Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Google acquires BufferBox (YC S12)

business.financialpost.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

121–130 of 167 posts

Re: Google acquires BufferBox (YC S12)

#121

Post by spullara »

ChuckMcM wrote: post #14

I don't know about you but I want to see a buffer box setup where one of the lockers just says "I'm feeling Lucky" :-) Edit: and given a game of chance, and games in general. I wonder if anyone at Google has considered combining BufferBox with Ingress such that as you're playing the game if you 'win' a power up it is in the form of Google schwag in a locker, where the open code and which locker appears on your augmen…

It is currently so small scale I also came to the conclusion this was just to make Ingress a better real life game.

Re: Google acquires BufferBox (YC S12)

#123

Post by jarek »

aneth4 wrote: post #119
RandallBrown wrote: post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Amazon has been doing this for a few years in the US. Bufferbox is actually only in Canada. It's not a service I need, and definitely not one I'd pay extra for. I live in an apartment. The apartment office signs for and stores my packages. If I lived in a house, in an area where people would steal the package left on my doorstep, then I might use something like this. It would have to be really convenient though.

Most apartments do not have someone to sign for packages and missed deliveries are a pain. It's definitely worth paying $3 to avoid them m

Or just get things delivered by a sane service that stores your packages at a neighbourhood postal office rather than a warehouse in a distant suburb :)

Re: Google acquires BufferBox (YC S12)

#124

Post by ovi256 »

htf wrote: post #42

Self-driving cars + robot arm + bufferbox = extremely cheap, fully automated delivery service. Add a robotic distribution center http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fdd6sQ8Cbe0 and you have an automated Amazon competitor. If, on top of that, Google turns your Google account into a bank account, you'll be able to buy literally with one click. Google's dominance in mobile with Android will ensure that everyone has a Google…

I'd like even more to see Self-driving van with bufferbox in the back. A mobile self-driving bufferbox if you want, that comes where you are. You schedule the delivery via a web/mobile interface, car arrives, you go, put in the one-time security code and get your package just like a normal bufferbox but at your home!

Re: Google acquires BufferBox (YC S12)

#125

Post by sytelus »

mtrimpe wrote: post #100
frb wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

With Germany being notorious for its copycats, it's funny to see this in reverse. Who would have thought that an idea that exists in Germany for almost 10 years would still be great for a startup in the US/Canada.

The Germans are the leading industrial nation of the world, so it's not surprising that for a startup in this field US is the copy-cat. P.S. I'm defining industrial as 'the manipulation and enrichment of physical goods' for the purpose of this comment.

Really? You might enjoy reading this article: http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-02-29/the-germany-...

Re: Google acquires BufferBox (YC S12)

#127

Post by fudged71 »

pajju wrote: post #69

How does this acquisition strategically fit in for Google?

Shopping mostly, using their recent interests in Phones, Hardware, and being anti-Amazon. I think it's a broad new option for them. Plus, better to build out the general solution to this shipping problem than the specific Amazon-only solution; potential to be more useful in the long run. Better to buy this company than let it be bought by someone else.

Re: Google acquires BufferBox (YC S12)

#129

Post by mtrimpe »

sytelus wrote: post #125
mtrimpe wrote: post #100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The Germans are the leading industrial nation of the world, so it's not surprising that for a startup in this field US is the copy-cat. P.S. I'm defining industrial as 'the manipulation and enrichment of physical goods' for the purpose of this comment.

Really? You might enjoy reading this article: http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-02-29/the-germany-...

That's why I explicitly mentioned "manipulation and enrichment of physical goods"

Re: Google acquires BufferBox (YC S12)

#130

Post by rapind »

RockyMcNuts wrote: post #105
frb wrote: post #101

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree that Germany is not all about copycats. Thanks to the Samwers and others this perception was created. If you visit places like Silicon Valley and say you're from Germany you can be sure to find someone who will "make a joke" about Germany and startup copycats. What irritates me is that nobody seems to point out these reverse cases, where others copy German innovation/ideas. Also I'm wondering why these positi…

Germans are pretty conservative. There was a successful German startup that I looked at, that bragged about how cash flow positive they were. I said FFS, why? In the US in a high growth startup land grab type business, you would put all the cash back into the business to grow it as fast as possible, including internationally, instead of hoarding it and bragging about how solid and conservative you are.

Different values? Maybe they're happy with what they've got and don't need to risk it all for a very small improvement in their already fantastic lifestyle? I'm not criticizing founders who decide to go for it all, but I definitely wouldn't look down on a small but successful business like their clueless.

I personally find the profitable and sustainable business model way more attractive than the grow for the sake of growth model.

Post reply on HN