What's so innovative about the Apple Watch?

What's so innovative about the Apple Watch? What has Apple done since the launch of the iPhone that was truly innovative? I read articles all he time about features this and software that, but I haven't seen anything where it was definitively proven where Apple has been cutting edge for years.

christopher rizzo called me a troll for questioning his religious adherence to Apple consumerism. 

So, can someone explain where Apple is truly innovative? I'm not talking about a minor change like the USB-C port or "slide to unlock" but a true innovation that's once again changing the industry.

http://www.fastcodesign.com/3043419/what-the-apple-watch-does-that-googles-watches-dont

Comments

I like the potential for the health kit. I'm waiting on home kit. I think Apple has the power of the sheep, and the fact that they set certain standards even if it overrides existing ones.
Stephen Holst said…
The price point is pretty innovative.
Christopher B said…
See, the religious adherence stuff is why I called you a troll. Not your opinion. I bet right now, I own more non-Apple devices than you, not that it matters. 

Anyhow, I don't care to argue with you over this stuff because it gets nowhere. If you want to know what Apple innovates, do some research! I will give you a hint, you mentioned one product above, which will become a standard soon enough but Apple couldn't claim innovation because of politics. But of course, I do not expect you believe that!
christopher rizzo he explicitly stated:
"I'm not talking about a minor change like the USB-C port or "slide to unlock" but a true innovation that's once again changing the industry."

Beyond that, nothing was mentioned.
Christopher B said…
Sam Hetchler  I am not talking about that either, I am talking about USB-C in general. Do some research!
Jason ON said…
Oh, so you can't make an argument for your side, huh christopher rizzo? 

The difference in the number of devices you own versus the number of devices I own make absolutely no difference to whether Apple is innovative or not. 

And the "do your own research" argument means you don't understand how professionals have debates. He who makes the claim must provide the proof of that claim. It's called the Burden of Proof. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosophic_burden_of_proof).

And the one product I mentioned above ...  you mean the USB-C connector? That's not an innovation and more than changing the tires on your car is an innovation in performance.
Jason ON the USB-C is pretty cool. It's like the lightening bolt and the thunder bolt connectors came together and made a baby.

christopher rizzo, I can't help but shake my head at your continued thinking that Jason ON was not acknowledging Apple having some part in development, or future adoption of USB-C. And in all honesty, Apple should be known for something more than just trying their hand at additional interconnects. It's well known they rotate plugs to force users to have to buy yet another plug to charge their stuff.

The trash can Mac Pro that came out a year or two ago was/is pretty innovative on hardware design. Their efforts to consolidate notifications has been rather cool.

I think what's going on right now is setting the precedence for making a seamless experience between phone, computer, watch, AV, car, and home automation. I hope they don't fuck it up. I don't see much momentum right now.
Dunken K Bliths said…
USB C was not solely created by Apple. ..it was contributed to many companies..including Google
Christopher B said…
Dunken K Bliths  politics!
Dunken K Bliths said…
I've done my time with apple they are overpriced restricted boring devices...they are the Kim Kardashian of tech...rather spend my money on fun gadgets... :-)
Adam Mckeithan said…
Less take a look a the word innovative, tending to innovate, or introduce something new or different.

So less looks a innovate, to introduce something new; make changes in anything established. Or to introduce (something new) for or as If for the first time.

So does Apple fall into this? Yes they do

New updates on iPhone Os to hard wear
New Macs Os and hard wear

To the apple watch. All fall into this "innovate"

Then less look at the link you posted about what the apple watch can do that android wear can't. This shows lack of understanding of the apple watch of you think this is true. The apple watch can do a few things that android wear can't right now. Maybe you should look at the apple watch feature list little harder.
Keith Stansell said…
I would have to say innovation wise, Apple is the first to have a 5K computer/display that works great out of the box (I'm using one right now). 

The thing Apple does is not necessarily bring the first of an innovation or product category to market, but when they do, they do so in a way that people actually enjoy using them.

They didn't bring the first MP3 player to market, but they brought one to market and streamlined the way people get music on it.

They didn't invent the smart phone, but they made one with a multi-touch display that allowed using the web browser much easier and closer to a desktop experience than what was out at the time.

