Google unveils a Lollipop-powered tablet, its Nexus 6 smartphone - and a surprise new TV streaming box
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Google has announced a new smartphone and tablet, as well as the company's first TV streaming device.
Both mobile devices will run the new version of the firm's mobile operating system, Android 5.0, which has been confirmed to have the name Lollipop.
The Motorola-made Nexus 6 smartphone comes with a 5.96-inch Quad HD screen and a 13 megapixel rear-facing camera.
Google has announced a new smartphone - the Nexus 6 - and tablet, the Nexus 9 - as well as the company's first TV streaming device in a bid to compete with Apple and Amazon
The Nexus 6 also has dual front-facing speakers designed to offer better quality audio, says Google.
The handset sports a feature called Turbo Charger, which can give the phone up to six hours of battery life from just a 15 minute charge. The phone also boasts new hands-free voice activated functions.
It will come in two colours: midnight blue and cloud white and two storage options, 32 or 64GB.
Meanwhile, one day before Apple unveils its updated iPad family, the search giant has shown off its new Nexus 9 tablet, made by HTC.
The tablet, which is smaller than an iPad, but larger than and iPad Mini, is built for multi-tasking and has a brushed aluminium frame with a 'soft grip' back.
An upgrade in terms of size as well as internals on Google's existing Nexus 7, the new Nexus 9 has a 8.9-inch screen, and weighs in at 420g, making it 50g lighter than an iPad Air.
The Nexus 6 smartphone (pictured left) and Nexus 9 tablet (right) can be voice activated without opening any apps and both sport the new Lollipop operating system
Both the mobile devices will run the new version of the firm's mobile operating system - Android 5.0, which has been confirmed to have the name Lollipop
Because the 9 was built by HTC, it also takes advantage of their BoomSound speaker technology, complete with two front-facing speakers in the device, as opposed to the traditional down-facing output. This is for better quality audio, Google says.
It is the first Nexus device to have a 64-bit processor for increased performance in terms of speed, particularly when playing games.
There is an 8 megapixel rear-facing camera and, like the Nexus 6, the Nexus 9 will be accessible hands-free thanks to a new feature that enables voice command to be accessed without touching the phone.
Just saying 'Ok, Google' will activate Google Now, even when the phone is asleep, and while the voice command and personal assistant already existed on Android, with Lollipop it has been pushed to the front of the interface.
The Nexus 9 also has Turbo Charger functionality with a 64bit dual core processor to make switching between tasks fast.
Google's senior vice president of Android Sundar Pichai said: 'Advances in computing are driven at the intersection of hardware and software. That's why we've always introduced Nexus devices alongside our platform releases.
The tablet, which is smaller than an iPad, but larger than and iPad Mini, is built for multi-tasking and has a brushed aluminum frame with a 'soft grip' back. Like Windows' tablets, a case that doubles as a keyboard can be used to turn it into more of a laptop (pictured)
The Nexus 6 smartphone (pictured) sports a feature called Turbo Charger, which can give the phone up to 6 hours of battery life from just a 15 minute charge
In a less expected move, Google also announced the company's first full TV streaming device that will run their Android TV software, the Nexus Player.
The new streaming box enables users to watch TV shows as well as stream content from other devices to their TV, such as an Android phone, tablet or Chrome-based desktop computer.
The Nexus Player also comes with a video game controller and can be used to play games from the Google Play Store on TVs.
Amazon has recently introduced a similar device, called the Fire TV.
Sitting alongside Google's existing streaming device, the Chromecast, the Nexus Player is likely to be aimed at more premium users than the £30 Chromecast.
Google confirmed that the Nexus 9 will be available to pre-order in the UK from October 17 and will go on sale on November 3. It will come in three sizes: 16GB, 32GB and 32GB LTE.
The Nexus 6 smartphone will also arrive in November, with pre-order beginning on October 29.
The Nexus Player will be available to pre-order from October 17. UK prices have not yet been confirmed.
The tablet has an 8.9-inch screen and HTC's BoomSound front-facing speakers.There is also an 8 megapixel rear-facing camera and, like the Nexus 6, the Nexus 9 can be voice activated without opening any apps
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