At I/O 2018, Google is announcing a slew of new Assistant features. In addition to custom voices, Continued Conversation, Multiple Actions, and updated family features are rolling out in the coming weeks and months.
CES 2018 May 8, 2018
CES 2018 January 16, 2018
CES usually isn’t the biggest of deals for the Google world, but for 2018, Google had a bigger presence than almost anyone else at the show. Left and right there were Google Assistant representatives, and the highlight of CES was the company’s outdoor booth. Once it was cleaned up from the rain, we got a chance to check it out in person, and it was basically the most Googley thing ever.
CES 2018 January 15, 2018
If you’re a BlackBerry fan, you probably already know that TCL released the brand’s newest handset — the Motion — overseas back in November. After a long wait, US-based fans will no longer have to be jealous of those who picked up the fully-touchscreen BlackBerry. As announced at CES 2018, the BlackBerry Motion is now available in the US from Amazon and Best Buy.
CES 2018 January 14, 2018
Biometric security has been a core part of our smartphones for the past several years, and fingerprint sensors have only been getting better over the years. Now, though, as a war mounts up against smartphone bezels, fingerprint sensors are losing out. That is, until they end up under the display, as Synaptics is doing with its new Clear ID sensor.
CES 2018 January 13, 2018
The LG V30 is easily one of the most underrated phones that’s on the market today with excellent specs and a great looking design. Earlier this month, LG announced a new variant of the V30 and at CES, we got to check it out in person, and that’s got me thinking…
CES 2018 January 12, 2018
Hands on: BlackBerry introduced a bronze Keyone, but don’t expect it in the US
At CES 2018, TCL didn’t unveil a new BlackBerry phone per se, but the company did show off a Bronze Edition Keyone. With this addition, TCL is now going to sell three different variations of the Keyone across the globe…
We’ve seen a lot of Google Assistant powered speakers hit the market in the past few months, and even more made their debut at CES 2018. However, a new Assistant form factor entirely also made its debut this week: smart displays.
Virtual Reality has never really impressed me all that much, but that’s mainly because my experiences have primarily been restricted to smartphone powered headsets. I think Google’s Daydream VR platform is solid, but rarely end up using it because of what’s required. Now, Daydream is finally coming to standalone hardware, and I’m finally excited…
CES 2018 January 11, 2018
While we found that LG particularly hit it out of the park with the V30 last year, the Korean company’s smartphone division continues to report financial loses. In a move to halt that downward trend, LG announced at CES 2018 that it’s breaking away from the yearly launch cycle.
Sony’s Xperia devices are easily forgotten in the US market, but that doesn’t change the fact that they’re excellent smartphones. However, in the States, they’ve often had one major flaw, and that’s been the disabled fingerprint sensor.
Google — both figuratively and literally — blanketed CES 2018 with Assistant with a barrage of third-party products that integrate it and a new smart display form factor. A new report today provides a look into the company’s plans for the year, as well as the ongoing Amazon Alexa threat.
CES 2018 January 10, 2018
While companies have announced new Google-focused products at past CES events, there has never been a strong Google presence. That changed this year, and not just because the search giant built a giant booth outside the main show floor. On top of several announcements from Google, companies had a lot of Android Wear watches, Android TVs, and mobile accessories to show off.
What was your favorite announcement from CES 2018?
A lot of Google’s various products and features in the past year or two have been built for the sake of convenience. Google Assistant and its various access points (smart speakers in particular), is the biggest highlight here, and things like the simplicity of the Pixel and Pixelbook just emphasize that. Now, Google is upgrading Android Auto in two ways, and both double down on making the experience more convenient for the end user.
CES 2018 was filled to the brim with Google- and Android-related products, including phones, smart home products, laptops, and more. And this year in particular was a big one for Google — the Mountain View company seemingly bought out all the available ad space on the strip and set up a huge booth at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Last year, we brought you the inaugural 9to5Google Best of CES Awards to spotlight our favorite products introduced at the show. Once again for 2018, we’ve been pounding the pavement (and hotel carpet) in Las Vegas all week hunting down what’s new. Here are our 2018 picks: expand full story
On Monday, Google unveiled the smart displays form factor for Assistant and touted that devices from Lenovo, JBL, Sony, and LG were coming later this year. We’ve seen displays from the first two companies, and LG’s has now been revealed.