They made the process of buying and adding applications to smartphones much easier than the competitors at the time such as Windows Mobile where you had to purchase from 3rd party vendors - having to provide payment information and complicated installation procedures for each application instead of a consolidated store that allowed simple click purchases. 

They didn't invent laptops, but they make laptops that are lightweight with long battery life an come with probably the best trackpad/OS combination of any computer.  Laptops that sleep and wake quickly with hardware that works well with the OS.  No driver issues.

They didn't invent fingerprint scanning on phones, but they made it reliable and fast.

They didn't invent tablet computers, but they made one that didn't try to shoe-horn a desktop OS into a touch screen interface.  

They didn't bring the first smart-watch to market, but I bet the one they did will make the experience better for those who use it.  Still too early to say on that.
Rob C said…
It's not gonna matter soon. Whether they innovate or not Apple is turning the smartphone into a fashion statement. Other major companies with their flagship phones are doing much the same. Thinnest, lightest, metal, glass, premium these r the things the public expects out of phones mainly due to Apple whether we like it or not. Whether that's the type of innovation ur looking for or not depends on who ur talking to.
Who cares? If you don't think apple is or isn't innovative. Don't worry about it. Buy something else. Anyone who post anything like this is looking for some sort of debate about crap that really doesn't matter.
Jason ON said…
Carlos Babilonia, I posted this because I was genuinely curious if Apple is as innovative as Apple followers would have us believe. I posted this because, while I read a lot, I am wise enough to know that I don't know everything. I posted this because I wanted to know what I don't know.

And a good debate never hurt anyone except the guy with a tiny ego.
Jason ON as Keith Stansell​ stated above, apple has not innovated anything that is mainstream. The only innovations they have are the propriety stuff that only apple products have. Everything else was innovated by someone else and the apple marketing machine took over. Things like the ipod, probably the worst mp3 player that was ever created, but the marketing machine made it what it is today. Usb C is not an apple tech, but the marketing machine made the general public think it was. If apple innovates something, then they don't want anyone else to use it, they don't share and if anyone creates something similar, they take them to court.
Blaine Lefebvre said…
Apple played it part in the evolution of the smartphone just like every other company. What makes me want nothing to do with their products is how they brainwash their followers into thinking that that nothing existed before them. And the fanatical devotion.
Greg Ybañez said…
Read all of the USB 3.1 documentation which can be found here http://www.usb.org/developers/docs/. It contains 51 different PDFs.

In the original USB 3.1 Bus specification July 2013, if you read through the document (631 pages) you will find that Apple did not contribute to the bus specification. the following are the lead companies

Hewlett-Packard Company
Intel Corporation
Microsoft Corporation
Renesas Corporation
ST-Ericsson
Texas Instruments

IF you look at the the USB 3.1 power specification (586 pages) you will see that Apple was not an original contributor and was only listed as a contributor after the August 2014 revision.

If you look at the USB-C connector documentation (171 pages) You will see that, of the lead Chairmans: two where from Intel, one was from Foxcon and one was from Seagate. Nowhere does it give special recognition to Apple.

In short we have proof that Apple did not help develop the USB 3.1 bus specification or power specifications and that it was a group effort led by others that developed Micro USB-C.

Adam Mckeithan said…
Greg Ybañez maybe you should talk to Gruber about that
Jason ON said…
Phillip Buckingham, if you click through to the link I provided as reference above (original post), christopher rizzo states:

_As for innovation, everything about that watch is a marvel, from the strap to the crown. Nobody is innovating at design like Apple! Laugh if you want but Samsung and Moto will be borrowing what they can from Watch. _

I failed to see where Apple was innovating anything in this product. New, perhaps. Innovation? No.

