July 2018 Summaries

Google's redesigned Actions console offers developers a streamlined experience for creating and managing Actions, enhancing workflows from onboarding to deployment, with features that include customized analytics for post-launch management. The console allows developers to optimize Actions for various devices, improve discoverability with built-in intents, and increase traffic using Action Links. Developers can ensure high-quality Actions by testing them with a web simulator and deploying them in alpha and beta environments, which bypass the review process for faster user testing. Additionally, the console provides comprehensive analytics to measure the success of Actions, offering insights into user engagement and performance that can inform further improvements.

Smart Displays, a new category of devices featuring Google Assistant, have been released in major US retailers, offering a blend of voice and visual interaction to enhance user experience. These devices allow developers to create Actions that combine natural conversation with immersive visuals, thereby improving the communication of complex information and brand representation. Developers can now use rich responses with visual elements such as basic cards, lists, tables, carousels, and suggestion chips, along with custom themes to design visually engaging and efficient interactions. Existing voice-centric Actions for Google Assistant are compatible with Smart Displays, but incorporating rich responses is recommended to enhance user engagement. Resources and tools are available for developers to customize and test their Actions, and a community program offers incentives like Google Cloud credits and merchandise.

Google has introduced two new devices, the AIY Edge TPU Dev Board and the AIY Edge TPU Accelerator, aimed at enabling professional engineers to develop products with on-device machine learning capabilities. These devices are powered by Google's Edge TPU, a purpose-built ASIC chip designed to efficiently run TensorFlow Lite models. The Edge TPU offers significant advantages in terms of performance-per-watt and performance-per-dollar, allowing for high-performance machine learning inferencing directly on devices, which enhances privacy, reduces latency, and lowers power consumption. The AIY Edge TPU Dev Board is a comprehensive development board with peripheral connections for prototyping, while the AIY Edge TPU Accelerator is a compact, USB-C compatible coprocessor for existing systems. These products are intended to expand the AIY platform and foster experimentation with on-device machine learning across various applications, including manufacturing, retail, and automotive sectors. Both devices are slated for online availability in the US this fall, with plans for international distribution.

Dialogflow announced several new beta features at Google Cloud Next '18 to enhance customer support capabilities through the Google Assistant. These features include Knowledge Connectors, which streamline the creation of conversational Actions by automatically curating responses from content-heavy sources like FAQs, saving developers time. The Automatic Spelling Correction feature improves user interaction by rectifying spelling errors in user inputs, thereby enhancing intent and entity matching using technology similar to Google Search. Additionally, the Phone Gateway integration allows Actions to function as virtual phone agents, simplifying the implementation of phone applications without the need for multiple services. These features are available for free to Standard Edition agents, with options for enterprise-level needs.

Google Cloud Next '18, held in July 2018, featured over 500 sessions focused on various aspects of cloud computing, including G Suite and Google Cloud Platform (GCP). Key sessions highlighted opportunities for developers to build custom solutions using G Suite's intelligent productivity apps, which are designed to be secure, smart, and easy to use. Attendees had the chance to explore technical overviews and detailed bootcamps on Google Apps Script, G Suite REST APIs, and App Maker, a low-code development environment for creating custom business applications. Additional sessions covered the integration of G Suite with GCP for building serverless applications, enhancing the Google Apps Script developer experience, and developing enterprise workflows with App Maker. Other notable sessions included discussions on Gmail Add-ons and the growing interoperability of Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides in the enterprise. The event also offered networking opportunities such as "Meet the Experts" office hours and various meetups, fostering collaboration and inspiration among developers.

DevFest 2018, organized by Google Developers, is the largest annual event series for the Google Developer Groups (GDG) program, taking place from August to November 2018. Hundreds of GDG chapters globally will host these events, which often span all-day or multiple days, featuring numerous speakers and workshops that showcase a variety of Google developer products. Designed to cater to developers of all experience levels as well as those curious about the tech community, DevFest 2018 promises exciting opportunities for learning and networking. Participants are encouraged to find and attend a local event, with more information available on the DevFest site.