FITZ: We're back.
And we're here to talk about the history of I/O with some
people who have been to a number of Google I/Os.
BEN: And I know that you and I, Fitz, have been to every
single Google I/O. So we've watched it
evolve over the years.
We're going to talk to some people who have also been here
from early days, and get their opinions on how I/O has
changed over time.
FITZ: Absolutely.
So, hi.
What's your name?
KEVIN NILSON: Yeah, I'm Kevin Nilson.
I'm the VP of Engineering at just.me.
And just.me is a start up in the mobile social space that's
inside of Google Startup Labs funded by Google Ventures and
many others.
And one of the other things that I do is I'm the leader
the Silicon Valley Google Developer Group.
FITZ: So our viewers here have seen you quite a bit in the
countdown to I/O lately.
Tell us a little more about that.
KEVIN NILSON: Yeah, there was a nice blog series with a lot
of us that kind of highlighted some of our past experiences,
because we've got experiences in a lot of I/Os, and kind of
what we were excited about coming in to I/O. And I think
it's going to be a really great event so far.
BEN: So this is the fifth Google I/O. And you were here
for the very first.
Can you tell us what brought you in to begin with and what
that experience was like--
FITZ: What was it like, yeah?
BEN: --back in 2008?
KEVIN NILSON: So I've always really been inspired by Google
and what they do.
And I think I/O is a really great thing.
Starting from the early days and watching it grow to what
it's become today--
there's an interesting quote from Tor on the Android
Eclipse team.
And what he said is that I/O today is a lot like JavaOne in
the glory days.
And a lot of great announcements, new releases,
new things that we're all excited
about are being launched.
And I really feel that momentum, being a long time a
veteran of JavaOne and seeing this grow to what that wishes
it could be.
FITZ: Well, you worked with a ton of different Google
technologies.
Tell us a little bit about some of the technologies you
worked with when you were coming to the first I/O.
KEVIN NILSON: So when I first started with I/O, I was very
excited about Google Maps.
There was a lot of great things with Maps.
I think a lot of Web 2.0 was defined by Maps and what was
done in Google Maps.
And then, as things progressed, I started doing
more HTML5 and working with Chrome.
And those topics were very interesting.
And then today, I spent--
I think almost every session I've been to, maybe every
session I've been to, has been Android related.
So I think the timeliness of all the
sessions at Google I/O--
and now, I imagine next year, and maybe the rest of this
I/O, I'll be attending a lot of the cloud computing topics
that are out there.
BEN: I was going to say, so what are you hoping to see
more of next year at I/O?
What are you looking forward to?
KEVIN NILSON: It's hard to say what I'll be
doing a year from now.
But I know today I think the Jelly Bean
stuff is really exciting.
Kind of one of the things that was just amazing for me was
some of the stuff that they launched around the ability to
inject things into the back stack, often notifications.
And that's something that I spent the last month on and
off whiteboarding a solution on how I thought
I could solve that.
And then here, that's been rolled right into the API,
because I guess others have been having the
same problems as me.
And I'm excited to go back and just utilize what I learned.
BEN: That's fantastic.
Wow.
FITZ: So we've started off with the first year that
there's been some great giveaways, some interesting
pieces of hardware.
Have you gotten your bag of awesome hardware?
What are you excited about with that?
KEVIN NILSON: Yeah, there's a lot of neat things.
So the Galaxy Nexus is really great.
So I actually got a few months ago.
I ordered it out of Europe.
It's extremely fast.
I love that.
And then, last night I was actually up until 2:30 in the
morning taking our app at just.me and trying to run it
on the Nexus 7.
And it was kind of great to see that fully enriched, kind
of larger, seven-inch display and what it can
bring for the future.
BEN: Do you have any plans to be a tester for Google Glass?
KEVIN NILSON: Well, I haven't ordered one yet.
But I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
Maybe I'll get one some day.
But all the great giveaways--
what, for me, about the Nexus 7 that was really cool was
that it actually fits in my pocket.
I'm not sure that it fits in everyone's pocket.
But it's a tablet that is small enough
to fit in my pocket.
BEN: Very convenient.
FITZ: We've been here every year.
