NYT offers a peek inside Google's secret, robot-filled 'X' labs

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  • Reply 42 of 68
    jragostajragosta Posts: 10,473member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by hill60 View Post


    This "X-lab" is probably no more than an empty office with a photocopier, which explains the link to Xerox.



    +1



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by addicted44 View Post


    I don't think the existence of these Google Labs are in ANY WAY constraining Google's ability to make their own OS.



    No one ever said it was. Just that it would be better if Google actually innovated something useful and that would improve the market today.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by addicted44 View Post


    If the money was not spent here, it would be lying around in a bank account somewhere, and not being used elsewhere. Google has a ton of cash sitting around. None of their projects are suffering for a lack of investment.



    This, combined with their 20% time, makes Google one of the only American companies that is actually spending time/money on R&D which is focused at more than the immediate term, which is quite commendable.



    There's nothing wrong with spending time on creative work - I used to ask my employees to spend 10-15% on new projects. The problem is that even with all that money, Google is still simply copying everyone else - and can't come up with an OS that isn't fragmented all over the place.
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  • Reply 43 of 68
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ncee View Post


    Yeah, and all the while, millions are dying from cancer?



    We have millions of hunger people ?



    Homeless people ?



    Pollution ?



    A government that's a wreck ?



    An economy that's just hanging on by a tread ?



    A growing gap between the wealthy and middle class (Hell lower class don't seem to count any more)



    War, Hate and so many other issues right here on this planet.



    Let's spend a little bit more wisely, and deal with the here and now ? now if at all possible.



    Skip



    That can go towards anything...like a company holding 81+ Billion in cash. Or one holding 30+ Billion in cash. Or a person holding X Billion in cash...
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  • Reply 44 of 68
    conradjoeconradjoe Posts: 1,887member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by majjo View Post


    Wow, what's with all the hate?



    I'm sure Microsoft, Apple, IBM, et al. have similar 'skunkworks' type facilities as well.





    Google is not hated for having a skunkworks.



    Google is hated because Google is trying to kill the iPhone.



    We already hate IBM. They are Big Brother, while Apple's customers are Revolutionaries who fight conformity.



    We already hate Microsoft. They have no taste.





    See? It isn't the skunkworks. We can hate all three companies with or without a skunkworks.
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  • Reply 45 of 68
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jragosta View Post


    +1







    No one ever said it was. Just that it would be better if Google actually innovated something useful and that would improve the market today.







    There's nothing wrong with spending time on creative work - I used to ask my employees to spend 10-15% on new projects. The problem is that even with all that money, Google is still simply copying everyone else - and can't come up with an OS that isn't fragmented all over the place.



    Like?
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  • Reply 46 of 68
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by addicted44 View Post


    Nice Strawman.



    If this was indeed the case, how in the world do you explain Coverflow and Siri? 2 products and technologies which were not only bought from 3rd parties, but Apple didn't even bother to change the name of the technology? If Apple's fans indeed did think Apple invented everything on their own, wouldn't Apple put at least the slightest effort to hide the fact that these were products purchased from outside, you know, by at least changing the name?



    Really?



    If Apple sees a novel idea (say, Android/WebOS notification panel...moreso Android) and decides to integrate a familiar yet not direct copy of it onto their OS...it's genius, revolutionary, amazing, obvious, etc.



    If ANYONE ELSE does the same thing in regards to an Apple technology they are the scum of the Earth and worthy of eradication and forcing oneself to use BING!



    Also you mention coverflow and Siri, bought technologies...no one is denying this (Was coverflow bought or are you referring to that BS lawsuit they lost?) however in almost every Android bashing circle-jerk on this site someone always points out the fact that Android was bought like it's an instantly and irredeemably bad thing.
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  • Reply 47 of 68
    conradjoeconradjoe Posts: 1,887member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Asherian View Post


    Every time I come to read this forum, it kills me. It's kind of like looking in from an observation window at a psych ward -- some of you are truly out to lunch and obviously exist in a reality parallel to the one the rest of one live in.








    Cool, ain't it?





    Not only are facts up for grabs, but also the meanings of words too! So both factual statements and bullshit can be twisted and deformed until they no longer resemble anything a normal person would have associated with them.
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  • Reply 48 of 68
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jd_in_sb View Post


    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Firefly7475 View Post


    A tidbit of trivia; the Kinect-like interface seen in Minority Report came from consultation between Spielberg and the Microsoft team.



    Unlikely. Minority Report was released to movie theaters in 2002. PrimeSense, the Israeli company that developed Kinect, was founded in 2005.



    Well that's what Spielberg tells us in the Minority Report commentary audio, so if you have a problem you can take it up with him.
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  • Reply 49 of 68
    Though this is all speculation...imagine the change of tone if Apple were the ones with an Apple X project.



    "This is why they are on top, they are so genius and benevolent, I Love Apple :-D"



    "Wow, this explains so much, I MISS YOU STEVE!!!!"



    "OMG, this is so amazing, I can't stand up for at least 20 minutes until this raging hardon goes away."



    There is bias on all tech sites but jesus Christ...even amongst Apple blogs AI is crazy.



