7 of my favorite things about the new Pixel Buds Pro 2

4. Spatial audio with head tracking moves my music with me

I'm new to the pro-level Pixel Buds, and I love how my music sounds so balanced and natural, but spatial audio with head tracking takes it to a new level. Spatial audio makes sound more immersive, while head tracking is basically a fancy way of saying that the sound will move as you move - and there's even a demo during setup so you can try this out and get used to it. Together, the effect is like having surround sound speakers in your earbuds even if you're moving around - like if I'm moving around the kitchen while watching something on my Pixel with my earbuds in or listening to a podcast while moving around the house.

5. They're easy to find

I don't want to admit how often I've lost old earbuds - thankfully, that's a problem of the past. When setting up my buds, I made sure to add them to my Pixel phone's Find My Device app. If (let's be honest, when) I misplace my buds, I can simply open the Find My app on my Pixel and select my Pixel Buds Pro 2. And even if the case is tucked tightly between couch cushions, or one of my buds is snug in my backpack, the new ringing speaker easily gets my attention.

6. My buds help protect my hearing

The Pixel Buds app has a Hearing Wellness tab, where I can make sure that I'm not blasting tunes or podcasts too loudly - a checkup that many of us can probably benefit from. In addition to showing you the current level of your sound, the app explains what's considered "loud" and offers examples of common sounds and their decibel levels, so you have a really good idea of what you're putting your ears through. This feature also shows you what your recent use has been like and warns you if you're approaching a concerning limit. I also turned on volume level notifications in this tab, so my buds will caution me if I exceed recommended thresholds.

7. Cleaning reminders are included

I tend to be a little "out of sight, out of mind" about certain chores, and that includes cleaning my earbuds. But it's certainly something that needs to happen, so I enabled the cleaning reminder for my Pixel Buds Pro 2 when I was setting them up. The Pixel Buds app even includes a handy instruction guide on how to clean them. According to the cleaning instructions, both the case and buds are sweat-resistant, which is good news for me - remember that three-hour run? Given how much I'll be using my buds, the cleaning reminder and simple instructions are a very welcome bonus.