It feels to me like the energy this year is
just off the charts.
Can you talk a little bit about some of the things that
have changed and how you've seen I/O
evolve over the years?
KEVIN NILSON: Yeah, I think they've done a great job to
integrate all the partners.
And you go out into the demo grounds, and there's so many
great things that people are doing, innovative things on
top of Google technology.
And I think that's something that's probably where I've
seen the most change from the early I/Os.
There were virtually no booths, nothing going on.
You could just see the sessions.
And that was all.
And then, over time, there's been more and more.
And today, it's almost no Google
things out in that area.
So it's more the partners.
BEN: It's exciting to see the ecosystem evolve, isn't it?
KEVIN NILSON: Absolutely.
BEN: It really is.
Great.
Well, thank you for chatting with us here.
I think it's great to have you here all these years.
And--
FITZ: Maybe we can talk to you more next year at I/O '13.
KEVIN NILSON: I'm very excited about Google I/O 2013.
FITZ: Thanks a lot, Kevin.
BEN: Thank you.
Hello again.
We've got another I/O attendee here who's been
coming for a few years.
And what's your name?
WILL SMIDLEIN: Will Smidlein.
BEN: OK.
And Will, this is your second, third, or something?
WILL SMIDLEIN: Third, yeah.
I started coming in 2010.
BEN: That's fantastic.
And how did you get into programming to begin with?
WILL SMIDLEIN: When I was really little, I was
exploring the web.
And I wanted to know how websites worked.
So I went to the library and grabbed a book on it and
figured it out.
And then after a little bit of that, I decided to make them
functional, dynamic.
And so I started learning languages like that.
And I saw I/O--
BEN: So, wait.
Way back there you said library.
Is that like Wikipedia?
Is that some new thing?
WILL SMIDLEIN: At some point in time, I
think there was books.
I don't know.
BEN: Made of trees?
That's crazy.
No.
So, you actually taught yourself programming languages
on your own?
WILL SMIDLEIN: Yep.
Yeah, I've always taught myself programming and every
new language I learn.
FITZ: So we couldn't help but notice your name tag, which
you're not wearing at the moment, said something that no
one else's name tags here says.
Can you tell me what it says?
WILL SMIDLEIN: It says, youngest developer at I/O.
FITZ: Youngest developer at I/O. And
exactly how old are you?
WILL SMIDLEIN: I'm 15.
FITZ: So when you first came here, you were?
WILL SMIDLEIN: 13--
12?
BEN: 12.
FITZ: So that's pretty incredible.
What kind of advice would you have for other people who are
12, 13, 14, 15 for coming to I/O, or getting involved in
programming, or anything like that?
WILL SMIDLEIN: Just start programming.
I mean, do it fun.
Don't worry about making a product or making a name for
yourself or anything.
I mean, you don't really have to worry about it
until you're older.
So just learn while you can.
I mean, that's why I'm here.
I'm here to learn.
FITZ: So follow what you're interested in?
WILL SMIDLEIN: Exactly.
FITZ: You came to the first I/O, second-- well, not the
first I/O, but your first I/O. Tell me a little bit about
what that felt like, your first time here.
WILL SMIDLEIN: Well, it was pretty incredible, because the
I/O staff made a specific exception to let me come as
long as I brought my dad along.
And I just sat in awe at the first keynote as they
announced all these things that I was used
to reading on blogs.
And I was right there.
And it's always amazing to me what they come up with next
year and next year and the year after that.
And it's pretty crazy.
BEN: Now, do you have any friends that you do
programming with?
Is it purely a solo activity right now?
WILL SMIDLEIN: No.
I mean, one of the main reasons I come to I/O is to
meet up with all the people from GitHub, and IRC, and
Twitter, and put faces with the names beyond Twitter
profile pictures, and just interact with people.
BEN: Yeah, it's great to see people in real life.
I've found the same at conferences.
It's a big deal.
At this year's conference, are there particular areas that
you've been listening in on or learning from?
WILL SMIDLEIN: I'm really excited about the stuff that
Google is doing with the cloud, cloud computing, all
those cores.
This morning, for the demo, that was pretty crazy.
So I'm interested to see how that's going to work out for
development purposes.
