The big picture: Unlike when they started as X projects, Loon and Wing now seem a long way from crazy. Their success is encouraging, proving that yeah, you'll have lots of bumps along the road but "eventually, you'll fail to fail." It’s graduation day as two X (formerly Google X) moonshot projects have been promoted to independent business status under the Alphabet umbrella. X CEO Astro Teller (awesome name, right?) said on Wednesday that now that their foundational technology is built, the divisions are ready to take their products into the world – work that is best done outside of the prototyping-focused environment of X. As with others in the “Other Bets” category, the two projects will continue the missions they started at X. Loon, which uses high-altitude balloons to blanket regions with wireless coverage, will continue to work with carriers worldwide to provide Internet access to under-connected and unconnected people. Wing, meanwhile, is developing a … [Read more...] about Moonshot projects Loon and Wing become independent businesses under Alphabet umbrella
Umbrella project
Project Loon and Wing become full-fledged Alphabet companies
As part of Google's big 2015 reorganization, many of the divisions tucked away inside Google became their own companies under the Alphabet umbrella. For example, the Google X's self-driving car project became Waymo. Now, two more wacky former Google projects are getting the same opportunity. Project Wing and Loon are both becoming Alphabet businesses. Loon is Google's attempt to bring internet access to underserved areas via high-altitude balloons (see above). This project has been operating for several years, but only on a limited basis. Loon will be led by CEO Alastair Westgarth. Meanwhile, Wing is a newer initiative to deliver packages via drone aircraft. This is still in the initial testing phase (mostly overseas) because drone delivery systems are not permitted under current Federal Aviation Administration rules. James Ryan Burgess will become CEO of Wing. Neither Wing nor Loon have technically been part of Google since the reorganization resulted in Google X … [Read more...] about Project Loon and Wing become full-fledged Alphabet companies
Alphabet says now is the time for two Google X projects to evolve into standalone businesses
source Google Alphabet Inc., Google’s parent company, announced on Wednesday that two research projects, Loon and Wing, are becoming independent businesses. Loon, the balloon-flying internet-delivery project and Wing, which is developing a drone-delivery service, are now standalone businesses operating under the Alphabet umbrella. This likely means little to Alphabet’s bottom line for the foreseeable future, but the two projects emerged from Google’s X facility, which is more focused on changing the world. Loon and Wing, two research projects developed within Google’s secretive X research facility, are becoming standalone businesses within Alphabet, Google’s parent company announced Wednesday. Loon is the project that releases massive balloons into the stratosphere carrying the gear needed to supply people in rural communities with an internet connection. Wing seeks to develop the means to deliver goods to consumers … [Read more...] about Alphabet says now is the time for two Google X projects to evolve into standalone businesses
Kenya will reportedly use Alphabet’s cutting-edge balloon project to deliver internet access to rural areas
source Screenshot/Project Loon Project Loon is close to finalizing a deal that would bring its balloons to Kenya. Project Loon started as a Google project to deliver internet access to rural and underserved areas from airborne balloons. Nowadays, Project Loon is being developed by X, formerly Google X – a skunkworks R&D group run by Alphabet, Google’s corporate parent. Kenya is turning to Alphabet’s Project Loon to help bring the Internet to some of the East Africa nation’s rural communities, according to a report Wednesday by Reuters. Project Loon – which began as a Google project in 2013 – launches balloons into the stratosphere that are designed to act like floating cellphone towers. They operate high enough so that they don’t interfere with power lines, airplanes or wildlife, which of course is abundant in Kenya. Joe Mucheru, Kenya’s Information, Communication and Technology minister, told Reuters that … [Read more...] about Kenya will reportedly use Alphabet’s cutting-edge balloon project to deliver internet access to rural areas
Timepiece performance will celebrate The Voice Project’s 10th anniversary
PUBLISHED: 16:43 23 May 2018 Emma Knights The Voice Project performed Singing the City in Norwich Cathedral and other areas of the city during the 2012 Norfolk & Norwich Festival. Photo: Phil Sayer Phil Sayer Norwich-based choir The Voice Project has been filling venue’s across the county with imaginative, original song for the last decade. Arts correspondent Emma Knights finds out about the group’s latest show The Voice Project's performance of Souvenir at Holkham Hall, Photo: JMA Photography. For a decade open access choir The Voice Project has been creating innovative choral spectacles that have filled everywhere from Holkham Hall to Norwich’s City Hall in song. And for the group’s 10th anniversary performance The Voice Project will on Friday return to Norwich Cathedral to present new work Timepiece as part of the Norfolk & Norwich Festival. Starting from midday and running through until midnight, every hour on the hour members of The Voice … [Read more...] about Timepiece performance will celebrate The Voice Project’s 10th anniversary