7 ms·

What’s in store for Google I/O?

81 points by shawndumas 14y ago

jkldotio 14y ago
Be careful to check that this new Nexus 7 doesn't have any features disabled before you buy one. The tethering is entirely disabled on on my Nexus 7 3G, bought outside of any contract or carrier, as it is for everyone else (search for "Nexus 7 hotspot", although that's all after the fact, this little tidbit never featured on the Nexus 7 product page or specifications). I can't for the life of me imagine why they did that, it's ruined the Nexus brand for me. Edit: Thanks for the downvotes.
- corresation 14y ago
  The tethering is entirely disabled on on my Nexus 7 3G, bought outside of any contract or carrier, as it is for everyone else Tethering works fine for HSPA+ here in Canada using Rogers, but disables if you use LTE. Whether that is a carrier flag on the LTE signal that Rogers transmits and the Nexus honors, or some technical limitation of the device, is unknown, but just notable that it isn't that tethering is wholesale disabled.
- Veus 14y ago
  It's your carrier that is blocking that, not the Nexus 7.
  - jkldotio 14y ago
    If that's the case, I am not sure it is unless you have a link or reference, why is a computer bought specifically outside of a contract obeying these directives? Imagine the reaction if Apple or Microsoft sold a computer which "obeyed ISP flags" to limit bandwidth or made all networking options for linking to a second computer disappear from their menus depending on the whim of an ISP. The implications are just as bad, or even worse, for Google and the Nexus brand if what you say is true.
    - corresation 14y ago
      why is a computer bought specifically outside of a contract obeying these directives Because your data plan exists under a contract with your carrier. Because most users would be angry if their carrier suddenly terminated their connection or layered on additional tethered data costs because of detected second-device traffic (both of which have happened). The Nexus devices are targeted at everyperson. Not just hackers and rogues. No-tethering flags exist because wireless resources are actually a finite resource, and because carriers desperately rely upon certain usage models which is basically that you overbuy and underuse, which tethering tends to significantly offset. Should they? Probably not. But if you want tethering, talk to your carrier.
      - jkldotio 14y ago
        "Not just hackers and rogues", well it was billed as a premium device with the full Android experience. It's a data SIM specifically for use as a modem SIM not as a phone, so while I understand they want to do that I don't see why Google has to go along with it. Despite all the comments in this thread unless it's mandated by law somewhere it's still on Google's head as I see it.
        kbenson 14y ago
        "Not just hackers and rogues", well it was billed as a premium device with the full Android experience. Since when has the whole Android experience included being able to ignore contractual limitations? That's a different experience than I've ever had.
        jkldotio 14y ago
        You are just assuming there is some contractual tethering ban. It's a data SIM designed to go in a usb 3G modem or a tablet. There's no contractual agreement between Google selling an independent computer and a telco in central Europe as far as I am aware. Edit: Therefore Google should prioritise me and not the profits of another company. What's the company going to do, ban non-contract devices from their services? Another company will just scoop up all those users. Google is disadvantaging me and trashing their own brand for the profits of another company. Nobody in this thread has produced any evidence Google is legally required to do this in any jurisdiction. And if they do have a compay-to-company contract with them it certainly wouldn't be a disadvantageous one, it would likely be a contract to do this so that the telco would have the Nexus 7 on their paid plans too. Again that's Google crippling my device for their own profits. Again it's a deception, and again it's on their head. I don't know why people are coming into the thread here so strongly to defend huge corporations that are selling computers and Internet connections and arbitrarily cutting people off from legitimate features. All the bandwidth is metered anyway so it doesn't matter whether the first device or a second device via the first uses it anyway. Or they could readily implement shaping (as in Australia, full speed to Xgig, slower speed thereafter) and just state it openly. There is no reason for any of this besides naked profit taking and deception.
  - venomsnake 14y ago
    How exactly can carriers block a nat daemon and a few iptables entries on my device?
    - jsz0 14y ago