BEN: Do you have any ideas on what to do with all those
cores, crazy ideas?
WILL SMIDLEIN: Calculate all of pi.
BEN: All of it.
WILL SMIDLEIN: All of it.
BEN: That's going to take a little while.
FITZ: A lot of our viewers out there will know that they've
seen you on the countdown to I/O. So you were involved in
some of that stuff.
Tell me a little more about your countdown to I/O.
WILL SMIDLEIN: So before I/O, I got a nice little email
saying, hey, do you want to be part of this?
And I said, sure.
I kind of want to give an intro, and get other
developers excited for I/O. Because it is exciting.
FITZ: What are some of the most exciting things this
year, other than, of course, people jumping out of blimps
with Glass on their face?
WILL SMIDLEIN: Like I said, the cloud computing, the
Google Glass.
You know, actually being able to pre-register for that is
pretty cool.
FITZ: Now, did you pre-register for that?
WILL SMIDLEIN: Well, of course.
FITZ: Do you have a credit card?
WILL SMIDLEIN: Maybe.
FITZ: OK.
All right.
WILL SMIDLEIN: And then the Android, the Ice Cream
Sandwich, really cool the speed that's coming with that.
FITZ: Jelly Bean?
WILL SMIDLEIN: Right, right.
I just said Ice Cream Sandwich.
Some of the web stuff, the demos today, just basically
everything.
FITZ: So it sounds like you've really absorbed all the
conference.
You've got all the sessions.
You've got people you're meeting up with.
WILL SMIDLEIN: Yeah.
That's why I come.
BEN: Do you have any advice for other folks your age, I
guess, who want to get involved in programming,
specific to this conference or come to this conference?
Have you thought about inviting other folks?
WILL SMIDLEIN: Yeah, I mean, just start learning.
Pick a language.
Get really good at it.
Start making stuff with it.
And if you open source it, show people you can code.
And people will take interest.
It's a very natural progression.
BEN: I like that advice.
We're big open source guys ourselves.
And so that's a great way to get started.
We always talk about how it's sort of the internship that
you get for free if you participate in open source.
FITZ: When you're on the internet programming, no one
knows that you're 14 years old.
BEN: Or a dog.
FITZ: Or a dog.
All right.
Thanks a lot, Will, for coming to talk to us.
BEN: Great to meet you.
FITZ: We hope to see you there next year.
WILL SMIDLEIN: OK.
Good.
FITZ: Take it easy.
Bye-bye.
OK, now we're here with another Google Ion.
That is someone who has attended all five Google I/Os.
And what's your name?
VINCENT NGUYEN: I'm Vincent Nguyen, editor-in-chief of
SlashGear and Android Community.
FITZ: Tell everybody about
SlashGear and Android Community.
VINCENT NGUYEN: SlashGear is more of a tech site,
everything, review, news.
Android Community is 24/7 Android.
So it started a little bit before the
first Google I/O, obviously.
I remember when it was the first event.
And people just walked in.
There was no queue.
And it was kind of cool.
Nowadays, you know, you've got a queue of like six bazillion
people wrapped around the building.
It's changed so much.
BEN: That's true.
And in 2008, Android was pretty new, right?
And so your community was new.
VINCENT NGUYEN: [INAUDIBLE]
BEN: Yeah, it was barely there, right?
So--
VINCENT NGUYEN: Exactly.
But we were there.
We were one of the first on the internet writing about
Android, covering the news.
And it was kind of cool to be a part--
to take part in history--
taking a part of something that was really big.
And obviously now, with a bazillion of these Androids
floating around-- and the whole Jelly Bean is kind of
cool, because different colors, different version of
Android, different devices, tablet, phones, and whatnot.
So--
BEN: So you've really gotten to watch Android evolve over
the years, not just in the products, but
at the show as well.
VINCENT NGUYEN: Not just watch but actively participating in
reviewing the different products that's available
today, whether it's a tablet, phone.
We've seen it grow into Q, right?
I mean, it's such a cool product that was just
announced yesterday.
FITZ: So what are some of the great things you've seen this
year at I/O that have really gotten you excited?
VINCENT NGUYEN: Well, first of all, a bunch of dudes jumping
out of an airplane wearing Glasses.
