Google Mobile event to be held Thursday, Android video calling to debut?

_Jimlad_

_Jimlad_

_Jimlad_

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The Google Mobile team today sent out invites to a select number of media outlets inviting them to attend a special Google Mobile event at the company's San Francisco offices on Thursday.

The invite, which promises the “unveiling [of] a couple of cool new mobile features,” was sent out earlier this morning to select media outlets via email, and provides little information about what will be revealed on Thursday.

While it's unclear exactly what the Mobile team will announce at the meeting, All Things D writer Kara Swisher is speculating that Google mobile product management director Hugo Barra's demonstration to the media could include video calling support, which would rival Apple's entry into the world of video calling for the iPhone, FaceTime.

Native support for video calling is not yet present on Android devices -- although several applications can be downloaded from the Android Marketplace that support video conversations. So it's a plausible thought that Google is keen to add support for video calling as soon as possible to avoid losing ground to Apple, whose FaceTime voice calling application has seen rave reviews for it's simplicity and ease of use.

Swisher also throws out the possibility that Google could release it's own Android-based version of Apple's 'Find my iPhone' app which allows iPhone users to track their devices and wipe or display messages on the device if lost.

http://www.neowin.net/news/google-mobile-event-to-be-held-thursday-android-video-calling-to-debut
 
no im not fussed with it either, its a more an American thing i feel, they hardly text compared to us, they call each other, brits don't as much :D

anyway not fussed about that, i hope they have some more features for us android boys
 
Google has announced a new voice recognition application and an app which allows users to send content with one click to phones running Android 2.2 -- both of which are available for download now -- at a press event in San Francisco earlier today.

The voice recognition app, dubbed 'Voice Actions' by Google and available for download now, allows users to speak actions into their Android smartphone and even dictate messages and emails simply by speaking. While many other devices, including the popular iPhone (although commands supported leave much to be desired), offer voice recognition features, Voice Actions has perhaps the most comprehensive offerings, with current actions available including:

* send text to [contact] [message]
* listen to [artist/song/album]
* call [business]
* call [contact]
* send email to [contact] [message]
* go to [website]
* note to self [note]
* navigate to [location/business name]
* directions to [location/business name]
* map of [location]

All voice proccessing is done on Google's servers rather than the phone, with the upcoming Motorola Droid 2 to become the first phone to have the application pre-installed when it ships. Those with a Nexus One device that has been updated to Android 2.2 can download the application from the Android Marketplace now, although support is limited to US English for the moment. Google says more languages will be available "soon".

The Chrome to Phone extension meanwhile allows users who browse the web using Google's own web browser, Chrome, to with just one click send the current web page they are on, a map, YouTube video, or even selected phone number or text over-the-air to their Android phone - which must be running the latest version of Android, 2.2 (or code-named Froyo).

Earlier speculation that Google may have announced better support for video calling for Android, to rival Apple's FaceTime application, proved false, with the search giant choosing to reserve any such announcements for a later date - perhaps October, when Android 3.0 is widely expected to be unveiled.
 
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