Google Pixel Buds A-Series – Wireless Earbuds, Clearly White

Product Information

On a non-Pixel Android phone, open your Pixel Buds app. On a Pixel phone, go to Settings and Connected devices.

Dunn, Jeff (October 15, 2019). "Google takes another stab at headphones with new, totally wireless Pixel Buds". Ars Technica . Retrieved December 12, 2022. a b c d e "Google Pixel Buds review: the future shouldn't be this awkward". The Verge . Retrieved November 17, 2017. Li, Abner (August 20, 2020). "[Update: Best Buy] Google Pixel Buds (2020) in other colors start going on sale". 9to5Google . Retrieved October 30, 2020. Rayome, Alison DeNisco (June 5, 2021). "Pixel Buds A vs. Pixel Buds 2: Every spec compared". CNet . Retrieved December 13, 2022. The distinguishing feature of Pixel Buds is their inclusion of the Google Assistant, a smart voice assistant. This allows the earbuds to translate conversations in real-time, among other standard features such as web search and media connectivity. [15] [16] [17] It supports translation of 40 different languages. [17] Based on the October 2017 demonstration, early coverage compared the Pixel Buds' translation capabilities to that of the fictional Babel fish from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams; [18] however, in a review for Wired, James Temperton called the feature as released "a bit of a con", as the Pixel Buds merely provided a microphone and speaker for transcription and machine translation powered by Google Translate running on a smartphone: "to speak speak English to a German who then replies in German that's translated into English you will need: two Google Pixel 2 phones and two Google Pixel Buds headsets. And even then you'll likely spend most of the conversation staring awkwardly into middle-distance while Assistant tries to work out what the hell is going on. Long rant cut short: you don't actually need the Pixel Buds to do this, they're an entirely pointless accessory." [19]Cipriani, Jason (February 24, 2021). "Google's Pixel Buds 2 have some magical features. Here are 9 of them". CNet . Retrieved December 13, 2022. Small, discrete form factor paired with iconic human design. Premium materials and construction ear pieces. US D890696S,Kenneth Sweet; Maj Isabelle Olsson& Peter Cazaletet al.,"Earbud charging case",issued July 21, 2020, assigned to Google LLC Carnoy, David. "Google Pixel Buds 2 review: They're the real deal". CNET . Retrieved April 28, 2020. The design of the second-generation Pixel Buds was led by Luke Mastrangelo. [32] For Google, Isabelle Olsson, Kenny Sweet, and Gina Reimann led the product design team. [33]

Wagoner, Ara (July 21, 2022). "Which color Google Pixel buds Pro should you buy?". Android Police . Retrieved December 13, 2022. The second-generation Pixel Buds also featured hands-free Google Assistant activation; instead of having to tap and hold, users could use the voice prompt "Hey Google" to bring up the Assistant. [37] Porter, Jon. "The Pixel Buds' translation feature is coming to all headphones with Google Assistant". The Verge . Retrieved October 15, 2018.

The result is a pair of true wireless earbuds that have better sound and a longer battery life, which feels more fitting of their lower price compared to the competition. To control the earbuds, all you have to do is tap on the side. One tap plays and pauses music; two taps will skip to the next song; and three taps will rewind. You can also press and hold to summon Google Assistant if you’re paired with an Android device. Unfortunately there’s no way to raise or lower the volume using touch gestures on the Pixel Buds Series-A, but having Google Assistant on-board mostly works to circumvent this issue. If you have green LED, that means your Pixel Buds are good to go. If you have an amber LED, that means the battery in your Pixel Buds is critically low.

Match the L and R indicators of the earbuds to the charging case magnetized pods and insert the earbuds. Google’s latest AirPods competitors, the Pixel Buds A-Series, get a big price cut and a slightly more comfortable design. This Google Pixel Buds A-Series review was updated on October 20, 2023, to ensure the timeliness of the information within. Tarantola, A. (October 4, 2017). "Google's Pixel Buds translation will change the world". Engadget . Retrieved December 12, 2022. If your buds run out of power, a 15-minute charge will offer around three hours of listening time, which should be enough to cover the commute. The charging case itself has a light that indicates the state of play with your buds, including the amount of power available.Listening to various genres of music you’ll hear the bass come through loud and clear – especially if you’re a fan of EDM, rap or hip-hop. The EDM classic Ghosts N Stuff by Deadmau5 sounds rightfully bassy with the Google Pixel Buds Series-A, and while the mids and highs never quite shimmer, the low-end is a definite step up from the previous model. In June 2021, Google announced the Pixel Buds A-Series, a mid-range variant of the second-generation Pixel Buds. In May 2022, Google announced the Pixel Buds Pro, a premium variant of the Pixel Buds with additional features including active noise cancellation. The first-generation Pixel Buds consist of two earbuds linked by a fabric-covered cord, which connect wirelessly over a Bluetooth 4.2 connection. [10] The earbuds are an "open-air" design, where the driver rests just outside the user's ear canal, and there is relatively little isolation from outside sounds. [10] Each earbud is secured physically into the user's concha by a short loop of the cord; the length of the loop is individually adjustable to better fit each user. [11] The earbuds are powered by a 120mA-hr battery stored in the left earbud, [12] and provide five hours of listening time before needing to be recharged. [13] If low volumes hamper your experience of the Google Pixel Buds A-Series, you’re not alone: other users have cited the same OS-related issue with Android. Google has released a firmware update to fix this issue (version 233). You can force a manual update if your phone doesn’t automatically initiate the update. The vents on the side of the earbuds release pressure when the tips are inserted into the ear canal for a more comfortable fit. Photograph: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian