Google I/O

[mattopotamus]

Yeah sorry about that. I think others are having success downloading it from the website.

Just curious though, why is google talk built in?

On the nexus, all of the stock google apps are built in....talk, playbook, music, maps, etc. You would think it would be the easiest to update, but in reality it is the hardest...grrr

edit: thanks for the advise about the website. That actually worked. I just googled "android hangouts" and downloaded it from the website

Also, are you always singed into hangouts? It seems like it works different than talk and I cannot choose to not be signed in

 

[Oppressed]

Really I have never had a game I saved on my iPad let me pick up were I left off on my iPad on my phone. Maybe I am wrong, but I have never seen this before.

Yes iPhoto has a retouch and best phone, but does it work behind the scenes for you have it waiting on you? I don't think so. You have to do it all on your own. Google+ now does this for you, and if you don't like how it works you can look at all you originals. I think it is much different than iPhotos.

To be honest if one is going to go through the trouble of buying a photo editor to only hope it fixes photos automatically rather than edit them himself then that is another conversation. I rather just not apply an auto correct filter to my photos and call it a day. Also some games that feature cloud savings are infinity Blade 2, Skylanders Lost Islands, and Haypi Monsters just to name some off the top of my head that I play regularly.

 

[MRU]

Can someone tell me what is the point of Google Hangouts ?

How did you get Hangouts to work?

Ok can someone tell me what the extra benefit google Hangout's is over Facebook messenger / whatsapp etc..

I thought google hangouts was part of Babel and the purpose of Babel was to unify all the different messaging services into one.

If this is just a unification of 'google own' messaging only - what real benefit is it to the whatsapp, Facebook messenger and myriad other application users ???

I mean I have hangouts now installed (replaced talk) but it seems to me to just be 'talk' albeit with a different name and not the universal messaging service we all hoped it would be.

 

[mattopotamus]

Ok can someone tell me what the extra benefit google Hangout's is over Facebook messenger / whatsapp etc..

I thought google hangouts was part of Babel and the purpose of Babel was to unify all the different messaging services into one.

If this is just a unification of 'google own' messaging only - what real benefit is it to the whatsapp, Facebook messenger and myriad other application users ???

I mean I have hangouts now installed (replaced talk) but it seems to me to just be 'talk' albeit with a different name and not the universal messaging service we all hoped it would be.

I think you are exactly right...it just unifies all of google's services and combines hangout from google+. I also do not see a way to change your status like you could in talk...seems like a downgrade =/

I also wonder what it does to your battery leaving it on all day? It seems like that is what you would want to do. If you are not logged in, you do not get the notifications until you log back in.

 

[bmac4]

To be honest if one is going to go through the trouble of buying a photo editor to only hope it fixes photos automatically rather than edit them himself then that is another conversation. I rather just not apply an auto correct filter to my photos and call it a day. Also some games that feature cloud savings are infinity Blade 2, Skylanders Lost Islands, and Haypi Monsters just to name some off the top of my head that I play regularly.

Ok cause I completed the game Granny Smith on my ipad and downloaded on my iphone and nothing was unlocked. The only game I know that I play that has cloud backup is Dread Trigger, but they have their own server so it has nothing to do with Apple.

The thing about the photos is that people are saying it is catch up, but how if it is adding new things that Apple does not do. Sure there are tools to have things done in iPhoto that google is adding to google+, but google+ is doing to without you having to do anything. I am just arguing that it is not catch up. I know iPhoto has the features too.

 

[MRU]

I think you are exactly right...it just unifies all of google's services and combines hangout from google+. I also do not see a way to change your status like you could in talk...seems like a downgrade =/

I also wonder what it does to your battery leaving it on all day? It seems like that is what you would want to do. If you are not logged in, you do not get the notifications until you log back in.

Yeah seems all a bit 'over promised' really. I mean at the end of the day it would still require me to go through the 150 contacts and get them all to install google hangouts on their own smartphone, or computer and sign up for a google account. That isn't going to happen. I have 10 people on my phone that have bothered to sign up to Google+ and then they aren't likely to ever get google hangouts either. Given we have free carrier to same carrier text messaging anyway.

It just seems awfully boastful - and 'in principal' a good idea - but in practice still very redundant and suffers EXACTLY the same fundamental problems as every other messaging service has - in that they require all the users to sign up and use the exact 'same' messaging service.


