Google I/O: An Ethos of Google

Lore tells that in a particular instance of a particular Google board meeting, Google tasked the attendees to come up with a company motto.  While several tried to come up with elegant descriptions of what the company stood for, one was far more catchy and captured the spirit of what was desired than the rest; 'Don't Be Evil'.

Since that time, several issues have risen to test the robustness of their motto.  Competition between the likes of Facebook, Apple, Yahoo, and Microsoft test the lengths that they are willing to go to be on top.  Countries have been on both sides of their actions.  And individuals debate whether their technological expansions are innovations or invasions of privacy.

Is Google a monopoly? If it is, is that a bad thing?  After the 'Too big to fail' banking fiasco, I am quick to say nothing should be too big to fail.  That is part of capitalism.  However, C-Net recently posted an article explaining the benefits and necessity of some industries consisting of only a few major competitors.  Primarily, in industries that have a large initial expense, smaller competitors will not be able to compete.  The example was given of aircraft manufacturers, where the primary companies are Airbus and Boeing.  Are people going to be benefited by having more companies?  That point can always be argued both ways.

Google has been fined several times for gathering data that is deemed as an invasion of privacy.  For them to provide the best services they need to gather the best data.  To best locate a person, wi-fi locations can be mapped.  This gives better local results.  To give the best street view experience, they actually have cars that drive around taking pictures everywhere.  People complained about their faces, their houses, their license plates.  Governments place cameras everywhere, but as soon as Google takes a picture in public everyone is offended.  The company satiated the complaints by incorporating technology to automatically blur the offending areas.  Seems like cameras should be required to incorporate the same technology.  It would be horrible if you took a picture of a friend at the beach and posted a picture of someone else on your favorite social media site because they were in the background of your picture.  I go the other way.  I want to know when Google would be driving by my house so I could take one of those old timey pictures.  Do a search for my house and you would see a picture of my entire extended family standing outside (no one smiles) along with many of the possessions from inside the house. I never know their schedule or how to find that, so it will never happen.   

In contrast, Facebook has this whole wiki post listing their ethical mine field.  My favorite is the PR company, Burson-Marsteller, they hired that ended up doing an anti-Google smear campaign.  The campaign was trying to highlight Google's horrendous privacy policies.  Many of which are similar to those of other companies, except that Google tries to be more up front about everything.  Or perhaps they are only more up front because of the smear campaign.  The entire history of Burson-Marsteller would make for interesting reading because if someone uses them there is almost certainly a juicy reason that PR is needed.  Come on David Fincher, this would make a great follow up to The Social Network.

In comparison to the other companies competing in similar markets, Google seems to be on higher ethical ground.  Granted, the motto was not 'Don't be as evil as that guy'.  But, when Eric Schmidt, the CEO of Google at the time, went before congress to defend the actions of his company, he did use the argument that with technology advancing every day, even though Google looks far superior on that day, it is only a couple steps from falling behind the other tech giants.  The technology sector is notorious for moving from one big thing to the next.

Some people who are Google fanboys will still talk against them when discussing so called deals with the devil.  They forged a deal with Verizon to get a demanding presence in the mobile industry.  To expand into China they agreed to censor certain search results.  They eventually did pull out of China when their requests were too great.  Also, going against the Verizon deal is Google's effort to introduce incredible fiber networks.  Kansas City is the first location to receive that opportunity.  Having enormous quantities of bandwidth to play with opens several possibilities that will allow them to perform the Herculean effort of rectifying their deal.

On top of that they also have side projects such as cars that drive themselves.  They recently achieved 300,000 miles on open road.  Another big announcement was that of Google Glass; their augmented reality headset.  The key point for those announcements is disruption; disruption that evolves the societal infrastructure.  Perhaps those could become new revenue sources.  If not, it keeps people talking about Google and going to their website.  It is a great business model cause the more people that look at the internet, the more revenue they get.  It boils down to the more time they free up for people, the more money Google makes.  It's beautiful.

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Google I/O: A Pathos of Google

Vegas was built in a desert. To supply the energy requirements of a sprawling city that never closes, one of America’s great structures was erected; the Hoover Dam. When you go to visit it you can see by the color of the rocks how the water level has receded over time. Eventually there will not be enough power to keep Vegas going without other means. This is a problem that is deserving of a grand solution.  For the solution let’s look at a future road trip to Vegas.

