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Google announced the Pixel 8a smartphone today, one week ahead of the companys I/O conference on May 14. We no longer have to rely on leaked info, as Google has confirmed the Pixel 8a will start at $499, the same price as the Pixel 7a at launch, and will ship the same day as the event. You can pre-order it now from Googles storefront or from Amazon. The sub-$500 price tag maintains the A-series position as the most affordable handset in Googles lineup. We were able to spend a little time with the phone to get some initial thoughts, and our full review will be coming soon. In the meantime, heres whats new about the newest Pixel phone. The Pixel 8a upgrades to the Tensor G3 chip, giving it the same processor as the standard Google Pixel 8 and the Pixel 8 Pro. The new phone carries the same 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage as the previous generation, along with the option of 256GB of storage, that model is going for $559. The 6.1-inch OLED display is the same size and resolution as its predecessor, but the refresh rate is a smoother 120Hz. The screen's got a little more dazzle too, with a peak brightness of up to 2,000 nits, an increase from the Pixel 7a that now matches the Pixel 8. The battery is very slightly (about 100mAh) bigger, leading Google to claim a 24-plus-hour battery life, instead of the 7as flat 24-hour promise. Speaking of promises, the new budget Pixel comes with seven years of promised security and features updates, putting it on par with the 8-series phones. Thats two years longer than the support offered with the 7a. Google extended the warranty by one year as well, putting it at two years for the new phone. As we expected, the camera array remains largely the same as the prior generation, with a 64MP wide and a 13MP ultrawide lens in back and a 13MP selfie cam up front. Magic Editor and Best Take, two of Googles AI-assisted photography features that impressed us on the Pixel 8, have come to the Pixel 8a, as well as the new Audio Magic Eraser, which automatically cuts out distracting sounds from video recordings. The Pixel 8a comes in three of the same colors as the Pixel 8 Pro: Obsidian, Porcelain and Bay but the 8a swaps in an Aloe option instead of Mint. Pre-orders for Googles new Pixel 8a are now open and orders will ship on May 14.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-google-pixel-8a-was-just-announced-heres-how-to-pre-order-the-new-smartphone-160051570.html?src=rss
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A new Pixel A-series phone typically gets announced at Google I/O. Unfortunately, that means the affordable handset sometimes gets buried amongst all the other news during the companys annual developer conference. So for 2024, Google moved things up a touch to give the new Pixel 8a extra attention. And after checking it out in person, I can see why. It combines pretty much everything I like about the regular Pixel 8 but with a lower price of $499. Right away, youll see a very familiar design. Compared to the standard Pixel 8, which has a 6.2-inch screen, the 8a features a slightly smaller 6.1-inch OLED display with noticeably larger bezels. But aside from that, the Pixel 8 and 8a are almost the exact same size. Google says the material covering the display should be pretty durable as it's made out of Gorilla Glass, though it hasnt specified an exact type (e.g. Gorilla Glass 6, Victus or something else). Some other changes include a higher 120Hz refresh rate (up from 90Hz on the previous model), a more streamlined camera bar and a new matte finish on its plastic back that Google claims mimics the texture of cashmere. Now, I dont think Id go that far, but it did feel surprisingly luxurious. The 8a still offers decent water resistance thanks to an IP67 rating, though that is slightly worse than the IP68 certification on a regular Pixel 8. Its battery is a bit smaller too at 4,492 mAh (instead of 4,575 mAh). That said, Google says thanks to some power efficiency improvements, the new model should run longer than the previous model. As for brand new features, the most important addition is that alongside the base model with 128GB of storage, Google is offering a version with 256GB. Thats a first for any A-series Pixel. And, following in the footsteps of last years flagships, the Pixel 8a is also getting 7 years of software and security updates, which is a big jump from the three years of Android patches and five years of security on last years 7a. Finally, the Pixel 8a is getting a partially refreshed selection of colors including bay, porcelain, obsidian and a brand new aloe hue, which is similar to the mint variant of the Pixel 8 earlier this year but even brighter and more saturated. I must say, even though Ive only played around with it for a bit, it's definitely the best-looking of the bunch. Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget One thing that hasnt changed, though, is the Pixel 8as photography hardware. It uses the same 64-megapixel and 13MP sensors for its main and ultra-wide cameras. However, as the Pixel 7a offered the best image quality of any phone in its price range, its hard to get too mad about that. And because this thing is powered by a Tensor G3 chip, it supports pretty much all the AI features Google introduced on the regular Pixel 8 last fall, including Best Take, Audio Magic Eraser, Circle to Search, Live Translate and more. Furthermore, while Google is giving everyone access to its Magic Editor inside Google Photos later this month, free users are limited to 10 saves per month, whereas theres no cap for people with Pixel 8s and now the 8a. However, there are a few features available on the flagship Pixels that you dont get on the 8a. The biggest omission is a lack of pro camera controls, so you cant manually adjust photo settings like shutter speed, ISO, white balance and more. Google also hasnt upgraded the 8as Qi wireless charging speed, which means youre limited to just 7.5 watts instead of up to 18 watts. Finally, while the phone does offer a digital zoom, theres no dedicated telephoto lens like on the Pixel 8 Pro. But thats not a bad trade-off to get a device that delivers 90 percent of what you get on Googles top-tier phones for just $499, which is $200 less than the Pixel 8s regular starting price. And for anyone who likes the Pixel 8a but might not care as much about AI, the Pixel 7a will still be on sale at a reduced price of $349. Though if you want one of those, you might want to scoop it up soon because theres no telling how long supplies will last. The one wrinkle to all this is that at the time of writing, the standard Pixel 8 has been discounted to $549, just $50 more than the Pixel 8a. So unless an extra Ulysses S. Grant is going to make or break your budget, Id probably go with that. Still, even though the Pixel 8a doesnt come with a lot of surprises, just like its predecessor, its shaping up to once again be the mid-range Android phone to beat. Pre-orders go live today with official sales starting next week on May 14th. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-pixel-8a-hands-on-flagship-ai-and-a-120hz-oled-screen-for-499-160046236.html?src=rss
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Sennheiser's Accentum line is meant to offer flagship-quality features at more affordable prices. So far, the company has debuted two sets of headphones with that moniker, the Accentum Wireless and Accentum Plus Wireless, but it has now added true wireless earbuds to the group. The Accentum True Wireless have a different shape than the pricier Momentum 4 True Wireless, but still pack in several handy features including hybrid active noise cancellation (ANC). The company explains that the ergonomic shape of the Accentum True Wireless was developed in collaboration with hearing aid manufacturer Sonova (Sennheiser's parent company). Analyzing "thousands of ear models," the pair created earbuds that offer "the ideal balance of stability, comfort and sophistication." The curves of the Accentum True Wireless should lead to a more comfortable fit for more ear shapes and four sizes of ear tips will help you find the best seal for both acoustic and ANC performance. Inside, 7mm transducers offer "powerful and engaging bass, natural mids and crisp treble," according to Sennheiser. The company says beamforming microphones for the ANC setup can reduce low-frequency distractions, even airplane cabin noise, to the point they're barely noticeable. There's also a transparency mode when you need to be aware of your surroundings. The Sennheiser Smart Control app offers EQ customization and Sound Check, a feature that builds a unique audio preset based on your preferences. The app also allows you to reconfigure the earbuds' touch controls as needed. The Accentum True Wireless will last up to eight hours on a charge with another 20 hours in the wireless charging case. When topping off the set via a USB-C cable, a 10 minute plug-in will give you one hour of use. These earbuds also support Bluetooth 5.3, which delivers LE Audio and Auracast broadcast sound in public spaces or from privately-hosted sharing sessions. The Accentum True Wireless is available for pre-order now for $200 and is set to arrive on May 21. The new model comes in black and white color options for now, but according to the company's website a navy version is also on the way. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/sennheisers-accentum-true-wireless-earbuds-have-an-all-new-design-and-anc-for-200-154935691.html?src=rss
