Google unveils smartphones, VR headset, new Chromecast, and Amazon Echo competitor

Google made several new announcements at its annual hardware event. As expected, the tech giant announced its new Pixel smartphones and, as Cynopsis Digital previewed yesterday, the new mobile-based Daydream VR headset. (Price: $79.) Also on the company’s agenda: The Wi-Fi-powered Google Home, a voice-operated personal assistant that will likely serve as Amazon Echo’s most formidable competition. The Google Home speaker was initially announced in May, but Google is out with more details. Google Home will cost $129, and will come with a free six-month subscription to YouTube Red. Google Home is on sale now, and will ship on November 4.

Also unveiled at the Google event: the Chromecast Ultra, a new addition to Google’s Chromecast family of connected TV devices. The new Ultra supports 4K ultra-HD video streaming, as well as HDR (high-dynamic range) picture. It’ll sell at $69 – $34 more than the most-recently released version of Chromecast. Like Google Home, it will ship in November.

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