GADGET GIZMO SPECIAL.................. HOW GOOGLE ANDROID IS HOPING TO TAKE OVER THE WORLD

HOW GOOGLE ANDROID IS HOPING TO TAKE OVER THE WORLD



Google made a slew of announcements at Google I/O -its yearly developer conference. Some of the major announcements include details on a new upcoming version of Android, Android Wear, Android TV and new smartwatches. Check out the new software and hardware features on Android that will soon have an impact on your gadget life

Upcoming Smartwatches

LG G WATCH

The LG G watch is the first watch to offer an always-on display ­ the color touchscreen display doesn't shut off after a few seconds. Instead, it switches to a black and white time display. The colour display comes on with the flick of a wrist.

SAMSUNG GEAR LIVE

The gear live is the only Android wear smartwatch with a heart rate monitor. Since Android Wear supports heart rate sensors, the Gear Live is able to utilize the fitness features of the new OS.

MOTO 360

 Motorola has been tight lipped about details regarding their smartwatch. However, it stands out from the crowd with a circular display instead of the usual square shape. Motorola says the watch has good battery life and is water/dust resistant like the other two.

Android Wear Features

Rich Notifications One of the most prominent features of Android Wear is real-time notifications.
Notifications from your phone are shown on the watch and you can tap on one to view more details. If you swipe a notification away on the watch, it will automatically be removed from your smartphone's notification bar too

Voice Commands Google has integrated voice commands for Android Wear devices. You can just raise your watch, say `Ok Google', followed by a command and it will perform the corresponding task. You can reply to SMS via voice, control music, ask for directions and take notes among other commands

Fitness Tracking Android Wear has built-in support for various sensors including an accelerometer & heart rate sensor. This makes it easier to keep track of your fitness. The three smartwatches announced so far with Android wear support tracking of steps using the accelerometer. In addition, Samsung Gear Live also has a heart rate sensor

Google Sync When connected with your smartphone, Android Wear can integrate with various Google products such as Gmail, Calendar, Keep and so on. Therefore, it can display relevant notifications (like appointments, birthdays and other similar events) on your smartwatch making it easier to stay on top of things if you have a busy schedule

Automatic Install When you download an app on your Android smartphone that also supports Android Wear, you won't have to install the app on the watch separately. It is automatically synced, downloaded and installed on both -as long as the Wear device stays connected to the phone

ANDROID ONE

One of the biggest advantages of Android is the phenomenal variety of devices you can choose from (with different sizes and price points). But this also means that there's a bit of uncertainty about how the device will perform. No one expects a budget phone to perform as well as a high-end one, but there can be some nasty surprises. Google wants to take some control of the budget Android devices with Android One -a program that will see its own engineers creating a set of reference designs specific to developing markets. This ties in with Google's aim of reaching the next billion -people who have never owned a smartphone before. These low cost devices will use stock Android and readily available low cost components which deliver stable (if not exhilarating) performace -hopefully, it should also drive the cost of Android smartphones further downwards. Google has tied up with three Indian smartphone makers (Micromax, Karbonn & Spice) to initiate the project.

ANDROID AUTO

Auto will combine the capabilities of your car with your Android phone. With a focus on safety, Android Auto has four main functions inside the car: navigation, entertainment (videos & music), voice calls and app integration. Everything will be powered by your Android device ­ when connected to the car, the in-car display will display useful, contextual information as you drive along (similar to Google Now). You will also be able to enjoy all the content from your phone on the car's display. Google has already tied up with all major automakers for implementation of Android Auto ­ these include Audi, Chevrolet, Fiat, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Suzuki and Volkswagen among others.

Hitesh Raj Bhagat and Karan Bajaj ET140628