This morning at the Google I/O developer conference, Google announced a number of initiatives that look to increase the connection between its Android devices and the objects in the world around us. ReadWriteWeb’s Audrey Watters took a look at how Google’s Open Accessory initiative will bring Android-controlled robots to the world in the near future and allow developers to create apps that connect Android phones and tablets to the devices around them.
While the Accessory Development Kit has just hit the open Web today, some companies have already been hard at work connecting Android devices to the real world. Take a look inside at the treadmill that takes you into Google Maps.
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Nordic Track was on hand today at Google I/O showing off its NordicTrack Elite 9500 Pro, which has an attached Android tablet and connects to a television for a larger view. Using the Google Maps API, the treadmill allows users to plot a route anywhere in the world.
The app takes into account the terrain on the map and will change the incline of the treadmill accordingly. All a user needs to do is draw a route on the embedded tablet and they can walk that route.
Don’t get me started on a rant about going out in the world and breathing the fresh air yourself. I guess this lets you virtually explore the world around you from the comforts of your treadmill-laden home, yes?
Here’s hoping that the Android-device integration goes far beyond Google Maps and treadmills and somehow promotes all you house-bound geeks to get out of your house and into the world.
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