Five Surprising Things at Google I/O
Every year, Google I/O gives us developers the chance to step into the latest and greatest in developer news and consumer products. Two years ago it was Google Glass and last year it was the Google+ developments. This year was the year of the Android.
Here are five things we learned from this year’s I/O:
1. More Women at Google I/O
Sundar Pichai, Senior Vice President at Google, led the keynote with the announcement that 20 percent of the attendees were women, up from 8 percent last year. More than a quarter of the presenters were women this year, and Google announced an initiative to provide free coding lessons for women and minorities in technology.
2. Integrating Google Glass & Android Wear
The Android Wear platform allows Android applications to push notifications to watches and users to take simple actions without having to access their phones. Google Glass will soon be integrated with Android Wear, giving Glass developers more capabilities and allowing Glass to be compatible with every Android application. This is a big step toward Google platforms working together as applications interact with Glass, phone or watch without any issues.
3. Chromebooks Run Android Applications
Chromebook is beginning to adapt android applications, allowing users to move from their phones to Chromebooks seamlessly. This is significant because Android applications provide richer experiences than web applications. Having Android applications available on Chromebooks makes them far more appealing.
4. Google’s Future at Project Tango
Never failing to impress its attendees, Google’s Advanced Technology and Products keynote had the participants riveted with Project Tango. The demonstrations included 3D room mapping as the tablet's sensors took 3D measurements in order to update its position and orientation. The early prototypes are still experimental, but it opens up new possibilities of reimagining recorded space.
Facebook bought Oculus Rift. Google made #cardboard. Once assembled, the corrugated cardboard becomes a Virtual Reality headset allowing you to put an Android phone inside and load up the companion Cardboard app. The virtual reality experience is complete with head tracking and exploring 360-degree panoramic photos. Integrating efficiency with simplicity makes #cardboard the most accessible Virtual Reality device in an otherwise fringe technology market.