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Google's Head of Research — We Don't Do Hardware

Posted by Zonk on from the to-the-gmobile dept.

mr_sifter writes "In a recent, wide-ranging interview Google's Head of Research, Dr Peter Norvig, revealed the firm has no interest in developing its own hardware. (Except a phone, apparently.) Said Norvig, 'We want to work everywhere and be neutral. That neutrality is important.' Interestingly, Norvig is tough on where the company's priorities are at the moment, saying: 'I think there could be much better tools, we're [Google] still kind of isolated in what we do. You give us a question and we give you an answer ... We're really focused on either the five second-type question ... We don't really support the five month or the five year queries, the project or life-long goal.' He also talks about the importance of adding a narrative to search, mobile technology, and how Google's strong financials mean the company can run research in an unusual way."

9 of 94 comments (clear)

  1. Oh no!!! by wandazulu · · Score: 5, Funny

    My Google Search Appliance just disappeared in a poof of smoke and logic!

  2. I remember another company once said this... by downix · · Score: 3, Funny

    I remember when Microsoft was all "We don't do hardware"...

    **looks at his co-workers X-box, microsoft mouse and microsoft joystick**

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    Karma Whoring for Fun and Profit.
    1. Re:I remember another company once said this... by WilliamSChips · · Score: 3, Informative

      He's talking about their mice and keyboards.

      --
      Please, for the good of Humanity, vote Obama.
    2. Re:I remember another company once said this... by empaler · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Running it on Vista?

      Seriously, I have a MS-keyb+mouse set, and it's awesome. Probably one of the best keyboards I've had - only, as soon as I installed Vista, half the cool functions weren't available. Kind of embarassing, that.

  3. Of course! by biocute · · Score: 3, Informative

    Define hardware : major items of military weaponry (as tanks or missile)

    --
    Virtual Betting on Facebook for non-geeks.
  4. Re:Google doesn't make hardware? by brunes69 · · Score: 5, Informative

    Some OEM partner. Google just makes the software that runs on it.

  5. Google does do hardware by DrDitto · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Just look at the job postings:

    http://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/egr/408676278.html

    1. Re:Google does do hardware by morgan_greywolf · · Score: 3, Informative

      Just because Google needs hardware to run its operations, and thus, hardware testing engineers to test new hardware and infrastructures, doesn't mean that they 'do hardware.'

      Or were you trying to be funny?

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      My blog
  6. Don't believe this by suv4x4 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    They said they won't do email, chat, financial information, spreadsheets or horoscopes (making fun of Yahoo and Microsoft).

    And short of horoscopes, they now do all of this.