Google Cast and Android TV are coming to even more screens
During today’s I/O keynote Google just barely squeezed in some notes about Android TV. On stage, while the Cast feature/ecosystem took a starring a role in the new Home device while also expanding from Vizio’s TVs to work on screens from Magnavox, Philips, Polaroid, Toshiba, Westinghouse “and more.” Picture-in-picture, new APIs for recording live TV and support for 4K / HDR video will all be a part of the Android N upgrade on Android TV, although there’s no mention yet of a new Nexus Player with support for things like Ultra HD, or USB 3.0 hookups for external storage.
There is a new Android TV box on the way from Xiaomi, which announced it will start selling the 4K and HDR-capable Mi Box in the US and other global markets “soon,” (pricing is TBA) joining Sony and Sharp. Over in Europe, Beko, Grundig and Vestel will also begin offering the platform. Google has been making big promises about its plans for TV for several years now, and growing the hardware support is the first step towards making any of that happen.
Developing…
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Source: Android Blog
Everything’s ‘sweet’ on Android N naming site
During its I/O keynote, Google announced that it would accept user ideas before announcing the official name for the upcoming Android N. The obvious front runners are foods like Nutella and nougat that carry on the confectionery theme. Even if you offer jokes like “Never coming to your phone,” Google’s website still responds with “sweet.” In fact, that’s the response for any suggestion. It didn’t take long for people to notice that they could submit racist terms and the website would offer that same reply. Obviously Google doesn’t think Nazis are sweet, but its a painful oversight that’s already making the rounds on Twitter.
While the activity may be intended for laughs, it still allows you to give some awful suggestions. Of course, the company already said on stage it will select the final name and that the website is meant only “for entertainment purposes.” Back in March, it was a matter of hours before the internet turned Microsoft’s AI chatbot Tay into a racist and sexist Twitter account. It seems like Google didn’t learn much from that ordeal, even if it is vowing to not review any of the submissions for Android N.
Oh man, @google, you really didn’t think this one through. “Nazi” is also allowed! #io16 pic.twitter.com/xVNR8lCnqP
— Patrick Lucas Austin (@patbits) May 18, 2016
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Source: Google
The After Math: Google I/O 2016 Edition
Google unleashed its 2016 developers conference on Mountain View, CA this morning. The company debuted a bunch of new products including its answer to Amazon’s Alexa, dubbed Google Home; a new VR headset called Daydream (along with a new VR section for Play) and two new messaging apps, Allo and Duo. Google also showed off some of the new features we can expect in the upcoming Android N operating system, a full-blown overhaul of the Android Wear ecosystem, updates to Android Auto and some new tricks for Google Pay. Did I miss something? Yeah, probably. So check out our comprehensive coverage of the event here.
Google built a processor just for AI
Google is no stranger to building hardware for its data centers, but it’s now going so far as to design its own processors. The internet giant has revealed the Tensor Processing Unit, a custom chip built expressly for machine learning. As Google doesn’t need high precision for artificial intelligence tasks, the TPU is focused more on raw operations per second than anything else — it’s an “order of magnitude” faster in AI than conventional processors at similar energy levels. It’s space-efficient, too, fitting into the hard drive bays in data center racks.
The fun part? You’ve already seen what TPUs can do. Google has been quietly using them for over a year, and they’ve handled everything from improving map quality to securing AlphaGo’s victory over the human Go champion. The AI could both move faster and predict further ahead thanks to the chip, Google says. You won’t get to buy the chip yourself, alas, but you might just notice its impact as AI becomes an ever more important part of Google’s services.
Source: Google Cloud Platform Blog
Google I/O 2016: Assistant, Home, Allo, Duo, Android N, and More
Google hosted its annual I/O developers keynote at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California today, announcing multiple new products and services related to Android, search, messaging, home automation, and more.
Google Assistant
Google Assistant is described as a “conversational assistant” that builds upon Google Now based on two-way dialog. The tool can be used, for example, to ask who directed the movie Avatar, and to ask which other movies he has directed, and Google should be able to isolate the questions from the conversation and provide answers.
The new Siri and Alexa rival, compatible with both voice and chat, will be widely available on Android, iOS, in the home, and elsewhere later this year.