      With DPI and other methods it would be possible for the carriers to identify and block most tethered traffic. From what I've seen none of them are doing that yet. If you can enable your device to tether technically you can do it but unless you're paying for a tethering plan it is breaking the terms of service you agreed to. Most carriers are now at least identifying tethered traffic and warning customers. Some do it simply guessing on data usage numbers and some are using DPI or other methods to be more precise.
- coolnow 14y ago
  Just because you bought the Nexus 7 without a carrier, they can still limit what you can do as long as you're using their network, right?
  - jkldotio 14y ago
    How would they know, and how would they reach into the device and make the menu options disappear permanently? My answer to Veus has the rest of my thoughts on that.
    - barredo 14y ago
      This is with the network profile of the SIM card and/or the TTS of the connection if I'm not mistaken.
jrabone 14y ago
A release of Android 4.3 for the Nexus 4 fixing the Bluetooth bugs and the WiFi bugs and the battery bugs and the IPSEC VPN bugs would be nice, because frankly my previous Galaxy S2 worked a lot better, even with Gingerbread 2.3.5. Wish I'd never bothered upgrading. It's a shame because the Nexus 7 has been for the most part trouble-free.
- wslh 14y ago
  Yes. The last upgrade from 4.0.* (Ice Cream Sandwich) to 4.1.* (Jelly Bean) forces me to charge the battery twice a day (or leave it plugged at work). It is incredible how the batteries issues are impacting mobile devices. This is an area where we need a breakthrough.
  - mtgx 14y ago
    Do you mean from 4.1 to 4.2? I think that's the upgrade that caused some problems for most people.
    - omaranto 14y ago
      That's certainly the upgrade that screwed up my Nexus 7: have it random pauses and terrible battery life.
    - wslh 14y ago
      No, in my case the 4.0.* to 4.1.* transition has a lot of impact in the battery life. I've not received the 4.2.* update yet.
      - r00fus 14y ago
        Not an android user, but iOS has done this to me before (3.x to 4.0). The solution back then was (try each one successively), restart device, restore device from backup, reinstall and restore data. I'd never had to go to the last level except for whey using beta iOS builds.
VLM 14y ago
The article didn't mention a spiritual successor to GOOG Reader. One interesting way to increase G+ use would obviously be to embed Reader functionality into G+. Stick a RSS feed into a circle. Of course its probably too late, most/many users already abandoned them. I went to Newsblur (and paid for it) and am pretty happy overall. The theoretical GOOG babble product should also, in addition to whats listed in the article, include GOOG voice, somehow. GOOG must have dozens of "products" that all boil down to "send / recv a message" and I would like them to merge into one. They should just buy doggcatcher as the best in class podcast fetcher and rename it "dogg-oogle" or something, and mush that into the "babble" or "g+" as per above. I still have never found a place to try goog wallet on my nexus 7 in person. I have fat stacks of cash so you'd think there would be some interest in getting some of it. Most of the "lifestyle" vendors don't apply to me as I don't drink coffee or hang out in convenience stores and airports.
- bdowney 14y ago
  There is no successor to Reader, it's gone. Forever. Babel (Hangouts) is not theoretical, is very real and has been leaked already. It's just a walled garden (they threw XMPP away and went with their own proprietary protocol) so I personally would steer clear from it.
  - eco 14y ago
    Nothing you're saying is based on anything but speculation. Babel (most likely called Hangouts) is real, yes, but that's about all we know about it.
awaghadashish 14y ago
No mention of chromebooks? I bet there are some exciting announcements there too
- BaconJuice 14y ago
  PixelPro $2300
DigitalTurk 14y ago
Google Babble would have been exciting a few years ago. Right now, however, I'm already on iMessage/WeChat/Skype/FB Chat/Whatsapp, which is too much, really. Since I don't already use any of Google's chat platforms, I'm going to avoid Babble. In fact, I'm kind of hoping it fails to gain traction. I'd hate to be 'forced' to use it in the future. I suspect I'm no the only one thinking this.
jsz0 14y ago
I doubt it will happen but I wish Google start to refine and simplify the Android UI. It's starting to get bloated and overly complex. There's only so many buttons, long presses, drags, and gestures you can jam onto a small screen. I've been evaluating a Windows Phone device to potentially replace my Android phone and it's so refreshing to have a UI that's not jam packed with features I have no desire to use. I wish the app situation was better but at this point I'm willing to compromise there to have a more usable UI. If Google can un-kitchen sink 4.3 a bit I might reconsider.
- Achshar 14y ago
  What you seek for is a big change. 4.3 is an incremental update. Key lime pie can have big improvements in UI section, which I myself am looking forward to.

