SES Chicago - December 7-11, 2009

August 9, 2006

Google Jet Lawsuit Has Been Settled

Google Founders Silence Designer Of ‘Party Plane' fromthe New York Sun covers a dispute over the Google founders' private jet being settled. Danny has been poking fun about this Oklahoma designer who spoke out about some of the requests made by Sergey Brin and Larry Page about the the interior design of the jet they bought. I mean, Google went far to try to silence this man from talking. But after enough persistence and encouragement, the designer, Leslie Jennings, has notified the NY Sun, "The case was settled to the satisfaction of both parties."

Posted by Barry Schwartz at 11:12 AM | Permalink

July 26, 2006

FAA Safety Instructions For The Google Jet

InsideGoogle spotted a funny write up from the Seattle Times called Google founders eager to take users for a ride. I'll quote the piece InsideGoogle quoted:

I'm now required by the Federal Aviation Administration to give the following safety instructions, because our aircraft is in beta and always will be: In the event of a sudden loss of cabin pressure, stock options will drop from the ceiling above you. Please inflate the options until you feel financially secure.

In the event of a sudden loss of propulsion, look under your seat for the blue, red, yellow and green Google parachute. Place the straps around your shoulders, tighten the waist belt, jump out of the aircraft and press the “I'm Feeling Lucky” button on your chest.

Posted by Barry Schwartz at 10:27 AM | Permalink

July 11, 2006

Google Jet Plane Security Threat? And Testing A Sofa In Mountain View

Josh Gerstein at the New York sun has an update on the suit over Google Jet disclosure. Basically, Google's founders argue that the information given up by aircraft designer can be could put the lives of those on the plane in danger. Google asked for a court order to keep the designer quiet. Well, the judge declined to hear or rule on the case - go figure. Read more about it from Danny's earlier post.

Postscript From Danny: The security concerns voiced in the case made me wonder out details getting out about Google Force One compare to Air Force One. Was there an Air Force One floorplan I could easily find? A search on Google quickly led me to this one from How Stuff Works. However, it turns out that this might not be entirely accurate and there are some areas of Air Force One, which often carries many guests and reporters, that people are never allowed to go. That means to protect the privacy of Google "party plane," as it has been described, those going aboard might have to face NDAs and restrictions on photos, to be as secure as suggested is needed in the lawsuit.

Meanwhile, the San Francisco Chronicle recently came across very detailed floorplans left out on a public Air Force web site. The article details how certain details could allow someone trying to blow up the plant to know key vulnerabilities. The Guardian also had an article complete with a less detailed floorplan here (PDF file). FYI, some have suggested what was revealed wasn't that sensitive. The actual document has been removed, but part of it were found and replicated in other areas. Meanwhile, the cached version (which isn't showing floorplans but does have other data) remains in Google three months after being taken off the web (I've dropped them a note about this).

Posted by Barry Schwartz at 12:44 PM | Permalink

July 7, 2006

Lawsuits Over The Google Party Jet; Arguments Over Bed Sizes On Board

New details out now about the Google Jet we've written about before, the used 767 that Google cofounders Larry Page and Sergey Brin have purchased. Turns out, there are lawsuits filed over the retrofit of the plane, and with them, news of hammocks hanging from the ceiling and an apparent fight between the cofounders over bed sizes that Google CEO Eric Schmidt had to referee.

Via Threadwatch, this all comes not from a Valleywag post but instead the Wall Street Journal. Lawsuits Fly Over Google Founders' Big Private Plane is the story (paid sub. required), complete with a floor plan of the refurbishment.

One lawsuit involves the aviation designer Leslie Jennings who was overseeing the redesign. He was fired last October by Blue City Holdings, the legal owner of the plane, saying he wasn't doing his job and later alleging cost overruns. Blue City Holdings then filed a lawsuit against Jennings to enforce confidentiality provisions of the project.

And the money quote from the article?

Mr. Jennings says Messrs. Brin and Page "had some strange requests," including hammocks hung from the ceiling of the plane. At one point he witnessed a dispute between them over whether Mr. Brin should have a "California king" size bed, he says. Mr. Jennings says Mr. Schmidt stepped in to resolve that by saying, "Sergey, you can have whatever bed you want in your room; Larry, you can have whatever kind of bed you want in your bedroom. Let's move on." Mr. Jennings says Mr. Schmidt at another point told him, "It's a party airplane."

As for the plane itself, it was in San Antonio, but no one knows where it is today. Blue City Holdings has kept its location out of at least one public tracking database. But the time for refurbishment is pretty much up, so it might take to the skies soon.

The Wall Street Journal went to town on this one. Aside from the story, you can watch reporter Kevin Delaney talk in a video about the story (this appears to be free for anyone to view and pretty informative). You can also read the lawsuits filed in Texas and California (links are to PDF files, both appear to be free to view).

FYI, we have a Search Engine Watch Forum discussion on the jet: Name The Google Jet. Feel free to comment or discuss more there. At the moment, GoogleJet is the leading nickname for the plane, followed by GoogleBot One and Joogle. Hmm -- maybe Air AdSense?

Posted by Danny Sullivan at 6:35 AM | Permalink

November 4, 2005

Details Emerge on Google Force One

When Google co-founders Page and Brin purchased a used Boeing 767 earlier this year, details were sketchy. Today the Wall Street Journal has page-one coverage filling in many missing details—and naturally, the plane will feature in-flight internet access.

The plane will hold about 50 passengers when its refit is complete.

People in the aviation industry familiar with the planned interior say it will have a sitting area, two staterooms with adjoining lavatories and a shower. Farther aft will be a large sitting-and-dining area. At the rear will be 12 to 16 first-class seats for guests or employees and a large galley.

Why a used 767 rather than a new business jet?

Mr. Page acknowledges that the purchase might seem ostentatious. But "we tend to have an engineering approach, to be fact-based," he says. "We looked at this and we just did the economics and we said, 'you know, it makes a lot of sense.'"

The jet was bought for personal, not business use. What kinds of trips will it be used for?

As for what they plan to do with it, Mr. Page wouldn't be specific. He says "part of the equation for this sort of machinery is to be able to take large numbers of people to places such as Africa. I think that can only be good for the world."

The full story is available here.

Want to discuss, comment or suggest a name for the plane? Visit our forum thread, Name The Google Jet.

Posted by Chris Sherman at 10:20 AM | Permalink

September 12, 2005

Google Force One For The Google Guys?

We've known from earlier reports that Google cofounders Larry Page and Sergey Brin have thought owning a corporate jet would be pretty cool. Now SiliconBeat reports that the duo have settled on a Boeing 767, with interior work being finished off in Dallas. Will it sport the Google logo? Will it be called Google Force One? Enquiring minds want to know :)

Want to discuss, comment or suggest a name for the plane? Visit our forum thread, Name The Google Jet.

Posted by Danny Sullivan at 8:58 AM | Permalink

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