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At I/O 2017, Google doubled down on a future built on AI
A few years ago, when a cadre of dudes jumped out of a zeppelin wearing Google Glass, nearly everyone watching had a "holy shit" moment. Company execs had just run through a slew of big, consumer-facing announcements, and then Sergey Brin threw the presentation to a live video streamed by people hurtling through the air. In that moment, Google wasn't just a terribly smart company — it was a terribly cool one, too. Fast forward a few years, and I/O now seems a little subdued. Apart from the crowd clamoring to see LCD Soundsystem run through a set, the energy in the air seemed calmer than before. Last year's fun, open-air demo areas were gone too, replaced mostly by air-conditioned domes after attendees last year complained about the heat.
Google has a new way to call out poorly made Android apps
Google's plan to improve the Android experience involves more than just tweaking the operating system. It also requires developers to up the quality of their work, and now Google has a new way to warn app creators whose work isn't up to snuff. Long story short, if your app ranks in the bottom 25 percent when it comes to certain stability, battery or rendering metrics, you'll be hearing from the search giant through the developer console.
Soon you'll be able to pay friends by saying 'Ok Google'
Google will make it harder for that friend in your group to make excuses when chipping in for food. The tech titan's voice assistant will be able send personal payments for you in the coming months, just like its rival Siri can, so long you're in the US. Simply tell it to "Send John $10 for pizza" or something similar and authenticate the transaction with your fingerprint or password to send cash. Your recipient will then receive an email about your payment. The big G recently tweaked its API to make any card associated with your account available on all its apps and on third-party applications that use Google Payments. That's why all you need to do to be able send cash through Assistant is to link a debit card to your system.
MLB's VR push doesn't include 360-degree live games
Major League Baseball's At Bat streaming subscription service and app already adds an extra dimension to watching baseball games on TV or in-person. Starting next month, however, fans will be able to actually take all the live game footage and real-time data from MLB.tv into virtual reality with Google Daydream and MLB At Bat VR.
Samsung's delayed Chromebook Pro arrives on May 28th (updated)
Chrome OS didn't get any real attention at the Google I/O keynote this week, but a little news popped up regarding the delayed Samsung Chromebook Pro. The laptop -- one of the first to run Android apps -- was supposed to arrive in April, but there hasn't been a peep about its delay. But today, Chrome product direct Kan Liu told The Verge that the laptop should be available to purchase on May 28th.
Drivers win when automakers use Android
Android Auto only got a brief mention at yesterday's Google I/O keynote, but that's mostly because some notable news dropped earlier this week. Both Audi and Volvo announced plans to utilize Android as the OS behind their cars infotainment systems. That's notably different than Android Auto, which basically projects a simplified version of your phone's interface to your car's display. Audi and Volvo's implementations don't require a phone -- and the carmakers are free to customize the UI as they see fit. It's worth noting that this isn't a new idea, though some of the ways it has been used in the past leave much to be desired. Today, we had a chance to check out Audi's vision for Android in the car here at Google I/O. Seated inside of a concept Q8 SUV, a Google spokesperson walked us through the UI, though it was straightforward and sensible enough that you wouldn't really need a hand with it. Conceptually, it's not all that different than when a phone manufacturer skins Android with their own custom interface.
Android Go could help make Android O a runaway success
Android O might not seem like the most thrilling software update at first, but it just might be one of the most important. Google has been on a quest to capture and delight billions of new Android users for years with various initiatives. So far, scaling hasn't been a problem -- there are now 2 billion monthly active devices, and with Android Go, Google's hell-bent on picking up even more in developing and underserved markets.
Catch up on Google's plans for VR in under 3 minutes
During day two of Google I/O 2017, the company detailed its plans for both AR and VR. If you didn't catch our live coverage earlier today, don't worry: We've cut down the half-hour talk into a much shorter clip. You can catch up on all the news about Daydream Euphrates, YouTube VR, Google Cast and much more in under three minutes. For all the latest news and updates from Google I/O 2017, follow along here.
Google Lens offers a clear view of the company’s future
Google Lens is both a return to form for the search giant and a tantalizing glimpse into what lies ahead. Google's early claim to fame was its ability to efficiently index the web and fetch search results quickly, bringing some much-needed organization to the chaotic early days of the internet. Lens, similarly, uses computer vision and AI to make sense of your photos, videos and the real world. It's basically Google search for everything outside of screens. Most intriguingly, Lens is yet another way for Google to expand on its original mission statement: "to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful."
Google Tango shows how AR can improve virtual field trips
Google didn't have a ton of new things to say about its Tango augmented reality tech during today's I/O developer keynote. Instead, the company wanted to flaunt what Tango is already good at -- namely, the type of educational Expedition experiences that were briefly shown off yesterday. Daydream's education lead Jennifer Holland said that over two million students and teachers have taken advantage of what Tango can offer in a school setting. "One of the most important things my team has learned is you need to embrace they key functions of a classroom," she said.