What we truly need is a 'real' cross platform messaging service that takes the wide range of messaging apps and unifies them into 'one' messaging service. So that one app really does rule them all, and that was something we were led to believe 'Babel' actually was.

The fact that it isn't and it just basically replaces google talk and google+ messenger is a bit of a major letdown if I'm entirely honest.


The fact that the desktop version still requires a user to use Google Chrome is also a bit pants.


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Also in regards to battery. Well today I'm testing myself and I've turned on google hangouts and google now just to see what the hit is on my battery on an average day.

 

[onthecouchagain]

I'm not. This is what it says when I go to update

Install it from the Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/...wsMSwyLDEsImNvbS5nb29nbGUuYW5kcm9pZC50YWxrIl0.

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On the nexus, all of the stock google apps are built in....talk, playbook, music, maps, etc. You would think it would be the easiest to update, but in reality it is the hardest...grrr

edit: thanks for the advise about the website. That actually worked. I just googled "android hangouts" and downloaded it from the website

Also, are you always singed into hangouts? It seems like it works different than talk and I cannot choose to not be signed in

By default, yes. You can go into Settings, the account you want, then choose to sign out.

 

[mattopotamus]

Install it from the Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/...wsMSwyLDEsImNvbS5nb29nbGUuYW5kcm9pZC50YWxrIl0.

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By default, yes. You can go into Settings, the account you want, then choose to sign out.

I ended up finding that, but still no way to change your status from what I can see. Talk use to have a drop down next to your username where you could easily signout/change your status. That is kind of a big oversight IMO.

 

[Dontazemebro]

Yeah I kinda agree. After playing around with it for a while I don't see much of a benefit unless further updates and expansions are primed for a future release. This is not what I was anticipating, though I do like how easy it is to jump into a video call.

Somewhat of an underwhelming experience to be honest.

 

[viskon]

So first LG releases a Nexus version of their flagship Optimus G (Nexus 4) , now Samsung releases a Nexus version of their flagship GS4. Looks like a pattern is developing. What next, an HTC One Nexus to complete the family? Would love to see a Nokia Nexus, though.

 

[MRU]

Somewhat of an underwhelming experience to be honest.

that's the key word here sadly.....

 

[mattopotamus]

Yeah I kinda agree. After playing around with it for a while I don't see much of a benefit unless further updates and expansions are primed for a future release. This is not what I was anticipating, though I do like how easy it is to jump into a video call.

Somewhat of an underwhelming experience to be honest.

Personally, I think they would have been better just leaving talk alone and adding hangouts solely as a cross platform video app. If apple made facetime cross platform, that is what everyone would use.

 

[rtomyj]

Ok so you want me to go one by one and name how you were wrong?

Hangouts- completely different from iMessage and its cross platform. Something Apple will never be able to say.
Music- last time I checked Apple did not have a music services. Yes there are rumors of it, but Apple has said nothing about it. There may be other music services, but Google is not playing catch up to Apple.
Google now reminders- yea I will give you that one.
Google games- yes Apple has Game Center, but google games is a bit different.
Cloud save- how is that a catch up? Yes iOS has iCloud but cloud save allows you to pick up a saved game from your phone to tablet. Last time I checked my iphone saved game could not be picked up on my ipad.
Google plus "stuff"- I don't recall anything on iPhotos or anything Apple related that groups pictures and picks the best ones. Nor does Apple have retouching of photos that I can recall.

The S4 is way more than just a more expensive nexus device. It shows that google is willing to open the door with stock android, and put it on other phones other than nexus phones. It could mean a lot for android. If other OEMs follow this could be huge.

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I will say it again it was not just about slapping stock android on a phone. It means more than that. It means the door is open to OEMs that want to do the same. If HTC decided to do this with the One I would be all over it. I have not purchased the One for that very reason. If I am going to have android I want stock.

I am not being defensive. When someone claims google is playing catch up it needs to be called out. It seems they do not understand what the keynote was all about. It happens all the time. People want new hardware, and when they don't get it. They get disappointed. Just like 2 years ago when everyone thought Apple was going to release the iphone 5, but it was the iPhone 4S. No one cared what else was said just that the iphone 5 was not released.

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Read my last 2 posts.

Just because Apple doesn't have it doesn't mean that Google isn't catching up.. Don't worry, iRadio is catch-up too. That's the problem with Google though, tries to focus too much on too many product and then they just close down two years later…

The Google plus stuff is useless I have a lot of photo editing apps that can use on the App Store and Google Play. Also who uses Google plus?

