Category: Android
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Google's Grand Experiment: From Energy to Ecosystem—A 13-Year Observation
Thirteen years ago, as a GeekSquad Advanced Repair Agent, I saw Chromebooks for what they were: cheap, $200 laptops with a measly 16GB of storage. Thin clients, the IT crowd called them. I called them underwhelming. Many other’s thought the same. Back then, Google’s cloud ambitions manifested as these bare-bones machines—a far cry from the integrated ecosystems I was used to, dominated by Macs and PCs. I knew Google made Android and those software services—Search, Docs, Sheets, Slides—they were fine. But the big picture? I missed it. Google didn’t build hardware like Apple did. To me, they were just… energy. Pure potential, no form. Steve Jobs said computers are a bicycle for the mind. Google was the kinetic energy pushing the bike, not the bike itself. In this analysis, I want to trace Google’s evolution from that pure energy to a company building the bike, the road, the pedals—even the rider.
The shift in my perspective came when I grasped the consumer side of cloud computing—servers, racks, the whole ‘someone else’s computer’ spiel. Suddenly, Chromebooks started to make sense. Cost-effective, they said. All the heavy lifting on Google’s servers, they said. Naïve as I was, I hadn’t yet fully registered Google’s underlying ad-driven empire, the real reason behind the Chromebook push. That revelation led me to a stint as a regional Chromebook rep. A role masquerading as tech, but really, it was sales with a side of jargon. The training retreat? Let’s call it an indoctrination session. The ‘Moonshot Thinking’ video from Google [X]—all inspiration, no product—was the hook. Suddenly, streaming movies and collaborative docs weren’t just features, they were visions. ‘Moonshot thinking,’ I told myself, swallowing the Kool-Aid. Cloud computing, in that moment, seemed revolutionary. I even had ‘office hours’ with Docs project managers, peppering them with questions about real-time collaboration. ‘What if someone pastes the same URL?’ I asked, probably driving them nuts. But I was hooked. Cloud computing, I thought, was the future—or so they wanted me to believe.
That journey, from wide-eyed newbie to… well, slightly less wide-eyed observer, has taught me one thing: Google’s Achilles' heel is execution. They’ve got the vision, the talent, the sheer audacity—but putting it all together? That’s where they stumble. Only in the last three years have they even attempted to wrangle their disparate hardware, software, cloud, and AI efforts into a coherent whole. Too little, too late? Perhaps. Look at the Pixel team: a frantic scramble to catch up, complete with a Jobsian purge of the ‘unpassionate.' Rick Osterloh, a charming and knowledgeable figurehead, no doubt—but is he a ruthless enough leader? That’s the question. He’s managed to corral the Platform and Services division. Yet, the ecosystem still feels… scattered. The Pixel hardware, for all its promise, still reeks of a ‘side project’—a lavish, expensive, and perpetually unfinished side project. The pieces are there, scattered across the table. Can Google finally assemble the puzzle, or will they forever be a company of impressive parts, but no cohesive whole?
After over a decade of observing Google’s trajectory, certain patterns emerge. Chromebooks (bless their budget-friendly hearts), for instance, have settled comfortably into the budget lane: affordable laptops for grade schoolers and retirees. Hardly the ‘sexy’ category Apple’s M-series or those Windows CoPilot ARM machines occupy, is it? Google’s Nest, meanwhile, envisioned ambient computing years ago. Yet, Amazon’s Alexa+ seems to be delivering on that promise while Google’s vision gathers dust. And let’s talk apps: Google’s own, some of the most popular on both Android and iOS, often perform better on iOS. Yes, that’s changing—slowly. And the messaging app graveyard? Overblown, some say. I say, try herding a family group chat through Google’s ever-shifting messaging landscape. Musical chairs, indeed. But, credit where it’s due, Google Messages is finally showing some long-term commitment. Perhaps the ghosts of Hangouts and Allo are finally resting in peace.
