April 2017 Summaries

Google I/O 2017, scheduled for May 17-19, offers a prime opportunity to explore Google's latest product and platform innovations, including app development for Google Assistant and features in Android O. The event will commence with a Google Keynote at 10 AM PDT, followed by a Developer Keynote at 1 PM PDT, and features over 150 technical sessions that will be livestreamed, allowing both in-person and remote attendees to engage. Attendees can plan their schedules in advance, participate in Codelabs for hands-on tutorials, and benefit from increased office hours for direct interaction with Google staff. The event organizers have made improvements based on previous feedback, such as larger venue tents and a reservation system for session seating, to enhance the attendee experience. Additional updates and information can be accessed through the Google I/O website and the #io17 hashtag.

In April 2017, Google introduced the developer preview of the Google Assistant SDK, allowing developers to create hardware prototypes that incorporate the Google Assistant, such as voice-enabled smart devices. The SDK includes a gRPC API, an open-source Python client for authentication, and various samples and documentation to facilitate development. Ideal for prototyping on platforms like Raspberry Pi, it supports capturing spoken queries and receiving audio responses from the Google Assistant. Google encourages developers interested in commercial products to reach out and join the developer community on Google+ and stackoverflow for updates and support. The announcement highlights an example implementation by Deeplocal, an innovation studio, which built a mocktails mixer using the SDK.

Field masks in Google APIs can significantly optimize update requests by controlling which fields are updated in API calls, functioning similarly to bitmasks. This feature is particularly useful in scenarios involving Google Sheets and Slides APIs, as it allows developers to specify which attributes should be altered, such as making text bold, while leaving other attributes unchanged. The use of field masks requires two components: the request data, which specifies the desired changes, and the field mask itself, which indicates the fields to be updated. This dual approach not only makes the update process more efficient but also enables developers to reset or undo previous settings for a specific range of cells. For more detailed examples and guidelines on using field masks, additional resources and videos are available, including comprehensive documentation within the Google Slides API guide.

Material Design has introduced new tools designed to enhance creativity and accessibility in color palette creation, as announced by Rachel Been, Creative Lead of Material Design. These tools allow users to generate and share color schemes, including variations in lightness and darkness, and evaluate text legibility based on Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. Additionally, users can preview these color schemes across various Material Design components using editable HTML, CSS, and JavaScript in Codepen, facilitating a more engaging user experience. This update aims to support designers in improving communication and productivity through better color application, encouraging them to interact with the Material Design community via their new Twitter account and website for the latest updates and inspiration.

Field masks in Google APIs offer a way to improve application performance by filtering the data returned in API responses, ensuring that only the necessary fields are retrieved. This technique is applicable across various Google services, such as Gmail and Google Cloud Platform APIs, where specifying a field mask using parameters like fields or part can reduce the volume of data processed and returned. For example, when using the Gmail API to manage sender addresses, a field mask can be employed to selectively obtain only the essential fields, such as sendAsEmail and the isPrimary flag, thus optimizing the API response. The use of field masks not only streamlines data retrieval but also enhances the efficiency of applications by minimizing unnecessary data handling. An upcoming video series will further explore the use of field masks in update API calls and provide additional insights and tips on leveraging this feature in both read and update scenarios.

Santa Tracker, a beloved Google holiday tradition, has been open-sourced with updated Web and Android versions showcasing the latest technologies like Firebase and Polymer. Released on April 5, 2017, the apps offer engaging and educational experiences, including new features such as a Progressive Web App (PWA) for offline capabilities and efficient resource management to minimize startup costs and download sizes. The Web version employs a Service Worker to save bandwidth, while the Android version benefits from reduced APK size, improved performance on memory-constrained devices, and support for various architectures. Both versions incorporate features like the Web Share API and Chromecast support for enhanced user interaction. The Santa Tracker also introduces new educational games, such as "Code a Snowflake," and utilizes Firebase for analytics and user engagement. Enthusiasts can explore the source code on GitHub, offering detailed build instructions for developers interested in creating their own magical experiences.

Beginning April 5, 2017, Google implemented updates to the consent process for G Suite users interacting with third-party applications and Single Sign-On (SSO) providers to enhance data security and transparency. These changes require application developers and third-party SSO providers to present users with clear information about account authentication and permissions being granted, with a particular focus on distinguishing non-standard permissions through a secondary consent screen. The updates apply to Google and third-party apps on iOS, mobile browsers on iOS and Android, and web browsers like Chrome and Firefox, though Android apps using standard authentication libraries remain unaffected. Users will experience redirects to ensure they are signing in with the correct accounts, and developers are encouraged to use parameters like "hd" and "login_hint" to specify domain names and assist in the authentication process. These measures aim to provide users with greater visibility over permission requests and facilitate easier contact with application developers, thereby improving the overall security and clarity of user interactions with third-party services.

Noto Serif CJK, a collaborative effort between Google and Adobe, introduces a serif-style font that supports Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Japanese, and Korean scripts, complementing the previously released Noto Sans CJK. This font caters to a traditional aesthetic with comprehensive character coverage, including full support for CJK ideographs and additional symbols across various Unicode planes. It respects regional writing conventions by providing subtle variations in glyphs for different languages and offers seven weights, compatible with Google's Material Design standard fonts. The font supports vertical text layout, adhering to Unicode standards, and is designed with input from leading East Asian type foundries. Noto Serif CJK is open source, available under the SIL Open Font License, and is free for users, developers, and OEMs to incorporate into their applications and devices, with the font package accessible for download from multiple platforms.

Google has introduced the Mobile Sites certification for web developers, acknowledging the increasing importance of mobile web performance as mobile traffic surpasses desktop usage. This certification, launched by Chris Hohorst, Head of Mobile Sites Transformation, aims to address the issue of long mobile page load times, which often exceed the three-second threshold that prompts 53% of users to abandon a site. The certification requires proficiency in mobile site design, user experience, speed optimization, and advanced web technologies, with a study guide provided for preparation. Successfully passing the exam, which is available globally in English and valid for 12 months, allows developers to be recognized as experts in mobile optimization, enhancing their visibility and attractiveness to potential clients through a display on their Google Partners profile and shareability on social media platforms.