And hangouts is going to be a poor man's iMessage… Sorry buddy. Why should I go around giving people my Gmail address when I can just use my cell phone number and if people have an iPhone it redirects to an iMessage? Let me reword that, it doesn't have to be cross-platform because it just works.

Finally, All OEM have the option to install vanilla android. They just choose to butcher it.

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How is it that when Google announces something its catchup but when Apple announces something its innovation?

Just look at the last 2 iOS updates:

iOS 5
Notification Center - catch up
iCloud - catch up
Wi-Fi Sync - catch up
OTA Updates - catch up
Safari (Offline reading list) - catch up
Safari (Tabbed Browsing) - catch up
Twitter integration - catch up

iOS 6
Apple Maps - catch up
Siri - catch up
Facebook integration - catch up
FaceTime over cellular - catch up
Camera (Panorama) - catch up
Passbook - catch up

I would also like to add that Google beat Apple to the punch in terms of a music streaming service (how is Google playing catch up when Apple hasn't even announced their service?). Also Google continues to leap over Apple with Google Maps and Google Now which Apple has yet to add to OS X.

Because I'm not really biased when it comes to sides. Yes, Google did play catchup in terms of a unified messaging service and their gaming service. The funny thing is this isn't even Android 4.3 or KLP 5.0 which are sure to come.

I think both Apple and Google are preparing their big guns for later this year. This fall will get really hot. Apple seriously needs to step up its game not just with design and UI but services. iWork, Maps, Siri, iCloud, and iTunes have serious problems that need to be addressed. Hopefully Apple does manage to do so.

iCloud was catching up? Stopped reading right there. Yes Apple does release things that are geared at a feature some companies have too. The thing is, people that like like iOS don't go around saying that Apple is the pinnacle of innovation. It's Apple themselves. In a related note, I don't know how people always say that Apple thinks they invented everything. I wonder if they know what Marketing means…

 

[Shadow Puppy]

I also wonder what it does to your battery leaving it on all day? It seems like that is what you would want to do. If you are not logged in, you do not get the notifications until you log back in.

You're not "leaving it on", you just remain logged in, no different than Talk remaining logged in. There is no battery impact.

Yeah seems all a bit 'over promised' really.

Overpromised by who? I don't recall anyone promising you anything.

I mean at the end of the day it would still require me to go through the 150 contacts and get them all to install google hangouts on their own smartphone, or computer and sign up for a google account. That isn't going to happen. I have 10 people on my phone that have bothered to sign up to Google+ and then they aren't likely to ever get google hangouts either. Given we have free carrier to same carrier text messaging anyway.

If they are using an Android phone, you don't have to get them to sign up for anything. Whether they still have Talk or Hangouts, it still works all the same.

What we truly need is a 'real' cross platform messaging service that takes the wide range of messaging apps and unifies them into 'one' messaging service. So that one app really does rule them all, and that was something we were led to believe 'Babel' actually was.

Who led you to believe that? I don't recall Google EVER tell you something that ridiculous. That's an expectation you developed on your own.

The fact that it isn't and it just basically replaces google talk and google+ messenger is a bit of a major letdown if I'm entirely honest.

See what happens when you listen to blog sites and let them get you all amped up? The purpose of the initial release was simple, unify the messaging on Google platforms. In other words, it's purpose was to make it so you didn't have to use G+ to message one person, Talk to message another, etc. Blog sites and everyone else to the leaks and ran with it, creating these visions of grandeur. You let yourself down. More functionality will come to it down the road, but from the beginning, the initial release's purpose was simple and clear.

-----------------------------------------

..

Now you see what I meant about leaks creating expectations that lead to disappointment? You've got people in here acting as if Google promised them something, and released something else. What was released was exactly what was planned to be released, but because they listened to blog sites, they had these visions of grandeur in their heads. lol MacRumorUser even went as far as to call it "overpromised", when nothing was ever promised at all.

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That's the problem with Google though, tries to focus too much on too many product and then they just close down two years later…

With that mindset, there would be no Gmail, no youtube, no Android, no Blogger, no Google Maps, etc.

And hangouts is going to be a poor man's iMessage… Sorry buddy. Why should I go around giving people my Gmail address when I can just use my cell phone number and if people have an iPhone it redirects to an iMessage? Let me reword that, it doesn't have to be cross-platform because it just works.