81 points by shawndumas 14y ago

Be careful to check that this new Nexus 7 doesn't have any features disabled before you buy one. The tethering is entirely disabled on on my Nexus 7 3G, bought outside of any contract or carrier, as it is for everyone else (search for "Nexus 7 hotspot", although that's all after the fact, this little tidbit never featured on the Nexus 7 product page or specifications). I can't for the life of me imagine why they did that, it's ruined the Nexus brand for me. Edit: Thanks for the downvotes.

corresation 14y ago
The tethering is entirely disabled on on my Nexus 7 3G, bought outside of any contract or carrier, as it is for everyone else Tethering works fine for HSPA+ here in Canada using Rogers, but disables if you use LTE. Whether that is a carrier flag on the LTE signal that Rogers transmits and the Nexus honors, or some technical limitation of the device, is unknown, but just notable that it isn't that tethering is wholesale disabled.
Veus 14y ago
It's your carrier that is blocking that, not the Nexus 7.
- jkldotio 14y ago
  If that's the case, I am not sure it is unless you have a link or reference, why is a computer bought specifically outside of a contract obeying these directives? Imagine the reaction if Apple or Microsoft sold a computer which "obeyed ISP flags" to limit bandwidth or made all networking options for linking to a second computer disappear from their menus depending on the whim of an ISP. The implications are just as bad, or even worse, for Google and the Nexus brand if what you say is true.
  - corresation 14y ago
    why is a computer bought specifically outside of a contract obeying these directives Because your data plan exists under a contract with your carrier. Because most users would be angry if their carrier suddenly terminated their connection or layered on additional tethered data costs because of detected second-device traffic (both of which have happened). The Nexus devices are targeted at everyperson. Not just hackers and rogues. No-tethering flags exist because wireless resources are actually a finite resource, and because carriers desperately rely upon certain usage models which is basically that you overbuy and underuse, which tethering tends to significantly offset. Should they? Probably not. But if you want tethering, talk to your carrier.
    - jkldotio 14y ago
      "Not just hackers and rogues", well it was billed as a premium device with the full Android experience. It's a data SIM specifically for use as a modem SIM not as a phone, so while I understand they want to do that I don't see why Google has to go along with it. Despite all the comments in this thread unless it's mandated by law somewhere it's still on Google's head as I see it.
      - kbenson 14y ago
        "Not just hackers and rogues", well it was billed as a premium device with the full Android experience. Since when has the whole Android experience included being able to ignore contractual limitations? That's a different experience than I've ever had.
        jkldotio 14y ago
        You are just assuming there is some contractual tethering ban. It's a data SIM designed to go in a usb 3G modem or a tablet. There's no contractual agreement between Google selling an independent computer and a telco in central Europe as far as I am aware. Edit: Therefore Google should prioritise me and not the profits of another company. What's the company going to do, ban non-contract devices from their services? Another company will just scoop up all those users. Google is disadvantaging me and trashing their own brand for the profits of another company. Nobody in this thread has produced any evidence Google is legally required to do this in any jurisdiction. And if they do have a compay-to-company contract with them it certainly wouldn't be a disadvantageous one, it would likely be a contract to do this so that the telco would have the Nexus 7 on their paid plans too. Again that's Google crippling my device for their own profits. Again it's a deception, and again it's on their head. I don't know why people are coming into the thread here so strongly to defend huge corporations that are selling computers and Internet connections and arbitrarily cutting people off from legitimate features. All the bandwidth is metered anyway so it doesn't matter whether the first device or a second device via the first uses it anyway. Or they could readily implement shaping (as in Australia, full speed to Xgig, slower speed thereafter) and just state it openly. There is no reason for any of this besides naked profit taking and deception.
- venomsnake 14y ago
  How exactly can carriers block a nat daemon and a few iptables entries on my device?
  - jsz0 14y ago
    With DPI and other methods it would be possible for the carriers to identify and block most tethered traffic. From what I've seen none of them are doing that yet. If you can enable your device to tether technically you can do it but unless you're paying for a tethering plan it is breaking the terms of service you agreed to. Most carriers are now at least identifying tethered traffic and warning customers. Some do it simply guessing on data usage numbers and some are using DPI or other methods to be more precise.
coolnow 14y ago
Just because you bought the Nexus 7 without a carrier, they can still limit what you can do as long as you're using their network, right?
- jkldotio 14y ago
  How would they know, and how would they reach into the device and make the menu options disappear permanently? My answer to Veus has the rest of my thoughts on that.
  - barredo 14y ago
    This is with the network profile of the SIM card and/or the TTS of the connection if I'm not mistaken.

