Last week some mysterious barges began showing up in the San Francisco bay and near Portland, ME. When word got out that they were owned by Google, it led to wild speculation. Most analysts seemed to think the barges would be new Google stores, specifically to showcase Google Glass. Now word has finally come from Google!
A Google spokesperson told TechCrunch the barges were meant to be “an interactive space” to show off the company’s new technology. This is intentionally vague, but it sounds a lot like an Apple store type of retail space. Here’s the entire short statement:
“Google Barge … A floating data center? A wild party boat? A barge housing the last remaining dinosaur? Sadly, none of the above. Although it’s still early days and things may change, we’re exploring using the barge as an interactive space where people can learn about new technology.”
A lot of the speculation has been around whether or not these “interactive spaces” will be featuring Google Glass. The wearable tech has recently had a hardware update, and is expanding its base of Explorers (folks who’ve gained early access to Glass). A consumer release seems to be in the works soon, and some new fancy stores would be the perfect place to let potential buyers try out Glass.
There is still another big question about the Google barges. Why Portland, Maine????
We’ll keep you posted on this developing story. Let us know what you think in the comments!
[Via: TechCrunch]