The way Apple fanboys would have us believe, Apple is making leaps and bounds in innovation even when they're clearly copying other products. I wanted to know if Apple was being innovative anymore or are other companies being innovative and Apple just putting a "pretty" spin on the designs.
Andy Cwikla said…
Why is this bullshit hot on my feed? Retarded troll battle. Muted.
Greg Ybañez said…
Adam Mckeithan who's Gruber?
MICHAEL DOWDELL said…
Who cares? All of the companies are wealthy because of the so called fanboys whether it be Apple or android. They only care about one thing from us, and that is spending money on their products so that they can make profit. These companies must be doing something right, because they are still in business. #itsthetruth
Greg Ybañez said…
Frankly, I couldn't care less who invented usb type c. But a company that did not invent the thing should not get credit for it.
Keith Stansell said…
Wayne Dark No need to be rude about it.  I was sort of guessing on that iPod thing. I didn't have an iPod myself, but instead used a Sansa Rhapsody edition because I liked the Rhapsody service.  I might have missed the mark on the iPod, but a lot of people seemed to have liked those white bricks for their music for some reason.  Apple had some restrictions to keep in graces with the music labels.  Now all I have to do is add music to my iMac and it shows up on all my Apple devices.  Music I ripped at a low bit rate in 2001 is now seamlessly on all my hardware at a better bit rate. 

Well, I guess technically I did have an iPod.  I got an iPod touch back in 2010 while I was still using a Windows Mobile smartphone (HTC Imagio, after two Palm Trios, and an HTC Touch).  Before getting the Imagio, I tried out a Motoroloa Droid, but was not that happy with the software available for it at the time.  I was impressed with the iPod Touch and how well it worked.  I went full in on Apple buying a late 2010 MacBook Air after my experience with the iPod Touch and also seeing how well the trackpad worked on co-worker's computers and realizing I liked the idea of a 3lb laptop with a 13" screen (which I still use and I'm typing this on).  

I don't know why people who don't use Apple products are so against them and feel somehow Apple is duping their users.  A slick video will only go so far.  If people weren't having good experiences with their products, then they wouldn't keep buying them.  

  I have a laptop I've been using for over 4 years that I still am really happy with, that has held up well, is still speedy, runs the latest OS and does what I need to do.  It was a somewhat expensive purchase, but over time it has proven to be a good purchase.  I didn't buy it because of some mythical hype, a slick video or as a status symbol.  I bought it because I had a really good experience with another Apple product and I knew people who were really happy with their Apple laptops.  Based on the experience with this laptop, I'll likely replace it with another Apple product when it stops working for me.
Keith Stansell said…
And to add.  I don't plan on buying an Apple Watch.  I don't think it is a product I need.  Perhaps after seeing them in the wild, how they are being used and what experiences people are reporting with them, then I might reconsider.
Gordon Fulop said…
Who cares? Buy what works for you and what you like. Why do people feel the need to blast the popularity of companies? Don't worry about pointless things and worry about the things around you that matter...
Randi Knight said…
Just think of the painstaking work that goes into building belief and an ideology around a piece of equipment. It's not easy starting a religion
Last time i looked google has come out with a laptop with USB-C before apple the pixel.
Adam Mckeithan said…
Patrick van Ewijk new pixel was release after Apple Mac book with usb c. It's going to be used by everyone I can't wait for phones to pick it up. A lot better then the shit micro port
Brian Sullivan said…
Apple has Revolutionized the industry at least four times that I can think of starting with the Macintosh onto the iPod and the iPhone and then the iPad. Name one other company that's been able to do that. Most companies are lucky if they can come up with one revolutionary product in their lifetime.
You can release it and not have ot in production. Google has the pixel in the wild now apple has not!
Adam Mckeithan said…
Simon Holland I would say apple brings technology to the average customer. Something on one else has been able to do. Why we see products like android wear fail with its huge market share. 720k android wear units shipped last year. That's not sold but shipped. People talk down about apple all the time. Android wear has some good products but with almost zero marketing its been a flop. Now the apple watch will kill android wear sales. It's not because people are sheep or anything like that. It just apple targeting the right market and showing people a product.
Alen Bud said…
For me its not about inovating but making things work, so a laptop with no removable battery to save on space, charging each cell ratger than stacking them together and they last longer, so they are simply reinventing the wheel so to speak and alot of people like my self dont need the latest or greatest features, we want it done right no matter how behind everyone else they are...
Eric Preble said…
Being the first to do something isn't an accomplishment. Being the first to do something people actually can use is. Do your research, then troll.

