The Android Cloud to Device Messaging Framework is a fascinating tool. I see a lot of possibility for tools like this to push mobile devices and applications into more useful spaces. We’re just scratching the surface on some of the potential, but I like ideas that help connect our mobile devices with other things we use and depend on.

Here is an example of pushing information from your web browser to your mobile device: Push map information from Chrome browser to Android phone. It can be a pain to navigate and type on a smartphone, particularly when you are traveling and stressed out about where to find your destination. A colleague showed me how he used this for a recent trip – he plotted out his paths with Google maps prior to leaving his home, so his directions were pre-loaded on his device when he got off the plane. The hard part was done on his laptop, where navigation and typing are easier, and his phone had everything he needed for his trip.

This is just one example. As mobile devices integrate more seamlessly with our environments, they become easier to use and more valuable. Instead of clunky syncing, lots of typing and gesturing, the phones can just operate almost like they are self-aware. This is a space to watch.