Image from 1933 Fortune Magazine Article that describes the Dam.  

The Exposed White Rock shows the Dam Water Level has Receded

BACHELORETTE PARTY!! You and your friends live in Riverside, CA.  It is close to Los Angeles, but for this party everyone is excited to go to Vegas.  The first step is a road trip through the desert.  The air is hot and dry and the four of you are about to begin the 4 hour stretch on I-15.

There is a gas station sign that signals last chance for gas in 2 miles. In 1 mile is an exit for the Google Gas Free Freeway. Out of curiosity the driver gives it a chance and she takes the exit. Other signs along the highway direct her to turn her radio to 89.5FM for Google Gas Free Information. She obliged and the radio announces, “Welcome to the Google Gas Free Freeway route for Las Vegas, Nevada. A cooperative project of Google and the California and Nevada Traffic Authorities. Please pull into the parking garage ahead.” Other signs direct her into the parking lot. It is a small lot, and there are no other cars around except for a tow truck behind the attendant booth. Inside the booth a person is patiently waiting in case there are any questions or any service is required. Also, the playful multi-colored signs are directing the path to take. The spaces are clearly defined as one would expect.  However, in each one is a large yellow platform. It is obvious that the car should be parked directly on top of it. Signs in front light up just like in an automatic car wash. A green light with a sign signals her to ‘Drive Forward’. As she inches forward a red light comes on. ‘Stop, Put in Park. Put on Emergency Brake’. A few seconds later a yellow light comes on and reads ‘Please Pay Toll’. A pay meter that was inactive and unobserved came to life as it rolled into place next to the driver side window.  It resembled an ATM display.  A display prompts for a language. The sound of motors can be heard inside the machine. A slot suddenly opens and a brochure slides out for the driver to accept. The display on the screen now reads, ‘Please review the brochure to understand the process. Once satisfied, please accept the terms of service and pay the toll. Click here to pay the toll. Click here for more information about the toll.’ The toll is also displayed. The driver is confused about why anyone would pay the $15 toll to drive on this road and so asks for more information. A new display comes up. ‘The current toll is $15.00. With today’s fuel price the average cost of this trip is $40.00. Please see the brochure for more information about the toll.’ Seeing the savings the driver decides to pay the fee. 'To pay with cash, select here and then follow the on screen instructions to proceed.' The next screen comes up, 'To pay with your card swipe here and follow the instructions. To pay with your NFC equipped device, place your device on the pad to the right. To pay with your Google Checkout account or to set one up please select here.' The driver did not know about the other options and paid with a debit card. ‘Thank you.'


'Please leave your vehicle in park and the emergency brake on until you come to a complete stop.' The machine went back to its original quiet position in front of the car. A few moments later the sound of rushing air could be heard. It was obvious the entire vehicle rose a couple inches off the ground. The yellow platform they parked on was slowly leaving the parking garage on its own, hovering steadily towards a tunnel.  A sign welcomed them in large bold lettering; Welcome to the Google Gas Free Freeway. 


There was a gentle tug and a gradual acceleration and the people in the vehicle recognized the feeling as similar to their ski trips in Colorado. It was the same feeling of entering a ski lift. A belt caught the platform from underneath. Two metal tracks supplied a path for power to keep the air compressor running to keep the car hovering. It was the smoothest traveling they had ever experienced in a car. The passengers also let the driver know how much straighter it was also. 


Once a constant speed was reached the dim yellowish lights along the side of the wall gave way to a complete over head roof of calming blue LEDs. A message appeared in the lights, floating in front of the vehicle. It was as if a movie screen attached itself to the vehicle. It was the WWF logo. The logo faded and scrolling text started at a distance and disappeared over the windshield. 'The World Wildlife Federation would like to thank you for choosing to take this travel option. It uses a buried road design that does not impact the routes our wildlife needs for their migration. WWF is one of many proud sponsors of this project.' The message disappeared. 


Another screen appeared. 'MENU' in larger letters than the rest. 'Use your turn signals to navigate the menu', scrolled beneath it. The driver tried it. She turned the right turn signal on and the menu changed to 'Trip Information'. 'Flash your High beams to select' scrolled across the bottom this time. Once this was done, 'Travel Time remaining: 90 minutes.' Then, 'Current Speed: 150 mph' It did not feel any faster than they usually travel. 