Or you could spend your night do something more productive.
Simon Holland actually yes I do remember the world before the ipod. I remember the Sony walkman, and then the discman, and then the mp3 player that would actually double as a usb storage device, and then came the ipod. My little mp3 player might have had only 256 gig of storage but I didn't need any special software to make it work, no stupid iTunes, just click and drag. A top notch equaliser and only the size of a standard usb sick, that's 2 inches long.
Randy Chhun said…
Simon Holland yea scandisk mp3 player. Lol apple was just smart enough to give people a scroll menu where they can easily choose songs they would like, also creating playlist.
Randy Chhun said…
Phillip Buckingham now if only they still did that. I wouldn't have to carry my tablet with me everywhere lmao
Randy Chhun said…
Simon Holland yea but we know why they are able to do such a thing. People will eventually eat it up if you keep shoving it down their throats long enough.
Ben Sharpe said…
Keith Stansell Good response. I don't particularly like what Apple stands for, but the Apple ecosystem does streamline the consumer experience, but then it's a trade-off with freedom and choice. To be honest I don't think Apple 'innovate' a lot, but if they can get a massive round of applause when they introduced Bluetooth to the iPhone despite it already being mainstream on most other phones, then I think the best innovation is their marketing!
I think the only true innovation for the past few years must have been compressing ram in OS X
Dave Loft said…
Keith Stansell Dell was selling that 5K monitor before Apple released the iMac. Where do you think Apple got that display? They bought it along with all the other parts in the iMac that they bought and assembled.
Dave Loft said…
Adam Mckeithan​​​​​​ the Apple watch will sell because of Apples shear size, their supply chain, their retail strategy and their marketing.

That is what they do best in the industry. Their products always have premium space in third party retailers and they have their own stores to sell and support their products. Throw in a massive advertising push and they have an almost guaranteed win.

Also if they want a particular part they have the size to buy in massive bulk at a discount price, often buying all units produced of that part for a set period of time. That massive buying power over the last 10 years or so has allowed them to garner massive profits and to supply retail with more than enough units to sell in massive quantity.

Now I'm not saying the Apple Watch isn't a good product, but Apple could sell millions of a mediocre or even bad product because of these advantages.

There is no one that could compete with Apple. Even if Google had the perfect smart watch OS and Motorola built the most amazing smart watch, they would still have no chance outselling Apple.

Samsung is the only company with the size, marketing and verticality to come close at competing with Apple. But they lack in retail and produce a few good products (Note 4 and Galaxy S6), and a bunch of crappy low end devices diluting their brand and profit margin.

Oh and smartwatches are just early, I'm not concerned about 720K Android Wear watches. As more people get interested in smart watches, be it from seeing other people with them or advertising, even from compeititing products it will help drive all units. As it doesn't matter if the Apple Watch got your interest in smart watches. If you don't have an iPhone, you can't use it. So people will end up with Android Wear or Pebble. So no, Apple Watch can't kill Android Wear. They're not competing with one another.

Also "no one else brings technology to the people", than what is this thing on typing on then? That comment you made there makes no sense.
Dave Loft said…
Phillip Buckingham yeah the iPod was popular because so many people needed their hands held through the entire process. iTunes was the big reason the iPod sold and a big reason why I didn't use it.

