The 5 coolest things I tried at Google I/O 2025

Google I/O is the corporate’s largest occasion of the 12 months. Even the launch of the Pixel 10 collection later in 2025 gained’t evaluate in dimension and scope to I/O. This week, I used to be fortunate sufficient to attend I/O on the steps of Google’s Mountain View headquarters, and it was a complete blast.

Sadly, individuals who watch the keynote livestream at house don’t get to expertise what occurs after Sundar Pichai exits the stage. That’s once I/O will get extremely enjoyable, as a result of you’ll be able to wander across the grounds and truly check out lots of the upcoming tech and providers Googlers simply gushed about throughout the principle occasion.

Right here, I need to inform you in regards to the 5 coolest issues I used to be fortunate sufficient to attempt! It’s not the identical as being there, nevertheless it must do for now.

At Google I/O 2024, we first noticed hints of a brand new set of AR glasses. Based mostly round one thing known as Mission Astra, the glasses appeared like the fashionable evolution of Google Glass, the doomed good glasses the corporate tried to launch over 10 years in the past. All we noticed through the 2024 demo, although, was a pre-recorded first-person-view clip of a prototype of those glasses doing cool issues round an workplace, akin to figuring out objects, remembering the place an object as soon as was, and extrapolating advanced concepts from easy drawings. Later that 12 months, we came upon that these glasses run on one thing known as Android XR, and we truly received to see the wearable prototype in promotional movies provided by Google.

This week, Google not solely confirmed off the glasses in real-world on-stage demos, however even gave I/O attendees the prospect to attempt them on. I used to be capable of demo them, and I gotta say: I’m impressed.

First, practically the whole lot Google confirmed on stage this 12 months labored for me throughout my demo. I used to be in a position to have a look at objects and converse with Gemini about them, each seeing its responses in textual content kind on the tiny show and listening to the responses blasted into my ears from the audio system within the glasses’ stems. I used to be additionally capable of see turn-by-turn navigation directions and smartphone notifications. I may even take pictures with a fast faucet on the precise stem (though I’m certain they aren’t nice, contemplating how tiny the digicam sensor is).

Though the glasses assist a stay translation function, I didn’t get to attempt that out. That is probably as a consequence of translation not working fairly as anticipated through the keynote. However hey, they’re prototypes — that’s simply the way it goes, generally.​

The one disappointing factor was that the imagery solely appeared in my proper eye. If I closed my proper eye, the imagery vanished, which means these glasses don’t venture onto each eyes concurrently. A Google rep defined to me that that is by design. Android XR can assist gadgets with two screens, one display, and even no screens. It simply so occurred that these prototype glasses have been single-screen models. In different phrases, fashions that truly hit retail might need dual-screen assist or may not, so hold that in thoughts for the longer term.

Regardless, the glasses labored nicely, felt good on my face, and have the pedigree of Google, Samsung, and Qualcomm behind them (Google creating software program, Samsung creating {hardware}, and Qualcomm offering silicon). Actually, it was so thrilling to make use of them and instantly see that these should not Glass 2.0 however a completely realized wearable product.

Hopefully, we’ll study extra about when these glasses (or these supplied by XREAL, Warby Parker, and Mild Monster) will truly launch, how a lot they’ll value, and in what areas they’ll be accessible. I simply hope we gained’t want to attend till Google I/O 2026 for that info.

The prototype AR glasses weren’t the one Android XR wearables accessible at Google I/O. Though we’ve recognized about Mission Moohan for some time now, only a few individuals have truly been capable of check out Samsung’s premium VR headset. Now, I’m in that small group of parents.

The very first thing I seen about Mission Moohan once I put it on my head was how premium and polished the headset is. This isn’t some first-run demo with lots of tough edges to clean out. If I didn’t know higher, I might have assumed this headset was retail-ready — they’re that good.

The headset match nicely and had weight stability, so the entrance didn’t really feel heavier than the again. The battery pack not being within the headset itself had a giant half on this, however having a cable operating down my torso and a battery pack in my pocket was much less annoying than I believed it might be. What was most essential was that I felt I may put on this headset for hours and nonetheless be comfy, which you can not say about each headset on the market.

As soon as I had Mission Moohan on, it was a shocking expertise. The shows inside routinely adjusted themselves for my pupillary distance, which was very handy. And the visible constancy was unimaginable: I had a full shade view of the actual world, low-latency, and not one of the blurriness I’ve skilled with different VR programs.

It was additionally exceptionally straightforward to regulate the headset utilizing my arms. With Mission Moohan, no controllers are wanted. You possibly can management the whole lot utilizing palm gestures, finger pinches, and hand swipes. It was tremendous intuitive, and I discovered myself comfy with the working system in mere minutes.

In fact, Gemini is the star right here. There’s a button on the highest proper of Mission Moohan that launches Gemini from anyplace inside Android XR. As soon as launched, you can provide instructions, ask questions, or simply have a relaxed dialog. Gemini understands what’s in your display, too, so you’ll be able to chat with it about no matter it’s you’re doing. A Google rep advised me how they use this for gaming: if they arrive throughout a troublesome a part of a sport, they ask Gemini for assist, and it’ll pull up tutorials or guides with out ever needing to depart the sport.

