Google Clips hands-on

At Google's most recent announcement in San Francisco, they laid out a diversified portfolio this year consisting of usual suspects, like its Pixel smartphones, and new things that are aiming to revolutionize the way we communicate (think real-time translation with the Pixel Buds). Well, they're seemingly pushing into new territory with its new Google Clips camera.

Most people would assume that it's another GoPro clone of sorts, but the intent of Google Clips is entirely different. Rather than tackling the over-crowded action camera space, Google's offering is focused more on family, pets, and kids. Call it the wireless smart camera, it's there to capture the candid moments in time when you don't want to bother having to operate a full-fledged camera.

It first starts with its peculiar design, a square shaped minimalistic design that's meant to be operated with ease. Even though it can stand upright due to the flat edges, the included clip stand cover allows it to be attached onto most things – making it a breeze for those tough camera placements. And this is what we love about the camera, the ease of being able to position it for some unique camera angles and shots – like first person perspectives, which is nearly impossible to pull off with larger sized cameras and smartphones.



The minimalist design doesn't mask the fact that it's a camera on the surface, evident in the 130-degree camera lens on the front that's capable of 15 frames per second. Simplicity is also at the heart of the camera's operation, which intelligently will capture photos and video shorts on its own during appropriate moments. When content is captured, it's stored its 16GB internal storage, but you can use a smartphone and the accompanying app to quickly share them to your favorite services. And alternatively, you can use the unit's USB Type-C connection to transfer content as well. That connection is also used to charge its internal battery, which is rated to deliver upwards of 3 hours of smart capture.

Being there to capture all the precious moments of life can be tough, but Google Clips takes away the hassle of you having to be excluded from those memories. Instead, you can be a part of them because of how it intelligently captures content without any outside interaction from users. It's intriguing to say the least, a camera that's smart enough to capture content on its own – so you'll never ever have to miss those moments again.

In terms of pricing, it's going to sell for $249 when it goes on sale sometime this upcoming holiday season. That might be a stretch for some, but if you crave the convenience of having a smart camera, this is something worth investigating. And hey, it's just cool how it can be placed almost anywhere to get some unconventional perspectives.