Skip to main content

Google’s mystery barges said to be ‘dazzling,’ invite-only showrooms for Google X

google barge to leave san francisco bay for new home still unfinished
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The mysterious Google barges anchored in the waters off San Francisco, California, and Portland, Maine, are a mystery no more, according to sources who spoke with CBS San Francisco, who claim that the structures will be home to “dazzling showrooms” for Google X products, where the company plans to woo “invite-only” clientele.

Earlier reports indicated that the structures may be floating data centers that would use sea water to cool Google’s servers. If the CBS San Francisco report is accurate, however, that theory seems to have sunk.

The structures, each of which is built from 40 “interchangeable” shipping containers, can be outfitted with a slew of showy design features, like chrome highlights (the shiny stuff, not the browser or operating system) and in-floor lighting, says a source who has been inside the San Francisco facility. There will also be a “party deck” and other creature comforts where “upscale customers” can shmooze with fellow attendees, according to the report.

Thanks to the structures’ modular design, Google will reportedly be able to separate the shipping containers, truck them around the country or ship them around the world, and rebuild the luxury showrooms anywhere. Sources say the buildings are Google’s answer to Apple’s highly successful retail outlets, and will be used to display Google Glass and other company products.

On Wednesday, the U.S. Coast Guard visited the barges in San Francisco as part of an inspection to make sure the floating structures were in compliance with regulations. Coast Guard spokesmen have confirmed that Google is behind the barges’ construction, but signed a nondisclosure agreement with the company that prevents the military agency from revealing any more details about the project.

Google did not immediately respond to our request for comment on CBS San Francisco’s report.

While the barges are owned and operated by a company called By and Large, CBS San Francisco reports that they are one of the projects created out of Google X, the Internet giant’s secret lab run by Google co-founder Sergey Brin. Google X was behind the creation of Google’s self-driving cars, Google Glass augmented reality technology, and other futuristic creations.

[Image via Gizmodo Australia]

Editors' Recommendations

Andrew Couts
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Features Editor for Digital Trends, Andrew Couts covers a wide swath of consumer technology topics, with particular focus on…
How to change your language in Google Chrome on desktop
Chrome OS

Google Chrome supports a wide range of languages. While it'll default to English in most cases, there's nothing stopping you from changing its settings and displaying pages in Spanish, French, or dozens of other languages.

Changing your default language in Chrome takes only a few seconds, and the technique used is the same across Windows and Mac. Aside from changing your language, note that Chrome now gives you the option to automatically translate pages written in another language – making it easy to read content from around the globe.

Read more
23 of the best Netflix hacks, tips, and tricks
The Netflix home screen.

Netflix is one of the most popular streaming platforms for all things movies and TV shows. Home to an immense library of titles, the Netflix archive is constantly changing and evolving, and so are the many ways you can use your Netflix account. 

For instance, did you know you can access region-locked Netflix shows and flicks by using a VPN? Or that you can disable that pesky Autoplay feature? There are tons of Netflix hacks, tips, and tricks out there, so we’ve gone ahead and rounded up all of our favorites! 
Expand your streaming with a VPN

Read more
How to make a GIF from a YouTube video
woman sitting and using laptop

Sometimes, whether you're chatting with friends or posting on social media, words just aren't enough -- you need a GIF to fully convey your feelings. If there's a moment from a YouTube video that you want to snip into a GIF, the good news is that you don't need complex software to so it. There are now a bunch of ways to make a GIF from a YouTube video right in your browser.

If you want to use desktop software like Photoshop to make a GIF, then you'll need to download the YouTube video first before you can start making a GIF. However, if you don't want to go through that bother then there are several ways you can make a GIF right in your browser, without the need to download anything. That's ideal if you're working with a low-specced laptop or on a phone, as all the processing to make the GIF is done in the cloud rather than on your machine. With these options you can make quick and fun GIFs from YouTube videos in just a few minutes.
Use GIFs.com for great customization
Step 1: Find the YouTube video that you want to turn into a GIF (perhaps a NASA archive?) and copy its URL.

Read more