You don't have to give anyone your gmail address for Hangouts. Perhaps you should become a bit more familiar with what you're talking about, if you are going to address it.

 

[Tarzanman]

Google is attempting to roll their current messaging into a one-stop service/application.

The idea is to build something akin to blackberry messenger/aol instant messenger/google talk/icq/facetime/what's app/skype that is part and parcel of the standard services on an android device.

They already had talk, but talk had understated, even ignored capabilities (it is a MUCH better client for a voice chat than a phone call), and there are some things that it could not do (file/picture sharing).

They are pushing it as the all-encompassing way for android users to communicate with one another. The roll out has been buggy so far.... lots of reports of people unable to update that part of the android framework on their device (myself included).

Hard to pass judgement on something that I have not used, but all indications are that google talk via a desktop web browser interface still has more features than the new hangouts (specifically, the ability to sms phones). Rolling google voice into hangouts would fix this, but there are probably logistical issues with how to handle that because using google voice typically means that your cell phone has two seperate numbers from which it can send messages.

 

[mattopotamus]

Also just noticed a lot of the emoji's do not show on the desktop. When you send them to a desktop user it just shows a square. I haven't used the desktop version of facebook in a long time (as a comparison), so I am not sure if this is normal or not.

As far as battery goes, I am noticing no difference in battery that I got with talk signed in all of the time.

 

[bmac4]

Just because Apple doesn't have it doesn't mean that Google isn't catching up.. Don't worry, iRadio is catch-up too. That's the problem with Google though, tries to focus too much on too many product and then they just close down two years later…

The Google plus stuff is useless I have a lot of photo editing apps that can use on the App Store and Google Play. Also who uses Google plus?

And hangouts is going to be a poor man's iMessage… Sorry buddy. Why should I go around giving people my Gmail address when I can just use my cell phone number and if people have an iPhone it redirects to an iMessage? Let me reword that, it doesn't have to be cross-platform because it just works.

Finally, All OEM have the option to install vanilla android. They just choose to butcher it.

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iCloud was catching up? Stopped reading right there. Yes Apple does release things that are geared at a feature some companies have too. The thing is, people that like like iOS don't go around saying that Apple is the pinnacle of innovation. It's Apple themselves. In a related note, I don't know how people always say that Apple thinks they invented everything. I wonder if they know what Marketing means…

Oh boy the "it just works" statement. Man I love it. Ok what about this. I have a nexus 4 and my sister has an iphone 4. Where she works does not have cell reception. She has wifi though. Does iMessage just work now? I know group me and now hangouts does now. That is why cross platform is so important, but Apple does not do it so it does not matter. Hangouts is just the beginning I am sure google will build on that.

How about those maps you are using on your iphone. Do they just work?

Yes OEMs have been able to put stock android on their phones, but they have not done it yet. This is what I am saying if you could just read my post. This now opens the door for more OEMs to do the same. Which is great for google. Whether they do it or not it is up to them.

Again Google+ is something you don't use, but that does not mean no body does. I know you are stuck in the Apple bubble and think that if Apple does not make it or use it then no body does, but I got news for you. This is just not true. For people like me that use google+ to backup photos like iCloud does. This is great. We can just upload our photos and google does the work for me. If I don't like it then I can do it myself.

 

[Parise]

Oh boy the "it just works" statement. Man I love it.

I sold my iPhone and went with the HTC One. Mainly because it didn't "just work".

 

[MRU]

You're not "leaving it on", you just remain logged in, no different than Talk remaining logged in. There is no battery impact.


Overpromised by who? I don't recall anyone promising you anything.

If they are using an Android phone, you don't have to get them to sign up for anything. Whether they still have Talk or Hangouts, it still works all the same.



Who led you to believe that? I don't recall Google EVER tell you something that ridiculous. That's an expectation you developed on your own.

iGentleman, all I can say to you is

Seriously overdosing on google koolaid, and if you can't objectivly see that Hangouts just is NOT that big a deal and yes the entire Google I/O was ultimately 'underwhelming', then you might never be able to get over yourself. At least you could always change username again!!!

 

[bmac4]

iGentleman, all I can say to you is

Seriously overdosing on google koolaid, and if you can't objectivly see that Hangouts just is NOT that big a deal and yes the entire Google I/O was ultimately 'underwhelming', then you might never be able to get over yourself. At least you could always change username again!!!

It was underwhelming to you because all the leaks were for bigger things. This is why you can listen to all the reports half are not true.

