The new Google Pixel Buds are armed with smart swipe and tap controls on both sides as well as two sets of bone vibration sensing microphones, for clear phone call in noisy places.

Priced at a very affordable $239, the Google Pixel buds use gently sealed ear tips to isolate loud outside noises. But with the use of built-in spacial vents, they eliminate the plugged ear feeling so you hear just a hint of your surroundings to remain aware.

With custom-designed 12mm dynamic speaker drivers, Google Pixel Buds deliver a rich high-quality audio with just the right amount of bass. They are designed to sit almost flush with your ears so they are not easily knocked down when removing a jacket or putting on a hat. Bonus: you can still wear earrings!  

The charging case is small and pocketable with a smooth matte finish, perfect for a fidget toy. You get five hours of listening on a single charge or 24 hours with the case. The case is Qi-certified, so you can easily charge without a cable. Just place the case on a compatible wireless charging pad.

Snuggly Ear Tips

The ear tips come in three sizes ensure a best fit using a one cm-long soft stabilizer arc which gently tucks into the outer ear crevice with a slight twist. I found they stay on securely even when active or even lying down in bed! Google Pixel Buds are sweat and water resistant with a water protection rating of IPX-4 under IEC standard 60529. This means they can’t be used under water but can withstand a splash or two from the pool or rain.

Each earbud has dual beamforming microphones that focus on your voice, and a voice accelerometer to detect the vibrations of your jawbone when you are talking. These features help you sound crystal clear on calls, even in noisy and windy conditions, such as when you are running or cycling.

Adaptive Sound dynamically and subtly adjusts the volume as you move between quiet and noisy environments, so you don’t have to constantly raise or lower the volume. Nice! Adaptive Sound also adjusts for sustained noise, rather than one-off background noise, to ensure a non-disruptive listening experience. Manually adjusting the volume disables Adaptive Sound.

“Hey Google”

Talk to the Google Assistant hands-free to start your workout music, continue a podcast, or send a quick reply, like texting a friend just by saying say “Hey Google” or touch and hold either earbud while you speak. Now this is cool: get real-time translation right in your ear while using a Pixel or Android 6.0+phone. Say “Hey Google, help me speak Japanese” to start a conversation. This can come in handy when finding your way around foreign countries or connecting with multilingual family and friends.

Important controls are a touch away, so you don’t have to pull out your phone. Tap your earbud once to play/pause, twice to skip, three times to rewind, or swipe to adjust the volume. Controls are identical on both earbuds, making gestures easy to remember.

Pixel Buds come in three colours: Clearly White, Almost Black, and Quite Mint.