After a minute the message went back to the main menu. This time the driver clicked through a couple times. A flash went off in the passenger’s seat, a picture to capture what was happening. The flash also had the effect of selecting 'Conditions in Las Vegas'.  Undoubtedly this was a bug that confused the camera flash with the flash of the high beams. 'Weather, 95 degrees Traffic: Some routes backed up. Flash High beams twice for more traffic info.' The driver did. A logo for Google Maps came up. A moment later the satellite view for Vegas came up with traffic conditions turned on. “Ok, so as long as we stay off those highways we will be fine. That’s not too bad.” Some time passed as they tried to figure out how to use the turn signals and high beams to zoom into their hotel location. They could figure out zones of the city, but specifics seemed impossible. 


After a few moments of inactivity the display switched to an ad, 'Come to Caesars'. The lights flashed and sparkled. 'Come see Cirque du Soleil. In our brand new NOBU restaurant.  The food and drink specials are...' After that, another ad, for another casino and attraction. A message flashed occasionally above, 'Flash your high beams to return to the MENU' The group in the car let the ads play. The people in the front seats turned to talk more comfortably with those in the back. 


Shortly after, the ads were interrupted by a notice for a rest stop.  The back seat passengers were adamant about stopping.  The driver went through the motions to select the rest area.  The car on the yellow platform was released from its belt line and they hovered to an above ground parking lot using the platform's own stored motive power.  This was the first time they actually noticed how much more comfortable the tunnel was.  The AC was not running much at all for the first of their trip.  Everyone got out of the car to use the restroom or stretch their legs.  The driver noticed an information display that is usually used to add some amount of attraction to the little stops and went to look closer.  It overlooked a large array of solar panels.  Further in the distance, following the ridge of the mountain, were lines of wind turbines.  The board graphically displayed that the solar panels powered the electronics of the Google Gas Free Freeway while the wind turbines acted as pumps to keep enough compressed air available to the platforms they were riding on.  Everyone eventually returned.  Each time some one returned and closed their door a sign on the machine in front of their car would turn on for several seconds.  'Flash high beams to continue'. Once she did they were off again into the comfort of the tunnel.  

After several minutes passed and several ads later, all the lights flashed yellow, and a message read, 'CAUTION: Vehicle will be slowing down soon.' A natural light was at the end of the tunnel. The yellow platform disengaged from the tunnel mechanism and slowly piloted itself to a free space. The same payment machine now showed other messages. Welcome to Las Vegas. Would you like to park your car here during your stay. I can call you a taxi or suggest efficient rental vehicles in our facility. If not, thank you for traveling with Google Gas Free Freeway.” They decided to drive themselves. As they left the lot they flirted with the sexy attendant before waving and pulling off into the city of lights.

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Google Glasses: ‘Spec’ulation 3-Back to the Brick

In this last post on the topic, I demonstrate how the evolution of cell phones will progress to a form that somewhat resembles their ancestry.  By having the screen in a headset or glasses you will no longer have a screen on your phone that could break.  There will be no need for buttons or ports.  Technology will have advanced so far in all areas there will be alternatives for all functions.  

You will see the numbers on your phone simply because the image is analyzed and the computer is able to figure out where the number should show up on the phone based on the phones accelerometer and an AR (augmented reality) tool called hieroglyphs.  It is difficult to interpret an object without any reference.  A hieroglyphic is an image that acts as the reference.  There are already some android apps that utilize hieroglyphs; namely AndAR Model Viewer.  The video demonstrates AndAR in action.  The point is that instead of projecting a chair or other object, a keypad would be displayed.  The 0-9 keypad, a-z keyboard, or other specialty buttons would no longer be constrained to the size limitations of the phone.  They would no longer pose a physical requirement on the phone.  This all assumes you still want that info linked to the location of the phone.  It may as well just be a designated area within your field of view. 
   

Example of Using Hieroglyphs

Bluetooth resolves several of the constraints.  There is no need for a port for the headset jack.  There are Bluetooth enabled headphones.  Video and audio can be transmitted and received similarly.  There is no need to run a cord from your phone to the glasses when it can all be transmitted wirelessly.  

