Google Ads I / O 2019 favorite of Android Central!

Google I / O is still a blur. Whether it's opening speeches, the wealth of developer sessions overloaded with code or incredible musical guests, everyone will find happiness at Google's annual developer conference.

This year, however, things have changed somewhat with the introduction of two new phones and a new smart screen from Nest. These products, along with the myriad of ads for Android, Google Assistant, Chrome, and many other elements of Google's ecosystem, kept us busy all week.

We have a very diverse team here on Android Central, so everyone had a different favorite from Google I / O this week. Without further ado, here is what they said:

Andrew Martonik

Andrew is the editor, USA, for Android Central and has been writing for the site since 2012. He uses all the Android phones he can get his hands on, between coffee breaks and football games, of course. You can follow him on Twitter at @andrewmartonik.

My favorite I / O ads are mostly Android and devices. The Pixel 3a and 3a XL are hugely popular with almost everyone who hears about them and mark an extremely important point in the (short) Pixel brand story. Offering Pixels to more people at a significantly lower price is a big plus for Google, and the fact that it's done with really good phone is even better. It also shows a return to the roots of Google's Nexus and complements the attention of Android One on even less expensive phones.

My other favorite ads have landed in the realm of Android Q. Google takes another boost in gestural navigation, and this one feels a lot better and completely formed. The navigation bar and the back button to have to leave, and this system of gesture brings us there. Even if I'm not the biggest fan of the back gesture, it's an extremely important step for Google to move away from button navigation.

Elsewhere in Q, Project Mainline furtively represents an extremely important advance for the future of software updates on Android. Being able to seamlessly update system blocks without the need for a full system update, as if you had just updated an application, is a huge change. Android Q also introduces a new, much faster, full-featured encryption system that ensures that every Android device that passes Google certification will be fully encrypted by default – including cheap phones, mobile devices, TVs, and more.

Ara Wagoner

Ara is a writer on Android Central. She phones theme and spades YouTube Music with a stick. When she does not write any help or advice, she dreams of Disney and sings tunes. If you see her without a helmet, RUN. You can follow her on Twitter at @arawagco.

DARK THEME! DARK THEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE is back, baby! We had hoped and abandoned hope, but Dark Theme is here to stay with Android Q. It's a dream come true – you know me, guys, that made me cry with joy – but we can not rest easily. The Dark Theme rocker only works if applications support it and, as we all know, getting developers to support new APIs is a herculean challenge.

Android has been laying the groundwork for years, but it will be up to the developers – and the users who harass them – to see these changes implemented. So, while I'm going to be celebrating another very dark coca, I'll then start commenting on all my favorite apps to make sure Dark theme support is added now rather than later.

Daniel Bader

Daniel is the editor of Android Central, which means that he is constantly working on his phone and that he "works". He has a dog and a girl, which means that his phones are essentially full-time cameras. Find it on Twitter @journeydan where you can talk to him about coffee, dogs or technology. Or all three.

Google I / O is still a journey, combining splashy big ads with many minor improvements in Google's ecosystem. My favorite "feature", if you can call it that, was the next-generation Google wizard running on what appears to be unpublished pixel material running in real time. It was something else. Google plans to release this version with Pixel 4, which should be available in October, but I do not want to wait so long.

That is why my favorite I / O feature was something extremely simple: "Stop". I use my Lenovo Smart Display all the time – he plays the radio most of the day in my kitchen and I use it for timers during breakfast, lunch and dinner. Previously, when I was setting a timer, I had to say, "Hey, Google, stop. Yes, it was just two more words but it was still frustrating. Now, I can just tell the damn thing to stop and it works. This is a tiny but significant example in my daily routine.

My other favorite thing in the series was a little more important: live subtitles. This is Google's audio processing device to transmit subtitles in real time on all even if it has not been processed for closed captioning. I'm going to enjoy it because I prefer to watch YouTube and Instagram videos silently, but anyone who is hard of hearing or hard of hearing will get a lot, a lot more. These are the types of projects in which I like to see Google investing.

Harish Jonnalagadda

Harish is the Indian editor of Android Central. He is currently on a mission to convince buyers that the Pixel 3a XL is really worth it. When he does not think of the terror that would result from the victory of the Spurs in the Champions League, he is surprised reading a book on his Kindle. Talk to him on Twitter at @chunkynerd.

Google has introduced a lot of exciting things to this year's I / O, but what I liked the most is the unveiling of Pixel 3a XL. The phone does not have exactly the right features, but the camera experience is outstanding for a mid-range device in 2019. I've been using it for just over a week now, and I love more and more each time. day.