Talking of gaming, Mission Moohan helps all method of controllers. You’ll have the ability to use conventional VR controllers and even one thing easier like an Xbox controller. I wasn’t in a position to do that out throughout my quick demo, nevertheless it made me very enthusiastic about this changing into a real gaming powerhouse.

The deadly flaw right here, although, is similar one now we have with the Android XR glasses: we do not know when Mission Moohan is definitely popping out. We don’t even know its true business identify! Google and Samsung say it’s coming this 12 months, however I’m skeptical contemplating how lengthy it’s been since we first noticed the venture introduced and the way little headway we’ve made since (the US’ tariff state of affairs doesn’t assist, both). Nonetheless, each time these do land, I will likely be first in line to get them.

Transferring away from {hardware}, AI Mode was one other star of Google I/O 2025. Consider this as Google Search on AI steroids. As a substitute of typing in a single question and getting again a listing of outcomes surrounding it, you can provide way more advanced queries and get a novel web page of outcomes primarily based on a number of searches to offer you an easy-to-understand overview of what you’re attempting to analyze.

For instance, I used it to hunt for a brand new smartphone. I typed in a reasonably lengthy question about how the cellphone wanted to run Android (clearly), value lower than $800, have digicam, and be accessible in the US. Usually, a easy Google search wouldn’t work for this, however with AI Mode, it received proper all the way down to it. It returned a web page to me stuffed with good strategies for telephones, together with the Pixel 9a, the Galaxy S25, and the OnePlus 13R — all extremely stable selections. It even included purchase hyperlinks, YouTube evaluations, articles, and extra.

The cool factor about AI Mode is that you just don’t want to attend to attempt it for your self. Should you stay within the US and have Search Labs enabled, it is best to have already got entry to AI Mode at Google.com (if you happen to don’t, you’ll have it quickly).

One factor you’ll be able to’t check out in AI Mode but, although, is Search Reside. This was introduced through the keynote and is coming later this summer season. Basically, Search Reside permits you to share with Gemini what’s happening in the actual world round you thru your smartphone digicam. If this sounds acquainted, that’s as a result of Gemini Reside on Android already helps this. With Search Reside, although, it would work on any cell machine by the Google app, permitting iPhone customers to get in on the enjoyable, too.

I attempted out an early model of Search Reside, and it labored simply in addition to Gemini Reside. Will probably be nice for this to be accessible to everybody all over the place, as it’s a very useful gizmo. Nonetheless, Google is in harmful “function creep” territory now, so hopefully it doesn’t let issues get too complicated for customers about the place they should go to get this service.

Of the whole lot I noticed at Google I/O this 12 months, Circulation was the one which left me essentially the most conflicted. Clearly, I feel it’s tremendous cool (in any other case it wouldn’t be on this record), however I additionally assume it’s sort of horrifying.

Circulation is a brand new filmmaking software that permits you to simply generate video clips in succession after which edit these clips on a standard timeline. For instance, this might permit you to create a whole movie scene by scene utilizing nothing however textual content prompts. Whenever you generate a clip, you’ll be able to tweak it with extra prompts and even lengthen it to get extra out of your unique creation.

What’s extra, Circulation may also incorporate Veo 3, Google’s newest iteration of its video era system. Veo 3 permits one to create shifting photographs together with music, sound results, and even spoken dialogue. This makes Circulation a software that might permit you to create a full movie out of skinny air.

Utilizing Circulation throughout my demo was really easy. I created some clips of a bugdroid having spaghetti with a cat, and it got here out hilarious and cute. I used to be capable of edit the clip, add extra clips to it, and lengthen clips with a couple of mouse clicks and a few extra textual content prompts.

I didn’t get to check out Veo 3 throughout my demo, sadly. This wasn’t due to a limitation of the system however of time: it takes as much as 10 minutes for Veo 3 to create clips. Even when I solely made two clips, it might push my demo time past what’s affordable for an occasion the scale of Google I/O.

After I exited the Circulation demo, I couldn’t assist however take into consideration Google’s The Wizard of Oz remake for Sphere in Las Vegas. Clearly, Circulation isn’t going to have individuals recreating basic movies utilizing AI, nevertheless it does have the identical problematic air to it. Circulation left me feeling elated at how cool it’s and dismayed by how pointless it’s.

Every little thing I’ve talked about right here thus far is one thing you’ll truly have the ability to use at some point. This final one, although, is not going to probably be one thing you’ll have in your house any time quickly. At Google I/O, I received to regulate two robotic arms utilizing solely voice instructions to Gemini.

The 2 arms towered over varied objects on a desk. By talking right into a microphone, I may inform Gemini to choose up an object, transfer objects, place objects into different objects, and so on., and solely use pure language to do it.

The robotic arms weren’t excellent. If I had them decide up an object and put it right into a container, they might do it — however then they wouldn’t cease. The arms would proceed to choose up extra objects and attempt to dump them into the container. Additionally, the arms couldn’t do a number of duties in a single command. For instance, I couldn’t have them put an object right into a container after which decide up the container and dump out the thing. That’s two actions and would require two instructions.

Nonetheless, that is the primary time in my life that I’ve been capable of management robots utilizing nothing however my voice. That’s principally the very definition of “cool.”

These have been the best issues I attempted at I/O this 12 months. Which one was your favourite? Let me know within the feedback!