Hai Tech Eric

So, the keynote for Day 1 of Google I/O today, a conference dedicated to developers and programmers that work with the Google ecosystem. As a self-proclaimed nerd, I loved the big announcements from today. And yet, toward the end of the conference, there was something I did not quite expect. It was a pleasant surprise that did not seem to get a lot of coverage in the media…

But first, the goodies and then the goodness! The official announcement of Google Wear made me so jealous of everyone in attendance that got one. I’ve loved my Pebble and being a part of that Kickstarter project that really drove innovation in the wearable industry. I’m excited to see the next evolution come from the Google powerhouse. Voice commands, Google Now integration, and health sensors make for a really awesome device:

The beautiful Moto360

Next, another topic and industry near and dear to my heart, was the introduction of Android TV. This time, it looks like Google is going to do things right…at least more right than Google TV. Completely integrating the Android ecosystem to the TV and desktop environments is a very smart way to go. The digital home is slowly but surely making its revolution, and between Chromecast and Android TV, Google is definitely helping the movement along:

Four screens from the new Android TV

As far as technology goes, last but not least is the advancements in automotive technology. Anything that keeps eyes on the road more and off their phones is fantastic in my mind.

Google Auto dashboard. FINALLY!

Now for the goodness. The media will love to report on the protesters or the technology, but unfortunately few will notice this truly heartwarming story about what some kids were able to do with technology for someone in need. The video below should start in the right place (1:52:59), but watch it all the way through to 1:54:45.

This is what it is all about for me. Making lives better through awesome technology ideas like this. I love it and hope to do it for the rest of my life!