Mystery over for Google's Glass barges as Maine ship sold for scrap

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  • Reply 21 of 53
    mpantonempantone Posts: 2,033member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mdriftmeyer View Post



    Not bothering to sell the barges as fully finished/furnished is a waste of resources.

    Well, if they spent additional money to fully furnish them, then scrapped them anyhow, it would be an even greater waste of resources.

     

    Sometimes you need to cut your losses early.

     

    You know, like breaking up with that psycho girlfriend after a week rather than getting married, having two kids, then getting into a nasty bitter divorce. Stuff like that.

     

    You can't win them all. Take the loss and move on with your life.

  • Reply 22 of 53
    thomprthompr Posts: 1,521member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by bspears View Post



    Steve could have pulled this off. Eric? Not so much.

    Steve wouldn't have tried to begin with, because it's a Bozo move.

  • Reply 23 of 53

    Who's to say that Google didn't actually complete their barge project and use them successfully for exactly the purpose they intended?  Maybe it was just a way to test out some device or other.  It's possible that the barges actually did contribute to Google's pipeline in a meaningful way.  Or not.  We don't get details of every prototype or every experiment that Apple or General Motors does, do we?  I think this was just a mountainous molehill.  

  • Reply 24 of 53
    foadfoad Posts: 717member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by TeaEarleGreyHot View Post

     

    Who's to say that Google didn't actually complete their barge project and use them successfully for exactly the purpose they intended?  Maybe it was just a way to test out some device or other.  It's possible that the barges actually did contribute to Google's pipeline in a meaningful way.  Or not.  We don't get details of every prototype or every experiment that Apple or General Motors does, do we?  I think this was just a mountainous molehill.  




    Agreed. I think all the calls for resignations and the like don't realize how many large corporations actually have projects start and never see the light of day. Nobody outside of Google currently knows definitively what the barges were for, so passing any real judgement is jumping the gun.

  • Reply 25 of 53
    allenbfallenbf Posts: 993member

    Maybe they thought it could be updated but it turns out it was terribly fragmented?

  • Reply 26 of 53
    froodfrood Posts: 771member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by MagMan1979 View Post





    Better question is, why aren't people invested in Goolge stock not screaming at them yet? This is yet another stupid moonshot project, that cost them millions, gone up on smoke. As an investor, I'd be calling for the resignation of the entire board, the CEO, and the entire executive team, who consistently and constantly blow millions of dollars on projects that go NOWHERE.

     

    You'd be wasting your time and breath.

  • Reply 27 of 53
    gatorguy wrote: »
    Seemed like a dumb idea if it was in fact for consumers to preview Glass. Did Google ever say for certain what the barges would be used for specifically? Not sure myself, but the whole thing sounded weird if the news articles were anywhere near accurate.

    As far as Glass itself it's not anywhere near ready for general consumers IMO. Maybe Gen2 instead and use this version for the pros like doctors, techs, firemen, etc that are evaluating it.

    The barges were definitely a weird idea. If it was intended for retail space, it was too remote and had the obvious drawback of only being accessible to coastal cities, had it worked out.

    I lived with a borrowed Glass Explorer for a 24-hrs, and it was definitely geeky-neat, but I couldn't see giving up my iPhone for this, as despite the beat application being written for it, I couldn't see mom and dad or non-geeks wanting it.
    magman1979 wrote: »
    Better question is, why aren't people invested in Goolge stock not screaming at them yet? This is yet another stupid moonshot project, that cost them millions, gone up on smoke. As an investor, I'd be calling for the resignation of the entire board, the CEO, and the entire executive team, who consistently and constantly blow millions of dollars on projects that go NOWHERE.

    Probably for the same reason they forgave Amazon: they beheld the miracles of the X Labs and they saw that it was good. And the Google Apostles came unto the AppleInsider forums and posted "verily, this is the innovation which Apple should be doing" and thus they sowed the seeds of concern for Apple's doom.
  • Reply 28 of 53
    mpantonempantone Posts: 2,033member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by TeaEarleGreyHot View Post

     

    Who's to say that Google didn't actually complete their barge project and use them successfully for exactly the purpose they intended?  Maybe it was just a way to test out some device or other.  It's possible that the barges actually did contribute to Google's pipeline in a meaningful way.  Or not.  We don't get details of every prototype or every experiment that Apple or General Motors does, do we?  I think this was just a mountainous molehill.  


