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BumpTop 3D Desktop Environment Acquired by Google

The difference between this and Apple is preconceived interface/intuitive interface vs./ next gen/flashy interface. It seems like a gimmick more than actually being useful, and it speaks volumes about Google regarding their recent purchase.









FYI : I've been drinking. Sorry if this post is incoherent.
 
Icaras said:
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 3_1_3 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/528.18 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile/7E18 Safari/528.16)

Another week, another buyout from Google or Apple.
Click to expand...

I guess Microsoft were the real innovators back then when they started the trend of confusing R&D with M&A :D
 
A lot of eye candy but it doesn't solve a problem nor does it answer any questions.
It is just. Neat
 
I don't know, it's "fun" and you can impress your friends with it, but in my opinion it makes things much more cluttered and messy. Since it's more similar to a "real" desk with "real" files on top, it gets as messy as a "real" environment. The reason we have 2D computers and 2D desktops is because that allows us to organise things in a much more logical and much less messy way. I even arrange my icons in a grid view to make them look neater. Simplicity is the key to organising files, and a 3D physics environment isn't exactly simple. I never thought this would successfully make it into anything, and I still don't think it will.
 
gigidey said:
Well, I guess that's where Google comes in. They defiantly have the money and developers to make something great out of it.
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Other than search what GREAT things has Google done? I'll give you gmail as a good thing, but frankly their interfaces are quite poor. Google designs by committee and focus group. Even Microsoft is starting to do better than Google with Win 7 and Win Phone 7.
 
This thing would only make sense if the hardware that it would run on would be made for the GUI. I cannot see any current hardware where that GUI would improve on already existing ones.

Unless Google has some new grand idea concerning this GUI and some specifically designed hardware around it, this is going to remain what it is now: a shallow, gimmicky shell on an OS that you end up thrashing after a few hours of playing.

Take the iPad: bad idea with OS X, great idea with a dedicated GUI. The other way around: the iPad OS (iPhone OS): great on a dedicated device such as the iPad or iPhone. Bad idea on a MBP.

Perfect usability stems from a perfact marriage of hardware and software. Treat either one separate and you will get a suboptimal result.
 
They simply did it for the purpose of obtaining gestures for a possible future tablet product because they don't really have the skills nor the evelopment culture to create their own...
 
Thex1138 said:
They simply did it for the purpose of obtaining gestures for a possible future tablet product because they don't really have the skills nor the evelopment culture to create their own...
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I though Google was famous for their development culture? 20% of worktime dedicated to free and creative thinking, playfields and slides in the offices and all...:confused:
 
More than three years ago, we set out to completely change the way people use their desktops. We're very grateful for all your support over that time — not just financially but also through all the encouraging messages from people who found BumpTop inspiring, useful, and just downright fun.

Today, we have a big announcement to make: we're excited to announce that we've been acquired by Google!
Click to expand...

I'm guessing the latter is the real reason for their existence. Not they can finally cash out.
 
peterdevries said:
I though Google was famous for their development culture? 20% of worktime dedicated to free and creative thinking, playfields and slides in the offices and all...:confused:
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Yes that's true... but with all the tech aquisitions for them of late, like pretty much all other tech companies, it seems easier to aquire than develop in this case... because they seem to have been blind-sided by Apples innovations.
 
Krizoitz said:
Other than search what GREAT things has Google done?
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GWT, ads, Android, Translate, Apps, Maps just off the top of my head. Google popularized AJAX and continues to be a innovating force on many levels in the industry.
 
Krizoitz said:
Other than search what GREAT things has Google done? I'll give you gmail as a good thing, but frankly their interfaces are quite poor. Google designs by committee and focus group. Even Microsoft is starting to do better than Google with Win 7 and Win Phone 7.
Click to expand...

WTF? What about, erm.... GOOGLE MAPS??? :eek: Listing Gmail (their first serious app) as the only example means you must be still living in 2004. :D

And I'm quite fond of Chrome as well. Looks and feels much better than Firefox and Opera.
 
peterdevries said:
I though Google was famous for their development culture? 20% of worktime dedicated to free and creative thinking, playfields and slides in the offices and all...:confused:
Click to expand...

The developer staffs between Apple and Google don't even compare.

Apple is leagues ahead in talent and overall depth and breadth.
 
Looks cool, but seems really impractical. Not sure what the 3D does other than make it annoying to look at your files. Bad call for Google. Usability is key, not just fluff.
 
mdriftmeyer said:
The developer staffs between Apple and Google don't even compare.

Apple is leagues ahead in talent and overall depth and breadth.
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Hummm.... not sure I agree. Google is probably Apples biggest competitor at this point. The advantage Apple has is they control the entire eco system from hardware to OS to software. Google will have trouble competing with that, but yet, Google has proven to be a serious competitor in the market place. Actually, MS should be the most concerned about Google... Apple and Google could bury them.
 
mdriftmeyer said:
The developer staffs between Apple and Google don't even compare.

Apple is leagues ahead in talent and overall depth and breadth.
Click to expand...

Laughable assumption, especially since we know Apple developers don't have the necessary freedoms to be innovative.

This looks like a good acquisition for Google. I would expect to see this in tablet versions of android.
 
This is actually very good. I could see this being used very effectively on a tablet. This is like a virtual 'Surface'.

This can be developed into something very cool... lots of potential.
 
Bah... Humbug!

I already have several boxes full of unsorted papers and shallow trays full of electronics giblets loosely organized into related functions. The LAST place I want to see that is on my computer UI.

This looks like a neat gimmick, and a decent point of departure, but fundamentally claustrophobic, cluttered, and unpolished in it's present iteration.

I'll stick with 2D for now, thank you :rolleyes:
 
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