In its latest acquisition, Google has scooped up Bump Technologies. The company is widely known as the developer of BumpTop, a free app that makes a traditional computer desktop look like a real-world desk with stylus interaction.
When consumers use BumpTop, documents appear as 3-D boxes that display on a virtual desk. Users can position the boxes on the virtual desk using a mouse or a stylus. BumpTop works to present a realistic experience with effects like bumping and tossing, stacking boxes, selecting multiple items with a single swipe and pie menus.
“More than three years ago, we set out to completely change the way people use their desktops. We’re very grateful for all your support over that time — not just financially but also through all the encouraging messages from people who found BumpTop inspiring, useful, and just downright fun,” the company said on its homepage announcement about the Google acquisition.
Greg Sterling, principal analyst at Sterling Market Intelligence, called Google’s latest acquisition “interesting” and one that could potentially be used on Android handsets or tablets or on the anticipated Chrome OS netbooks that are anticipated for release later this year.
However, he added, many of Google’s original equipment manufacturer (OEM) partners, including Motorola and HTC, have their own software interfaces. That means Google OEM’s might not participate if the search engine giant offered a new 3-D Android UI.
Beyond tablet devices, Google may also be considering how to integrate the BumpTop “desktop” for Google Docs or Apps, Sterling said, with the caveat that his comments on the Docs and Apps front are speculation.
“People will automatically assume it’s an effort to differentiate from Windows or Apple. I saw the TED demo that the CEO gave and found it interesting but not remarkable,” Sterling said. “Perhaps with some of Google’s…