I went from Walkman to Diskman to Mini-Diskman to a Rio Carbon to a Windows Mobile PDA to a Smartphone.
KingTvT said…
Apple "Innovates" few and far between in my opinion. Sure when it comes to hardware they set a unprecedented standard, but Apples "Innovations" IMO is watching the market to see what's going on, picking out something that works, or has potential to work and then perfecting it so it fits perfectly into their ecosystem. Look at how mainstream they've made NFC payments, yet Androids had it for years. They know how to sway the masses and there lies their power.
Capt. Diaz said…
Many things about Apples model are not innovative and don't really need to be to sell and be successful. Apple has done many good things along the way but their strong side has never been so much to be innovative but to do pretty good looking products that work very good and everyone knows that. Ppl love their products and that's another truth. I don't understand how to this date and age ppl continue to talk about whether they need to be innovative or not. Apple loves to be second but offer an arguably better product. Period.
Chas Rivers said…
I don't know if this has been mentioned earlier, but the motherboard designs by Apple are great. I'm not a huge apple fan but the way they can minimize the size of the board and allow computers to continually get smaller is great, plus the new macbook doesn't even have a fan which hopefully means the cooling system is efficient and the board itself, while powerful, runs cool all on its own.
Dave Loft said…
Chas Rivers that's a lot of work from manufactures who make the components smaller and more efficient. So I wouldnt thank Apple for that. Also with the new Macbook, its basically on the verge of using tablet components. The Intel Core M stradles the line between their laptop CPU line and their tablet SOC.
S John said…
Keith Stansell​ you make some vivid points but I will just tweak what you've said a little bit, it's not that Apple makes it better, they make it more appealing, they put rhinestones on a string and call it the "new, revolutionary, and improved studded necklace" adds people flock to it not looking at the fact that what they are paying a premium for has no real value, it just looks shinny and nice. I have heard this build quality argument for so long, if some is so all-new about build quality explain the C life of phone, what they are admitting to me is build quality isn't about materials used but More about the integration of the os and build of a device. Apple is a good company but they are far from best and definitely nut innovating much of anything.
Rob McCallum said…
Chas Rivers Well the no fan idea is rreallypossible because of the Intel processor that is NOT unique to the MacBook.  Personally i'd rather have a slow moving fan that you cant hear then take a performance hit.  Or risk lifetime of the processor.
S John said…

Addendum: my arguments are specifically about their mobile devices tablet, watch, phone. If you are an artist, I would recommend an Apple computer anytime but if you are a regular consumer it is the biggest waste of money, especially if all you do is check email and browse the net
Jason ON said…
Cordell Tirell, I think you nailed it on the head when you said: They know how to sway the masses and there lies their power.

I think it was on the original topic (the link above) where I said Apple's more of a marketing company than a technology company these days. Just like Google is an advertising company.
Keith Stansell said…
Dave Loft I think Dell announced the 5K display before Apple, but Apple was first to have one you could actually go out, buy and have sitting on your desk.  Credit should probably go to LG for manufacturing the panel.  But it was Apple that packaged it in a all-in-one that is set up and ready to go in a package that is not much bigger than a stand-alone monitor.  

Great if you want an extremely usable uncluttered no-fuss computer with a super sharp display for editing photos and workstation use.  Not for you if you are a hardcore gamer that builds your own desktop and purchases every graphics card revision the day it hits the shelf.  I found that over time, I prefer the uncluttered no-fuss route.
Adam Mckeithan said…
Dave Loft apple brings technology to people. That's the truth. Look at the smart phone market. Look at the music market or tablet market and soon smart watch market. None of the markets where "new" when apple made a step into them. They where ruled by products that only techie people where apart of. Hell less look at nfc payments. Very few normal people knew of google wallet or even if they phone they had could do it. Apple pay comes around. Apple makes it easy and simple that everyone can understand it. They market it and it used more in one month then google wallet in 3 years. This is bringing technology to the people. Not saying no other company doesn't bring the tech to people. But they don't teach people to use it like apple does.
Keith Stansell said…
Jason ON "Apple's more of a marketing company than a technology company"

But marketing can only take a company so far if their products don't meet the consumer's expectations.  Good product experiences = repeat buyers.  Product satisfaction does not always correlate to it being the latest and greatest technology.  Overall design, package and usability goes a long way toward happy customers and repeat business and product loyalty.   They are a technology company that specializes in product design.
Jason ON said…
I disagree, Keith Stansell. Marketing/PR is an entire industry of mind/emotion control. Take Coca-Cola, for example. They undoubtedly have the best marketing/branding on the planet and yet Coca-Cola is proven time and again to be bad for you. The movie industry is another example. They constantly market terrible movies as great, picking and choosing the parts of the story that appeal to people's minds and emotions only to turn out a crapfest of a film (see: Michael Bay or Star Wars prequels). Harley-Davidson is another example. Great branding and yet for decades they put out substandard motorcycles. They were selling an image over a product. In my opinion, that's exactly what Apple is doing. 

