Nestled between two conference halls at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona is a pathway lined with Google's latest tech -- and its cutest robot figures. Here, spectators can step inside homey, wood-paneled booths and try out features across Pixel, Android XR and Search. Welcome to Android Avenue.
I swung by Google's setup to check out demos for its latest products and features. Greeting me at the entrance and setting the scene was an adorably colorful Android statue waving hello.
CNET's Tara Brown and I hold up our access stickers in front of a matching Android. Abrar Al-Heeti/CNET
In one booth, I tried on the Android XR smart glasses prototype for the first time and explored some promising use cases. I saw and heard real-time, AI-powered translations through the glasses as a Google employee spoke to me in Spanish. I also followed a Google Maps overlay that guided me along my route without obstructing my vision, thanks to the display projected onto the right lens.
Android XR glasses tap the Gemini AI assistant. Andrew Lanxon/CNET
Hot off the heels of Samsung's S26 launch, Google demoed a new Gemini capability that takes on a more assistive role. You can long-press the power button and ask Gemini to plan a vegetarian tapas tour, for instance, then have it drop that information in a Google Keep note, all through voice command.
Other use cases include having Gemini book an Uber for you, which it'll do in the background so you can keep using other apps on your Galaxy S26 phone.
Gemini handles tasks like calling an Uber or helping to plan and jot down an excursion. Andrew Lanxon/CNET
In another booth, I toyed around with an update to Google's Circle to Search that'll simultaneously find all the pieces of an outfit on your screen, then let you try them on virtually.
After long-pressing the home button and circling a picture of an ensemble I liked, Google showed a list of product results for each element. Tapping "try it on" generated a lifelike image of me wearing the orange-red pants I was eyeing.
... continue reading