Key Note Speech by Vic

Vic, VP of Engineering @ Google started the Key Note speech, which is a great kick off for the conference.

Vic revealed some important things that are remained mystery for many of the internet users... why is google getting into developing apps on the web.

2 reasons
1) Google is born on the web, it is the core part of Google and it believes that web should be moved forward.
2) Google has a revenue potential. The Open Web allows us to build rich web applications -> more users -> more uses -> more revenue.

Web is the most dominating platform. We started with Mainframes, powerful at the backend, but dumb terminals. Then we switched to PS - powerful clients, but difficult to deploy applications. Then Netscape made it easy to access applications gave birth to the web apps. Then we got into computing problem...data/complicated apps/users etc. We keep oscillating with tension between the server side and client side computing.

Google believes that web as a platform can solve many of the problems we have now.

There are 3 objectives for Google apps
1) Make the cloud more accessible
2) Keep the connectivity more persisting - Google Data API, Google Apps etc
3) Make the client more powerful - Google Gears, Mobile, web etc

Google Gears
- Extends the power of the browser
- Google believes HTML5 is the way to go... and it is full supportive of that
- Google built a relationship with Myspace and MySpace is a user of Google Gears which make the site much more powerful that ever.
- Google Gears use the power of the client PC. users need to install something on their desktops


Android
- Complete stack
- Allows mobile operators and device manufacturers to take advantage of the OS to build a powerful mobile devices
- Android features feel more like iPhone. This is a great advantage for other companies to take advantage of the Android to build powerful apps.
- We saw a demo where Maps view was built and the phone essentially becomes a camera and we can see 360 degree view of the streets. This is an amazing feature.

Business value
- More and more users are expecting a rich application on the phone because, mobile phones do not have faster networks yet.


Overall the key note speech was great. Lots of insights into what Google is about to do with the development community to move the web to a direction that is beneficial for all users.

Questions - vicg@google.com