14 DAY TRIAL // The two days of the annual Google I/O 2010 developers conference were packed with announcements and, though there were just a few major themes, it might have been hard to keep up with all of the new stuff. So, to ensure that you haven’t missed out on anything, we’ve put together a small round-up of some of the most important announcements and new products coming out at this year’s Google I/O.
Chrome Web Store. The idea is simple, create an online repository for web applications to make them easy to find and ‘install.’ Google follows the path set by the Apple App Store, but with an interesting twist, rather than focusing on dedicated mobile apps it focuses on web applications. The apps themselves are just plain, regular web apps, though some may be converted to run entirely offline.
WebM, Google’s Open Video Format for HTML5. A largely expected announcement, Google chose its I/O conference to open-source the VP8 video codec and announce the WebM Project, which aims to provide an open video format for online applications. It remains to be seen for how long it can stay open though.
Google Wave. The star of last year’s Google I/O, Wave is back for another appearance. This time, Google announced that Wave was now open to everyone, no more invitations required. What’s more, it is also available for Google Apps now.
Google Storage for Developers. A brand-new service from the tech company, Google Storage for Developer’s name tells the whole story. It’s a dedicated cloud storage service aimed at web applications.
Google Buzz API. Google Buzz may have been off to a bad start, but things have picked up lately after some of the privacy issues were fixed. Now it has a chance to become even more popular once app makers and third-parties start integrating its functionality.
Google Fonts API. A tool most web developers should be happy about, the Fonts API enables anyone to use non-standard fonts on their sites. There are several fonts available at this time in the online directory and more are expected to come.
Google App Engine for Business and VMWare Partnership. Enterprise was a major focus of the first day of the conference. Not only did Google announce the new App Engine for Business, but it also showcased some of the cloud computing tools it had developed in partnership with VMware.
Android 2.2 Froyo Is Lightning Fast. The second day of the conference got off to a great start with the launch of the anticipated Android 2.2 mobile operating system. The name of the game was speed and Android 2.2 is several times faster, in some cases, than its predecessors. It also packs a lot of cool new features.
Music May be Coming to the Android Marketplace. Google showcased some of the future features coming to the Android Marketplace as part of the Android 2.2 keynote. While the company didn’t say too much, it looks like it's determined to make music a big part of its online offering, especially on the mobile front.
Google TV Set to Conquer the Living Room. Finally, the big announcement everyone was expecting came, Google was getting into television. Quite literally, Google’s Android will now be in TV sets as well as Blu-ray players and set-top boxes. The Google TV platform will launch in fall and is already looking very promising.
YouTube Leanback for Google TV. With the Google TV announcement, YouTube also showcased a brand-new experience that is not yet available. YouTube Leanback is designed specifically for watching online videos on the TV and looks like a solid effort from the site.