The long view, after thirteen years of observing Google’s sprawling ambitions, reveals a complex picture: immense potential, yet a frustrating pattern of fragmented execution. They’ve built impressive pieces—the AI, the cloud, the hardware—but the promised cohesive ecosystem has remained elusive. Whispers of “Pixel Sense,” Google’s rumored answer to true AI integration, offer a glimmer of hope. (And let’s be clear, these are just rumors—I’m not grading on a curve here.) But, after years of watching disjointed efforts, I find myself cautiously optimistic about the direction Rick Osterloh (knowledgeable, and, some might say, charming) and his newly unified Platform and Services division are taking. There’s a sense that, finally, the pieces might be coming together. The vision of a seamlessly integrated Google experience—hardware, software, AI, and cloud—is tantalizingly close. Will they finally deliver? Or will Google continue to be a company of impressive tech demos and unfulfilled promises? Time will tell. But for the first time in a long time, I’m willing to entertain the possibility that Google might just pull it off.
Google Store Oakbrook Customer Service
A fellow Pixel Superfan had a great experience at the Oakbrook Google Store and he thought he’d share:
Just thought it worth sharing, my mom’s
Pixel 7awas having battery issues, I did a chat with support where they told me it wasn’t under warranty, went to the store and they did a special warranty replacement given the battery issues that you can find all over the web. 2 hrs later resolved. Especially great considering she got this phone on my family’sFiplan with a promo that is still on going for2yrs.While there they also fixed my charging issue on my
Pixel 5by using effectively a dentist/surgical pick to pull the pile of lint out.Just thought the good service was worth sharing with the community. ❤️
It’s nice hearing success stories like this. Especially when the Google Store employees go above and beyond what is even asked of them. I hear this happens a lot. It makes people want to go into the store’s instead of dealing with a contractor online. Still, Google’s been doing a much better job at resolving issues at third-party repair shops as well.
Okay, just finished the Home page design of the Micro.blog client app for Android for mobile and foldable/tablets.
I don’t know if I should bother making the other pages since they will all just be recycled views. I kind of want to go ahead and jump right into developing it now 😅
Crafting a micro.blog client with Material 3 has been a fun challenge! Diving into UI Kits in Figma for the first time, I’m finding the design process both exciting and educational. Here’s a rough draft of the app in dark mode.
Android Authority titles the Google TV Streamer the gold standard for Android TV streamers and I agree.
The Human Touch: How Google's Design Got Personal
You know, it’s been really interesting to watch how Google’s design has evolved over the years. They’ve gone from playing it safe to really embracing their own unique style, and it’s made a huge difference in how people experience their products. It’s like they’re constantly trying to find that sweet spot between form and function, and it’s been quite a journey to watch. As Ivy Ross, Google’s Head of Hardware Design, put it:
‘How do you translate the sentiment associated with Google—human, optimistic, bold–into color, texture and form?’ That’s exactly what they’ve been doing, and I think it’s really resonating with people."
I mean, think about those early Pixel phones. They were fine, but they didn’t exactly scream “Google.” But now, with the bold colors, playful accents, and those smooth, organic shapes, you can’t mistake a Google product for anything else. And it’s not just about the looks. Google’s design is all about making technology feel more human, more approachable. Those fabric-covered Nest speakers? They’re like a warm hug for your living room. The Pixel Watch, with its gentle curves and that water-droplet inspiration? It’s like a natural extension of your wrist. And don’t even get me started on the Pixel Buds case – it’s so satisfying to hold, like a perfectly smooth pebble.
But here’s the thing: Google isn’t just following trends. While other companies are obsessed with making phones as thin as possible, Google’s focused on making them as useful and enjoyable as possible. And you know what? It’s working. The Pixel Pro and the Pixel Fold are proof that you don’t have to sacrifice functionality for style. So what’s next for Google’s design? I think we’ll see them continue to blur the lines between technology and everyday life, creating products that feel less like gadgets and more like natural extensions of ourselves.
And honestly, I can’t wait to see what they come up with next. It’s clear that Google is committed to creating technology that not only serves a purpose but also sparks joy and feels like a natural extension of our lives. That’s a design philosophy I can definitely get behind.
Clicks for Pixel: The Keyboard is Back!
Remember the satisfying click-clack of a physical keyboard? Clicks for Pixel brings it back to your Pixel 9 Pro or Pixel 9!
