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Google I/O, a playground for developers (pictures)

Check out the festivallike atmosphere of Google's conference for computer programmers.

James Martin
James Martin is the Managing Editor of Photography at CNET. His photos capture technology's impact on society - from the widening wealth gap in San Francisco, to the European refugee crisis and Rwanda's efforts to improve health care. From the technology pioneers of Google and Facebook, photographing Apple's Steve Jobs and Tim Cook, Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg and Google's Sundar Pichai, to the most groundbreaking launches at Apple and NASA, his is a dream job for any documentary photography and journalist with a love for technology. Exhibited widely, syndicated and reprinted thousands of times over the years, James follows the people and places behind the technology changing our world, bringing their stories and ideas to life.
James Martin
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Shiny sign

Branding as sculpture at Google I/O.

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Out in the sun

Though the sessions were held in air-conditioned tents, attendees had to wait in line in the festivallike atmosphere under blazing sun where shade was scarce.

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Theme rooms

Theme rooms built from shipping containers showed off some of the newly announced Google products. The Living Room, here, featured some of the new home audiovisual gadgets.

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A new Android

A blank white droid invited attendees to come up with naming ideas for the newest version of the Android operating system, now temporarily known as Android N.

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Google Play Music

An audio experience invites listeners to experiment with different sounds by plugging into an array of audio sources.

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Big Idea Wall

Google I/O features free-flowing ideas and big-picture thinking.

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Bohemian Rhapsody Experience

Inside the Google Play Music room, the Bohemian Rhapsody Experience treated Cardboard viewers to a behind-the-scenes VR dance recital.

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3D printed, open source

With a birth defect that prevented his fingers from growing, Max found help from the Enable Community Foundation, which used 3D printed, open-source tools to give him a simple mechanical hand with fingers that grip.

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Android everywhere

Android was everywhere at Google I/O -- even trimmed into the bushes.

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Android Auto Maserati

Exploring Android Auto got a little fancy inside this red hot Maserati.

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Android Auto apps

An update to Android Auto allows Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to equip the system with their own apps.

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More ways to Waze

Android Auto is hoping to get you to your destination more quickly and safely with the new integration of the Waze navigation app.

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Need a pit stop?

Another big Android Auto update allows searching along your navigation route -- a difficult problem to solve, a technical engineers tells me.

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Paint-flicking robot

A paint flicking robot danced to electronic beats as attendees manipulated the bot to make some playful art.

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Building the new world

One of Google I/O's shipping container demonstration areas, showing off some of the new products and features announced today.

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Materials design review

At the materials design review studio, Google engineers and designers were on hand to walk through attendees' designs and brainstorm work-flow and design solutions.

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Big ship

The festival atmosphere was enhanced by art roaming the festival grounds, like this pirate-ship bus.

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Game time!

Taking a break in the connected-home room, with a wired foosball table.

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Experimental Android

In the Experimental Android playground, an attendee plays with Yuri Suzuki's AR Music Kit, which uses a few sticky notes to turn any device into a musical instrument. When the camera picks up the patterned sequence, the device plays the corresponding notes.

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Self-driving car

A look at the spacious and minimalist interior of one of Google's self-driving cars, which was on site.

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