GOOGLE PIXEL BUDS: A POWERFUL TOOL OR JUST A GIMMICK?

Did you already have trouble to communicate with locals because of the language barriers? Google seems to have the solution with Google Pixel Buds, the new must-to-have for travelers, accordingly to Big G’s advertises. The new headphones set for Google Pixel enables travelers to talk everywhere with everyone through real time translation.

Adam Champy, product manager for Google pixel, reveals 7 things that users can do with this technology. With the Google pixels, users can connect with their phone by bluetooth, control the audio onto a touchpad on the right earbud, access to google assistant,  check their messages without looking their phones etc. The feature we are focusing on is “communicate through 40 language” (Adam Champy, 2017). The Google pixel will translate through the earbud when another person will speak to you. The dream of traveling having the opportunity to constantly interact with the local population and always obtain the maximum from your vacation is finally here. Well, that’s what they say. Andrew Sheivachman illustrates on Skift the real features of this product and tells something a little bit different.

“Your earphones hear you and your Pixel’s speaker will play the translation in another language. When the other person speaks, you’ll hear the translation right in your ear.“ Sheivachman reports directly from Google advertises (Sheivachman,2017). Anyway, that’s not completely true and here it is the first problem: apparently it isn’t easy as they say and the user still have to put out its phone. The main feature is gone, along with a less fluent UX (User Experience). Then, the quality of the translation it is not the best possible either, as the device uses Google Translate. You will be able to reach your final goal (get the direction and reach your chosen restaurant, order the dish you wanted), but still a good grade of human action is required to clearly understand all the information. Therefore, the main critic addresses the lack of functionality of this new gadget, because the earphones are not able to listen and translate. Not many travelers will really be able to freely go around and easily interact with locals in the end. This technology is more a gadget which will target a niche product of Google fans.

However, the author finds also a good point from this new tool pointing out how it represents a first step toward the end of language barrier. Now it’s again the turn of  Big G and his friends (Apple, Samsung, Microsoft, etc.) that will have to improve their AI (Artificial Intelligence) to extend the functionality of Google Pixel Buds, because for the moment “from a travel industry perspective, there’s no real need to equip front-desk workers or anyone else with these pricy headphones when a cheap smartphone can do the same thing on its own.”(Sheivachman,2017). Finally, a first step toward an easier travelling, but not much more than that.

Giulio & Valentin

Sources:

A.Sheivachman, (2017) “Google Earbuds With Real-Time Translation Aren’t Much More Than a Gimmick”. Skift. Retrieved from : https://skift.com/2017/11/16/google-earbuds-with-real-time-translation-arent-much-more-than-a-gimmick/

A.Champy (2017), “Seven things you can do with Google Pixel Buds” Blog.Google. Retrieved from https://www.blog.google/products/pixel/seven-things-you-can-do-google-pixel-buds/