A camera?  To take full advantage of your new, fully customizable, AR environment at least one camera would be built into the headset.  You don't like the user interface of reality, then program a different one.  The head mounted display would render a phone's camera redundant.  Do not worry.  Your eyes will not be strained by staring at a screen because eReader type displays will be used.  That technology still has to improve refresh rates and coloring to meet streaming video demands.  It is improving rapidly.  My guess is that in 2 years it will begin to meet these needs.   

Volume control would be virtual.

The power button would be virtual.

HDMI transmission is achieved with Bluetooth.

Charging can take place using inductive technology.  Simply place your phone on a mat.  No port is required.  PowerMat is likely the biggest name in this market currently.  I would have put their product instead of their logo, but really, while the technology is great, a phone sitting on a mat is just boring.  

A few options would exist for the Micro HD-SD slot.  It could be mounted into the headset.  That would be one more feature adding weight where you do not want it.  Alright, communicate to another auxiliary device.  Maybe you now say you do not want to carry around extra devices.  No, that auxiliary device could be in your clothes recording biometric info for you to later review.  But you did say you did not want an auxiliary device, period.  In that case, lose the SD card altogether.  Cloud computing is still a nascent industry and already has several companies vying for your support.  

I cannot say the same about the SIM card; the card some phone companies use to identify their customers.  Barring the companies switch to different methods, it would have to reside some place on your person.  However, it could still be integrated into the headset or auxiliary device.

What is left?  A brick.  Since many of the components have been removed, the battery and processors can stretch out with much more leg room.  It has become a slab of fully enclosed plastic and metal that is impervious to the elements.  Dropped your phone on the ground.  No worries, the slab phone can be dropped 10 times further without damage.  Ever dropped your phone in the toilet.  No worries, disgusting, but no worries.  Your new slab phone can be water tight depending on the options.  Want a warranty; you get it for $1 cause the carrier knows it would take acid or nuclear radiation to destroy that beast.  And if it did the warranty would not cover it.  Some things never change.  

All of these will be features available based on the phone model.  The only technology that is needed is the eReader screen to avoid eye strain which I said would likely be ready for market in 2 years.  That makes it perfect timing for Google to unveil their design as a prototype stage.  They will work on their product and it may find some people interested in wearing it for short term periods.  By the time all the bugs are worked out the only thing left to do will be to switch out the screens.  It is a classic example of how Moore's law is being used to bring products to market.  

As this is my last post on the topic, here is a video from a Mashable post that shows some progression in their work just within the past month.  A month ago, Sergey Brin,  a Google co-founder, discussed the project briefly with Robert Scoble (@scobleizer on Twitter)  Whether true or not, it was said or joked that the glasses at the time only continually rebooted.
 

Use Cases of a Head Mounted Display

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Google Glasses: ‘Spec’ulation 2: The Welcomed End of Privacy

The money the government has spent on facial recognition will be wasted as new augmented reality glasses will obscure everyone’s identity.  I found this link from last year that shows the government's interests in the technology.  Instead, a more intense battle will spring up over privacy.  The government will try to get the exact same data from tech companies.  This would be a cheaper prospective route to achieve the same goal if litigation can be minimized.  Each headset will be linked to a phone number, a user account, and thus it is linked to the person.  Before, money was given to companies to try to identify people by their faces.  Now, the government will try to solicit the information from Silicon Valley's finest and the telcos (telephone companies).  Is this a good thing?  Is it bad?

Currently, with Google location, you can turn on location history and track your travels.  It tells me I have traveled over 65,000,000 meters since I started the service.  The image below shows what I was doing 1 year ago.  By default, this option is disabled for users. 

 Google Latitude Location History

With Google glasses similar services will likely spring up.  Record your entire day to a cloud server to review at a later time.  Use HighlightCam to cut through all the boring footage.  Or just use it to live more effectively in the present.  Where was that new Thai restaurant that opened downtown?  Actually pay attention to your classes and take notes later.  Hell, have an app take notes for you to review later while listening to the recordings.  As mobile operating systems develop the ability to readily record and store this massive amount of data, the apps will update to utilize the features to bring users more functionality, to gain greater market share, to find new ways of targeting ads and selling products.

