Since the launch of Google+, both Google and Facebook have been accused of ‘stealing’ ideas from one another to implement in their rapidly-growing social networks.
It now appears that Google has taken a little office inspiration from its social rival, by outfitting its Mountain View HQ with vending machines that dispense computer accessories, something that Facebook did in the Spring of 2011.
Google employee Chris Chabot posted a photo of a Google-branded vending machine, which appears to stock a very similar set of accessories to the machine installed at Facebook’s campus. In fact, they appear to use exactly the same model.
Here are the two machines side-by-side (Google’s is on the left, Facebook’s on the right):
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Last year, Facebook CIO Tim Campos hoped that by installing a number of custom-made vending machines, the company would be able to save employees time and effort when ordering new computer supplies. By automating the process using employee cards and doing away with order forms, it saved the company money.
Prior to their introduction, “only about 5%” of staff were bothering to register what they were taking from supply kiosks.
Google employees do the same as their Facebook counterparts; they swipe their badge to register the accessory and then claim it for free (although its tied to their record, reducing excessive claims).
Shame, we thought there would have been some NFC Google Wallet action incorporated at Google’s headquarters…
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