Google Home
Google Home is a new Wi-Fi-enabled personal assistant device for the home that enables people to ask Google search queries, manage everyday tasks, enjoy music and entertainment, and more using hands-free “OK Google” voice commands.
The Amazon Echo rival features a clean, color-changing design with no buttons, a speaker on the bottom, multiple room support, remote control of Chromecast and other speakers, compatibility with Nest and other popular home automation platforms, and more.
Google Home can be used to make general searches, check flight statuses, track shipments, set dinner reservations, turn on lights or play music in certain rooms, receive real-time traffic and routing information, check your appointments, and more.
Google Home will be available later this year. Pricing was not disclosed.
Allo
Allo is a new intelligent messaging app for Android and iOS, based on machine learning, computer visioning, and assistive technologies.
The app integrates with your phone number and features resizable message bubbles, emojis and stickers, smart reply suggestions for messages and photos, mini games, and more. There is also an Incognito Mode with end-to-end encryption, Snapchat-like expiring messages, and private notifications.
Allo also features Google Assistant built in, which can provide proactive suggestions such as nearby restaurants and sports results based on Knowledge Graph results. The suggestions will appear automatically based on the context of the conversation. OpenTable and YouTube will be two of many linked services.
Allo will be available this summer.
Duo
Duo is a standalone FaceTime-like HD video calling app for Android and iOS with a “Knock Knock” feature that shows live video of the other caller before answering.
The app features a clean user interface, encrypted video transmission, and proactive network quality monitoring with seamless switching between Wi-Fi and cellular data.
Duo will be available this summer.
Android N
Android N was announced prior to Google I/O, so today’s keynote mainly provided a recap of new features and security enhancements.
One all-new feature Google announced today is a new VR platform called Daydream, allowing for high-quality VR experiences on smartphones this fall.
“Daydream-ready” smartphones from Samsung, HTC, LG, Huawei, and others running Android N will feature a new VR mode that is optimized for VR viewers.
Google is also accepting submissions for what to call Android N. Past versions have been based on desserts such as Marshmallow, Lollipop, KitKat, Jelly Bean, and Ice Cream Sandwich, and it appears likely that trend will continue.
The name unsurprisingly must start with the letter N. Google will accept submissions until June 8, 2016 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time.
Android Wear 2.0
Google unveiled a major new version of its wearable software platform today. Android Wear 2.0 will feature standalone apps, smart reply suggestions, improved handwriting recognition, a miniature swipe-based keyboard, customizable watch faces, Google Fit integration, and more.
Android Wear 2.0 launches in developer beta today, followed by a public release this fall.
Tags: Google, Google I/O, Android N, Allo, Duo, Google Assistant, Google Home
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Spaces proves Google still doesn’t get social
Yesterday Google launched Spaces to help small groups work together with shared images, links, videos and, of course, text. It’s tough not to compare the service to Pinterest or Facebook Groups (it even has stickers that post as soon as you tap).
Unfortunately, instead of grabbing the best bits of both of those juggernauts in the group space and creating a great new way to chat around a topic, it’s a bungled trainwreck of confusion and missed opportunities.
Spaces is supposed to be the one-stop spot to chat about topics. With quick access to Google search, YouTube and photos, members can discuss items without leaving the app to hunt down information. A main “Space” is created and discussions take place with the subtopics of that theme.
For example: A family can use it to plan a vacation. A main topic is created, and within that, discussions can be launched around hotels, flights, dinner options, etc. Members can drop URLs of restaurants or YouTube videos of activities. It can all be in one place. Unfortunately, not all of Google’s services come along for the ride.
When you launch the app, it seems so promising. Setting up your first Space is straightforward. After tapping on “Create a Space,” you’re prompted to give it a name. Then you can tap the settings dots to add an image and adjust the color of the theme.
I expected to have access to my address book. Instead, to invite folks you have to email them or copy a link and post it somewhere like Facebook or Twitter. Google Drive lets you share without launching an email client, but Spaces decided that wasn’t a feature people would want.
Once you have a Space that’s populated with friends (or strangers, if you posted it to Twitter) anyone can create a new discussion by posting a block of text, an image, link or video. Within those threads users can chat almost in real time. Because Google search is always a tap away, sites can be shared both in chat or as a way to start subtopics.