Lost in the fray to the fancy new Smart Displays are more conventional speakers launching with Google Assistant. At CES 2018, Anker’s Zolo brand might have just unveiled the best looking one yet with the Model Zero.
CES 2018 January 9, 2018
At CES 2018, Lenovo-owned Motorola is renewing its commitment to Moto Mods with two new accessories for the Moto Z lineup. The first is made by its parent company and meant for health sensing, while the latter is a full-sized sliding keyboard.
Back at I/O last year, Google teased that its Daydream VR platform would eventually be coming to standalone hardware that does not require a connected smartphone. Now, that’s finally happening with the Lenovo Mirage Solo…
Along with the unveil of the new Smart Displays form factor last night, Google announced that “Assistant is coming to Android Auto.” This re-announcement seemed a bit odd as Android Auto has long had these capabilities. However, it turns out that those voice commands were not from the Assistant found on other platforms.
Continuing the Google Assistant onslaught at CES 2018 is Sony with new Bluetooth headphones, including a truly wireless pair and neckbuds. However, what’s notable is the company retroactively adding Assistant to its older headphones through an upcoming software update.
At this point, it might seem as though Android Wear has seen every possible design style known to the world. But now a Danish watchmaker, Skagen, has announced a brand new smartwatch featuring a striking minimalistic design that brings a refreshed look to the wearable platform…
Over the last several years, Android Wear watches have primarily been big, bulky, and sometimes straight up ugly. With its first attempt at making a touchscreen smartwatch, Kate Spade has put a focus on designing a beautiful wristwatch that women would want to not only want to buy but also wear…
Razer, just like other smartphone manufacturers, can see how much humanity depends on their smartphones. Now that smartphones are gettings as powerful as some mid-range laptops, Razer thinks it’s time to use these devices to also act as the brains of your next laptop. While Project Linda is initially planning to run off of the Razer Phone, it’s just the first step into a much more significant ecosystem…
Razer Phone gets HDR and Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 audio thanks to Netflix partnership
Razer’s first entry into the smartphone market with the Razer Phone has its flaws, but it is quickly becoming known as the best phone for entertainment. Thanks to the 120Hz display and impressive speakers, that’s a title well-earned, and it’s about to get even better…
Smartphones keep getting more and more powerful, and in the past couple of years quite a few manufacturers — most notably Samsung — have experimented with delivering a desktop experience powered solely by your smartphone. Now, Razer is stepping into that ring, but with a fantastic twist.
CES 2018 January 8, 2018
While here at CES 2018, we have been surprised by the number of Android TVs announced by multiple companies. We have seen new units from Hisense, Westinghouse, Philips, Haier, and even a new lineup of big format gaming displays with the Nvidia Shield built-in.
Which of these newly announced Android TV units would you be most interested in purchasing?
If there’s one overarching narrative emerging from CES 2018, it is the Google Assistant. It has launched on headphones, speakers, and many Android TVs at the trade show and now Google is announcing a new form factor: smart displays.
Google Home has proven to be a massive hit, but aside from better speakers and smaller designs, the form factor for Assistant speakers has largely remained unchanged between various releases. Now though, Lenovo is switching things up with the “Smart Display,” a new Home-esque device with a touchscreen…
If there’s one overarching narrative emerging from CES 2018, it is the Google Assistant. From headphones to Android TVs, the Assistant is everywhere with Google itself having a giant booth at the convention center for the first time in several years.
Google’s presence is also coinciding with the launch of a new product category: smart displays. One of the first devices is from JBL.
Hisense is bringing Android TV and Google Assistant to its high-end 4K TVs
Android TV is seeing expansion to a ton of new manufacturers this week at CES 2018, and now Hisense is joining the party with a couple of its high-end 4K TVs.
For several months now, Huawei has been rumored to enter the U.S. market in a significant way thanks to a partnership with AT&T to sell the Mate 10 Pro. However, the day before Huawei’s CES press conference, several outlets are reporting that AT&T has backed away from the deal.
