17 ms·

Lesser-Known Google Projects

74 points by ssaddi 11y ago

sargun 11y ago
It seems down from here. Google cache: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:WGhnu5fMSKUJ:www.diygenius.com/12-lesser-known-google-projects-that-are-absolutely-amazing/+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:WGhnu5f... And Archive.org: http://web.archive.org/web/20150419093843/http://www.diygenius.com/12-lesser-known-google-projects-that-are-absolutely-amazing/ http://web.archive.org/web/20150419093843/http://www.diygeni...
JohnyLy 11y ago
Very nice article. I wasn't aware of most of those projects. I am especially interested to see the results of "World Wonders Project", "Solve for X", "Ingress" and "Google Sky". I am sure Google is also secretly working on other projects that they don't want to communicate on yet (Same as Apple). Note: all those projects really remind me of Hailo's project XYZ in the Silicon Valley Series.
- drdaeman 11y ago
  Just a small note. Ingress (Niantic Labs, actually) wasn't originally Google and had left[1] Google recently. ;) [1] http://www.theverge.com/2015/8/12/9145693/niantic-labs-leaves-google-independent-ingress http://www.theverge.com/2015/8/12/9145693/niantic-labs-leave...
yitchelle 11y ago
I discovered some lesser known Google projects via it Android play store by doing a search "Google". I found Google Sky and MyTracks.
snarfy 11y ago
> One of the reasons why Google has consistently released new innovative project is because of their 20% time policy, which gives many of their employees one day a week to experiment with new concepts and ideas. Is this still true? I thought they got rid of the 20% time policy years ago.
- exodust 11y ago
  Well, most of the projects are from years ago so maybe that's true.
- dgquintas 11y ago
  Regardless of whether that statement is true or not, 20% time is alive and well, based on my own experience, that of everyone else I know who's also done it and (if to a lesser extent), all levels of management having asserted so repeatedly since rumours started. I've even found it to be encouraged by certain managers to alleviate the "itch" to work on something different without having to leave one's current team.
- magicalist 11y ago
  According to this Ars article, project sunroof was a 20% project: http://arstechnica.com/business/2015/08/here-there-be-photons-googles-project-sunroof-maps-solar-panel-savings/ http://arstechnica.com/business/2015/08/here-there-be-photon... (see next-to-last paragraph)
zubairsaif007 11y ago
http://googler700.blogspot.com/ http://googler700.blogspot.com/

74 points by ssaddi 11y ago

It seems down from here. Google cache: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:WGhnu5fMSKUJ:www.diygenius.com/12-lesser-known-google-projects-that-are-absolutely-amazing/+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:WGhnu5f... And Archive.org: http://web.archive.org/web/20150419093843/http://www.diygenius.com/12-lesser-known-google-projects-that-are-absolutely-amazing/ http://web.archive.org/web/20150419093843/http://www.diygeni...

JohnyLy 11y ago

Very nice article. I wasn't aware of most of those projects. I am especially interested to see the results of "World Wonders Project", "Solve for X", "Ingress" and "Google Sky". I am sure Google is also secretly working on other projects that they don't want to communicate on yet (Same as Apple). Note: all those projects really remind me of Hailo's project XYZ in the Silicon Valley Series.

drdaeman 11y ago
Just a small note. Ingress (Niantic Labs, actually) wasn't originally Google and had left[1] Google recently. ;) [1] http://www.theverge.com/2015/8/12/9145693/niantic-labs-leaves-google-independent-ingress http://www.theverge.com/2015/8/12/9145693/niantic-labs-leave...

yitchelle 11y ago

I discovered some lesser known Google projects via it Android play store by doing a search "Google". I found Google Sky and MyTracks.

snarfy 11y ago

> One of the reasons why Google has consistently released new innovative project is because of their 20% time policy, which gives many of their employees one day a week to experiment with new concepts and ideas. Is this still true? I thought they got rid of the 20% time policy years ago.

exodust 11y ago
Well, most of the projects are from years ago so maybe that's true.
dgquintas 11y ago
Regardless of whether that statement is true or not, 20% time is alive and well, based on my own experience, that of everyone else I know who's also done it and (if to a lesser extent), all levels of management having asserted so repeatedly since rumours started. I've even found it to be encouraged by certain managers to alleviate the "itch" to work on something different without having to leave one's current team.
magicalist 11y ago
According to this Ars article, project sunroof was a 20% project: http://arstechnica.com/business/2015/08/here-there-be-photons-googles-project-sunroof-maps-solar-panel-savings/ http://arstechnica.com/business/2015/08/here-there-be-photon... (see next-to-last paragraph)

zubairsaif007 11y ago

http://googler700.blogspot.com/ http://googler700.blogspot.com/