Google is tearing a page out of the Apple Store playbook for its new demo shop in Kansas City showcasing Google Fiber and all of its gigabit glory. The showroom opens Saturday. Here's a sneak peek.
The House That Fiber Built
Yesterday Google Fiber formally unveiled plans to build an ultra-high speed Internet and cable network in the Kansas Cities (Missouri and Kansas) that runs about 100 times faster than the current standard. I live there. So before the livestreamed announcement had finished buffering (and buffering ... and buffering ...) over my old service provider, my wife and I plunked down our $10 deposit toward the future and were rallying others to join us via our Facebook neighborhood watch group. Why? Installation hinges on the formation of "fiberhoods," blocs of about 5-10% of the total residents in a given area, meaning the communities that sign up the most people fastest will be first served.
As of Friday morning, at least 10 of the region's 180 or so zones had tipped. To help sell the rest, Google will open a fiber demo shop on Saturday, complete with multiple fiber-wired living rooms for residents who want a test drive first. (Something tells us this won't be the last such space.) Here's a sneak peak at the gadgets, user interface, and ambiance behind the push:
Brick And Fiber
The demo space itself is located along the state line in midtown Kansas City, Missouri.
Google Fiber House
G-nius Bar
Inside, future customers are greeted by a "fiber team" of brand consultants who give tours.
The Setup
Fiber living rooms are rigged with a Network Box, TV Box, and Storage Box for modem, cable and DVR, respectively. It's not an Internet connection. It's a lifestyle.
G Unit
Each device looks bulky but is designed to be stackable to conserve space.
Tower of Google
The side of the tower with all plug-ins and cabling.
Fiber Flipper
All of the tech is controlled by a Nexus 7 tablet remote and streams on multiple devices.
G UI
The tablet controller offers various choices without interrupting streams on other devices.
G Wiz
More user interface.
Google Fiber House
Yet even more UI.
G Biz
One business application could be telepresence meetings using Cisco's camera, codec, mic, and control system.
Fiber ... For Health
A waiting room and private telepresence area lets community members visit virtually with nutritionists at nearby University of Kansas Medical Center. Get it? Fiber?
Google Fiber Maps
Residents who sign up are encouraged to tag their future "fiberhood" on a giant wall map.
Fiberhood Watch
A digital map tracks community sign-ups in real time, showing each fiberhood goal. (Green = above goal. Yellow = below goal. Gray = no sign-ups.)
Google Fiber House
Fiberwear
Google's Fiber team shirts with inspirational messaging.
Google Fiber House
Broadband Bunny
An art installation featuring Google Fiber's mascot--a glowing "fiber bunny" and cloud-based highway of cars that represent hyper data streaming.
Google Fiber House
Google Fiber House
All That Fiber...
Online for the bathroom? At the Fiber house, you'll find fiber bunnies there, too.
