waiting on the original cases to drop by and other third party case this one from KW Mobile might fit the bill if you cant wait,quite similar to the original case coming in at around 10 euro including shipping it is not a bad buy and looks well and comes in multiple colours too,access to all ports and buttons are there with a lip on the front of the device and the camera hump and fingerprint sensor is also protected on the rear,also it gives you additional grip,check out the video review below for more.
COMPATIBILITY: Made to fit Google Pixel 4a
CANVAS: Smartphone case is made of durable and resistant fabric for a classic and lightweight, slim look
PROTECTION: Case covers all four corners of phone to protect it from shocks, falls, drops, bumps and scratches
ANTI SLIP: Textured canvas material provides ultimate non-slip grip and stability when handling your phone
PERSONAL TOUCH: Personalize and protect your phone with a stylish cover in green
We purchased this product and KW Mobile have not seen this review before you.
Apple recently launched the iPhone SE and One Plus Nord which are affordable phones to give a nice twist to the market, I have been saying it a while now there is no need for 1000 euro phones and the pixel 4a is a new device to throw a spanner in the works for Android and iOS smartphones falling into that price category. I have been using the device for two days and so far impressed.
Having used pixel devices as main device since they came to fruition this years model model will certainly be following that trend given it is a smaller device for my liking it will take a day or two to adjust but I typically carry two mobile phones with me all times which is a pain but it is what it is. The Pixel 4a has a small footprint yet almost bezelless top and chin this time with its sides too, The device goes on sale for €389 which really puts it up to Apple and chinese manufacturers especially One Plus which we see nothing but praise for oddly enough I have yet to test one to give my honest opinion on the device.
Image taken with pixel 4a portrait mode
The device comes with a squared camera hump on the back like and not a silly array of camera lenses which for me now is getting silly looking as to whom has the most on the rear of their smartphone,having said that some look well and some look stupid. Google have a clean simple design here which for me is fine and keeping the design language the same as before.
This is not a review as you cant really review a phone in two days and i will have a better summarized review in a week or two but for the last two days of use it has been impressive with speed and in particular its camera as expected,given I am a power user the battery life is again going to be the main talk coming in at 3140 mAh which is considered small in today’s world but given the size of the phone it is to be expected. The device learns from your usage over time however and we will see how this pans out with more usage which again is another reason for not being able to give a real conclusion of the device like any other over a two day use period. See our video and image sample HERE
The camera set up is a 12.2 dual pixel E+OIS with 7X zoom 77 degrees fov and the front camera is 8mp fixed focus with an 84 degree fov. The screen ratio is 5.81 inch 19.5.9 aspect ratio with a 443 ppi count 1080×430 always on display on an OLED display. You get 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage which is a real sweet spot and a Qualcomm snapdragon 730G processor and you get an 18W fast charger in the box and no earbuds or case.. Again we have stereo speakers which I love and overall so far the device has performed well and no issues as yet but as mentioned will have more later as I will put my main sim on board.
So far I have loaded most of my apps on the device connected to smartwatches a dashcam several security cameras, since covid I have been using many more apps than I usually would so it means more loading on the device and all is well but check out the video below for more samples. Any questions hit us up in the meantime. For now once again In short the pixel 4a is a cohesive device that gives great results with the camera giving you the best point and shoot results almost every time.
10 things to know about Pixel 4a
1
The helpful Google phone at a helpful price
Meet Pixel 4a, the helpful Google phone at a helpful price. It comes packed with the things that you want most in a phone. You can take great photos, even if the lighting isn’t right. It can even capture the Milky Way.1 (Yes, that Milky Way.) It has an Adaptive Battery that lasts up to 24 hours. And with the new Google Assistant, you get the help that you need, fast. Pixel 4a comes with all this and more, for a lot less than you’d expect.
2
Beautifully designed. From the inside, out.
Your apps will look great on Pixel 4a’s 5.8″ bezel-less, OLED display. It goes from edge to edge so that you can fully immerse yourself in your videos and apps. The front-facing camera is embedded within the display (take a look at the new wallpaper collection called ‘For fun’). Plus, it has a 3.5 mm headphone jack, 128 GB of storage4 and 6 GB of RAM.
3
Rich photos at a modest price.
Get incredible photos without paying a ridiculous price. The Pixel 4a camera has your favourite features, such as Live HDR+, dual exposure controls, Night Sight with astrophotography, social share, portrait mode and Super Res Zoom.
4
Goes from breakfast to bed.
Pixel 4a’s battery lasts up to 24 hours. It adapts to the way that you use your favourite apps, and reduces power to the ones that you rarely use. So you can swipe and stream to your heart’s content. In addition, the fast-charging battery is designed to get you back to the things that you love quickly.
5
A little help with your daily tasks.
Let your Pixel help out with the little things so that you can do more of what you love. It has the new Google Assistant to help you to control your phone, send texts and even search within apps. It also has the exclusive Recorder app, which automatically transcribes speech and lets you search across your audio recordings.
6
Rest assured.
Get the peace of mind that comes from knowing that your phone is working to keep you and your belongings safe. Pixel 4a is protected by the Titan M security chip and receives guaranteed updates for at least three years.
7
The best of Android accessibility on Pixel
You can find the best of Android accessibility features on Pixel, developed together with the disability community. And now, Live Caption on Pixel has gotten even better and works on phone calls too. Plus, Pixel has all the other Android accessibility features that you know and love, such as Voice Access, Live Transcribe and more.
8
Comes with the best of Google.
With Pixel, you get the best of Google services to try out. This includes
YouTube Premium trial for three months, Google One for three months and Google Play Pass for three months. Plus, unlimited photo and video storage in high quality with Google Photos.
9
Your Pixel just got more helpful.
Your Pixel gets a periodic boost of helpfulness and security with feature drops. They’re automatic software updates that send new features, tricks and apps to your phone, making it better and more helpful as time goes on. Everything happens over the air, so you get the new-phone feeling without needing to get a new phone.
10
Enhance the Pixel experience.
Get compatible Pixel 4a accessories from Google or choose from over 20 Made for Google brands offering 75+ compatible accessories. Add some colour with Pixel 4a fabric cases, with a soft outer fabric made from over 70% recycled material. The machine-washable fabric is soft to the touch and stays stylish over time. Google Pixel Buds bring you brilliant sound, clear calls and hands-free help from the Google Assistant. Accessories provide personalisation, audio, power and more to your phone.