Now, Apple makes a product. We're all aware of that. They make a good product by all accounts. But do they make a product that's leaps and bounds ahead of, or better than, their competition? No. But their marketing would have you believe it.
Keith Stansell said…
So Jason ON I really don't really enjoy using my Apple devices, I just think I do because of marketing?
Peter Bouwhuis said…
Eh eh ...eh.....eh.....eh, sorry
Jason ON said…
Keith Stansell, that's not what I said at all. Marketing is what got you to buy the Apple in the first place and it's what keeps you coming back.

I already said, Apple makes a decent product, but is it better than its competition? Their marketing would have you believe that it is. Just look at the linked post above as an example: the Apple Watch does virtually nothing Android Wear doesn't already do and yet the Apple fanboys are saying it's a pinnacle of innovation.

How much enjoyment you have with a product is very subjective and can't be measured. Would you have just as much enjoyment with an Android and a Chromebook or a Lumia Phone and Windows 8.1? Who can know?

Chances are you locked yourself into the Apple ecosystem and won't even consider an alternate option. Which is fine. It merely means you've fallen hook, line and sinker for the Apple marketing/PR machine.
Adam Mckeithan said…
Jason ON suggest you go look at what Apple watch can do. It can do more then android wear right now. Not much but more.
Jason ON said…
Adam Mckeithan, I already admitted the Apple Watch has some features Android Wear doesn't.
Keith Stansell said…
Jason ON : "Apple makes a decent product, but is it better than its competition? Their marketing would have you believe that it is."

That is what marketing is supposed to do.  It would be bad marketing to come out and say "Hey, we also have a watch.  It might not be better than the competitor, but we think you should buy it."   No, they are going to say - "here' s our watch and we worked really hard on it and we think it is the best thing in the world!"  Sure, fanboys will pick up on that and get excited about it.

I don't think I understand the knee-jerk reaction against Apple products though.  It reminds me of the scene in Ferris Bueller's Day off when Jeannie is in the police station. She complains about Ferris getting away with ditching school and how everyone thinks he is so cool.  Charlie Sheen's character tell her : "Your problem is you.  Worry about yourself, not what your brother does."
Adam Mckeithan said…
Jason ON then less talk about the Eco system. Right now google and Apple fighting for us to be sheep of one of the fennec.

Apps don't cross over. You buy a app on iOS you don't get it free on android. So goes the other way around

Car system. Android car stuff does work with apple and apples don't work with google

Android wear/ apple watch. Neither work with other side

Home stuff. Is a mix bag but sure we see android and apple only devices here soon


In other words. We don't have freedom to switch from one side to the other any more due to Eco systems BOTH have put into place. We are all just sheep of one side with no freedom to explore other options. Unless we feel like buying shit ton of new stuff
Adria Brooklyn said…
I think the original iPhone innovative. Tim Cook even said "this is the smartphone that will change everything " or something along those lines.
Adam Mckeithan said…
Adria Brooklyn Steve jobs said that
Adria Brooklyn said…
Adam Mckeithan​ Sorry. I forgot his name.
Greg Ybañez said…
+Adam Mckeithan

Android wear/ apple watch. Neither work with other side.

That may change soon.

http://www.macrumors.com/2015/03/03/android-wear-app-iphone-ipad/
David Patrie said…
Amazing. There is the usual "mine is better than yours" mentality, the "apple can't innovate anymore" troll food, the "they've always stolen ideas" and even the "it can't match the features of my xxx" arguments.

I will touch on the one thing which may be the single most important thing I heard in the last keynote: Apple has introduced "Research Kit" which will make truly important strides in the field of medical research. They are leveraging their incredible numbers of units in the wild to help the medical community gather the one thing they could never get enough of previously: live, active and accurate data on a massive scale.

This data can and, let me be so bold as to say, will change the pace of medical research by including so many more people than was ever possible before.

Can google do the same with Android?

Sure they can and they damned well should. This is so important that Apple has removed the possibility of a "mine is bigger than yours" battle simply by making it open source.

That, friends, is innovation just so you can recognize it when you next see it. That is leveraging your consistent platform and huge up-to-date user base to do something which will help to improve ALL of our lives.

Or would you prefer not to benefit because it was an Apple Innovation?

