Pixel Watch 2 is a smartwatch that is nice to look at, with its rounded shape and a domed glass on which the strap is set, almost hidden. Pixel Watch 2, they explain, integrates the best of Google’s technology with the best of Fitbit’s technology, a company specializing in tech products for health that has already been part of the Google ecosystem for some time.
WATCH – The video review of Pixel Watch 2 and Pixel Buds Pro
The Pixel Watch 2 is based on two pillars: productivity and health. Pixel Watch 2 is equipped with Google Apps and Services such as the Assistant, Gmail, maps, calendar. And thanks to the Play Store it is possible to install many types of apps, from those for controlling the smart home to music ones, from those for monitoring sports activity to those for productivity such as Whatsapp. Navigating the menus is simple and intuitive thanks to the touch controls and the rotating metal crown.
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Perhaps the most important focus of the Pixel Watch 2 is health. On the back, in contact with the skin, we find a “multi-propagation” heart rate sensor supported by artificial intelligence that transmits real-time information on health and fitness, monitors sleep as well as heart rate and offers notifications for tachycardia and bradycardia. There is also a skin temperature sensor, like the one on the Apple Watch; just as similar to that of Apple Watch is the app for taking an electrocardiogram in 30 seconds.
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Pixel Watch 2 has numerous features for tracking sports activities and has a whole series of settings that help you train for goals, thanks also to the guidance of Fitbit’s expert coaches. There is also the function of detecting a state of stress or agitation (we tried it during an intense afternoon in the editorial office: it works very well!). Too bad that to activate the most interesting functions you have to subscribe to Fitbit Premium (the first six months are included in the price of the smartwatch).
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Watch 2 also focuses heavily on security. There is a very useful feature that allows you to let family and friends know where you are in an emergency and of course the ability to provide your emergency contacts and personal health information if needed. The battery life is very good, in our test with a workout, notifications and the screen always active, the smartwatch, charged in the morning, accompanied us until the afternoon of the following day (therefore, it is better to recharge it every morning).
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The new Pixel Watch 2 has a very light case made using recycled aluminum and during our test we found it very comfortable. There are many customization possibilities, from straps to personalized dials. The only downside in our opinion is Fitbit’s advanced health, sleep and sport monitoring features which become paid after a six-month trial.
PROS: Style, shape, straps, dials; Apps and features for productivity and physical activity tracking
AGAINST: Some features require the Fitbit Premium package (the first six months are included in the price)
New features also for the Pixel Buds Pro, Google’s iconic round headphones with noise cancellation. Let’s start with calls: the Pixel Buds Pro now support “super wide” band Bluetooth: this means that there is more data space for voices, which are therefore rendered more clearly. And speaking of clarity, the Clear Call feature reduces the noise around the person you’re talking to on the phone, enhancing their voice.
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Noise cancellation is very good, which satisfied us even on the train or on the street near a construction site. A new feature arrives that detects the moment you start speaking and the earphones switch to transparency mode, pausing the music; music which then resumes together with noise cancellation when you are not talking to anyone (similar function to those of the new Apple AIrPods Pro).
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Listening to music and podcasts is very high quality thanks also to the presence of an equalizer. For lovers of statistics, the Buds estimate the volume at which we listened to music during a period of time and suggest when to lower it to maintain auditory well-being. Finally, the Multipoint function is very useful, which allows you to automatically change audio source from one device to another if, for example, we are listening to music on the PC and a call arrives on the smartphone.
PRO: Design and sound quality; Smart features
AGAINST: Depending on the shape of the ears, they may not remain stable
The Pixel Watch 2 is available in four color combinations: shiny silver/sky blue, matte black/obsidian black, champagne gold/green gray, and shiny silver/clay gray. Only the model with Wi-Fi/Bluetooth connectivity arrives in Italy, price 399 euros. The Pixel Buds Pro are available in six colors at the price of 229 euros.
Source-tg24.sky.it