Another gray area of the ethics of many companies today is how they use your data and how long they store it.  It ranges from a few months to a few years.  All of this is to provide advertisers information.  We, you, accept this in order to get free products; phones, apps, added functionality of apps.  Saving and storing, lets say 24 hours of your life would all be part of the same package.  First reactions are typically along the lines of ‘that’s evil’, ‘it’s creepy’.  But then you get attacked.  Chances are the attacker will get caught on the camera you are wearing.  Just as police can currently call up the local telco and request the recording of phone conversations with a pass code, they will similarly be able to view the last 24 hours of your life and location history to find those clues.  Parents will similarly likely track their children to ensure they use the technology responsibly.  They will of course want to because the headlines of video sexting (vixting?) will be all over the news.  The invasion of your privacy, or the sharing of your demographic information, depending on how you look at it, is not a new issue here.  That has been the case for years.  What is new is what you get for it!  

Because the government and companies benefit greatly by getting this information they will help pay for the glasses to help you buy them.  There have already been discussions that the internet may join the ranks of indispensable human rights.  The U.N. has already declared that it is a basic right in 2011 as countries continually tried to limit the content available to their denizens.  Depending on the direction those debates take, the government could then be justified in passing legislation that would ensure no citizen is denied this right.  It would be great political theater as one side touts the endless value added to citizens' lives and the other crucifies such policies as a new level of government intervention and invasion of privacy.  No, it would not only be the government.  Companies will also be peddling their goods with all the latest features.  Want the latest model, $200 with contract.  Wait a few months and get it free with contract.  It is free, right?

It is easy to veil the entire topic in a glow of George Orwell's 1984. But then again it is only an extension of the same practices that have been around for decades.  Or perhaps I have already been brainwashed into loving Big Brother, not by having my head forced in a cage with a hungry rat, but rather by accepting numerous terms of service and clicking several EULAs (End User License Agreements) to receive a patchwork of tools that eventually I will not be able to get through a day without.  Instead of a fear of rats, society will be incensed with a new spreading fear; nomophobia, a fear of being disconnected.  Sorry if I ruined the ending for you.


Google Glasses: ‘Spec’ulation 3-Back to the Brick: A Sales Pitch for the Coming Years

Google Glasses: ‘Spec’ulation 1- The End of TV

Around 2010, television manufacturers at a trade show were wondering where the designs would go next.  The answers were smart-internet connected televisions and 3D.  Both ideas have been floundering about as neither has yet taken hold.  But everyone knows who is best at solving that problem: Apple.  They take care of every aspect internally.  Their approach to design is perfect for resolving the issues of a smart TV and their iTunes services is the perfect medium for providing the content.  They already have experience with their TV/cable box.  And they have scaled up the iPhone to make an iPad, so where’s the challenge in one more scaling.  How about in the naming; iProducer maybe?  When their product hits shelves it will likely be as much of a success as their other recent products, at least, in the short run.

2011 saw people begin to rise against the laws designed to maintain an industry that is destined to be diversified.  More and more people adopt devices to allow them to skip past the ads that pay the bills of Hollywood.  More and more people are turning to the cheaper smart TV options that have the internet built in.  The quality of the content may not be as great yet, but there will always be a demand for cute kittens and angry hamsters.  In response, the Hollywood lobbyists began fighting harder to bring issues to the front of politics.  A slew of bills were introduced (SOPA, PIPA) with great American acronyms generally meant to convey the idea to stop digital piracy and to make sure you have no reason to put children and pornography into the same sentence ever.  When this resulted in a backlash with the tech giants an epic corporate showdown commenced.  Most major websites, from Google to Wikipedia, planned a day of action.  Many people still have ‘CENSORED’ labels as part of their favorite social networking website icon.  All of this political theater discussion is simply to make the point that the ways of doing business since Edison will have to change in the era of names like Ballmer, Jobs, and Page.  Internet content providers are rapidly gaining content and viewers and the advertisers will not take long to notice.  The entertainment industry is crumbling as they try to protect their margins in a much more competitive market.  A recent TED Talk covers the absurdity of several of their claims. 

