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

Google I/O is the corporate’s greatest occasion of the yr. Even the launch of the Pixel 10 collection later in 2025 received’t examine in measurement and scope to I/O. This week, I was 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 residence don’t get to expertise what occurs after Sundar Pichai exits the stage. That’s when I/O will get extremely enjoyable, as a result of you’ll be able to wander across the grounds and truly check out most of the upcoming tech and providers Googlers simply gushed about throughout the principle occasion.

Right here, I need to let you know concerning the 5 coolest things I was fortunate sufficient to strive! It’s not the identical as being there, but it surely must do for now.

At Google I/O 2024, we first noticed hints of a brand new set of AR glasses. Primarily based round one thing known as Undertaking Astra, the glasses appeared like the trendy evolution of Google Glass, the doomed sensible 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 things round an workplace, comparable to figuring out objects, remembering the place an object as soon as was, and extrapolating advanced concepts from easy drawings. Later that yr, we came upon that these glasses run on one thing known as Android XR, and we really acquired 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 possibility to strive them on. I was capable of demo them, and I gotta say: I’m impressed.

First, almost every little thing Google confirmed on stage this yr labored for me throughout my demo. I was capable of look at objects and converse with Gemini about them, each seeing its responses in textual content type on the tiny show and listening to the responses blasted into my ears from the audio system within the glasses’ stems. I was additionally capable of see turn-by-turn navigation directions and smartphone notifications. I might even take photographs with a fast faucet on the proper stem (though I’m certain they don’t seem to be nice, contemplating how tiny the digital camera sensor is).

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

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 undertaking 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 screen, and even no screens. It simply so occurred that these prototype glasses had been single-screen items. In different phrases, fashions that truly hit retail might need dual-screen assist or won’t, so maintain that in thoughts for the long run.

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

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

The prototype AR glasses weren’t the one Android XR wearables out there at Google I/O. Though we’ve identified about Undertaking Moohan for some time now, only a few individuals have really been capable of take a look at out Samsung’s premium VR headset. Now, I am in that small group of parents.

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

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

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

It was additionally exceptionally simple to manage the headset utilizing my arms. With Undertaking Moohan, no controllers are wanted. You’ll be able to management every little thing 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 Undertaking 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 screen, 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 recreation, they ask Gemini for assist, and it’ll pull up tutorials or guides with out ever needing to depart the sport.

Talking of gaming, Undertaking Moohan helps all method of controllers. You’ll be capable to use conventional VR controllers and even one thing less complicated like an Xbox controller. I wasn’t ready to do this out throughout my quick demo, but it surely made me very enthusiastic about this turning into a real gaming powerhouse.

The deadly flaw right here, although, is identical one we have now with the Android XR glasses: we do not know when Undertaking Moohan is definitely popping out. We don’t even know its true industrial identify! Google and Samsung say it’s coming this yr, however I’m skeptical contemplating how lengthy it’s been since we first noticed the undertaking introduced and the way little headway we’ve made since (america’ tariff scenario doesn’t assist, both). Nonetheless, each time these do land, I might 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 far more advanced queries and get a singular web page of outcomes primarily based on a number of searches to give you an easy-to-understand overview of what you’re making an attempt to research.

For instance, I used it to hunt for a brand new smartphone. I typed in a fairly lengthy question about how the cellphone wanted to run Android (clearly), value lower than $800, have a superb digital camera, and be out there in america. Usually, a easy Google search wouldn’t work for this, however with AI Mode, it acquired proper all the way down to it. It returned a web page to me stuffed with good recommendations for telephones, together with the Pixel 9a, the Galaxy S25, and the OnePlus 13R — all extremely strong decisions. 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 strive it for your self. In the event you stay within the US and have Search Labs enabled, you need to have already got entry to AI Mode at Google.com (in case you don’t, you’ll have it quickly).

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

I tried out an early model of Search Dwell, and it labored simply in addition to Gemini Dwell. It will likely be nice for this to be out there to everybody in all places, as it’s a very useful gizmo. Nevertheless, Google is in harmful “function creep” territory now, so hopefully it doesn’t let things get too complicated for customers about the place they should go to get this service.

Of every little thing I noticed at Google I/O this yr, Circulation was the one which left me essentially the most conflicted. Clearly, I suppose it’s tremendous cool (in any other case it wouldn’t be on this listing), however I additionally suppose it’s sort of horrifying.

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

What’s extra, Circulation will even incorporate Veo 3, Google’s newest iteration of its video technology system. Veo 3 permits one to create shifting photos together with music, sound results, and even spoken dialogue. This makes Circulation a instrument that would assist 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 was 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 cheap for an occasion the scale of Google I/O.

When 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, but it surely 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.

The whole lot I’ve talked about right here to date is one thing you’ll really be capable to use someday. This final one, although, won’t seemingly be one thing you’ll have in your house any time quickly. At Google I/O, I acquired to manage two robotic arms utilizing solely voice instructions to Gemini.

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

The robotic arms weren’t excellent. If I had them choose up an object and put it right into a container, they’d do it — however then they wouldn’t cease. The arms would proceed to select 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 choose 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 mainly the very definition of “cool.”

These had been the coolest things I tried at I/O this yr. Which one was your favourite? Let me know within the feedback!