Google brings high-end 3D graphics to mobile VR with Seurat
With Seurat, Google is giving game developers and movie studios a simple way to bring their 3D imagery down to mobile VR. Named after the French painter, Seurat can break down complex 3D scenes so that they can be easily rendered on phones. It basically takes the headache out of manually scaling down a 3D scene.
Google Cast beams Daydream VR to your TV
As slick as Google's Daydream VR can be at times, there's a simple problem: you can't easily share your experiences with others. That's about to get better. When the Daydream 2.0 Euphrates update arrives, it'll include support for Google Cast -- if you want to share a game or a 360-degree video on your TV (or other video devices), you just have to pick a source and start streaming. You won't usually get the immersive stereoscopic effect, of course, but this could be important for everything from education to social situations.
Google Daydream gives you access to more without leaving VR
After a year, Google's Daydream VR platform is ready for an update. Announced today at Google's I/O developer conference, the 2.0 release is codenamed Daydream Euphrates and it's designed to elevate the OS into more than just a mobile operating system. Indeed, one of its features seems specifically designed for the standalone VR headsets announced yesterday: a dashboard overlay that provides access to Android functions while you're still in VR.
YouTube VR adds shared rooms and live voice chat
At its I/O keynote today, Google revealed more details about YouTube VR, part of its Daydream virtual reality expansion that will feature 360-degree videos. Rather than having an (often abuse-filled) comments section like the regular YouTube site, the VR version will instead be a "co-watching" experience, with limited groups watching videos together. Furthermore, folks will appear in shared rooms as customizable avatars and chat in real time using their own voices.
We're live from the Google I/O 2017 day 2 VR and AR keynote!
Google's first I/O 2017 keynote ran for nearly two hours yesterday, and VR chief Clay Bavor used a fraction of it to talk about the company's plans in virtual and augmented reality. He then published a 2,800-word essay on VR and AR on Medium to offer even more insight into Google's philosophy. Point is, people at Google are taking this stuff very seriously, so we're getting a VR-and-AR-centric keynote at the show this morning too. We're not expecting many new announcements, really — instead, we're looking forward to more detail on the plans outlined yesterday, including Google's work on standalone VR headsets and that fascinating "virtual positioning system." If we're lucky, Bavor will let slip something new and hype-worthy, but it'll be a good time regardless. Join us, won't you?
Watch Google's I/O day 2 VR and AR livestream right here!
What, you thought Google I/O ended with the company spilling all sorts of details about the future of its mobile AI initiatives and the latest tidbits about Android O? Not so fast. There's a keynote today that's all about augmented-and-virtual reality as well and you can watch it right here starting at 12:30pm Eastern. Of course, we'll be live-blogging the event as well, in case you wanted some textual commentary to go with your livestream.
Android Device Manager has a new name: Find My Device
Since Google introduced Android Device Manager in 2013 it has updated the feature periodically, but the latest change gives it a new name -- Find My Device -- and a few new features. It's now a part of the Google Play Protect service mentioned earlier during I/O, and most Android owners should see an update for it on their devices. The standard features (similar to iOS' Find My iPhone) are still intact with the ability to locate, ring, lock down or wipe your hardware remotely -- you can even Google Search "Find My Phone" to use it -- while it has added information about the current battery level and WiFi network connection. For all the latest news and updates from Google I/O 2017, follow along here.
Google speeds up transactions even without Android Pay
Another small, but significant update from today's I/O event comes courtesy of the Google Ads and Commerce team this afternoon. According to a blog post, the Google Payments API has been simplified to streamline things for users who might be confused about the difference between their Google Wallet, their Android Pay account and whatever cards they have saved in their browser.
Google Assistant on the iPhone is better than Siri, but not much
Google's Assistant is finally ready to take on Siri on Apple's own turf: the iPhone. Yes, you could already play around with the AI-powered chatbot if you downloaded Allo -- Google's mobile-only messenger app -- but its functionality was limited. Today, that changes thanks to a new standalone Google Assistant app available on Apple's App Store (though it's US-only for now). Eager to check it out, I downloaded it right away and spent some time commanding our Google-branded phone butler around. After a few hours, I'll say that while I find Google Assistant a lot friendlier and smarter than Siri, it doesn't quite replace it. At least, not yet.
Watch Google's I/O 2017 keynote in 16 minutes
If you missed out on Google's I/O 2017 keynote earlier today, don't fret. We've cut down all of the noteworthy news on Google Lens, AI, Google Assistant, Google Home, Daydream, Android O and more into a roughly 15-minute clip. Just sit back, relax and catch up on all of the news in way less time than we spend taking in the two-hour presentation this afternoon. For all the latest news and updates from Google I/O 2017, follow along here.