Where's Google's Android star Andy Rubin? Robots

Google's Android logo. (Photo: Picasa)

SAN FRANCISCO -- Former Android chief Andy Rubin -- who officially works on mysterious projects at search giant Google -- left Silicon Valley with a perplexing case of "Where's Andy?" when he stepped down in March.

Until now.

Rubin has been working at the company's Google X lab, which shouldn't come as much of a surprise by itself. That's because upon his departure, Google CEO Larry Page hinted at his whereabouts. On the company's blog, Page wrote: "Andy, more moonshots please!"

It was a clear reference to the company's Google X labs that work on, well, moonshots of wacky technology.

What was unclear, however, was what the Android creator would be doing. Turns out Rubin -- who sold his Android startup to Google in 2005 -- is focused now on robots, a person familiar with the matter said.

Google X is home to robotic driverless cars and a number of futuristic projects. The company has amassed some of its best and brightest minds under the group, led by Google co-founder Sergey Brin. Jeff Huber, a long-time Google veteran who ran Maping and Commerce, also joined the group in March.

"The best people often want to work on the biggest bets and there's not much competition, because no one else is crazy enough to try," Page said in April following Rubin's change in responsibilities.

Google wants to change the world with so-called moonshots such as its driverless cars. Page said on Google's first-quarter earnings call that he remains focused on putting people on big things outside of Internet search.

"It was the same with Android, and that's why we're investing in what appears to be speculative projects to you today such as self-driving cars," Page said then.

Before he started Android, Rubin co-founded Danger, a company that became the basis of the popular Sidekick phone and was later sold to Microsoft. He also spent years at Apple. In March, he was replaced as Android head by Sundar Pichai, who remains in charge of the Google Chrome division.

"We don't comment on rumor or speculation," Google spokeswoman Leslie Miller said.