I own a lot of Google products, including my Pixel phone, but my house is 100% Alexa. A couple weeks ago I was wanting some new ear buds and was 99% sure I was going to buy the Pixel Buds, mostly for the translation since I travel so much. Since they came out, the reviews have been very mixed. I was thinking about just holding off to see what the new generation would develop into as it should be very promising. I come to Amazon to see if I can find something to hold me over and I find the Alexa Buds. Since I'm knee deep in that eco system anyway, I figure I would give them a try.I'm glad I did! Right out of the box they instantly paired with my phone and my desktop. At home I have (3) Echo Dot, (2) 5" Show and an 8" Show which I use to play music on. The Alexa buds were just as easy to shuffle my Amazon Music playlists, take notes, add to my shopping lists and everything else you would expect from your Alexa device.Loading up my music was quick and easy and the sound quality so much better than I had imagined. The bass hit, mids were throaty and highs were crisp without being piercing. I was also incredibly impressed with the noise cancellation. Long pressing a bud turns it on and off and you can set the amount of pass thru in the mobile app. It comes factory preset in the middle but when I turned it all the way down shocked me. My music was still clear but my surroundings were amplified. I could hear the sound of my fridge and the buzz from my computer in detail. My hearing is not the best and I'm not going to say these work as hearing aids, but...what was once muddy white noise became apparent. Turning it all the way was good as well. Perfect for busy public transportation and such where you need to drown out your surroundings but not dull your senses.The weight and feel of them are also very nice. Once you get them in, they stay put and are not noticeable but also don't feel like they are going to fall out either. They have a rubberized texture feel to them giving them a premium feel. Tap controls on the buds are easy and precise.The charging case also comes in the rubberized texture for that premium feel and isn't bulky or heavy. Plus, the charging port is on the back, is sturdy and looks great sitting on the desk. Dropping your buds in to recharge couldn't be any easier with a magnetic snap. The lid also has a magnetic snap to it so you don't have to worry about it coming open or your buds falling out into your purse or backpack.I really have no complaints so far. Pricing is inline with most other high quality sets and $50.00 cheaper than the Pixel Buds. For me, I won't be purchasing the Pixel Buds as planned either. The biggest reason is the fact I use Amazon Music and Google doesn't make it easy to use voice controls, especially starting the app and playing music. "OK Google shuffle my rock playlist" opens the app but plays some random stuff or displays a playlist without playing anything. Alexa knows what I want every time.