When developers lined up for their free smartwatches following Google’s keynote on Wednesday, another intriguing creation made its way into the goody bag, one that appeared to be slightly more affordable than the Android Wear devices. Google’s Cardboard project lets anyone transform their Android smartphones into a basic virtual reality headset using homemade materials, most notably a piece of cardboard.
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We’re all familiar now with all of the major new features that Google announced with Android L, including a new actionable notifications center, the new Material Design feature that will bring a more unified user interface, and compatibility with 64-bit hardware. However, there were a ton of features that Google added with Android L that didn’t get mentioned, although the company did put up a quick graphic toward the end of its presentation that listed them all.
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Google’s voice-based virtual assistant has gotten even smarter this week, as Google issued a new Google Search update that brings some cool new features to Google Now. Android Police reveals that Google Now will work on any screen now, including the lock screen. Users can simply configure Google Now to work on any screen by going the “Ok Google Detection” menu on their devices.
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Anxious to try out Android L but aren’t willing to wait until whenever it finally releases? Well now you can… as long as you own a Nexus 5 phone or a Nexus 7 tablet, that is. Google has announced that developers can download a preview of Android L onto their Nexus 5 smartphones or Nexus 7 tablets right now to get an early look at the new build that Google is promising will be its “biggest release in Android history.” Of course, you shouldn’t install this preview if you aren’t familiar with Android development tools or if you don’t want to deal with crashing apps. But for those Nexus 5 and Nexus 7 owners who are feeling adventurous, head on over to the Android developer’s website for detailed instructions on how to install the preview onto your device.
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Google is probably the most unique company that I’ve ever observed, especially when it comes to being vastly more open about its innovation process than other companies. In contrast to Apple, which displays a comical obsession with secrecy, Google has no issues with opening up its garage door and showing you what it’s working on, even if it isn’t anywhere close to being finished.
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Android One won’t make too many headlines, and you won’t read too many reviews of handsets that emerge due to its existence. But in my mind, it was the most significant announcement made by Google at I/O 2014. In a nutshell, Android One is a new Google project that will provide reference hardware to any manufacturer that wants it. The typical Android One smartphone will boast a 4.5-inch display, an FM radio, a removable SD card, and room for two SIM cards. Google sets the standards, someone else builds it.
And each Android One phone will cost $100 or less.
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The burning rivalry between Mac and PC is one of the most storied rivalries in the history of technology — ruining friendships, bringing down corporations and inspiring some very creative commercials — but do we truly understand the fundamental difference between a Windows PC and a Macintosh? I’m sure many of you do, but for those who don’t have a grasp of the finer details, Computerphile has put together a short video primer explaining how Macs and PCs differ.
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One of the main features of Android L is Google’s complete design overhaul of the operating system’s user interface. Android L is peppered with Material Design elements that make it come to life in a more playful manner, and hopefully they make it even easier to use as well. Google is leaving behind the blacks and grays in favor to a more vivid palette of colors throughout its apps, and PhoneArena has already put up an extensive screenshot comparison showing the differences between Android L and Android KitKat.
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Google and Apple compete over a lot of things, but one battle between the two companies that deserves more attention is their intense competition for the hearts and minds of mobile app developers. And as new analysis from Benedict Evans shows, Apple has a distinct advantage here over Google despite the fact that Android dwarfs iOS in total market share worldwide: iPhone users are much more likely to pay for apps than Android users.
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Google will make its Android L release available in preview version to developers later today, at which point many Android users, especially experienced ones, will find ways to install it on their devices. Meanwhile, everyone else who’s “stuck” on KitKat or earlier versions will have to make do with available screenshots, comparisons and hands-on videos – Engadget has published a hands-on video of Android L running on the Nexus 5, showing some of the features included in Google’s next major Android release.
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