You can put your dicks away now and start thinking about what you, personally, will contribute to our people as a whole before you expire. What will your legacy be?

Please don't let your epitaph read, "... (S)he was only good at feeding the flame on the Internet"
Greg Ybañez said…
David Patrie​​ That's good that Apple is doing it's part for the betterment of man kind. Google is doing the same thing with their future projects.

http://www.cio.com/article/2401997/internet/google-future-tech--10-coolest-google-r-d-projects.html#slide1

Looking to the Future

Google's side projects tend to have a forward focus. The company pours resources into researching everything from space elevators to robots--and, of course, pinpointing what all of us will be doing or using in the future. Let's take a look at ten items that Google is putting resources into developing.

Home Automation

For years we've been hearing about a refrigerator that orders milk for you when you're running low, but Google wants to expand the idea to the entire home. Its Android @Home platform already has connected light bulbs, coffee pots, and more in the works. On top of that, Google has its eye on moving beyond the home, to a much broader "Internet of Things." At the company's most recent developer conference, it rolled out its open accessory development kit for Android, inviting makers everywhere to get busy connecting anything from small gadgets to big machines.

Robots

Google is reportedly running a secret division dubbed "Google X," which includes a lab in an undisclosed location where robots rule the roost, according to the New York Times. There's no evidence of an army of T-1000s being built somewhere underground in Silicon Valley, however. Apparently Google is trying to build bots to perform all sorts of mundane tasks around the home and office (such as making coffee or copies), which will give humans greater flexibility to work remotely and focus on higher-level duties.

Driverless Cars

At Google, cars aren't just a means of transportation--they're also an engineering problem to be solved with piles of data and cash. It just makes sense that the company that provides directions and street-level data for all locations should make the cars to take you to them as well. The New York Times reports that part of Google's plan could be to show passengers location-based ads for the businesses the self-driving cars whiz past.

Space elevators

Believe it or not, Google is just one of a number of organizations and individuals interested in setting up the infrastructure to leave Earth's atmosphere without the use of rocket propulsion. Space elevators are reportedly another project on the Google X agenda (see previous slide). The idea is to run a ribbon from Earth to a counterweight in orbit that allows easy access to space for all kinds of scientific experimentation and other ventures. Many people believe that we could have such lifts operational in less than a decade.

Clean Energy

Developing renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, and geothermal power is one of the main goals of Google's nonprofit arm, Google.org. The project concentrates on solar-powered turbine engines to create electricity, as well as on low-cost heliostats, which are mirrors that track the sun and concentrate solar energy. Google also supports efforts to map the world's potentialgeothermal energy sources. The goal is to create renewable sources that are cheaper than burning coal, which currently generates most of the power in the United States.


New Drugs

Google is interested in investing in new ways to fight disease. Its investment portfolio includes a stake in Adimab, which uses a novel approach involving yeast cells to speed up the discovery of new antibodies. Another Google company,iPierian, uses a technique called "cellular reprogramming" to create new drugs that attack diseases by modifying them.


Climate Change Insurance

Greg Ybañez said…
A number of Google's investments in companies through its Google Ventures wing also have an eye toward the future. One of the companies in the portfolio is The Climate Corporation, which sells weather insurance for farmers to protect their businesses from increasingly unpredictable conditions and extreme weather.


Smart Thermostats

A Google future seems to involve making everything smarter, from drugs to cars and even home thermostats. This idea is one of the driving forces behind NEST, the sci-fi climate-control system that learns the best way to keep your home comfortable--while also saving on energy bills. NEST has already rolled out to some customers, and a waiting list has formed for the next batch.


Cancer Treatment

Fighting cancer fits perfectly with the do-good theme present in many of Google's investments. Google Ventures put some money intoFoundation Medicine, which combines genomic and molecular data to create a new approach to cancer care. Perhaps curing cancer is just another engineering problem.


Predicting the Future

Google is so committed to the future, it should come as no surprise that the company is even interested in predicting it. Another Google investment is in Recorded Future, a company that seeks to parse the universe of information available online for clues about what's to come.







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I'm shutting down Google+ for the night and quite possibly for the weekend.