Live Blog: Made By Google October Phone Event

12:06PM EDT - I'm here at Google's October phone event

12:09PM EDT - Google's first subject: using machine learning to approve their assistant AI

12:15PM EDT - This is my first Live Blog, so please bear with me.

12:16PM EDT - Google talking up AI. The next big innovation.

12:17PM EDT - Building hardware and software together let's Google create the best experience around AI

12:17PM EDT - Hardware with Google Assistant at its core

12:18PM EDT - Sounds like more hardware coming from Google in the future

12:18PM EDT - Introducing Pixel

12:19PM EDT - Polished aluminum case

12:20PM EDT - Pixel first phone with Google Assistant built-in

12:20PM EDT - "No unsightly camera bump"

12:21PM EDT - Photography, storage, communications, and VR central themes

12:23PM EDT - Google Assistant searching photos based on date with natural voice command

12:23PM EDT - Uses Google's Knowledge graph to find contextual results

12:24PM EDT - Ask it who's playing at a concert venue, and it will return upcoming shows with dates

12:24PM EDT - Google Assistant works with third-party messaging apps

12:26PM EDT - Ask about a restaurant and get contextual links to Yelp, Maps, etc.

12:26PM EDT - Get directions, message a friend, and make a reservation all in one easy flow without jumping between apps

12:26PM EDT - No more copy-paste between apps

12:27PM EDT - Now talking about Pixel camera

12:27PM EDT - DXOMark of 89

12:27PM EDT - iPhone 7 was 86

12:27PM EDT - 12.3MP rear camera

12:28PM EDT - f/2.0 aperture and 1.55 micron pixels

12:28PM EDT - Smartburst - hold down shutter button and take a continuous picture. Phone selects best image of capture.

12:29PM EDT - HDR+ combines multiple short exposures, reducing noise and improving dynamic range

12:29PM EDT - HDR+ has zero shutter lag

12:30PM EDT - Claims camera capture time is faster than any other phone

12:30PM EDT - Samples gyroscope 200 times per second for video image stabilization

12:31PM EDT - Google Photos integration. Free unlimited photos and videos at full resolution stored in cloud.

12:32PM EDT - Live blogging is hard :)

12:32PM EDT - Presenters talk fast

12:32PM EDT - Google Duo preinstalled on Pixel.

12:33PM EDT - Google Duo preinstalled on Pixel.

12:33PM EDT - This is Google's new video conferencing app

12:33PM EDT - Pixel comes with quick charging

12:34PM EDT - Pixel comes with Nougat, obviously. Software updates installed in background.

12:35PM EDT - New Google tool to make it easy to switch from iPhone to Pixel

12:35PM EDT - Now back to hardware

12:35PM EDT - Pixel has 2 screen sizes: 5" and 5.5"

12:36PM EDT - 3 colors: Black, Blue, Silver

12:36PM EDT - Pixel is first phone to be Daydream VR ready

12:37PM EDT - Verizon is exclusive carrier partner in US

12:37PM EDT - Also available unlocked

12:38PM EDT - Video time

12:39PM EDT - No mention of HTC. Google phone "inside and out"

12:39PM EDT - Video done. Moving on to VR.

12:39PM EDT - VR a transformative technology

12:41PM EDT - Discussing Google's Daydream platform

12:41PM EDT - Daydream View: Google's take on VR headsets

12:41PM EDT - Wanted to make something that is comfortable and easy to use

12:42PM EDT - soft, flexible, breatheable

12:42PM EDT - made from soft micro-fabrics

12:42PM EDT - It's soft and cozy :)

12:42PM EDT - 30% lighter than other headsets

12:42PM EDT - fits over glasses

12:43PM EDT - Which reminds me, I should be wearing mine

12:43PM EDT - Headset includes auto-alignment system and communicates with phone wirelessly

12:44PM EDT - Comes with a small wireless controller. Gyro inside

12:44PM EDT - Controller can be stored inside headset when done using it

12:45PM EDT - Presenter just dropped the controller on the floor. It survived

12:45PM EDT - 3 colors: Slate (gray), Snow (silver), Crimson

12:46PM EDT - Harry Potter VR content: Fantastic Beasts

12:48PM EDT - I've got my glasses on now. Headache averted

12:48PM EDT - Still discussing VR content

12:48PM EDT - VR journalism from New York Times

12:48PM EDT - More than 50 partners already onboard Daydream

12:49PM EDT - Google Play Movies, Photos, Street View, and YouTube will be Daydream compatible

12:50PM EDT - Street View in VR should be useful. An interesting way to explore new places.