Rob Reid: The $8 billion iPod

Rob gives a good broad brush stroke of the insanity.  To get an idea of the individual accounts of how these lawsuits impact everyday people I recommend visiting this EFF (Electric Frontier Foundation) webpage.  

The latest bill to take to the trenches in its attempt to become a law is CISPA.  Unbiased information for it can be found on Wikipedia here.  It gives a good description, lists pros and cons, tells groups that both support and oppose it, and as it happens tells that this week, the week of April 16th has been declared 'Stop Cyber Spying Week'.  If you review the information about CISPA and want to take some action against it, I recommend signing this petition at Change.org.  For the more advanced activist, contact the politicians that represent your interest.  As technology increases exponentially, society will change at an ever increasing pace.  Unless innovation and the proliferation of information are going to be stopped, the established systems must adapt or ultimately they will be out-dated and lose their audience.

It is expected that in 2012, Apple’s TV will take another bite out of the industry.  Google, will try with their own TV, but back to the original point.  With vendors making content for Google glasses, why bother with the TV at all.  At first it will start with the location apps and useful tools to help remind people of names, dates.  It reminds me of a summer job I had back in college.  I was a Sprint representative hired to work out of a Radio Shack to advertise their latest innovation.  Their innovation was to have color screens and cameras actually built into the phone.  Frequently people were curious and would stop to talk, but the usual reaction was, 'Why would I want a camera in my phone?'  Here is a headline from when they announced this marvel.

Press Release

07/06/2005

SPRINT AND LG MOBILE PHONES PCS VISION PICTURE PHONE PM-225 BY LG COLOR CAMERA PHONE

Stylish Sprint PCS Vision Picture Phone PM-225 by LG Features an Integrated VGA Camera in a Lightweight, Compact Design and Comes in Two Fashionable New Colors

Stylish Sprint PCS Vision Picture Phone PM-225 by LG Features an Integrated VGA Camera in a Lightweight, Compact Design and Comes in Two Fashionable New Colors 

PM-225 and Specs from the same link
- Memory: 16 MB Flash/8 MB SRAM (download up to 1,024 KB)
- Internal Color Display: 65K Color STN LCD, 128 x 160 Pixels, 9 Lines
- External Color Display: 65K Color STN LCD, 64 x 96 Pixels, 3 Lines
- Standard Battery 1,000 mAh Li-Ion
- Talk Time: Up to 3.2 hours*
- Unobtrusive Internal Antenna
- VGA CMOS Digital Camera
- Self-Portrait Capability with Flip Closed
- Save up to 100 Photos
- Resolutions: 640x480 (VGA), 320x240 (QVGA), 160x120 (QQVGA) Pixels
- Customizable Color Effects, White Balance and Brightness
- Send Pictures to E-mail, Phone or Store Online
- Assign Pictures to a Caller ID or Screen Saver
Sprint PCS Vision service required.
The Sprint PCS Vision Picture Phone PM-225 by LG is available for $219.99, or $69.99 after rebate with two-year advantage agreement.

The point of rehashing that bit of nostalgia is that now the camera is commonplace in phones.  It is as common as clock in coffee makers.  Any new tech can catch on in unexpected ways.  

Since they will be powered by Android, the glasses will have access to the Android Play Market.  Many content providers already have apps in the market; Netflix, VUDU, Google’s own movie service.  In the battle to be smartphone king, Apple butted heads repeatedly with Google and Google’s partners.  Lawsuits were abound and while there was innovation, the lawyers had to be fought every step of the way.  If Google makes a TV it will be the same fight.  If Google makes a TV, they have to compete with Apple in cost.  If Google makes glasses there is less legal cost and less manufacturing expense.  The innovation would abound as once again the way people live day to day would be forever altered.  It is the continual technological disruption.  Let me guess, you don’t see yourself watching TV on your glasses.  But do you see yourself wearing them for travel?  Can you see yourself looking at Facebook, Pinterest, Google+, or Twitter?  If you are already doing that, why wouldn’t you have your favorite shows or stories running at the same time.  Currently, there is no good way to read a magazine on a treadmill.  The smart TV’s, especially the Apple TV, win in the upcoming years, but glasses would win the war.  The TV industry is obsolete.  Shall we discuss movie theaters?

UP NEXT: Google Glasses: ‘Spec’ulation 2: The Welcomed End of Privacy