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

71–80 of 167 posts

Re: Google acquires BufferBox (YC S12)

#71

Post by sonier »

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…

This actually seems like something that happen in the near future. I guess the biggest hurdle to get over first would be laws and regulations for self-driving cars, I'm sure if that were out of the way, within a year or two this would be possible.

Re: Google acquires BufferBox (YC S12)

#74

Post by salimmadjd »

hencq wrote: post #68
salimmadjd wrote: post #22

Where were these services during the Cold War era? I could imagine endless movie scripts of sending secret packages of stolen material prototypes etc. via these services. I guess drug lords and assassins might still be able to use them :)

In a lot of cold war spy novels they have stuff delivered to hotels all the time. I always wondered if that would work for non-spy parcels as well.

But the implication is that you might be under further surveillance in your hotel room. However you can slip out at night and get your package. Instead of going to a "trusted house" or some old bookseller you go to one of these services.

Re: Google acquires BufferBox (YC S12)

#75

Post by kip_ »

relix wrote: post #58

Slightly offtopic tangent: So by now we're all aware that these are already ubiquitous in Europe. The question I have is why it took so long to reach the US? Why didn't the main shipping companies there like FedEx and UPS step up and use their existing infrastructure to build something like this, much more easily than a startup could do.

Cost of land rental/lease.

Re: Google acquires BufferBox (YC S12)

#76

Post by alexsb92 »

eik3_de wrote: post #54
revelation wrote: post #9

This is a german Packstation: http://images.computerwoche.de/images/computerwoche/bdb/1841... Welcome to the future, America. I'd be happy to see what a startup under Google can do, but the competition isn't exactly asleep.

How does the security of BufferBox/Amazon Locker compare to Packstation? To get your packet out of a Packstation, you need both the (magnetic strip) card that they send you on signup and a one-time PIN they send via SMS (not email). This might not sound "easy", but there has been a lot of abuse in the past years so that DHL was forced to step up security. How do the US systems compare? Have there been reports on abus…

For Bufferbox, when the package is delivered to the box, they send you an email with an access code, and you have to enter the access code. As far as build quality and strength, they seem pretty solid, and I haven't heard of any abuse stories from the Bufferbox guys.

Re: Google acquires BufferBox (YC S12)

#77

Post by luxxx »

This is going to make credit card fraud way easier. I whole-heartedly love this idea. There are ways to obtain things on the internet anonymously, there should be ways to do so in the real world as well. Fantastic.

Re: Google acquires BufferBox (YC S12)

#78

Post by alexsb92 »

jhartmann wrote: post #66
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…

As tongue in check as this post seems to me I actually think this is one possible way that things could go. I see massive disruption in the next 10 years in regards to the amounts of jobs that could easily become irrelevant once this sort of tech matures. It will be a very interesting space to watch. A Google + Uber partnership could be very kewl as well. We could get our goods, our transportation, internet and knowl…

But at that point, would Google continue to be an advertising company? It would be like one of those megacorps that you see in movies, but hopefully not evil.

Re: Google acquires BufferBox (YC S12)

#79

Post by trin_ »

frb wrote: post #52
revelation wrote: post #9

This is a german Packstation: http://images.computerwoche.de/images/computerwoche/bdb/1841... Welcome to the future, America. I'd be happy to see what a startup under Google can do, but the competition isn't exactly asleep.

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.

Funny that you would say that. There are a lot of us start ups (even yc ones!) that copy companyies/ideas that are proven and established here in Germany. The package stuff s just one example. All the ride sharing start ups that were hyped some time ago basically copy "mitfahrgelegenheit.de" ( now the company s known as carpooling) wh have been dong this for nearly ten years now. Public bike sharing is another example.

It's easy to just blame rocket Internet and pretend like that's all of German innovation/startp scene. Packaging and bike sharing weren't even pioneered by startups but by huge formerly state owned companies who are Slow and boring n the Public eye

Post reply on HN