Category: Google

The Android team at Google has released the first Developer Preview of Android Nougat and with it comes a host of changes and improvements.  The version is indicated as Nougat 7.1.1 with a build number of NFP10C and right now it is only available for the Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P and the Pixel C.  As you know, Nougat 7.1.1 will be shipping on the Google Pixel devices so this is very much a catch-up build for the Nexus devices and Pixel C.  The good news is that there are a lot of changes and improvements in this build of Nougat.  While Nexus devices won’t get the Pixel Launcher – for now at least – the changes that are in 7.1.1 do bring some of the Pixel features to these devices and it is well worth considering joining the beta program so you can get a sneak peak.

That said, it is beta.  That means that you could run into issues with apps or other things with your phone if you do decide to install it.  I’m far more comfortable in recommending this install however because it is an evolution of Nougat, not the wholesale version change from Marshmallow to Nougat.  I’ve been running it on my Nexus 6P for about 24 hours now and haven’t run into any issues.  If you decide to install it, the download is about 1.3GB so you’ll for sure want to make sure you are on Wi-Fi to avoid data usage.

A pretty nice little feature has been turned on in Google Search for Android, mini widgets.  These new semi-transparent widgets appear just below the search bar to give you quick information like weather, commute information, local information and so forth.  As I have been traveling this week and have enabled this feature, it is actually very handy and I’d encourage readers to enable it on their phones.  Keep in mind it doesn’t show up all the time so even if you have it enabled, you may not see it immediately.

Earlier this week when Google Home was announced, we got a small sample of the apps and services that it will support in the event. It was pretty clear from the demos that Google Calendar, YouTube and Google Play Music would be supported, as well as some smart home solutions, but it wasn’t fully outlined.  Now that has been solved thanks to a posting in the Google Support pages.  The page outlines everything that is going to be supported by the Google Assistant-driven smart speaker when it starts shipping next month but you can bet this list is going to be changing as time goes on.

As for music, here is what is supported:

• Google Play Music
• YouTube Music
• Spotify
• Pandora
• TuneIn

This week Google introduced a lot of new hardware to us.  In one two hour window we saw the likes of two new phones, the Google Pixel and Pixel XL, a new Wi-Fi solution, Google Wi-Fi, and a connected home device, Google Home.  With Google Home and the new Pixel phones, we also saw the scope of what Google plans with Google Assistant.  Google Assistant is an artificial intelligence driven tool designed to give you information, both general and personal, just a voice command away.

The question facing us, as humans, is how do we adapt in what is clearly a shift to an Artificial Intelligence world?  Google by their own admission have 70 billion data points in their knowledge graph.  That is anything from a point on a map to a restaurant that is tied into OpenTable to when you are traveling to London next.  It is a vast amount of information.  Equally, if there is one truth to artificial intelligence it is that it always wants (needs) more information.  The more information the better because it gets smarter, more personal and more accurate.

With so many companies driving AI, not just Google, the question isn’t a matter of if it will happen.  It is a question of how fast it will progress.  I dare say it will be neck-breaking fast.  What we see in Google Home and Google Assistant today will be far richer and more knowledgeable in just 12 months from now.  By 2018, AI will be so intertwined with our world that we will no longer think about it being there.

Perhaps the more accurate question then is if you trust Google’s AI?  I say yes.  If there is one company that truly understands the power of information and personal data, it is Google and while they will surely use that data for profit, they equally understand that any leak of that data would be catastrophic for the company.  They are the best equipped not only to provide the best AI experience but protect us and our data from those who want to dismiss it.

After yesterday’s Google event, we know that the new Google Pixel and Pixel XL will be coming with Android Nougat 7.1.  Equally, we also know that some of the features of 7.1 will be exclusive to the Pixel lineup but for the Nexus devices and other devices, the water was left a bit murky.  Thanks to the team over at Android Police, we have a little clearer picture of what is exclusive and what is not to the Pixel lineup.  They have gotten hold of the 7.1 change long which details what is coming for each train.  For Pixel devices, the new Pixel Launcher and Google Assistant are exclusive to the Pixel lineup.  That is in line with what was expected and told to us yesterday at the event.  Customer support via the new chat/screen share function is also an exclusive as is an updated Smart Storage that backs up photos to Google Photos in full resolution to recover storage.  There are also improvements to the Pixel camera and the sensor software used in the Pixel devices.

[Update] – The Google OnHub team has now sent out emails to OnHub users indicating that Google Wi-Fi will work with OnHub.  This is good news for sure as it means it isn’t a throw-away item but further development of OnHub itself is highly unlikely.

Today Google announced their newest home wireless network solution, Google Wi-Fi.  Designed to be a modular solution to cover any size home, Google Wi-Fi brings optimized networks to give you the best wireless experience in your home available.

Sound familiar?  It should because that is exactly what the company said Google OnHub would bring.  That product, after months of frustration for users by the lack of development by Google, appears to have gotten its death warrant today.

Last year, we introduced OnHub with partners TP-LINK and ASUS to create a better Wi-Fi experience, focusing on design and simplicity. Google Wifi, built on the strengths of OnHub, is our next step towards ensuring that our homes can have great Wi-Fi everywhere we need it.

This new Google Wi-Fi is built on what they learned from OnHub but as for OnHub itself, it is game over by all indications.