I don't have a source but I remember a panel discussion when Page came up with the idea to build a floating city in international waters. This way they could overcome the governmental regulations that slow down innovation, taxes etc.
I can't help but think about Toronto as a testing ground for that. Add facebooks flying internet drones plus some space X space infrastructure. Sounds pretty cool to me.
Alphabet’s Sidewalk Labs Eyes Toronto for Its Digital City
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Re: Alphabet’s Sidewalk Labs Eyes Toronto for Its Digital City
#52I don't have a source but I remember a panel discussion when Page came up with the idea to build a floating city in international waters. This way they could overcome the governmental regulations that slow down innovation, taxes etc. I can't help but think about Toronto as a testing ground for that. Add facebooks flying internet drones plus some space X space infrastructure. Sounds pretty cool to me.
If they can't pull it off, nobody will imho. But on the other hand, it's not like people haven't tried before: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micronation
Re: Alphabet’s Sidewalk Labs Eyes Toronto for Its Digital City
#53Earlier quoted context omitted.
you realize they shut down like 80 percent of what they start? or atleast abandon it?
Where did you pull that 80% from? Or you just feel like it's 80%? Most of Google's big projects are still alive today. Search, Gmail, Android, GSuite, Chrome, Drive, AdWords, YouTube, etc. There are a few big projects that they shut down but most are smaller projects. Do we want Google to just launch products that they will keep alive indefinitely whether it succeeds or not? Should Google not have started its self-dr…
80% sounds quite high but I wouldn't be surprised if the number is around there. Google are big enough to take risks and try things that don't work out. There are 95 official Google products in the Wikipedia 'discontinued products' listing - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Google_products#Discon..., but that's not very accurate in that it doesn't mention things have failed but are limping along, and it includes things that were discontinued but live on in other products (eg Wave merged with Docs).
It's not entirely unreasonable to suggest Google have 20 successful products for their ~95 discontinued ones though.. which would work out as 80% 'failed'.
Re: Alphabet’s Sidewalk Labs Eyes Toronto for Its Digital City
#54I assume this high tech city will be covered in cameras, microphones, and sensors of various types constantly reporting back to Alphabet (in order to "improve your user experience")?
"Good morning, Steve. Our 'smart sidewalk' noticed that you've gained several pounds and reduced the pace of your daily run over the past month" (insert personal trainer ad)
Re: Alphabet’s Sidewalk Labs Eyes Toronto for Its Digital City
#55Is this because of tightening immigration in the US?
Re: Alphabet’s Sidewalk Labs Eyes Toronto for Its Digital City
#56Earlier quoted context omitted.
Fiber is still alive. Here's an announcement from last month. https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2017/04/googl...
Also it pushed the broadband industry forward by providing competition. AT&T and Comcast stepped up their development of Gigabit Internet in the US.
And they stopped doing that in the same week Google announced that it would stop pushing Fiber.
Re: Alphabet’s Sidewalk Labs Eyes Toronto for Its Digital City
#57Earlier quoted context omitted.
When that student wants property in the most prime space in the region probably not. Toronto already allows tons of new units(like this project) what more are you expecting from the city?
The problem is that U of T spans some of the best real estate in the city, and obviously students want to live near there.
The GP didn't specify U of T St. George campus specifically, but if we're assuming they were, students have a wide variety of residence options available to them at great rates[1] provided by the university. In cases where students don't wish to remain in the residences, they can move out and share apartments or condo units.
Also, there aren't any U of T buildings[2] close to the Quayside cordon[3], hence I find it hard to believe that this particular project (or any) will raise rents all that much for students attending U of T on the St. George campus.
[1] https://www.studentlife.utoronto.ca/hs/st-george-residences
Re: Alphabet’s Sidewalk Labs Eyes Toronto for Its Digital City
#58I don't have a source but I remember a panel discussion when Page came up with the idea to build a floating city in international waters. This way they could overcome the governmental regulations that slow down innovation, taxes etc. I can't help but think about Toronto as a testing ground for that. Add facebooks flying internet drones plus some space X space infrastructure. Sounds pretty cool to me.
How do taxes slow down innovation–considering all R&D costs can be deducted, and taxes only apply to profits?
And which regulations, specifically, are holding back innovation at Google? Would their floating city allow me (to use one of your examples) to conduct rocket launches in my backyard?
Re: Alphabet’s Sidewalk Labs Eyes Toronto for Its Digital City
#59Crazy. People on Hacker News are still upset at Google for shutting down Reader.
I don't think it's about being upset -- it's about pattern recognition and learning from one's mistakes as a consumer.
In this case we are not really talking about a free consumer product, though.
I would be surprised if Toronto's municipality would grant this development without having some guarantees of it being carried out, save for paying severe penalties.
Re: Alphabet’s Sidewalk Labs Eyes Toronto for Its Digital City
#60> He’s also hinted at tech’s ability to overhaul zoning rules and control housing costs, a particular interest of Alphabet’s Page. Yeah, right. Toronto is one of the most retrograde cities on housing intensification (it still hasn't intensified around the Bloor-Danforth subway that was built a generation ago)[1]. In fact many neighbourhoods are losing population as the region grows due to extremely restrictive zoning…
And how would they control housing costs? Not going to stop speculators from China and Russia desperately trying to move money out of their home countries to stop the government getting its hands on it