Google CEO Eric Schmidt urged developers at the company’s Google I/O conference to develop browser-based applications for the Web instead of desktop programs.
He told the 4,000 attendees on Wednesday, “It’s time to take advantage of the amazing opportunity that’s before us” in Internet programming because “People are frustrated. They’re tired of the complexity.” He added, “This is the beginning of the real win of cloud computing.”
Google is advocating a simplified approach to Web programming. As an example, the company introduced Web Elements, which lets Web sites add Google applications from a menu at http://www.google.com/webelements/.
Online applications can be made as powerful as desktop applications with HTML 5, Google Vice President Vic Gundotra said. He noted that developers can take the load off Web servers by shifting 3-D rendering to the user’s computer through the browser.
Google also announced that users of mobile phones running its Android operating system have downloaded an average of about 40 apps each from the Android Market. The recently launched store has 4,900 apps, less than the 35,000 on Apple’s App Store for the iPhone and iPod touch.
In addition, Google said, seven months after Android’s release, 10 wireless carriers are supporting the mobile platform in 12 countries. The search giant told the developers that the next Android update, code-named Donut, will have more powerful search abilities along with text-to-speech capabilities.
Gundotra offered the conference attendees a free Android-based mobile phone with unlimited 3G service for 30 days. “I always wanted an Oprah moment,” he said in reference to TV host Oprah Winfrey’s giveaways.