Pixel Buds: Unboxing and setting up the first earbuds with Google Assistant built-in [Video]

Google has been trying to get Assistant in just about every part of your digital life, and its latest expansion has been to headphones. Following the Bose Qc35 II’s intro to Assistant Built-in headphones, Google debuted the Pixel Buds at its October 4th event. Now we’ve got a pair on hand, so let’s see what’s in the box and how to set them up.

The packaging on the Pixel Buds is pretty simple, just like the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL. Once you’ve unwrapped it and opened the box, the fabric carrying case is what greets you right away with literature and a USB-C charging cable underneath.

Out of the box, the Pixel Buds are neatly tucked away inside of the charging case, and you’ll need to take them out before you can charge them up. To protect the Buds while shipping, Google has small plastic tabs on each to prevent them from charging, so you’ll need to take those off before you can get them working. Google says you only need to charge them for about 10 minutes before the first use.

The first thing that jumped out at me with the Buds is how you remove them from the case. Unlike Apple’s AirPods or Samsung’s Gear Icon X, the Buds are still connected with a wire (that you shouldn’t cut), so you have to unravel that first before you can remove the Buds themselves. It’s a little odd the first time around, but once you’ve removed and replaced the Buds a couple of times, it’s pretty natural.

It’s also worth noting that Google doesn’t include any extra eartips in the box here, as the Pixel Buds are a “one-size fits all” type of product. Thankfully, you still have these fabric loops which make it a bit easier to fit the Buds for your ears and ensure they don’t fall out.

Setting up the Pixel Buds is a breeze thanks to Google’s Fast Pair feature. As soon as I removed the Buds from the case, my Pixel 2 XL brought up a notification to connect to the Buds, and about 5 seconds later I was connected and giving access to my notifications and Assistant.

So far, I can say I like the Pixel Buds, but there’s still a lot to try out with them. We’ll have more over the weekend on the Pixel Buds including first impressions to answer any questions you have, so drop a comment with those down below.