Google I/O: Our Pick On For 2016 Best Products and Gadgets

All eyes were firmly on the Google I/O as we all anticipated the ingenious products and gadgets that are showcased annually on this platform. It is an annual 3day experience that lets developers launch products and services. Google I/O 2016 was marked by the virtual reality feud that is just going on. Google jumped in with their Google DayDream VR butting google on the Map as a force to recon with, now along with Occulus with their Occulus rift and HTC’s vive. It also threw in their new Android operating system, the Android N and products like the Google home, Allo and Duo just to mention a few. Google CEO Sundar Pichai definitely made a mark this year just having been put in the position not long ago. I sampled a couple of products just to give you the taste of the Google experience on that weekend. The virtual reality war looks to have already sparked and this is definitely going to be one to watch all this year. I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait.

Android “N”

 The fuss is over, well since the android series came out. First of all, this will be the first android version that the community is involved in naming, but eventually it will be Google’s decision to choose the name among the suggestions. Speculations however, are that Google will name the OS android N and that’s it. Well, we have to wait and see. Apart from the name, android N is full of better security features and other updates that everybody will love. Google has always been keen about the quality of android and how the security protocols are designed and the Android N doesn’t disappoint.

Wearables 2016

Wearables are on the rise in recent days. Did I say rise? Underestimates, sorry. There is a wearables war booming in the tech world. We are talking about Google and Facebook moving daily to impress and create experience. First, you probably want to know about Google’s efforts with Google I/O in these fields so ladies and gentlemen, Daydream.

Daydream virtual reality.

Google decided it was time they jumped into a virtual reality game, and jump they did. It launched the Daydream VR this year and it is just out of the world. Google created the software and hardware itself. It dived in with might. The virtual reality comes with a headset that is connected to the lab developers who are still coming up with content to make you daydream as you’re supposed to. During the I/O conference they showcased this piece with YouTube and a pancake flipping game. This was a great start because the response was just awesome, giving the VR a great head start and thus we will be waiting to see what Bring and his team of geniuses work on. We all know Google has the element of surprise you can’t explain, but you still love it.

Google has been working with wearable for some time now, actually first starting with the google glass. It got a response that was promising but critics came on equal measures with the critics hitting the glass in terms of prices, saying it was too expensive and then the aspect of look, people looked like cyborgs. But it’s just opinions, what can you say.

The wearable war.

  The war now is between Facebook, HTC, Samsung, Sony, Microsoft, Google among others.  Facebook has just acquired a virtual reality company, Occulus and is looking to face the competition head on. Google I/O, however, is not taking this threat lightly, as a matter of fact, we have seen them gearing up to make more cool stuff to help them keep up with the heat.  HTC’s vive has been the most impressive in my case. HTC designed it in collaboration with Valve. Equipped with 70 sensors, a 360 degree head tracking and a 90 Hz refresh rate, this is the best I have seen. However to be fair, the Oculus rift has almost the same features, great engineering, however it lags behind the Sony PlayStation VR. However, they are still working on better prototypes.

Who is winning you may ask, well, let’s give it time, trust me the winner always shows up. Maybe to make this more exciting let me put my money on HTC. They never disappoint.

GOOGLE HOME

So after Amazon launched Amazon echo, we were all waiting to see what kind if crazy Google was working on, sure enough, they came up with a competing product, Google home. A Bluetooth speaker equipped with the google assistant lets you check up your schedule, mail and other stuff you may need to. They did not mention the retail price, but since it is a competing product, we expect that it is somewhere close to the price if the Amazon echo.

Duo and Allo.

Say hello to the Google FaceTime version. Duo call is a Google application that allows you to video chat with people. Well, I know what you are thinking, it was about time. Google has launched this service to simply create the experience of video chat in the hardware products they make. With the showcasing at Google I/O conference, the public got to experience what this product is all about.

As if Duo was not enough, Google has taken a step ahead by actually introducing Allo. Allo is a messaging platform that aims at giving you the kind of experience you can’t get from anywhere. To tech analyst, it looks like this move will kill hangout, but it’s a win-win for Google. A better product means excited users, all this just shouts PROFITS, and experience of course.

This year Google has just taken the game to another level and at the same time proving that it’s in this market not only to stay, but to dominate. Android enthusiasts are definitely looking for what the company has in store next time. The guaranteed thing is just the same experience, full of zeal and fascinating engineering.