Google's new $179 Pixel Buds are like AirPods for Android users, and you can buy them now

* Google's new Pixel Buds are now available to buy for $179.00 from Google's online store, Best Buy, Verizon, T-Mobile, and US Cellular. * The new Pixel Buds are direct answers to Apple's AirPods — they're wireless ear buds that come in a wireless charging case, and they have a few smart features, like pairing automatically with your Android phone and summoning Google Assistant. * They also have sweat-resistance and an in-ear design for a snug fit, making them a viable option for workouts. Google introduced its new $179.00 Pixel Buds on Monday, which are available to buy from Google's own store, Best Buy, Verizon, T-Mobile, and US Cellular. Google's Pixel Buds are totally wireless earbuds that come in a charging case. In a sentence, the Pixel Buds are Google's direct answer to Apple's AirPods. They're the Android user's wireless ear buds that pair automatically with their Android phones, and summon Google Assistant. Google touts up to five hours of listening time for the Pixel Buds, and two and a half hours for voice calls. The charging case, which can charge wirelessly or via USB-C, holds enough charge for 24 hours of battery life, or 12 hours of voice calls, in total. Charging the Pixel Buds in the battery case for just 10 minutes gives two hours of listening time, or one hour of talk time, Google claims. Google Pixel Buds features The Pixel Buds are also sweat resistant, and they have a snug in-ear design with small fins to help stabilize the Buds in your ear and keep them from falling out with too many vibrations. The Pixel Buds have touch sensors on each bud for pretty typical audio controls, like skipping tracks, pausing, adjusting volume, and picking up phone calls. Of note, the Google Pixel Buds don't have active noise cancellation like the $250 AirPods Pro do. At $179.00, the Pixel Buds are cheaper than Apple AirPods with Wireless Charging Case. First impressions of Google Pixel Buds I've had the Pixel Buds for a few days, and they sound impressive for such small wireless ear buds. With that said, I've noticed some slight background hissing noise when playing music at low volumes. The noise is so quiet that you may not notice, but once you do notice, it's impossible to ignore. It's a shame they don't come with noise cancellation, but that would surely raise their price tag above $179.00. Plus, the in-ear design acts a little like ear plugs that block out some external noise, but not as much as active noise cancellation. Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: Why Pikes Peak is the most dangerous racetrack in America
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SpaceX has a 'go' from NASA to return 2 astronauts to Earth on Sunday as Hurricane Isaias threatens several Florida splashdown locations

* NASA on Saturday gave SpaceX a "go" to undock the company's first crewed space mission, called Demo-2, and land it on Sunday evening. * Hurricane Isaias complicated original plans to return two astronauts to Earth aboard SpaceX's Crew Dragon spaceship in the Atlantic Ocean. * Elon Musk's aerospace company may now try to splash down NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley in the Gulf of Mexico. * Two out of seven total landing sites near Florida must have good weather conditions, and NASA has until about 5 p.m. ET on Saturday to call off the undocking. * Should the weather worsen, NASA and SpaceX can try again a day later or some other date over the next two months. * Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. Astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley have a "go" to return to Earth this weekend and wrap up an historic space mission for both NASA and SpaceX. Behnken and Hurley launched to orbit aboard SpaceX's Crew Dragon vehic...

Here's an exclusive look at the pitch deck London fintech Lanistar used to raise $19 million at a $190 million valuation

* London-based fintech startup Lanistar has raised a £15 million ($19 million) funding round from Milaya Capital. * Founded in 2019, Lanistar is building a personal financial management platform that will launch later in 2020. * "We're expecting a huge amount of growth upon our launch and have already seen strong interest among our sign ups," Gurhan Kiziloz, founder and CEO of Lanistar, told Business Insider. * Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. The coronavirus lockdown in the UK has brought the importance of managing money into sharp relief. A recent study from Money.com shows that 71% of UK households have saved cash during lockdown, and, with uncertainty about jobs and the economy looming, money management is now front of mind for many. Lanistar, a banking platform with a focus on personal finance, is one company offering tools for consumers to better manage their money. It has just raised a £15 million ($19 million) funding round from Mil...

How to send your location on Snapchat to your friends through the app's Snap Map feature

* You can send your location on Snapchat to a single friend or to several users in a group. * To send a location on Snapchat, you'll need to visit your friendship history with a user and locate the "Send My Location" feature. * Once you send a location on Snapchat to a friend, they can tap it and zoom in to see where you are. * Visit Business Insider's Tech Reference library for more stories. Whether you want to share the location of your favorite restaurant or the address of your new apartment, you can easily send your location on Snapchat to your friends. You can do this using the Snap Map and will even be prompted to select who you want to share you location with the first time you use the app feature. You can choose to share your location with your mutual friends, a list of friends with exceptions, or a small group of selected friends. To send your location directly to a mutual Snapchat friend, you must visit your chat history through your friends li...

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