There's one going to my zipcode that just shipped. I've had a slight anticipation everytime I get home in the past few days, wondering if there is going to be a package there, and that just made it worse, but here's to hoping!
CR-48 Tracker
11–20 of 37 posts
Re: CR-48 Tracker
#12One interesting point here. This seems to use the UPS API so I assume they're using info from tracking information of people who already received one. But the question is Did Google ship all the CR-48s via UPS?
Where I work we send out gift baskets to select VIP donors to goose donations over the holidays and even we pay a service that determines the cheapest shipping carrier for the donors location. I'd imagine a company as big as Google would use a similar service (especially since they obviously didn't order in bulk as some are ground and some are overnight)
Re: CR-48 Tracker
#13I'm still not sure why they're surprising pople with packages instead of sending out a warning email.
At least (AFAICT) it's just for people who signed up. Probably saves a few "suspicious package" reports.
Re: CR-48 Tracker
#14Can’t believe no one has posted a comment like this yet, but: How on earth does this work? Where is it pulling data from?
Re: CR-48 Tracker
#15Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's generated a ton of hype and interest. I suspect that's one of the main reasons.
You could be right but if that's the case I think it's a mistake. I can get why Google would want a certain type of person to test these things but the problem with an application process is it makes the whole thing a question of worthiness. "Are you deemed worthy of a CR-48 by Google?" (This is not an official Google quote I'm just laying out the sentiment) And the problem with that is...some people won't be. So whe…
I think you're reading way to much into it. It's free. Nothing more, nothing less. People get excited at the thought of free stuff, especially something like a laptop. If someone is so emotionally unstable that they feel socially rejected because a complete stranger got picked for a beta test instead of them, they have bigger issues going on -- it's not because an application process exists.
Re: CR-48 Tracker
#16Can’t believe no one has posted a comment like this yet, but: How on earth does this work? Where is it pulling data from?
UPS' API delivers this kind of information and I assume they got the address from someone who already received one and then queried for packages from that address.
Re: CR-48 Tracker
#17Can’t believe no one has posted a comment like this yet, but: How on earth does this work? Where is it pulling data from?
It's querying the UPS tracking API for reference numbers. These are assigned by the shipper (can be a description, customer name, or in this case sequential SKU blocks of 2000) so knowing the pattern would get you all of them.
I played around with the reference numbers, and it seems like Google sent out 3 batches:
AAC1XXXXXX (up to AAC1001982)
AAC2XXXXXX (up to AAC2002127)
AAC3XXXXXX (up to AAC3002115)
All of these turn up 6 pound packages sent within the past few days, with the earliest being the 9th.
Re: CR-48 Tracker
#18Re: CR-48 Tracker
#19Is it sad that my heart jumped a little when I saw that one had shipped to my where I live. Unfortunately it has already been delivered and I definitely didn't receive one!
Re: CR-48 Tracker
#20Earlier quoted context omitted.
You could be right but if that's the case I think it's a mistake. I can get why Google would want a certain type of person to test these things but the problem with an application process is it makes the whole thing a question of worthiness. "Are you deemed worthy of a CR-48 by Google?" (This is not an official Google quote I'm just laying out the sentiment) And the problem with that is...some people won't be. So whe…
I think you're reading way to much into it. It's free. Nothing more, nothing less. People get excited at the thought of free stuff, especially something like a laptop. If someone is so emotionally unstable that they feel socially rejected because a complete stranger got picked for a beta test instead of them, they have bigger issues going on -- it's not because an application process exists.
It's not emotionally unstable to be upset with rejection it's the normal reaction (and to be honest there's probably no psychological phenomenon that's been documented more than that). Beyond that I think suggesting it's just "free stuff" shows a complete misunderstanding of what's going on here.
Google is trying to start a movement with the Chrome OS. They're trying to win people over to the thinking that you don't need a desktop. So the dynamics here are more like a political party than a giveaway. As such people are bound to get emotionally invested and their feelings of rejection are bound to be amplified if they are rejected from that movement (imagine a political party that only accepted people's support after an application process)
As I said it's a necessary step because this is a testing process and Google does need a certain profile of person to test. But that doesn't mean it isn't going to sting people if they don't get in.