Showing posts with label Google I/O 2013. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Google I/O 2013. Show all posts

Google Play Store Adds TV Shows and Magazine Subscriptions

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At Google I/O 2012, the company showed off some of the new features included in their newGoogle Play Store, including the ability to buy Movies, TV shows, books and magazine subscriptions.
Google recently changed the name of their app store from the Google Market to Google Play, which includes apps, music, movies and books as well as apps. They told attendees of their Google I/O 2012 keynote that they now host over 600,000 apps with 20 Billion installations from the Google Play Store. Today they also announced some new features to the store. Users in 132 countries can download content from the Google Play Store with half of the developer revenue coming from in app billing.
Google Play adds tv shows and magazine subscriptions
Now users can also buy TV Shows. Android users can buy individual episodes or whole seasons of a show. Add that to the movies that users can currently buy and the Play Store compares nicely with Apple’s iTunes video content.
Google announced partnerships with movie and TV video content providers including Disney, ABC, NBC, Universal, Sony and Paramount.
In addition to movies and TV shows, Google added magazine subscriptions. A user can now subscribe to some of their favorite magazines through the Google Play Store. Magazines from publishers Condé Nast and Hearst will show up in the updated Google Play Store.
Google Play Store now offers apps, movies, TV shows, magazine subscriptions and books, all the content that you could get from Apple.
Finally, Google will now also follow the Apple lead and keep their content in the cloud. Users can still download the content, but it will stream if users don’t want to load it locally.

keep up with the newest technologies and contemplate about how these will be used in the future. On this blog I'll share my thoughts about the future of technology, based on the high Tech RoadShow inventions of today. Enhanced by Zemanta
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Nexus 7 2: Better Design , Build Likely

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The Nexus 7 2 didn’t arrive at Google I/O 2013, and based on the direction Google’s hardware is moving this may point to a better design and build quality for Google’s affordable 7-inch tablet.
The original Nexus 7 remains a good option for Android users, but the next version could arrive in July and thanks to the Google hardware we are seeing it is very likely that a new design will incorporate more premium materials that offer a better look and feel.
When Google launched the Nexus 7 the company was experimenting with new hardware and making a renewed push into branded hardware. While the Nexus 7′s design is OK, the design is clearly not as nice as the Nexus 4 or the ChromeBook Pixel.
Since the launch of the Nexus 7 Google pushed out several new devices that use high-end materials and designs that stand out.
The Nexus 4 is part of Google's new focus on design and build quality.
The Nexus 4 is part of Google’s new focus on design and build quality.
The Nexus 4 is a very solid smartphone, and while the glass back can break, it is a much nicer device than the Samsung Galaxy Nexus that preceded it.
Next up we saw the Nexus 10, a Samsung device that runs stock Android. This larger tablet doesn’t feature the same high-end materials as an iPad 4, but it is nice than the Nexus 7.
The two products that really show off Google’s new commitment to premium materials and design. The ChromeBook Pixel boasts a super high resolution touch screen display enclosed in an anodized aluminum body. Google brags that the “extraneous or distracting” parts, such as vents, screws and speakers are hidden.
The ChromeBook Pixel shows Google can make great hardware when it focuses on doing it.
The ChromeBook Pixel shows Google can make great hardware when it focuses on doing it.
The ChromeBook Pixel also includes a hinge that allows users to open it with one finger, a small feature, but an important one when it comes to usability. The ChromeBook Pixel is much more like a MacBook Pro than a Nexus 7, from materials to design.
Google Glass isn’t on sale yet, but it is in the hands of many users, and the design is high-end with a titanium band that spans the face and a sensitive touchpad on the side for controls.
Google Glass features a premium design with a titanium band, bond conduction tech and more.
Google Glass features a premium design with a titanium band, bond conduction tech and more.
A bone conduction “speaker” transmits audio directly to the user without annoying those nearby with audio. During out hands on time with Google Glass the device feels like a premium product with very good build quality, which hopefully will remain true when a more affordable consumer version comes out.
It’s clear that Google is ramping up the quality of products that come with the Google brand, and the Nexus 7 2 is the next logical device to gain a better build quality. 
The latest rumors point to a Nexus 7 2 price staying the same, which may limit just how much Google can do with the Nexus 7 2 design, but Apple proves time and again that it is possible to improve build quality and design and continue hitting the same price points.
The Nexus 7 2 needs to compete with the iPad mini and possibly with a smaller Surface tablet from Microsoft and the design and premium build quality will play a large role in this. Apple is known for placing a premium on design, even when it brings a cheaper device like the iPad mini to market, users don’t need to give up much from the iPad 4.
Google’s actions show the company is aware of the need to deliver a premium experience with flagship devices, one that goes so far to include a dedicated support team of ChromeBook Ninjas on call 7 days a week.
It’s clear that Google recognizes the need for great hardware to showcase software and services, and as the next crop of Nexus devices arrive in 2013 we could see many improvements in design, materials and the overall user experience.
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