I'm not quite sure about Google's target with this device because the Pixel 3a series has long been touted as Google's showcase for emerging markets such as India. But here, the 3a XL will be priced at $ 640, making it an incredibly difficult sale. The Indian market is very price sensitive and many phones offer better value for money. The Pixel 3a XL has a lot to do, but Google is not going to see much here before some price corrections.

The integration of Google Lens in Google Go also marked my speech. The fact that you can now direct your phone to any text and read it aloud and translate it in real time is revolutionary. Now, this feature directly targets the Indian market and can potentially bring lasting change to the lives of many people. Good to go on Google.

Hayato Huseman

Hayato is a salon addict and a recovery video editor for Android Central. He uses his phone mainly for photography, social media and music streaming, but he also loves apps that can improve his musicality. Find it on Twitter at @hayatohuseman.

I am excited about features like Dark Mode and Q 's new gesture navigation, but what really blew me away is the new Android Live Caption. You can activate it in any application. just press one of your volume buttons, then tap the new icon below the volume slider.

Android begins to subtitle the audio of everything you watch or listen to using machine learning – the best of everything, everything is done locally. Even if you are not hard of hearing, many people (including myself) tend to consume a lot of content in noisy or public environments where you do not necessarily want to blame your sound. Now I can watch Instagram Stories on the subway, even though my headphones are in my bag.

Jerry Hildenbrand

Jerry is the resident nerd of Mobile Nation and is proud of it. He can not disassemble anything, but he can not collect many things. You'll find it on the Mobile Nations network and you'll be able to hit it Twitter if you want to say hey.

This year, Google I / O gave a quick overview of what could be the most important technology ever developed by Google, or any company: Live Relay.

Live Relay will allow people who could never take a phone call to do that through the power of machine learning and Google Assistant. I use the word "allow" here voluntarily; Previous tools and technologies helped people with communication difficulties, but live relaying seems simplified and much more natural.

It's great that things like this can work on your device instead of the cloud, and existing tools such as Smart Reply are definitely improving things, but Live Relay will help people who do not feel "normal" to do what they do. This is special.

Joe Maring

Joe is the editor of Android Central and loves everything he has with his screen and processor since his memory. Right now, he rocks the beautiful Pink Galaxy S10 Flamingo and uses it to follow the latest Android news, memes and dog pictures. Find it on Twitter at @ JoeMaring1.

As a smart home snob that I am, the Google I / O ad for which I am personally most excited is the Google Nest Max Hub. The usual home hub (the hub nest) was easily one of my favorite gadgets from last year, and the Max Nest Hub is essentially the same product, but with better speakers, a video camera / security, facial recognition and hand gestures. $ 229 is also an unbeatable price for smart display of this caliber, as it easily compromises Lenovo's smart display and JBL Link display.

I am not necessarily need in my apartment, another device running with an assistant, but I'm willing to make room if the Nest Hub Max is as good as Google says.

⒎ Codelabs

Marc Lagace

Marc is the publisher of apps and games on Android Central. He was a gambler for most of his life and actually attended a university course on video game theory – which he followed! You can contact him on Twitter @spacelagace.

The presentation of the Google I / O speaker was very interesting, but the most exciting for me was this demonstration showing how the next generation of Google wizards will incorporate ongoing conversations and use my personal data to better understand. the context of what I ask. Plus, everything will work quickly when everything is running locally on your phone.

The Google Assistant is always very convenient in its current state, but it is also slow to listen and respond at times and it is not worth calling for each situation. Therefore, I mainly use Google Assistant for simple commands, such as searching for a song on Spotify, setting a timer or alarm, or asking for instructions on Google Maps. Based on what has been demonstrated on this stage, I am well inspired to see how these changes will improve the experience and increase my self-confidence to use more Google Assistant in my daily life.

Russell Holly

Russell is a contributor publisher on Android Central. Former server administrator, he uses Android from the HTC G1 and literally wrote the book on Android tablets. You can usually find it in pursuit of the next technological trend, to the chagrin of his wallet. Find it on Facebook and Twitter.

Honestly, I'm the most excited for the Pixel 3a. I think Google has made a bold move by putting what is basically the best low light camera you can buy in the US in a $ 400 phone with a secure Titan M module. If this phone takes off, it will radically change the way we think about mid-range phones in the United States and will force the crowd of over $ 1,000 to earn this award with more than just marketing.

But I am also excited about Google's determination to integrate augmented reality into many aspects of its current global experience. He is everywhere in the show this year and does not feel at all forced. I'm excited to see how many developers are following Google and helping make these experiences the new reality.

What were your favorite ads?

What piqued your interest in this year's Google I / O conference? Let us know in the comments below!

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