Google’s annual developer conference showcased a lot of improvements in Android and its software for virtual reality and the internet of things – two of the most highly anticipated pieces of technology that are now slowly becoming main stream. However, the search giant is also showcasing some new tech during the event.

 

For starters, there’s Project Jacqaurd which is spearheaded by Google’s ATAP (Advanced Technologies and Projects) team. If you’re thinking you’ve heard of this name before, you’re right – because they were the same people who gave us the 3D mapping Tango tablet. Basically, the technology utilizes sensors that are woven directly into fabric.

This should allow users to control their devices using clothes or furniture that have their touch-sensing textile. This means, clothes and furniture can act as a remote control for devices and commands and functions are achieved by simply touching the fabric.

The sensors are attached to companion electronics that will communicate to devices using low-power WiFi link. Google has partnered with Levi’s together with designer Paul Dilliger in bringing the technology to the jeans company’s product line maybe in the future.

Then there’s Project Vault, a secure computer stored in a microSD card-sized device. Again, this is a creation of Google ATAP team. The device is in itself an ARM processor running a secure operating system called RTOS (Real Time Operating System), which provides focus on privacy and data security.

It also comes with an NFC chip, its own antenna (for authorization processes) and a suite of security services such as hashing, signing, batch encryption and a hardware random number generator. It works across different platforms including Android, Windows, OS X and Linux.

In a practical sense, it works just like an ordinary storage device but in a more secured manner without the use of passwords. Instead, the device can authenticate users by looking at a “Trust score” which is based on their habits.

Lastly, there’s Project Soli – a radar chip that tracks user gestures to translate it into actions on a smart device. The chip is really small it can fit into small form factor devices such as a smartwatch. 

The technology should allow for a more refined and detailed control mechanism for future devices, and when combined with Project Jacquard, it can provide a level of control to devices that’s previously the stuff of science fiction films.

Just like other projects from the ATAP team, the three projects are still in development and there are no specific ETA on when these technologies will see retail.

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Google’s annual developer conference just kicked off this week and as expected the main focus of this year’s keynote is on mobile. As it turns out, the search giant is intending to keep its foot hold in the mobile industry by bolstering its Android operating system with features that goes beyond what smartphones from two or three years back are capable of.

ANDROID M

Slated as the next version of the company’s highly successful mobile operating system, Android M seems to be an update that focuses on functionality and features over looks and aesthetics.

In terms of design, Android M is mostly a few notch ahead of the current version of Android – Lollipop. The most noticeable change would be in the launcher, specifically in the arrangement of the app drawer. Instead of the usual horizontal carousel, apps are now arranged in a vertical list with the most used apps sitting at the top. Moreover, app widgets are now grouped into sections which can be horizontally scrolled in cases where the widget has different sizes.

Google is also giving users the option to either have a dark or light theme. However, this setting only applies to certain context menus and we’re not sure if Google plans to apply it as a universal feature.

Now on to the juicy bits. One of the most talked about new feature in Android M is its ability to grant or restrict app permissions. That means users can now select which apps can have access to their personal information thus improving security. Google has also built a memory management feature within the operating system so users won’t need to download third party apps to keep their apps’ memory usage in check.

Lastly, Android M now features the ability to customize the quick settings panel in the notifications area. It’s not a major update but users can now at the very least select which toggles to put on the quick settings panel of their phones.

ANDROID PAY

Apple already has Apple Pay so naturally, Google has to come up with its own payment platform for Android. That’s why we now have Android Pay. It’s pretty much the same as Google Wallet and uses NFC to make payments to merchants. 

Google has made a new app with a simpler interface that should allow users to either pay for items using their credits stored in their account whenever they tap their phone into an NFC-enabled POS (point-of-sale) terminal. Online retailers can also take advantage of the feature by incorporating it into their apps for easy in-app purchases.

The system stores user information including shipping details and if the merchant offers a loyalty card, details about current points on the loyalty card are also automatically updated after the purchase has been made.

GOOGLE NOW on TAP

Finally, there’s Google Now on Tap. It’s an update to the company’s AI, extending its functionality to other apps. The feature should allow Google to identify possible informational needs the user may have, well before they even know they need it by collecting data about their habits and usage and searching the web for related information.

Google Now on Tap will allow Android to identify cast members inside movies users watch on YouTube or Google Movies, defining words tapped on Google Chrome or checking Artist names and song titles from Spotify.

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Apart from the announcement of Android M, Google’s I/O developer conference was also the venue where the search giant unveiled its other projects including those that involve the internet of things (IoT) and virtual reality.

On one end, we have the Brillo, the company’s operating system for connected home appliances. It’s basically a customized version of Android that’s meant for devices at home that’s internet-enabled. The OS will utilize Google’s own language for connected devices called Weave in order to allow communication among devices.

Google is planning to make the Brillo and Weave cross-platform and modular, which should give users the flexibility to choose whether or not their homes will use the language or not.

On the other end, there’s an updated VR headset – Cardboard 2, which now supports different smartphone models (including an iPhone). The new headset will go hand in hand with Google’s Jump and Expedition platforms, which are both designed to create and deliver VR content to consumers.

Google Jump will make use of special camera rigs, like the one created by GoPro that captures 360 degrees video with the use of 16 cameras. The Jump software will assemble and stitch the video coming from the cameras in order to create a single video that will be played on the Cardboard 2 VR headset or any other platform (like YouTube) that plays VR videos.

Then there’s Google Expedition, which uses a set of Cardboard VR headsets to bring virtual reality tours to classrooms. The system will make use of an Android tablet that will be controlled by a teacher and a set of Cardboard headsets which students will use in order to view certain environments. 

Google is currently working with different organizations including museums and groups like the Planetary Society, the Chateau de Versailles, the Smithsonian and the American Museum of Natural History. 

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