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Google absolutely killed it on day one of its I/O show, unveiling the next version of Android, along with the hotly-tipped Nexus 7 tablet. But wait! They also chucked in a free set of steak-knives, in the form of the Nexus Q media streamer; a new cloud messaging service, and Google+ Events. Let’s chat.
Android 4.1 comes with a bunch of new features: There’s a super-fast new interface with a cleaner home-screen; offline voice dictation; new camera app; notifications have been overhauled; a new Siri-style search engine; smart app updating, and the intriguing Google Now.
Starting at £160, the Nexus 7 tablet is facing up squarely to the Kindle Fire (which Amazon still hasn’t launched here in the UK.) Available for pre-order now, it will ship in July. July! It’s about time we saw a cheap-as-chips tablet reach our shores.
Listed as “coming soon” to the UK, the £200 media streamer has a 25-watt amp, and promises to bring Google Play apps into your home. Have you seen how it looks, though?
While Google hasn’t specified if this will reach the UK, we imagine it will — after all, being able to purchase TV shows; movies and magazines from the Google Play store is a natural step forward, right? Even if you don’t necessarily want to download movies on your phone…
GCM is the next version of Google’s existing messaging system, Android Cloud to Device Messaging and, as such, GCM retains a lot of the core functionality of C2DM. Find out more here.
Can better invitations, calendar integration, photos and other flashy tricks to make the people you invite to parties and events feel like they’re really having a good time? Google wants to lure people away from Facebook events, and towards Google+. Gulp.
We went hands-on with the unusual streaming orb.
Google calls Jelly Bean’s new graphics engine Project Butter. You know, because it is as fluid and slippery as hot butter and because it goes with their whole candy/dessert code naming for Android.
I know a few of you have already pre-ordered Nexus tablets, but what do you make of Google’s other announcements? The Q seems to be attracting a lot of hate for being a.) expensive, and b.) not as good as other media streamers, but does anyone plan on picking up one of the oddly-shaped units?
Let us know in the comments below just what you made of Google’s announcements…
The BBC's Media Player App Goes Jelly Bean
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Big G did a good job today. The Nexus 7 and Jelly Bean are truly drool worthy especially for the price! Other notable mentions is offline google maps which I’ve just tested and works great, as well as the first stable Chrome release for ICS, which feels nice too.
The features on Jellybean made me laugh so much. iOS 6, which let us not forget is not even out yet, was Apples attempt to catch up with ICS in many areas. Google just took the ball away from under their feet before they could kick it.
I was really underwhelmed today, unfortunately.
I’ve been contemplating getting an iPhone 5/new iPhone and was hoping Jelly Bean might pull me back. It did have some nice features, but not enough to keep me away from the shiny goodness that is iOS/iPhone.
The tablet is nothing new, really. Just their attempt at fitting into this mobile revolution and the Nexus Q? Meh.
They’re working on some fantastic things but I don’t feel like it’s enough. I do hope Google Now finds its way to iOS, though.
I think from a purely candid point of view, Google showed a lot more than I expected, they just seem to reveal things in very understated ways, which in the face of Apples clever marketing and deliverance, is quite unfortunate.
For example, I completely forgot about Google Now, which is a massively exciting feature, but no ones really talking much about it. It’s like location based AI, and can possibly incorporate features like Apples Passbook on a greater level.
Yeah, nobody announces things like Apple, nor do they get as hyped as Apple features… and I’m sure the people who wanted these features will love them, I just wasn’t impressed really. There was nothing radical that made me think Oh my god!!
Google Maps offline is pretty damned awesome if you ask me. As a someone constantly on the move, I have been crying out for something like this.
But let me get this right, you call JB disappointing because it’s “shiny goodness” doesn’t compete with an OS that hasn’t even been released yet?
I didn’t even mention iOS 6 lol
So you prefer iOS 5 to ICS and the notes on JB? SNM.
“It did have some nice features, but not enough to keep me away from the shiny goodness that is iOS/iPhone.”
Out of curiosity, what exactly is it that iOS can do that Android can’t that interests you so much? As far as I can tell, Android is leagues ahead of iOS in practically every department.
