(In Al’s own words)

als_first day

Al Osman

Initial thoughts…..

First and foremost, I would like to say Google has really turned the Google I/O into an event for the developers, as opposed to Google I/O solely being about product showcases or new operating systems.

Leaving I/O as a developer on the first day, I am VERY excited about all the new goodies Google has provided for its developers. What we are really seeing is a change in landscape, where Google is trying to introduce a new product showcase conference as opposed to releasing products in the I/O conference.

That was a lesson learned from the whole ticket buying process. If you are a good developer in Google’s developer ecosystem, it is a challenging process because of the massive amounts of people trying to get in just for the “giveaways” Google wanted to steer away from this and it seems like they took a step in the right direction. Just from that keynote alone, there were no new product announcements or any new devices announcements as every tech site/blogger “predicted” or “anticipated” today.

I am pretty sure Google has something up their sleeves, but I think they will be going to hold a major product release or showcase only for the media, similar to Apple’s conferences/showcases.

One exciting product announcement that Google did make is the new Google Play music service. We’ve been waiting and expecting this for a while now, and the answers we have been getting lately about “negotiating with record companies” was not enough. We finally have this new Google feature within the Google Ecosystem.

Google Hangout

In regards to Google Hangouts, my initial reaction was in awe. They have finally decided to release a unified platform for communication thru the web, mobile. Now I really don’t want to get into the product review, however, there are some things I personally dislike from the very little I’ve used on the App. On the other hand, with this unified service as an Android/Chrome junkie, I finally have one place where I can talk to ALL my contacts whether they have Gmail/Google+ or not. Everything is in one place; i don’t have to worry about inviting someone to G+ or Gtalk.

Google Maps

Google Maps. WOW…….If I had only talked about this, it would be enough. The Google maps team really had us in (oohhs and aahhs) throughout out their entire presentation. Where do I start… 3D maps? Indoor maps? Integration with Google search…well done google, well done, you really had us captivated with this.

Larry Page

Finally, Larry Page’s courageous talk was the best way to end the Keynote. In less than 24 hours after announcing his medical condition, he gave us developers an inspiration to really change the world. Most importantly, giving us the tools to really make a difference. What I can take from the first day of google IO, is being really excited about the Google developer. As a developer, they really showed the world appreciation for the US, and telling the world what we mean to Google. Not by giving us new products, which echoed in the previous IO conferences, but by making announcements that are really important to developers.

Now Larry, WHERE is key lime prime or the Android 4.3? Where is the “X” phone? Where is the new nexus tablet? The Nexus 4 LTE? What happened to Google glasses? What are you planning to do with it?

And Larry from the bottom of my heart I would like to thank you for allowing me to be in the same room as a billionaire. Really Larry THANK YOU!!