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November 1, 2013 04:05 pm GMT
Google caught some attention this past week for mooring a huge barge in SF Bay for mysterious purposes. Rumors have been flying about what that barge could be used for, with some suggesting it’s a floating data center, which Google does indeed have a patent for. But reports from a Bay Area local CBS affiliate and CNET suggest it’s a retail play, and now CBS is reporting (via 9to5Google) that as confirmed from multiple sources. According to our sources the various reports about the barges being showcases for Googles Glass retail efforts are correct. The sources we spoke to were still uncertain about the exact uses that all of the barges would be put to in the end, but aiding Google in showcasing Glass for its eventual retail run is the likeliest fate of the units docked behind San Franciscos Treasure Island. The CBS story outlined a luxury showroom with a party deck up top and spaces below for retail stores that could showcase Glass and other Google products. This report was said to be pretty accurate by our sources. CBS affiliate KPIX 5 says that the barge will eventually include luxury showrooms for gadgets such as Google Glass, as well as a party deck, and provide hands-on experiences to select potential clients by invitation only. It’s the brainchild of Google X, the skunkworks at Google designed to build some of that company’s more experimental products and services, including Google Glass and self-driving cars, and it’s overseen by Google co-founder Sergey Brin. Brin is reportedly the driving force behind this retail barge experiment, and the purpose of the plan is to compete with Apple’s dominating retail presence, according to the CBS report. While the barge doesn’t look like a luxury showroom at the moment, it’s built out of modular 40-foot shipping containers and is designed to be quickly torn down and put back together easily. It’s not a strictly seaborne affair, either Google could reportedly assemble it on trucks or on freight trains, too, adding new meaning to the term “road show.” CBS says that the barge’s launch has been delayed because of how it’s been designated by the U.S. Coast Guard, which is so far complying with Google’s apparent request that its purpose be kept secret. Earlier this year, reports surfaced that suggested Google would begin opening its own retail stores in time for this year’s holiday season.
Original Link: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/T67GWyCFcQQ/
Google's Barge Likely A Modular, Floating Retail Space To Feature Glass
Google caught some attention this past week for mooring a huge barge in SF Bay for mysterious purposes. Rumors have been flying about what that barge could be used for, with some suggesting it’s a floating data center, which Google does indeed have a patent for. But reports from a Bay Area local CBS affiliate and CNET suggest it’s a retail play, and now CBS is reporting (via 9to5Google) that as confirmed from multiple sources. According to our sources the various reports about the barges being showcases for Googles Glass retail efforts are correct. The sources we spoke to were still uncertain about the exact uses that all of the barges would be put to in the end, but aiding Google in showcasing Glass for its eventual retail run is the likeliest fate of the units docked behind San Franciscos Treasure Island. The CBS story outlined a luxury showroom with a party deck up top and spaces below for retail stores that could showcase Glass and other Google products. This report was said to be pretty accurate by our sources. CBS affiliate KPIX 5 says that the barge will eventually include luxury showrooms for gadgets such as Google Glass, as well as a party deck, and provide hands-on experiences to select potential clients by invitation only. It’s the brainchild of Google X, the skunkworks at Google designed to build some of that company’s more experimental products and services, including Google Glass and self-driving cars, and it’s overseen by Google co-founder Sergey Brin. Brin is reportedly the driving force behind this retail barge experiment, and the purpose of the plan is to compete with Apple’s dominating retail presence, according to the CBS report. While the barge doesn’t look like a luxury showroom at the moment, it’s built out of modular 40-foot shipping containers and is designed to be quickly torn down and put back together easily. It’s not a strictly seaborne affair, either Google could reportedly assemble it on trucks or on freight trains, too, adding new meaning to the term “road show.” CBS says that the barge’s launch has been delayed because of how it’s been designated by the U.S. Coast Guard, which is so far complying with Google’s apparent request that its purpose be kept secret. Earlier this year, reports surfaced that suggested Google would begin opening its own retail stores in time for this year’s holiday season.Original Link: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/T67GWyCFcQQ/
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