It’s the UX that’s taking me to iOS, and it’s not just about what it can or can’t do. It’s about the whole experience of Hardware/Software/Support that just gives me more faith in Apple.
At the end of the day it’s my opinion, I’m currently using Android… I don’t like it.
He Kat, why no mention of the Google Glass Demo?
That was a fantastic demo. So many possibilities.
The Google Nexus 7 Tablet?
I think I just did a sex-wee!
Jelly Bean seems to be a pretty meaty upgrade for something that’s just a .1 release. Not much to complain about there other than the continuing lack of the ‘Project Majel’ stuff that’s meant to be a Siri-killer. Plenty of Siri’s strongest features now on show, though, so that’s enough for now.
The Nexus Q is an odd thing that strikes me as Google’s experiment at expanding the ‘Nexus’ brand more than anything else. I hope it works in the sense that I’d like to see them explore more avenues in terms of hardware – but I’m not sure if they’d sell me on this product.
Didn’t have to try very hard to sell me on the Nexus 7, though. At that price, the specifications on this tablet are a steal. I’m still not convinced that 7″ is the perfect tablet form factor – but it definitely is the right price point for an instant purchase. Mine’s already on order.
Wake me when any of the rest becomes relevant outside of the US…
I’m proper hacked off at there not being an SD slot on the Nexus. Don’t give me that cloud crap, it’s all Emperors new clothes as far as I can make out. In this country at least…
At least there’s bluetooth for a bit of light file sharing between friends.
GPS is a big point for me though. I hope ASUS have learned from the problems they had with the transformer.
Hopefully there’ll be decent support for 3G dongles, I’ve taken a gamble that there will be & pre-ordered a 16GB version.
All in all I haven’t been this excited about a bit of tech since I got my first proper smartphone.
You know, I really would like to see an in-depth look into your actual use case to understand more where you’re coming from, here.
Personally, the way I’ve used my Transformer, the space available hasn’t been an issue since Google Music and Netflix UK came on the scene, so I haven’t even managed to fill more than 2GB of my 32GB micro-sd embedded into the device.
The lack of mobile data has been mitigated by good WiFi access where I needed it most (ie: where I’d use my tablet 90% of the time) and the choice of tethering with my phone/using a mobile WiFi dongle I got from Three where no WiFi was available. It’s a slightly clunkier way around just having a sim card installed, but at least as far as tethering goes, it doesn’t require a second contract.
As for GPS, I’ve never actually encountered a need to even turn the GPS -on- in my Transformer. Location data through WiFi is more than I’ve ever needed from the few location-aware features on the tablet, and if I ever needed to use the actual navigation feature in Maps, I’d -definitely- be using my much smaller and easier to handle phone over any tablet larger than the Galaxy Note.
For the sake of size and cost, these are all things I’m very, very happy to eschew in order to be able to purchase this for £170. Maybe the way you’d use the device would require more, but I personally don’t follow your concerns on these matters and they definitely don’t impact on the way I’ll be using it.
Where I work there’s no available Wifi but I can (just about) get reception on my dongle. I’ve also got 15GB monthly allowance on my dongle so I can surf, stream etc without worrying about about having to pay shedloads should I go over my data limit like I would if I tethered my phone.
I visit clients homes nearly every day & will need reliable mobile communication without having to ask them if I can use their personal wifi (if they even have it) and then go through the hassle of them digging out pass keys etc…
As it has a fair size screen it’ll also be useful for showing clients pictures of my previous work, my smartphone doesn’t really cut it in that respect.
Also, just in the last week, my Tomtom live subscription expired & I’ll be buggered if I’m going to fork out what they expect for news maps, speed camera & traffic updates. I’m going to start experimenting with using my phone (Galaxy S2) as a satnav and trial some of the available apps. I really want a backup for this, I probably won’t use the GPS very much but if I have an appointment to get to & my phone is borked (as has happened before) it’ll be a lifesaver.
I’ll not just be using this thing to noodle around in coffee shops… not if I can justify setting it off against my tax returns