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The new 11- and 13-inch iPad Pro models that Apple just introduced may be completely redesigned from the outside in, but they still feel a lot like their predecessors. That's not a bad thing, as the old iPad Pro design was outstanding. But there's no doubt Apple is flexing its hardware engineering muscles with these new tablets, not just with the M4 chip inside. Both tablets are noticeably thinner and lighter than the ones they replace, something I didn't really think was possible before. It's frankly a little absurd to see such a thin and light device with such an advanced display and powerful processor. It still feels like the prior iPad Pro, just in a more refined package. My big question is around durability, something Apple mentioned during its keynote I'd be a little worried about bending these iPads, but hopefully this is something Apple rigorously tested for. But it has had issues with thin products bending before (albeit a long time ago). Photo by Nathan Ingraham / Engadget After the impressive physical specifications, the next thing you can't miss is the OLED screen. Technically, it's a "Tandem OLED" screen, a display layer that is thinner than the one in the old iPad Pro which helped Apple achieve the wild thinness here. In Apple's extremely bright demo area, the iPad Pro screen showed its quality everything was extremely clear, blacks were pitch-black and colors really popped. After looking at the iPad Air display, it was obvious how much better these screens are. The viewing angles were particularly impressive to me, as images on the screen remained sharp, bright and clear no matter how I positioned the tablet. I also got a chance to check out the Apple Pencil Pro, which looks and feels nearly identical to the second-generation Apple Pencil revealed way back in 2018. That's OK, as the form factor is fine with me. It still connects to the side of the iPad Pro to charge and pair; all of its new tricks are under the hood. Squeezing the Pencil gives you a little burst of haptic feedback and pulls up a pane for selecting what brush you want to use in the FreeForm app demo I tried. But that action is customizable by third-party developers so the squeeze can do whatever is appropriate for the app you're using. The gyroscope, meanwhile, lets you spin the Pencil as you draw to change angles of your brush on the fly. Photo by Nathan Ingraham / Engadget Unfortunately, we didn't get to try the new Magic Keyboard Apple is producing for the iPad Pro, but Apple says it's thinner and lighter than the old model. That older one will still be available for the iPad Air. Between the display, the M4 processor and the new dimensions of the iPad Pro, this feels like a major update for Apple's best tablet, with a price to match. Both the 11- and 13-inch iPad Pro are $200 more than their predecessors: the 11-inch model starts at $999, while the 13-inch is a whopping $1,299. But hey, at least storage now starts at 256GB! That pricing firmly puts these iPads out of reach for normal humans, and that's OK most people will be more than happy with a tablet like the iPad Air. If you want this wildly impressive screen, though, you're going to pay for it. Photo by Nathan Ingraham / Engadget Follow all of the news live from Apple's 'Let Loose' event right here. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ipad-pro-m4-hands-on-absurdly-thin-and-light-but-the-screen-steals-the-show-153641259.html?src=rss
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Near the end of its Let Loose event that brought new versions of the iPad Pro and iPad Air, Apple made some changes to the cheaper end of its tablet lineup. The 10th-generation iPad, the newest version of the budget model, now starts at $349, down from its original $449. Alongside the price drop, Apples 9th-generation model (which was still rocking a Lightning port and home button) is now kaput. Its successor replaces it with a more modern design, USB-C and Touch ID on its lock button. Apples new iPad lineup sees the new price for the 10th-generation iPad and the end of its predecessor.Apple The 10th-generation iPad launched in 2022. Back then, Engadgets Nathan Ingraham described it as a complete redesign from [the 2021] model that cribs heavily from the iPad Air while also bringing a handful of compromises to upsell potential customers on Apples more expensive tablets. Although the 10th-gen model officially gets the $100 price cut, the model was already frequently discounted to that price at Apples retail partners. That price now gets you the 64GB base model, while the 256GB tier now costs $499, also a $100 drop from its 2022 launch. Follow all of the news live from Apple's 'Let Loose' event right here. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-quietly-gives-the-10th-generation-ipad-a-100-price-drop-150256714.html?src=rss
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