YouTube search is also available when you want to start a discussion, but offers only 10 results. I kept having to expand my queries to find the clip I actually wanted to post. It’s also weird that the video-search option disappears once you’re in a conversation. But if you search for a video with Google, you can drop it into a chat.
The comments are the typical chronological string of text, stickers and photos. If this had launched three years ago, I could see Google being a major force in the group-collaboration world. Instead, Facebook Groups have become where people meet to chat about events and ideas. It’s easy to add members and, like it or not, we check Facebook all day.
While Facebook Groups doesn’t have quick access to Google’s search results, like Spaces you can search for anything within a topic. It also has something the search giant’s service is lacking: the ability to search for individuals. When I tried to see what Engadget’s Jon Turi said in my Spaces, I got “can’t find a match.”
Spaces seems like a half-baked idea. On one hand you have access to the greatest search engine on Earth. On the other, some Google services are limited. The lack of search for Google Photos or surfacing only 10 results from YouTube are good examples of this. Plus, I still can’t get over the fact that I can’t add friends from my address book. The app and site don’t really offer anything compelling that will pull people away from Pinterest or Facebook Groups. The company says it’ll be testing the service at its I/O Keynote this week. Maybe by the end of the week it’ll have enough feedback to make Spaces a service people will want to actually use.
Google I/O kicks off at 1PM ET, follow our liveblog here!
Google I/O, the company’s annual developer-focused conference, kicks off in just a few hours — but at a much different venue than in years past. Instead of San Francisco’s Moscone Center, we’re literally in Google’s backyard at the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View. The location may be different, but CEO Sundar Pichai and a parade of Google executives will still be taking the stage to tell us all about the next version of Android, updates to Chrome, and a host of things yet to be formally announced. We should hear about the company’s expanded VR ambitions, a new competitor to Amazon’s Alexa, more details on Android Wear and much more.
The keynote starts at 1PM ET / 10AM PT, and we’ll be liveblogging all the news right here. Google wouldn’t shuttle us all down to Mountain View if it didn’t have something big planned, so stay tuned.
Watch Google’s I/O keynote right here, right now
Google’s big I/O keynote kicks off at 1PM ET live from the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California. We expect big news about Android N (including its actual, probably delicious, name), a look at the future of Chrome OS, fresh Android Wear information and even some news about Android VR. Follow along with our liveblog right here, and watch the keynote with us in the video below.
For all the latest news and updates from Google I/O 2016, follow along here.
Katamari Damacy’s creator debuts Project Tango-powered AR game
The maniacal minds behind the cult console hit, Katamari Damacy, have unveiled their latest wacky work, an experimental open-world game powered by Google’s Tango AR system called Woorld.
As with other AR setups, Woorld combines action on the physical plane with virtual characters. Specifically, players will be able to “explore, discover, and create using digital objects and creatures” that interact with the actual objects around them. What’s more, players will be able to team up with each other to build bigger and better objects, then share them with anyone looking through a Woorld-enabled mobile device.
Details are still pretty thin as to what the gameplay actually entails, but it looks adorable and and seemingly offers the same level of intuitive gameplay that made Katamari so easy to get hooked on. Given how fun KD was — and that just involved rolling an ever-growing pile of stuff — Woorld could well be another winner.
Source: Funomena
Google Home will take on Alexa to be your at-home assistant
While the New York Times may have stolen some of the thunder yesterday, Google’s answer to Amazon’s smart speakers is now official. Announced at Google I/O, Home is the company’s answer to the online retailer’s Echo line that allows you to get a hand from Alexa with a range of different tasks. This version has a virtual assistant too, software that helps with tasks around the house, like adjusting that Nest thermostat, with help from Google’s own virtual assistant.
Like Amazon’s Echo, Google Home is also a speaker that can keep music and entertainment streaming directly from the cloud to insure top-notch quality. It also offers Cast support, so you can group it with your other speakers for multi-room audio or start playing videos on your television with Chromecast. And yes, both of those are voice-controlled tasks.
Back in March, Google-owned Nest confirmed that it scrapped plans for a virtual assistant over privacy concerns. Later that month, reports began to surface that the parent company was working on its own device, with the other rumblings pegging this week’s annual developer conference as the site of its debut.
Developing…
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Source: Google Home
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