Google Barge Sold For Scrap
techcrunch.com
techcrunch.com
Apparently they bought 4 barges, so they had big plans for this project (which doesn't seem smart without at least testing it out once first, also doesn't allow them to use lessons learned from the first build on the second barge).
Here is a good video of the one in SF: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLueLIcUrwc
Here is a closeup of one side: http://www.vosizneias.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Google-...
What a crazy project, kudos to Google for thinking outside the box. Even if it doesn't work out I'm sure they've learned a lot from this build. Hopefully they'll share some construction video, designs, and lessons learned someday.
This seems like part of the noise of a company trying many different things and cutting their losses when it makes sense. The only real difference is that we don't see many of these other projects because they can fit in a building
Not saying this was a big loss for Google, but it wasn't "a few hundred thousand."
"creating places in the world to experiment without regulation, and that people's expectations of privacy are wrong, etc."
Both of these sound like divergent and large scale, but they don't seem unreasonable.
People let the world in front of their eyes convince them of its permanence / correctness - when in reality we need to break some of our cherished beliefs to move forward.
They could be demoing all Google projects and ventures. Robots, 3D mapping phones, Project Loom, etc.
Their more-interesting projects would make a particularly-popular exhibition in an interactive museum. And that's about it.
e.g.
Why would someone want to spend more than 5 minutes on a 3D mapping phone? What would they do with 3D models, aside from playing Interior Decorator in their own living room or Hollywood Makeup Artist on their own face?
Those are neat ideas, don't get me wrong. But while more apps may eventually be found, it could hardly justify a specialized gadget for most people as-is. Particularly when traditional mobile device cameras are turning out inferior-but-quite-usable versions of those same apps.
Google Glass is similar. There's been a handful of really compelling use cases for HMDs for more than a decade. But the general public has never had more than about a 2-minute-demo-reel level of interest. And Google hasn't found/developed anything in Glass, yet, that changes things for people who already have a magical slab of glass in their pocket, everywhere they go.
(Google's actually dug a slightly deeper hole, in that people's 2-minutes-worth of interest in Glass was quickly dominated by how incredibly unsettling connected cameras can be, when they're potentially on anyone, anywhere. Including on the anti- and a-social, in places where people had traditionally let their guard down.)
Google Glass will be neat around v3 or v4. I want augmented reality, not a portable monitor for notifications only. Some people that require both hands for work and need those critical notifications could really benefit from this though. Sports taking pictures would be useful.
Google Glass isn't for everyone, but it's definitely useful to many people.
You're right that most developers wouldn't go to the barge, but think about the places that the barges would dock. It could potentially draw some of the more wealthy population to come in and see all the interesting stuff their building. They usually have Apple products (because more expensive is better, right?) so getting them to take interest in some of their other products could be profitable.
It really did seem like a dumb idea from the beginning. I had a hard time seeing myself take the time to go to a pier to get on a floating flagship store. Even in SF where the port is integrated with the city I couldn't see myself doing it.
http://bgr.com/2014/08/01/google-mystery-barge-cancelled/
That's a rounding error.
If it's a rounding error for you then you're in better shape then I am.
They receive something when they sold the barge. More imortantly when doing A/B testing it's a bad idea to think of building the worse option as wasted time. It was a hedge that never got used.
Put it this way: $4M is about the fully-loaded cost of a team of 8-10 engineers over a year. Projects involving 8-10 man-years of engineer time get canceled all the time.
It wasn't even tough to get to. Grab the BART to the embarcadero, grab the MUNI down along it, hop off at the right pier and walk right on. Although we all were hanging out at the restaurant right in front before leaving.
I understand Joe Blow wouldn't be used to hoping on a yacht, but I don't think people who can blow $1,500 on an expensive accessory would lack that sort of experience. I hear Google has a commute boat as well they were trying out to go along with the busses.