    Hilarious note btw, to everyone...while perusing I believe either 9to5mac or Macrumors I noticed Tallest_Skil posting...amongst his own (Apple fans, undoubtedly so) and they were calling him a troll because of his unwarranted Google/Microsoft/Anything not Apple bashing...It was hilarious.



    Even the other Apple blogs can sense a pro-Apple troll. (Oddly I must admit his writings are less troll-like here than they were there)
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  • Reply 50 of 68
    conradjoeconradjoe Posts: 1,887member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by addicted44 View Post


    I don't think the existence of these Google Labs are in ANY WAY constraining Google's ability to make their own OS.






    Facts ain't gonna work.



    This is a Steve-ism: "Maybe they should spend more time doing [something else] instead of [what they are doing]".



    The validity of the statement has nothing to do with its utterance. These sorts of statements are a demonstration that the speaker can be as specious as Steve sometimes was.



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  • Reply 51 of 68
    conradjoeconradjoe Posts: 1,887member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ncee View Post






    Let's spend a little bit more wisely, and deal with the here and now … now if at all possible.



    Skip





    Naw. Lets accumulate cash until we get $100,000,000,000.00. In the meantime, we can invest in the Money Markets to aid Wall Street Bankers' liquidity needs.
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  • Reply 52 of 68
    conradjoeconradjoe Posts: 1,887member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AbsoluteDesignz View Post


    There is bias on all tech sites but jesus Christ...even amongst Apple blogs AI is crazy.






    This is kook central.



    Religious sites? Fewer kooks.

    Political sites? Fewer kooks.



    This place is their home. Their fervor is fed by the articles and maintained by policies of the management. I hope it never changes.
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  • Reply 53 of 68
    jragostajragosta Posts: 10,473member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ConradJoe View Post


    This is kook central. .



    At least, it has been since people like conehead Joe got here.
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  • Reply 54 of 68
    Not a google fan at all but...



    to all those who are saying this is stupid, a waste of resource and that anyone who thinks this is worthwhile are idiots....



    please take a step back and listen one more time to the think different commercial....



    The world used to be flat you know.
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  • Reply 55 of 68
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ConradJoe View Post


    This is kook central.



    Religious sites? Fewer kooks.

    Political sites? Fewer kooks.



    This place is their home. Their fervor is fed by the articles and maintained by policies of the management. I hope it never changes.



    A bit excessive. I tend to enjoy a good argument and being an atheistic liberal Android fan I can find a lot online lol.



    Religious fanatics literally have no sense. None. It is a requisite.



    Conservatives tend to be religious fanatics at least those who I find online. (Sucks that the right has aligned itself with the religious right as a few of their policies I'm 100% for)



    At least a good amount of the fans here are just people who like Apple products. Just that far too many are Apple ][ esque.



    But I'd prefer to be here than any religious or political board.
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  • Reply 56 of 68
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AbsoluteDesignz View Post


    Though this is all speculation...imagine the change of tone if Apple were the ones with an Apple X project... blah, blah, blah



    Not singling out AbsoluteDesignz, but using his post as an example.



    Why do people get so worked up when praise is heaped on Apple considering this is a site geared towards fans of Apple products? I understand the concept of everyone being entitled to their own opinions, but at some point you gotta realize that you're just wasting your breath...
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  • Reply 57 of 68
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by See Flat View Post


    The world used to be flat you know.



    Actually, if you read the book by Thomas Friedman you'd see evidence that the world may be flatter than we thought...



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  • Reply 58 of 68
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SpamSandwich View Post


    Robots will probably follow a similar path as most consumer electronics products... expensive and limited in function initially, and growing in popularity as cost decreases and usefulness improves. But the question is, what do consumers need or want from robots? Maids? Butlers? Companions? Pet caretakers? Robots with narrow skills will slowly be replaced with general purpose humanoid robots that will be able to perform innumerable tasks, often better than humans. Watch for the eventual merging of immortal robot body and human consciousness... in 30 to 40... or 50 years.



    South Korea, presumably Samsung is also working on robots for domestic use. They hope to have a robot in every home by 2020.



    http://hplusmagazine.com/2010/03/26/...ery-home-2020/



    Also the latest release of Honda's ASIMO was pretty impressive.



    http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-...hand-gestures/
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  • Reply 59 of 68
    adamcadamc Posts: 583member
    [QUOTE=redbarchetta;1987911]And Apple can't even make a phone that maintains a majority of marketshare.



    You lost me here, You mean Apple have some magical powers to maintain market share.
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  • Reply 60 of 68
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Mr. Poopy Pants View Post


    Not singling out AbsoluteDesignz, but using his post as an example.



    Why do people get so worked up when praise is heaped on Apple considering this is a site geared towards fans of Apple products? I understand the concept of everyone being entitled to their own opinions, but at some point you gotta realize that you're just wasting your breath...



    Praise of Apple =\\= Hatred of anything not Apple.



    If it wasn't for the ridiculous claims made by Apple fans about Android fans and Android I wouldn't even be here.



    My RSS feed is overwhelmed with AppleInsider articles because every other one is not about Apple.



    Apple deserves praise. But sometimes they are given too much.
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