12:51PM EDT - Already 100k+ immersive videos on YouTube?

12:51PM EDT - A lot of possibilities for VR content on YouTube

12:52PM EDT - Headset and controller available in November for $79

12:52PM EDT - plus a Pixel phone of course :)

12:52PM EDT - Now discussing connectivity

12:53PM EDT - Announcing Google WiFi

12:53PM EDT - Expandable system: network of access points

12:54PM EDT - Add access points to tailor coverage to your home

12:54PM EDT - Network assist feature automatically optimizes the network and connections

12:54PM EDT - Makes it easier to manage network

12:55PM EDT - Can control Google WiFi with app on phone

12:55PM EDT - Can disable network access on per user basis

12:56PM EDT - Announcing Chromecast Ultra

12:56PM EDT - cast content up to 4K and HDR

12:56PM EDT - 4K content coming to Google Play Movies in November

12:57PM EDT - Comes with Ethernet port

12:57PM EDT - Old school

12:58PM EDT - Moving on to Google Home

12:59PM EDT - Enjoy music, manage tasks, control devices in home with your voice

12:59PM EDT - Very neutral design

12:59PM EDT - LEDs and touch surface on top

01:00PM EDT - There's a mute button to make it stop listening

01:00PM EDT - Can swap bases to get a different visual look

01:01PM EDT - Several speakers inside base for playing music

01:01PM EDT - Use your voice to control music playback.

01:02PM EDT - Ties into YouTube Music, Pandora, Spotify, iHeart

01:03PM EDT - Can choose a default music service, so you don't have to keep telling it what source to use

01:05PM EDT - Google Home ties into Google's knowledge graph to answer questions you ask

01:05PM EDT - Also grabs snippets from the Web if it cannot find answer in knowledge graph

01:06PM EDT - Google Home names source of snippet from the Web before reading the answer. That's a nice touch

01:07PM EDT - Can ask it where to buy camping gear and it will tell you a list of stores and how far away they are

01:08PM EDT - Can follow up that query with directions

01:09PM EDT - Seems to work well with natural language queries (at least the examples provided)

01:09PM EDT - Can add items to shopping list and later access it with your phone

01:11PM EDT - Can use voice to control devices in the home.

01:11PM EDT - Can control TVs via Chromecast

01:12PM EDT - Google Home + Chromecast = Siri voice control on AppleTV

01:13PM EDT - Netflix support coming soon

01:13PM EDT - Works with Google Photos to display photos via Chromcast

01:14PM EDT - Google Home works as the voice control interface

01:14PM EDT - Google Home can also control external speakers via Chromecast Audio

01:15PM EDT - Can play music over multiple speakers within a group. Spread music throughout home

01:15PM EDT - Google Home: A WiFi speaker with Google Assistant built in

01:16PM EDT - Costs $129. Available for preorder today. Shipping Nov. 4

01:16PM EDT - 3 colors (fabric): Mango, Marine, Violet

01:17PM EDT - 3 metal base colors: Carbon, Snow, Copper

01:17PM EDT - Video time again

01:18PM EDT - It feels like I'm typing a lot

01:20PM EDT - Now talking about the openness of Google Assistant

01:21PM EDT - New developer options for tying into Google Assistant

01:22PM EDT - New conversation building tools coming in December

01:22PM EDT - Actions on Google

01:23PM EDT - embedded Google Assistant SDK

01:23PM EDT - will launch next year

01:23PM EDT - GA on Raspberry Pi

01:24PM EDT - Should enable third-party hardware with GA

01:24PM EDT - Wrapping up

01:25PM EDT - Thanks for reading along everyone

01:25PM EDT - I'm going to give my fingers a rest now

01:26PM EDT - And that's a wrap. Now for some hands-on