Samsung Gear Live, LG G Watch and Moto360 are just the start of the Android invasion

THE androids are coming. If the tech giant has its way, there will be one in your house, one in your car and one on your wrist.

Supplied Editorial androids

APPLE has serious competition. The era of Google and Android seems to be with us. Android phones have been growing rapidly and exceed 80 per cent of the global smartphone market compared with Apple’s 15 per cent market share. And now Google has decided to take on many other challenges.

With phones, tablets, desktop and laptop computers, smart watches, TVs, home automation, vehicles, Google Now virtual valet, Fitness platform and an entertainment ecosystem with Play, Google is far more developed than anyone else at offering a seamless experience across all aspects of electronic life.

Google is likely to make drones, game consoles and get into the personal health market in a big way. If Google is not involved in an area at the moment, you can be sure it is thinking about it.

While Apple has been quiet on the innovation side, it must be remembered that Apple is bigger than either Google or Microsoft and bigger than both of them combined on the stock exchange. It would be remiss to write off Apple just yet, but 2014 does seem to be the year of the Google Android revolution.

Android Wear

Smart watches such as the Samsung Gear Live, LG G Watch and Moto360 are powered by this new version of Android. They are stunning devices that are centred around Google Now – a kind of personal assistant/valet that reminds you of everything you need to know as well as anticipating what you are going to do next. These devices are hitting the market right now, making all other so-called smart devices look very dumb. www.android.com/wear

Android TV

This is Google’s competitor to the Apple TV – kind of. Apple TV looks weak when compared to Google’s TV operating system. Google TV is a media streaming and on-demand device that also integrates live TV and other systems such as cable TV. This platform is likely to be adopted by TV manufacturers to make smart TV’s even smarter. I am not sure what a new release of Apple TV could do to compete with Android TV but you never know. Google has already captured a massive slice of the media streaming market with its Chromecast dongle, which turns an existing TV with a HDMI port into a smart TV of sorts. For under $50, this is an excellent introduction to the online TV revolution for many people. www.android.com/tv

Android Auto

Yes, Google also wants to be the heart and soul of your car, with features including navigation, entertainment and vehicle controls. More than 20 brands have pledged to ship cars with Android Auto in the near future. www.android.com/auto

Google Play

Play is basically Google’s version of iTunes with music, books, magazines, TV shows and movies. You can buy hardware like tablets and phones. Think iTunes + Apple Store. android.com/play

Google Fiber

Google is rolling out fibre-optic broadband to thousands of homes across the US (10 cities announced). With standard speeds of 1000Mps and Google offering cloud storage, cable TV, a tablet and a DVR, this is one of the hottest connections on the planet. Unfortunately, the chance of it being launched outside the US is minimal – for now. https://developers fiber.google.com

Google Chromebox for Meetings

This is a low-priced, high-quality video conferencing platform that comes with a small device and camera to hook on to your TV. The platform uses the back-end of Google Hangouts and can support hundreds of people in a single conference. Polycom and Cisco, watch out.

http://bit.ly/1rnWbSe

Chrome OS

Chrome OS is Google’s desktop/laptop operating system. It is essentially a desktop platform inside the Chrome browser. I use this significantly already and am surprised by the amount of native Chrome apps that are out there. Laptops running Chrome OS can already be found in electronics stores. www.google.com/chromeos

Glass

While this first generation technology is unlikely to succeed, the inspiration it gives companies, such as Apple, Samsung, Microsoft, Amazon, and app developers, will ensure its place in history. It is interesting to note Amazon has hired Babak Parviz, founder of the Glass project. www.google.com/glass

Nest

Home automation and the Internet of Everything are the biggest buzzwords at the moment. Google purchased Nest for $US3.2bn and is quickly moving to takeover what many consider to be the next revolution in connectivity – your home. https://nest.com

Google Fit

Joining the bandwagon a little late, Google has created a platform on which device makers can build platforms compatible with its ecosystem. Health and fitness players such as Nike, Adidas, Asus, Intel, LG, HTC and Withings are already on board. https://developers.google.com/fit/