Jeff, co-founder and CMO of Clicks, shows off this innovative enclosure made of durable thermoplastic or TPU, with a flexible top for easy phone insertion. It features a brushed metal side key, contoured polycarbonate keys with a backlight, and nickel-plated dome switches for that perfect tactile and auditory click.
Available in “Onyx” and the special edition “Surge”, which is a MrMobile exclusive. Jeff exclaims that once the Surge color way sells out, they won’t be making anymore so it sounds like that’s the one to buy. In the video, Jeff shows some of his favorite Android built-in keyboard shortcuts that I cant wait to try when I get my hands on my own.
Mine should be here by April, but I’m hoping to get a few promo codes for you all reading my blog to jump in on this nostalgic keyboard kick.
Are the Android Team Looking Into Adding Stackable Widgets to AOSP?
André Labonté, Project Manager on the Material Design team, directly answers this question:
“Stackable widgets are possible on some Android manufacturer’s devices and this is something we are looking into for AOSP. We getting this request a lot. So stay tuned. We aren’t committed to this yet, but keep asking and we’ll work on it.
OnePlus and Samsung are the Android manufacturer’s that André was mainly referring to, but there are many more across the eastern hemisphere. Having it built directly into AOSP would not only make it available for Google Pixel, but it would free up Android developers from these manufacturers to work on other things. The pipeline seems to be that when things that were once only available on al specific manufacturer devices become available across all of Android, those same manufacturers find something else to be a catalyst differentiator among devices. It’s a health progression.
I’ve been using stackable widgets on my Pixel through the Smart Launcher and it’s been pretty great. I can see the appeal, especially since the general philosophy over widgets is to be an app instance that does one thing really well instead of something that is a full window into the app. Though iOS birthed this new resurgence for widget design, Android continues to provide better functionality and practically on having widgets on the home screen. Soon widgets will be on the lockscreen on mobile.
Lock Screen Widgets on Android are Making a Comeback
Mishaal Rahman on Android Authority:
“With the previous Pixel Drop, Google introduced the ability to add widgets to the lock screen, bringing back a feature it had scrapped nearly a decade ago. Unfortunately, the company limited the feature to Android tablets, limiting its usefulness. Thankfully, Google has now confirmed that it will bring lock screen widget support to Android phones in an upcoming Android release, and we managed to activate the feature to bring you a first look.”
I remember back in Android Jelly Bean, in 2012, introduced the ability to put widgets on your phones lockscreen. I remember mainly using it for music and quickly taking notes with some sticky notes mimicked app that I picked up from the Play Store. I don’t know why the Android team got rid of them, but they certainly brought them back in Android 15 during the resurgence of Android tablets this past year. Samsung has been doing their own hops over the AOSP to support lock screen widgets on their own Galaxy devices, but with Android 16 right around the corner, Android as a whole will be getting the feature back again. Check out Mishaal’s short video explaining how lock screen widgets will work on Android 16.
Hey Google, Don't Go Slim
I’ve started to notice this trend of slimming down smartphones. Samsung teased its next Galaxy S25 ‘Edge’ device that’s going to be 5.84mm thin. Apple is rumored to announce an iPhone 17 Air, also allegedly known as the iPhone 17 Slim, to be around 5.5mm at its thinnest point.
It’s apparent that innovation in the iPhone lineup has become stale, with Apple seemingly experimenting without a clear direction. From the iPhone Mini, Plus, and now Slim. And I’m not surprised that Samsung is following suit as they usually follow Apple’s lead with things. Google has won the GLOMO awards back-to-back with its Pixel Pro devices, and many would agree that their Pixel Fold is currently the best in the Western Hemisphere. Therefore, Google should continue focusing on tuning the hardware of that, continue to fine-tune Pixel Watch and WearOS to bring even more competition to the Apple Watch, continue to research the Android tablet market, drive demand for Android XR, and even put more R&D on an Android tablet and laptops. All of that sounds good. Google, do not waste your time on a Pixel Slim. Your Pixels are already sufficiently thin. If a breakthrough in battery slimming is achieved while maintaining capacity, simply incorporate additional batteries into the existing chassis.