Google’s clever new AI-powered camera is designed to capture stellar 7-second snippets[1] of family shenanigans. Here’s how to get started.
1. Wave Hello
There’s a chip inside the Clips loaded with a version of Google’s computer vision code. It can learn to recognize faces, so train it to know yours. When you first get the camera, wave and smile at it, and take a lot of selfies and ussies. It can also recognize pets—give your cat plenty of screen time too.
2. Place It
The rubbery case serves as a kickstand and a clip (get it?) for fastening the device to an object. Proper positioning is key. Clamp it to a chairback to capture kitchen antics, or face it inward from a bike’s handlebars to see your kid’s reaction to their first ride. Don’t clip it to your belt—too much movement turns your videos into unshareable mush.
3. Show Emotion
The camera isn’t always slurping up the action; it only cares about the richest moments. The onboard AI responds to movement and emotion. If you’re just sitting around, it probably won’t record anything. But if you smile, wave your arms, or do a cartwheel, it will wake up and start filming. Press the button on the front to force it to pay attention when you sense an interesting moment approaching.
4. Learn to Share
The Clips doesn’t livestream, nor does it automatically upload your private footage to the cloud. Pair the device with an iPhone, Pixel, or Galaxy to view your captured videos. Use the companion app to edit your clips and choose which ones are awesome enough to share—and whom to share them with.
5. Compose Yourself
Clips is...