I was completely underwhelmed with the keynote from Apple back in 2011 when the 4s was released. There were other great things that were released, but I could careless at the time because I thought we would see an iphone 5. It was disappointing to me because my expectations were way to high. Just as yours were for google.

The hangouts thing. Why is it not important? Do you think iMessage is more important? I have already said why iMessage means nothing to me. I can't use it, so what go is it to non Apple users? At least hangouts can be used on both. I think it is something google can build on.

 

[tjl3]

Yes I know the whole stock android off an OEM was not googles fault, but you have to look at the big picture here. While this will be a small reach at first. What is to say HTC, and LG don't follow? If that is the case next year we could see all the flagships having an unlocked version that runs stock android. Not having stock android is what is keeping me from getting an OEM phone. I know I have been in a discussion with another poster on another thread, and he has been waiting on a better speced hardware nexus for awhile. Sure this did not mean much for the next couple of months, but look at a year from now.

Hangouts I think is new and they are working on making it even better, but for iOS user to expect Apple to allow google into SMS on the iPhone is crazy. Apple will never let that happen, so you might want to get those dreams out of your head. It may be a google app, but it works for more than just android. Apple has nothing that does that. They refuse to cross platform anything they have. I call that lacking. If google did this you guys would screaming about it.

What did you expect from All access? iOS does not have play music app. Again I don't think Apple is going to allow something that affects their stock apps. I am sure that is why you guys did not have the play music app before. Are you going to complain when Apple introduces their streaming music, but it will be limited to iOS app? No cause that is the platform you use. It does not seem to matter when Apple does not do cross platform, but Google does it that is a no no.

Having the pure Android experience isn't a huge step b/c it doesn't really provide anything that consumers don't have access to. I'd even argue that the big draw is the unlocked bootloader. With that, the product is considerably more intriguing.

The Hangouts issue isn't just an iOS issue. It IS still a multi platform issue. I'm just pointing out the huge issue that still exists, and that is being a Google (contacts + Chrome) specific service. But I read a rumor that SMS is coming soon, so that will knock down a lot of the barriers that is holding Hangouts back.

I don't understand your last point. Google could very well develop a Google All Access app... I mean iOS has Spotify and Pandora does it not? Again, I love the idea behind this product. But I can see where users would be hesitant to migrate to it. As for iRadio, we haven't seen what Apple aims to offer. But you're right, I'd have the same opinion of it.

 

[sentinelsx]

iGentleman, all I can say to you is

Seriously overdosing on google koolaid, and if you can't objectivly see that Hangouts just is NOT that big a deal and yes the entire Google I/O was ultimately 'underwhelming', then you might never be able to get over yourself. At least you could always change username again!!!

Android studio for developers

Maps redesign

Hangouts

Cloud gaming and game saves

Google+ improvements

Google now refinements

A true flagship "nexus experience" device


Compared to last year:

Project butter and google now unveiling.

Underwhelming?

 

[fatboyslim]

It was underwhelming to you because all the leaks were for bigger things. This is why you can listen to all the reports half are not true.

I was completely underwhelmed with the keynote from Apple back in 2011 when the 4s was released. There were other great things that were released, but I could careless at the time because I thought we would see an iphone 5. It was disappointing to me because my expectations were way to high. Just as yours were for google.

The hangouts thing. Why is it not important? Do you think iMessage is more important? I have already said why iMessage means nothing to me. I can't use it, so what go is it to non Apple users? At least hangouts can be used on both. I think it is something google can build on.

Don't you need to be Google+ user in order to use Hangout? And how many people are using Google+ ?

 

[bmac4]

Don't you need to be Google+ user in order to use Hangout? And how many people are using Google+ ?

No all you need is a gmail account. How many people don't have a gmail account?

 

[MRU]

The hangouts thing. Why is it not important? Do you think iMessage is more important? I have already said why iMessage means nothing to me. I can't use it, so what go is it to non Apple users? At least hangouts can be used on both. I think it is something google can build on.

Because it's fundamentally just google+ and google talk rolled into one.

It doesn't solve the problem of there being too many / wide variety of already existing messaging services.

WhatsApp can be used on both... Facebook Messenger can be used on both....

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No all you need is a gmail account. How many people don't have a gmail account?

Quite a lot for some of us.... Looking at my contacts list of the 150 or so contacts and only 10 appear on google talk / hangouts.