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Google says 20% time is going strong, and Google Now is proof

posted by Michael H. / Aug 21, 2013, 12:20 PM

Google says 20% time is going strong, and Google Now is proof

There have been recent reports saying that Google's famous 20% time was on the ropes, or maybe even gone for good. The policy at Google had always been that employees weren't just allowed, but were encouraged to use 20% of their time to work on projects of their own choosing. The policy has given rise to products like Gmail and GTalk, and now Google says that it was also responsible for Google Now.

A spokesperson for Google said that 20% time is "alive and well"; and back in November Andrew Kirmse, an engineer at Google said that the start of Google Now came from 20% time:

Google Now started when a few of us on the Maps team thought there was some really useful information we could show you on your phone based on where you are, and so we started working on it in our spare time, as a 20% project (as many projects at Google start). The further we got on the project, the more compelling it became, and everyone saw the potential of it.

It's hard to say where the truth is, because the reports from Google engineers has been someone scattered on the topic. But, if Google Now really did start as a 20% time project, it seems as though the policy is still doing pretty well, because Google Now is easily one of the best products to come from any company recently.

source: Quartz

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6 Comments

1. LetsBeHonest

Posts: 1548; Member since: Jun 04, 2013

Well good hear that and keep on continuing this "20% time" thing so we all of your customer

posted on Aug 21, 2013, 12:29 PM 9

2. LetsBeHonest

Could get new improved features "mistakenly pressed "post" button before completing the comment" ooops...

posted on Aug 21, 2013, 12:32 PM 0

3. xperiaDROID

Posts: 5629; Member since: Mar 08, 2013

Nothing beats Google Now. The closest competitor is Siri, but Google Now is still better. One slight advantage of Siri is that you can chat with it, but who would want to chat with a smartphone like an idiot?

posted on Aug 21, 2013, 12:33 PM 7

5. XperiaFanZone

Posts: 2280; Member since: Sep 21, 2012

I thought Speech was the closest competitor.

posted on Aug 21, 2013, 1:24 PM 0

8. Dingy_cellar_dweller

Posts: 339; Member since: Mar 16, 2013

Who? Rajesh had a romance with Siri, but sadly it didn't last as he chocked at the critical moment.

posted on Aug 21, 2013, 9:51 PM 0

6. Deadeye37

Posts: 311; Member since: Jan 25, 2011

I'm glad that Google Now came about with the 20% time. They just need to use a little more 20% time and get Google Now to track College Football scores. Sure, we can follow College Basketball, but College Football has so much more of a following. You would think that the proximity of Cal and Stanford would help encourage them to develop following college football in Google Now.