The 4 Coolest Announcements of Google I/O 2011

Google's annual I/O conference isn't the biggest tech event of the year, but sometimes Google uses the conference to announce some truly revolutionary--or just plain cool--new projects. 2011 was no different. Here's a look at four of the coolest innovations that Google introduced at the Google I/O Conference 2011.

Android 3.1 Honeycomb and Ice Cream Sandwich - The first big announcement from Google was Android 3.1 for Honeycomb devices such as the Motorola Xoom. The new version of Honeycomb will feature a better user interface for tablet owners, along with additional APIs that should make it easier for developers to use accessories via the devices' USB ports. Honeycomb 3.1 should help Android tablets compete with the iPad 2.

Google also announced Ice Cream Sandwich, the code name of the next version of Android to hit smart phones. Ice Cream Sandwich will include a lot of Honeycomb's features. The significance of this is that Google seems to realize that its various operating systems are making it too difficult for new users to pick up an Android device and know what they're getting--just as Apple has a single OS (with many modifications, of course) for its tablets and phones, Google's ready to do the same. It's an exciting move that should reinvigorate the Android platform, which is already doing quite well, as Google was quick to point out.

Android@Home - What if you could control everything in your home from your Android phone or tablet, including lights, HVAC, and more? Google's got the technology and will introduce Android@Home this year.

Google showed off Android@Home's potential and explained a few ways that it could be used to make homes more convenient and energy efficient. It could definitely be revolutionary technology--imagine your entire home as a smart phone--but we'll have to wait to see whether it's cost effective and bug-free. Google claims that Android@Home will be inexpensive and will integrate easily, even with older homes.

Android Open Accessories - The iPad has been blasted for not coming with USB functionality and Apple's control over the iPhone has been criticized pretty severely, too. Google's taking advantage of the software giant's mistakes by introducing open accessories. Android devices, including phones and tablets, will be able to use USB accessories in a number of ways, and Google is making it easier to design apps that have USB functionality. It's another smart move that will help Google differentiate and strengthen the Android platform.

Google Music - With Google Documents, Google brought spreadsheets, word processing and even presentations into the cloud. Heck, I'm using Google Documents to type this article because of its security, its constant backups, and the fact that it can be used on several computers simultaneously. Google's looking to bring many of the same innovations to its new music service.

Google Music will allow users to access their tunes from any Internet connection. Songs will be streamed rather than stored on a hard drive or a phone's flash memory, freeing up more space on computers and phones. Google Music looks to be one of the coolest consumer-friendly uses of cloud technology to date, and it could eventually do for music what Gmail did for email.

What do you think the best points of Google's I/O Conference were in 2011? Post below.


Sources:

"Featured I/O 2011 Sessions," Google.com.

Boulton, Clint. "Android 3.1, Ice Cream Sandwich Take Center Stage At Google I/O," eWeek.com.

Guynn, Jessica. " With Android@Home Google wants your house to be as smart as your phone, " LATimes.com.