    No one can.

     

    But their behavior seems to indicate that they did not fully think this through. Regardless of intent, they did not have the proper permits for operating in San Francisco Bay, which is why that incomplete vessel was relocated to Stockton, at which point apparently all activity ceased.

     

    Had they gotten everything they wanted from the SF Bay craft, they would have junked it right then, rather than spend the time, money, and legal resources to go to Stockton.

  • Reply 29 of 53
    tundraboytundraboy Posts: 1,884member

    The term "Google barge" just might stick around the way "jump the shark" did.  An expression to describe something that's incredibly stupid and expensive and yet got built.  Wary spouse:  "Oh no, Harold, that's just gonna be another Google barge that will sit in the garage."  Biz news headline: "Did Company X Just Build Its Google Barge?"

     

    Really now, think about it.  A barge to showcase your products in?  What port is there that has the infrastructure that would make it convenient enough as to compel thousands of people to drive over and get on a barge just to look at stuff that doesn't include naked women?  Or if you wanted the mobility, how many ports on the West Coast would generate enough foot traffic to make it worth paying the towing and wharfage cost?  Vancouver, Seattle, SF, LA and San Diego.

     

    You can almost picture the people who thought this up thinking this up while consuming voluminous amounts of malt liquor.  "I know, I know.  How about we get a barge, fix it up, put all our cool stuff there, and people can drive from all over the country and get on the barge to look at our cool stuff.  Nobody's done a barge before.  Yeah, that'll be a big hit.  Burp.  It'll cost less than Motorola."

  • Reply 30 of 53
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by tundraboy View Post

     

    The term "Google barge" just might stick around the way "jumbo the shark" did.  An expression to describe something that's incredibly stupid and expensive and yet got built.


     

    Google Barge...  Garbage...  Google Barge... Garbage... Google Barge... Goobarge.

     

    Hmmm...

  • Reply 31 of 53
    tundraboytundraboy Posts: 1,884member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by mpantone View Post

     

    But their behavior seems to indicate that they did not fully think this through.


     

    viz. my kegger scenario elsewhere on this thread.

  • Reply 32 of 53
    disturbiadisturbia Posts: 563member

    That's exactly where google is headed .... :smokey:

  • Reply 33 of 53
    disturbiadisturbia Posts: 563member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by MagMan1979 View Post





    Better question is, why aren't people invested in Goolge stock not screaming at them yet? This is yet another stupid moonshot project, that cost them millions, gone up on smoke. As an investor, I'd be calling for the resignation of the entire board, the CEO, and the entire executive team, who consistently and constantly blow millions of dollars on projects that go NOWHERE.

    I hear ya ... but read a little about google and their stupid CEO(s). They made it almost impossible to get rid of Larry & his stupid bud Sergey no matter how much they f***k up!

  • Reply 34 of 53
    paul94544paul94544 Posts: 1,027member
    Thats because analysts are idiots -simple really
  • Reply 35 of 53
    boredumbboredumb Posts: 1,418member

    Aw, sorry Google!

    So much for those 'off-shore' profits!

  • Reply 36 of 53
    slurpyslurpy Posts: 5,382member

    This is a good metaphor for most of Google's products. Ridiculous Hype (ie. Glass, etc) that then completely fizzle as real, practical consumer products. 

  • Reply 37 of 53
    kellya74ukellya74u Posts: 171member

    Google apparently tried to imply that the initial Barge mystery was an Apple-like 'next best thing.' However, failure to disclose what the purpose & value of the barge was, leaves people to speculate on why they were there, like to sniff additional wifi with passwords, & intercept traffic to target their adds.

  • Reply 38 of 53
    Not bothering to sell the barges as fully finished/furnished is a waste of resources.

    I don't think they got near that far. Besides the barge on the west coast was going to find most ports closed to it anyway.
  • Reply 39 of 53
    boredumb wrote: »
    Aw, sorry Google!
    So much for those 'off-shore' profits!

    So much for trying to "barge" into the wearable computing market.
  • Reply 40 of 53
    calicali Posts: 3,494member
    Maybe it was just a way to test out some device or other.  

    They were just testing the waters.

    This story goes to show that San Francisco doesn't play. I remember someone from the city saying Giggle thought they were big and bad and above the law. Giggle thought they could do what they wanted so San Francisco gave them the boot. tough city.
    I would like to see Apple with this attitude.
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