Haier will deliver Android TVs with Oreo installed later this year
Android TV is seeing a lot of new launches this year at CES from the likes of Philips and Westinghouse, but we haven’t heard much when it comes to Android Oreo. Now, though, Haier has confirmed it will be launching sets with Android TV built-in later this year, and they’ll have Oreo out of the box.
We’ve seen a lot of 4K TVs come out in the past couple of years, but a ton of them are packed with inferior operating systems. Lately, though, Roku and Amazon have been fixing that, and this week at CES, Westinghouse is debuting an affordable option that uses Google’s Android TV.
ASUS announces Chromebox 3 with 8th-gen Intel Core processors, USB-C
After being last significantly updated in 2015, ASUS at CES today unveiled the Chromebox 3. This third iteration of the “small form factor solution” running Chrome OS features the latest 8th generation Intel Core chips and is launching later this year.
Asus ZenFone Max Plus (M1): 5.7-inch 2160 x 1080 display, dual rear-facing cameras, more
We don’t typically see too many smartphones announced during CES, but Asus has just taken the wraps off of its latest budget handset. Asus wanted to make a device that could last all day, so the ZenFone Max Plus (M1) packs a massive 4,130mAh mAh battery. Unfortunately, it also charges over microUSB…
One growing trend with smart speakers is the addition of built-in displays to show the time and other alarms. Essentially replacing your analog bedside alarm clock, iHome is now the latest company at CES 2018 to offer such an integrated smart speaker.
Sony is kicking off the year with revamps to its low and mid-range Xperia lineups. At CES 2018, the company is launching the Xperia XA2, XA2 Ultra, and L2 that all share the same general metallic design and wide-angle selfie camera.
The reduced top and bottom bezels will do little to appease critics of Sony’s staid design, but other features like the new fingerprint sensor might serve as a hint of what’s to come from Sony.
CES 2018 January 7, 2018
At its annual CES keynote tonight, Nvidia unveiled 65-inch 4K 120Hz HDR screens aimed at gamers called “big format gaming displays.” Created with Acer, Asus, and HP, these BFGDs also integrate a Shield Android TV, as well as the Google Assistant.
Schlage Sense Smart Deadbolt lock will soon work with Google Assistant
The number of smart home devices compatible with Google Assistant is growing at a fast rate, and this week at CES 2018, Schlage is bringing one of its most popular products to that party…
CES 2018 January 6, 2018
Since launching its latest wave of products back in October, Google has been going nuts with the number of advertisements on television, online, and in print for Assistant. Walking into Las Vegas for CES 2018, it’s clear that the search giant isn’t going to hold back on making sure everyone knows the phrase “Hey Google.”
Acer’s latest entry-level Chromebook 11 adds color and USB-C
Following HP’s announcement of the latest education and enterprise Chrome OS devices, Acer is following suit with its newest Chromebook. Adding a splash of color, the Chromebook 11 features USB-C ports though retains the same resolution display.
CES 2018 January 5, 2018
If you can believe it, CES 2018 starts next week which means a bunch of us are making our way to Las Vegas, Nevada. As 9to5Google’s only Nevadan writer, I will be driving to the show which means I have extra cargo room to bring everything that I may need to capture this year’s announcements and more. Here’s what I am bringing with me to CES 2018…
Back in November, we learned that for the first time in several years, Google would have an official presence at CES. The company today has taken wraps off its large booth and unsurprisingly it is mostly focused on the Google Assistant.
CES 2018 January 4, 2018
Sony’s smartphone design has been criticized for stagnating in recent years and that’s unlikely to change, at least on the low and mid-range. According to leaks of the Xperia XA2, XA2 Ultra, and L2, there are only some minor changes to these possibly CES-bound devices.
At CES 2018 next week, HP is launching two new Chromebooks that cater to the education and enterprise markets. The Chromebook 11 G6 Education Edition and 14 G5 share a similar design and jump to 7th generation Intel Celeron chipsets and add USB-C ports.
CES 2018 January 3, 2018
LG V30 arrives in ‘Raspberry Rose’ at CES 2018
The LG V30 was one of the most underrated flagships we saw in 2017, but it’s still a fantastic device that brings a lot to the table. Now, LG is adding on to the V30’s portfolio with a new “Raspberry Rose” color variant.
