Google's 'hardware' push is still really about its software

Google's "hardware" push is still really about its software. On Tuesday, the technology giant unveiled a raft of new gizmos it proudly proclaimed to be #madebygoogle, including two smartphones and a smart home speaker. The message from Google is that it's a new and gadgety dawn for the tech firm, which has floundered a bit in its hardware efforts. But based on what the company showed off today, Google still seems far behind despite earlier serious hardware efforts. It's easier to think of the new gadgets as follow-ups to competitor products: a competitor for Apple's iPhone and for Amazon's Echo speaker.