And we saw it live.
I mean, that's not something we expected.
FITZ: I've got to say, I didn't expect that either.
VINCENT NGUYEN: Yeah, we didn't either.
Next year, I think the only thing to top it would be like
a big pair of Glasses on a self driving car.
FITZ: The car will drive itself here.
VINCENT NGUYEN: Exactly, on stage.
BEN: Can it navigate its way down maybe on to the building
if we put a glider on it.
It could be good.
VINCENT NGUYEN: That would be cool.
I would definitely expect that.
FITZ: We can't do any pre-announcements for 2013.
But we'll definitely put that in the suggestion box.
VINCENT NGUYEN: Appreciate it.
BEN: So are you an Android developer yourself?
VINCENT NGUYEN: OK, when it comes to code, the farther you
want me away from it is probably best, because I start
breaking stuff.
If it's not broken, you have me in there, I'll start
breaking it.
That's why I have a good team to do all that stuff.
BEN: You sound like a great QA person, actually.
VINCENT NGUYEN: Yes, yes.
I do the testing.
I do the review.
I love to just get in there and tear things up, and
try to break it.
But as long as I don't have to fix it, I'm good.
FITZ: So what kind of terrible things have you done to the
awesome Nexus seven-inch tablet that you got?
VINCENT NGUYEN: Awesome, well--
BEN: It's only been a day.
VINCENT NGUYEN: It's only been a day.
FITZ: Have you broken it?
Be honest.
VINCENT NGUYEN: No, I haven't broken it.
It's a really good device.
The price is awesome.
It's fast.
And it's just really nice and comfortable to
hold in your hand.
I don't recommend breaking it.
It's such a good device.
It's a shame.
FITZ: I totally agree with you.
I can't wait to try out mine.
BEN: Do you have plans to use your Q at home?
Or are you just going to dissect it?
VINCENT NGUYEN: Well, I do have plans to use it.
In terms of how long--
because products cycle through every couple days for me.
I mean, I'm hoping it's one device that I'm going to have
around for a long period of time.
And especially with the ecosystem I have in my house,
I've got Apple.
I've got Android.
I've got to bounce back and forth between the two.
So it gets kind of hairy.
FITZ: So you were also on the countdown to Android--
I mean to count down to Google I/O. Well, you were the count
down to Android, back in the day, I suppose.
Tell us a little bit about that.
VINCENT NGUYEN: It was kind of cool.
I mean, it was great to be a part of it and to be here.
FITZ: Is it cool to have been a part of something since day
one and all here five years later and
see where we're going?
VINCENT NGUYEN: Absolutely.
I mean, I wouldn't change a thing.
I mean, to be here five years later, to see Android where it
is today and--
like I say, it's not just being a part of--
like a historian, if you will, we're recording
the history of Android.
But we're actively participating in its growth.
And so, that's where we take our pride.
BEN: Have you gotten to connect to other people in
your community, people who read your site?
Have you met any of them here or any of the folks?
VINCENT NGUYEN: Funny you should bring that up.
I mean, that's a neat thing, because a lot of the times we
work with these developers--
reviewing their apps and whatnot.
But to be here, and connecting with them, and meeting them in
person, saying, hi.
You know, we've sent a bazillion
emails back and forth.
It's great to see you in person.
And that's when you really connect with not just the app,
which is the medium, but the people behind all the hard
work that goes into these great apps.
BEN: I imagine there's a lot opportunities there that come
out of that.
FITZ: That echoes a lot of what we heard from our other
guests, which is that it's not only an opportunity for great
sessions, for great hardware, but for great connections with
other developers.
BEN: What we call the hallway track--
FITZ: The hallway track, exactly.
BEN: Perhaps the most important part of any
conference.
FITZ: Yep.
Well, Ben, I think that about wraps it up for the live
segment of Google I/O 2012.
BEN: Absolutely.
And all of these talks and key notes will be available on
developers.google.com/io.
FITZ: Correct.
BEN: And you'll be able to watch them all there.
FITZ: And we hope we'll see you guys all back
right here in 2013.
Thanks.
BEN: Thank you.
FITZ: Bye.