jrabone 14y ago

A release of Android 4.3 for the Nexus 4 fixing the Bluetooth bugs and the WiFi bugs and the battery bugs and the IPSEC VPN bugs would be nice, because frankly my previous Galaxy S2 worked a lot better, even with Gingerbread 2.3.5. Wish I'd never bothered upgrading. It's a shame because the Nexus 7 has been for the most part trouble-free.

wslh 14y ago
Yes. The last upgrade from 4.0.* (Ice Cream Sandwich) to 4.1.* (Jelly Bean) forces me to charge the battery twice a day (or leave it plugged at work). It is incredible how the batteries issues are impacting mobile devices. This is an area where we need a breakthrough.
- mtgx 14y ago
  Do you mean from 4.1 to 4.2? I think that's the upgrade that caused some problems for most people.
  - omaranto 14y ago
    That's certainly the upgrade that screwed up my Nexus 7: have it random pauses and terrible battery life.
  - wslh 14y ago
    No, in my case the 4.0.* to 4.1.* transition has a lot of impact in the battery life. I've not received the 4.2.* update yet.
    - r00fus 14y ago
      Not an android user, but iOS has done this to me before (3.x to 4.0). The solution back then was (try each one successively), restart device, restore device from backup, reinstall and restore data. I'd never had to go to the last level except for whey using beta iOS builds.

VLM 14y ago

The article didn't mention a spiritual successor to GOOG Reader. One interesting way to increase G+ use would obviously be to embed Reader functionality into G+. Stick a RSS feed into a circle. Of course its probably too late, most/many users already abandoned them. I went to Newsblur (and paid for it) and am pretty happy overall. The theoretical GOOG babble product should also, in addition to whats listed in the article, include GOOG voice, somehow. GOOG must have dozens of "products" that all boil down to "send / recv a message" and I would like them to merge into one. They should just buy doggcatcher as the best in class podcast fetcher and rename it "dogg-oogle" or something, and mush that into the "babble" or "g+" as per above. I still have never found a place to try goog wallet on my nexus 7 in person. I have fat stacks of cash so you'd think there would be some interest in getting some of it. Most of the "lifestyle" vendors don't apply to me as I don't drink coffee or hang out in convenience stores and airports.

bdowney 14y ago
There is no successor to Reader, it's gone. Forever. Babel (Hangouts) is not theoretical, is very real and has been leaked already. It's just a walled garden (they threw XMPP away and went with their own proprietary protocol) so I personally would steer clear from it.
- eco 14y ago
  Nothing you're saying is based on anything but speculation. Babel (most likely called Hangouts) is real, yes, but that's about all we know about it.

awaghadashish 14y ago

No mention of chromebooks? I bet there are some exciting announcements there too

BaconJuice 14y ago
PixelPro $2300

DigitalTurk 14y ago

Google Babble would have been exciting a few years ago. Right now, however, I'm already on iMessage/WeChat/Skype/FB Chat/Whatsapp, which is too much, really. Since I don't already use any of Google's chat platforms, I'm going to avoid Babble. In fact, I'm kind of hoping it fails to gain traction. I'd hate to be 'forced' to use it in the future. I suspect I'm no the only one thinking this.

jsz0 14y ago

I doubt it will happen but I wish Google start to refine and simplify the Android UI. It's starting to get bloated and overly complex. There's only so many buttons, long presses, drags, and gestures you can jam onto a small screen. I've been evaluating a Windows Phone device to potentially replace my Android phone and it's so refreshing to have a UI that's not jam packed with features I have no desire to use. I wish the app situation was better but at this point I'm willing to compromise there to have a more usable UI. If Google can un-kitchen sink 4.3 a bit I might reconsider.

Achshar 14y ago
What you seek for is a big change. 4.3 is an incremental update. Key lime pie can have big improvements in UI section, which I myself am looking forward to.