#io14

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Eric Lukoff, One Degree's CTO, spoke on a panel at Google's annual developer-focused conference, called Google I/O. Since One Degree was one of the finalists of the Bay Area Challenge, they invited us and a couple of other tech-related finalists to cap off the conference with a panel.

In a conference that was filled with buzz about smartwatches, Android, and lots of other geeky things, it was an honor to be able to share with the wider Google community about how One Degree is using technology for social good right here in our backyard.

We were also joined onstage by two other nonprofits, Beyond12 and Hack the Hood. And we've also got these tweets from an audience member:

"Technology is not a luxury, it's a necessity in the world today" @1Deg on smartphone ownership #io14

— Elizabeth K. Joseph (@pleia2)

June 26, 2014

@1Deg Great panel, sounds like you folks are doing some very valuable work! #io14

— Elizabeth K. Joseph (@pleia2)

June 26, 2014

Check out the video and also a write-up on Forbes!

The modern living room is a mess. And not with just dishes, food wrappers and old magazines.

We’re talking about desktops, laptops, tablets, handhelds, and the many cables and peripherals that divide them. Even when you’re on the computer, you glance tediously at your phone, checking text messages, reading redundant notifications. There are speakers systems, new and old, with different types of connectivity. Let’s not even talk about game systems, DVD players, and other bulky vestigial boxes. And in the corner, at the center of this storm of technology, is the massive, underused Television.

There should be a better way; a cleaner, simpler way to integrate all this clunky hardware into one effective lifestyle.

At Umano, we’ve been working towards that goal: a seamless, wireless, connected experience. Google, and every other tech company with plans for surviving the data-driven future, has been working feverishly towards integrating software into everyday life, to make computing more natural and reduce the clutter. We like to talk about that at Umano because it’s completely in-line with our vision: a seamless relationship with our media, such that people can go about their busy lives without sacrificing the luxury of learning new things every day. It's, in part, why Google spent $3.2B on Nest back in January, to work on a smart home infrastructure. But it’s also why they put so many resources into Glass, into automobiles, and home sharing – and why Umano has been with them every step of the way. As of this week Umano is now officially Google cast-ready, simultaneous with lots of exciting new announcements about the Android platform at Google I/O.

For Umano, integrating with Google's Chromecast extension is the latest in many early-stage collaborations with the type of software that frees you up to do other things while still reading the news you care about. Umano is already on Google Glass, and is an early partner in Android Auto – which means soon you’ll easily be able to connect Umano to your car. And with Chromecast, it’s even easier to listen to the news when you clean, cook, or just relax on the couch – no headphones necessary. Umano believes strongly in this vision of connectedness; of flexible access and unencumbered computing. And with everything from wearables to a connected living room experience, we are well on our way to achieving this.

With all this in mind, here’s a vision for the connected home, inspired by the efforts of Android and iOS. If you had all the time and technology to set it up, what would your connected lifestyle look like? Close your eyes and imagine:

Incredibly organized

First off, if you’re home, there’s no reason you shouldn’t stay “logged in,” across all platforms. From there, you should never be losing data, for any reason. If your laptop crashes, you can simply keep working from whatever other device is most comfortable. Everything seamless. Notifications from all your devices will show up in the same place, wherever you are looking at the moment. And above all, no more time spent plugging and unplugging cables. The connected living room treats technology as furniture; everything tasteful, purposeful, and uncluttered.

Less repetitive stress, better posture

The phone is no longer the focal point; if you’re home, in the car, or at work, you shouldn’t have to be taking it in and out of your pocket constantly. Enter the smart watch: Having a classy-looking remote control and information source strapped to your wrist actually is starting to make a lot more sense than having a free-floating phone, which you’re always either trying to keep track of or feel radiating next to your groin. And imagine how much more you would video chat, if you could lounge and talk to someone from a flexible, in-wall screen. From a designer’s perspective, putting the internet on your wall actually makes a lot of sense. And giving you more options for physical interaction also means that the definition of work doesn’t necessarily include hunching over a monitor, your arm confined to the squares inches of the restrictive keyboard-mouse radius.

Easy to share

How many times have you given up on sharing something with someone, simply because a device wasn’t compatible or a screen wasn’t the right size? This is the idea behind Chromecast: creating a link between the small, medium, and big devices that fill different roles in our lives. No more sitting in a cramped group of people trying to watch a show on your laptop, or worse, iPhone. And if you’re looking at something on the internet, why shouldn’t you be able to share in an instant with everyone else in the room? This is why Chromecast is such a cool tool, especially with its new browser-sharing beta just announced this week.

And it’s not just about sharing with others; sharing with yourself is a thing, too. Have you ever carried your laptop around the house with you, perching it rashly on the kitchen counter? This shouldn’t have to happen either.

Last week, Google wrapped up it's annual Google I/O conference with some big announcements that we're very excited about.  Among the most exciting announcements were the debuts of Android TV, Android Wear and Android Auto. Google is making a very smart bet here: our first interaction with internet-connected devices starts with our own mobile devices. From that point on, every other device can act as an extension of the mobile experience. Android’s TV, watches and cars are the first examples of technologies that extend your mobile experience to work in new and exciting ways for the different situations you encounter daily.

At Umano, we’re jumping at this opportunity to extend your listening experience beyond your smartphone. Umano starts on your mobile device, but with the addition of new technologies that seamlessly connect your smartphone beyond its screen, we're able to enhance your Umano experience in ways that better suit your everyday life.

Umano + Chromecast / Android TV

Google is making a huge effort to lead in the connected living room space. First came Google TV, then the Nexus Q, both of which found very little success. Finally last year, Google launched Chromecast: a tiny little device that turns your TV into an internet-enabled streaming machine. Building on this product, Google has released a brand new platform that brings Android to your TV.

Why does this matter for Umano listeners? News consumption shouldn't be confined to the on-the-go experience, with your earbuds hooked into your mobile device. Imagine this: you wake up in the morning and want to get your news right away while you cook breakfast. Perhaps you want to share the most interesting stories with the rest of your family in the living room? Or maybe you just prefer listening to your news with surround sound. We've made that possible.

No longer do you have to fuss with connecting your phone to your speakers or home theatre setup! With the latest release of Umano for Android, you can now cast Umano directly to the big screen. This will work on any Chromecast connected TV and will already work with the newly announced Android TVs! 

Umano + Android Wear

Android Wear, Google's smartwatch platform, made its debut at Google I/O. The watch extends your phone even further by allowing you to receive and respond to notifications right from your watch. Rather than pulling your phone out for simple information like weather, transit times and other notifications, Android Wear simplifies your life by giving you all this information at a glance of your watch.

Umano already works with the latest Android Wear watches, allowing you to control the playback of Umano right from your watch. But this is just the beginning of Umano's capabilities on the Android Wear. Stay tuned for more functions that will potentially allow you to add articles to your playlist, 'like' articles and maybe even comment on articles using voice commands!

Umano + Android Auto

Lastly, Google announced the debut of Android Auto, its in-car operating system, launching with over 40 car manufacturers and media partners. At Umano, we are extremely excited to work as an early partner in this initiative to bring you the best in-car Umano experience possible. Look forward to more announcements on this initiative as we continue to work towards making Umano easier to access from any context in your daily routine.