Google has now confirmed that the new Pixel phones will be unveiled at a press event on October 4. What it means is that we do not have any official photos of the two upcoming flagships from Google yet, but unofficial leaks are there before time as usual. The white Pixel and Pixel XL phones that we see here show a metal unibody design at the bottom with the antenna panel, but glass plating takes precedence on top. As it is actually designed by HTC, one cannot help but be reminded of the HTC One A9 that we saw last year.

In case you are wondering, Pixel is the new name adopted by Google this year for their upcoming phones, ditching the Nexus tag for now at least. Also, if you have missed a few updates recently, the Pixel with a 5-inch display is codenamed Marlin and the Pixel XL with a 5.5-inch display is codenamed Sailfish. The two smartphones will probably be powered by the same SD 820 processor and 4GB RAM. Interestingly, the Pixels will also bring Android Nougat version 7.1 with them.

Saikat Kar (tech-enthusiast)

Google translate is one of the most useful apps out there and now it will allow you to translate text without even having to switch between the app you are currently in and Google Translate. In supported messaging applications like Whatsapp, all you will need to do is copy the text that you want to translate and an option to use Google Translate will become available on the spot. You will however, need to be running at least Android version 4.2 (the later the better) to avail the feature though.

Apple users on the other hand, will get access to the offline translation feature on Google Translate for the first time. One may say that it's a little late though as the ability to translate without an active internet connection has been a part of the Android OS versions for quite a while now. Nevertheless, Google has improved upon the feature by compressing the 52 downloadable language packs to roughly 25MB each. The summary is that both iOS users and Android users of the Google Translate will be getting updates, albeit with varying added functionalities.

Saikat Kar (tech-enthusiast)

On September 19, Google announced Google Trips for Android and iOS, a traveller's app that's designed to help you with not only everything you may need while planning your trip, but also while on it. From organizing flights to managing hotel reservations, it will do it all and it's completely free to use. Additionally, it can collect data from your trip related Google searches and use that history to intelligently recommend places and local attractions to you. Google maps are of course a part of the entire arrangement with clear walking routes, driving routes and other travel options as applicable. The part which we liked the most about Google Trips is the fact that you can download all this information on your phone even before you leave your home, so that bad cellular reception or international roaming bills doesn't interfere with your experience.

With detailed information on over 200 cities (and increasing) around the world and the ability to function offline, Google Trips is a must have for frequent travellers. Considering the fact that the app is completely free and will only continue to grow beyond its immediate limitations with each passing day, paid services like TripIt, which are built around the travelling industry, might start to get a little worried.

Saikat Kar (Tech-enthusiast)

Since Google just informed the press about an upcoming event on October 4, we are pretty sure that's where the new Pixel phones will be unveiled for the first time. This belief was further confirmed by the fact that there's a new "Oct. 4" video on Google's official YouTube channel where the Google search bar slowly transforms into the shape of a smartphone.

As far as leaks go, the latest Geekbench spec sheets are revealing a revised Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor, 4GB of RAM and Android Nougat 7.1, a version of the OS that no other smartphone is running at the moment. Both the Pixel (5.2-inch) and the Pixel XL (5.5-inch) will be made by HTC this year and there will be two versions this time around; one for the US and the other for the international market.

We have also seen a few mobile case listings for the Pixel phones and as you can see from the image, the camera cut-outs are suspiciously large and may indicate a dual camera setup at the back. However, no such rumor regarding the Pixel or Pixel XL has surfaced so far. We will find out more very soon as the official unveiling date is now confirmed and just around the corner.

Saikat Kar (tech-enthusiast)

After a series of leaked images and renders, we already have a pretty good idea about how the two upcoming Nexus phones from HTC will look like, but price tags had remained undisclosed till now. Someone in HTC has allegedly leaked pricing details of the Nexus Marlin and Sailfish, but as you probably can guess already, it's still a rumor and nothing is for certain yet.

According to the source, the two smartphones from Google in 2016 will be more expensive than last year's models with a price tag of $599 for the Nexus Marlin and $449 for the Nexus Sailfish. These are of course, the price tags for the basic 32GB models and there will likely also be costlier models with higher internal storage capacities. The Marlin will cost $100 more than last year's Nexus 6P ($499), if the rumor turns out to be true. We will soon find out more next month as the two HTC-Google Nexus smartphones are probably going to debut in September with Android 7 Nougat right out of the box.

Saikat Kar (tech-enthusiast)