Google I/O: Game Services, Music Service and Maps

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Google I/O: Game Services for Android, iOS & The Web

At Google I/O, Google rolled out a new set of games services for crossplatfrom gaming. The new Google Play Game Services include achievements, leaderboards, and cloud saves which are designed to work across Android, iOS, and Web platforms. Real-time multiplayer capabilities are also included, but -- at this point, anyway -- only for Android. A handful of Android games have already been outfitted with the services, starting today.

The realtime multiplayer features on Android currently support up to four players, with support for more reportedly on the way. The mulitplayer features include voice chat, along with "matchmaking" for connecing you with other players on Google+.

The achievements are meant to increase engagement and spark different styles of play. The leaderboards track high scores, while the cloud saves make it possible to store game saves and settings online.

One of the intentions behind the service is to let users switch between phones and tablets without losing their game states.

'Everyone Loves Games'

"Everyone loves games," proclaimed Hugo Barra, VP of product management for Android, in announcing the services during the keynote. Unfortunately, though, a demo of the multiplayer capabilities failed for technical reasons.

Any developer posting a game on Google Play can use the new Google Play Game Services, which also include an application programming interface (API) for preventing game piracy by allowing the developer to make sure the game was purchased on Google Play. The API is aimed at encouraging developers to publish more games on Android.

Android games that are already using the new services include World of Goo, Super Stickman Golf 2, Beach Buggy Blitz, Kingdom Rush, Eternity Warriors 2, and Osmos.

Google I/O: Google Launches Rumored Streaming Music Service

At Google/IO today, Google launched its long-rumored on-demand subscription music service. Dubbed "Google Play Music All Access," the service can be accessed through both Web and mobile interfaces. Although it is elegantly designed, Google's music service will be playing catchup in an increasingly crowded field against well established rivals such as Spotify, Pandora, Rhapsody and Rdio. Apple is rumored to be readying a similar offering.

"A year ago, we launched our locker service. Soon after, we launched our music store. Today, users in 13 countries are enjoying their music on Play Music," said Chris Yerga, Google's engineering director for Android, in a demo at I/0.

Google, though, is licensing the same music library from music publishers as Spotify and Rdio, for example.

'All Access Starts with Explore'

"All Access starts with Explore. It's a guided way to browse a collection of millions of tracks. From the moment you enter Explore, you get recommendations based on your listening preferences. You can also browse top playlists and charts, and selected content by our own music experts," Yerga contended.

Recommendations can be based either on musical tastes expressed by users or on preferences that the service learns from their behavior.

In addition, all music stored in your personal Google music locker is automatically imported into All Access, Yerga said. Underneath that content, all other music an artist has on All Access is automatically listed.

Pricing for All Access is $9.99 a month after a one-month free trial. If you sign up by June 30, you'll pay only $7.99 per month.

Google I/O: Google Previews Updated Maps App for Android & iOS

At Google I/O today, Google previewed a major update to its maps app for Android and iOS which will enter private beta tomorrow morning. The updated app will feature a new look and feel, a new directional view, greater personalization, traffic incident reports, and integration of Google Earths imagery, said Daniel Graf, director of Google Maps.

As Graf showed in a demo, the new directional view gives you a full-screen map, with directions appearing in a popup at the upper left. The app will now show public transit alternatives as possible routes by default. There's also a new public transport scheduling view.

Also, Google Maps will now figure out from your search terms what kinds of locations interest you. For example, if you search for "sushi" in San Francisco, the app will put icons on every sushi spot in the area. You can also limit placement of the icons to only restaurants that have been reviewed by your friends, or by professional restaurant reviewers.

If a location you're looking for has a Google Offer, it will pull the offer directly into the listing.

Along similar lines, if you're looking for a location on a small road that otherwise wouldn't show up on a map, the app will adjust the map for you, exaggerating and highlighting the names of the smaller streets.

Also, the app will now integrate live incident reports with traffic reports, trying to reroute you around an accident or some other incident on the fly.

Google plans a public release of the updated app this summer, according to Graf.

You can request an invitation to the private beta here.

Source: Brighthand