Slog - Comments on Mysterious Inflatable Red Spools

Comment by Griff

Griff — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 14:50:57 -0800

I thought they were giant red thumbtacks, perhaps to prank satalite photos like google earth.

Comment by Gurldoggie

Gurldoggie — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 14:51:31 -0800

http://www.thepushpinproject.com/

Comment by Tost

Tost — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 14:51:58 -0800

I thought that it was a giant push pin.

Comment by Griff

Griff — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 14:53:09 -0800

... or satellite photos.

Whoops

Comment by Dan

Dan — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 14:54:06 -0800

It's Microsoft advertising.

Comment by elswinger

elswinger — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 14:54:20 -0800

So it's a Microsoft gimic.

Comment by Mr. Poe

Mr. Poe — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 14:55:08 -0800

What #2 said.

Comment by Amy Kate Horn

Amy Kate Horn — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 14:57:20 -0800

The one on the Garage baffled me last night. Thanks for clearing it up.

Comment by seattle98104

seattle98104 — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 14:57:41 -0800

microsoft + advertising + money = stupid inflatable push pins and a ton of posters along pike and pine.

Comment by Tom

Tom — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 15:01:53 -0800

Microsoft never quite gets this stuff right. My wife and I saw a couple of these over the weekend and I loved the fact that she assumed they were Apple/iPhone/Google Maps related. Being the geek that I am, I pointed out that Google Map pins have rounded heads, but if your average person might see this as Google/Apple-related, it really does show how poor a job Microsoft can do at times in differentiating it's products. I mean, couldn't they at least you a different color pushpin?!?

Comment by Tom

Tom — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 15:03:37 -0800

Oops... I meant "use a different color"...

Comment by Tiffany

Tiffany — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 15:11:55 -0800

#10, What map product does Microsoft need to differentiate itself from in regards to Apple? If you are talking about the fact that the iPhone runs Google maps, then I would say that's grasping at straws, when you consider that Google Maps has been running on most kinds of SmartPhone for at least a year now.

Comment by and

and — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 15:14:50 -0800

push pins are wider at the bottom.

Comment by SteveR

SteveR — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 15:17:01 -0800

@10 - I think Microsoft does this on purpose. They like to confuse who came up with innovations as they blatantly steal others' ideas.

Remember Apple's Trash Can! ... errr, I mean, remember Microsoft's Recycle bin! Which one came first? 12 years after Windows 95 and it's all a little hazy now ...

Comment by --MC

--MC — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 15:35:02 -0800

The first one I saw was on top of the B&O, so I assumed it was some sort of well-funded but oblique protest that the place would soon be turned into condos. But nobody seems to care about that.

Comment by monkey

monkey — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 15:35:39 -0800

There's one on Mama's Mexican Restaurant too.

Comment by nipper

nipper — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 15:43:11 -0800

oh man. I like that Claire girl! shes' smart!

Comment by Prospero

Prospero — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 16:25:04 -0800

Microsoft advertising: http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/microsoft/archives/117332.asp

Comment by DOUG.

DOUG. — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 16:34:40 -0800

And of course their site doesn't fully work on Safari.

Comment by Paulus

Paulus — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 16:49:08 -0800

"We started the Pushpin Project because we're fans of the underground. The dive. The one-of-a-kind Seattle."

pretty much says it all right there.

Comment by Fnarf

Fnarf — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 17:18:49 -0800

Sadly, marketing stiffness is obscuring the fact that the Bird's Eye view in Live Earth is pretty fucking awesome (and has MUCH more recent images than Google Earth, who still show my house pre-patio, which has been years now. You should see the pier at Blackpool.

Comment by sars

sars — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 17:28:29 -0800

Hey Paulus, guess where i'm at right now. I'm in charge of the next push pin placement. I was thinking of putting it on your crotch.

Comment by supergp

supergp — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 18:14:35 -0800

@14: The fact that Microsoft stole it from Apple (who stole most of their "innovation" from Xerox to begin with) doesn't negate the fact that it's a STUPID IDEA.

Comment by Ross

Ross — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 18:29:21 -0800

I want Microsoft to steal John Hodgman from those putrid Apple commercials, place him inside Vivace Roasteria, and force him to tell me stories in a cockney accent, wearing large yellow sunglasses. C'mon 'Soft, you guys have tons of dough, I'm sure kidnapping is in your sphere of ethical conduct. I'll even arrange to have "E=MC2" (by Giorgio Moroder) played on a large, 80's hip hop boombox while Messer Hodg-y blusters/blunders through another tale

Comment by Jason Petersen

Jason Petersen — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 18:33:51 -0800

How about you pushpin guys get your damn act together and make a webpage that works on all browsers? "We're sorry, this app doesn't work on Safari"? You are still using client detection? Is this 1998?

I'd love to find out what the hell these ugly things are all over the place, but your webpage won't let me.

Comment by el

el — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 18:38:10 -0800

there's one in Ballard too, above Romanza or whatever that semi-tacky gift shop is called.

Comment by lostboy

lostboy — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 20:37:33 -0800

Let's see... Google Maps recently introduced draggable driving directions (a feature maddeningly missing from trip planners in general since they emerged in the 90's), is already chock-a-block with local business info, and has in general been the shiznit for a good long while.

Sorry, I can't be bothered with web apps that don't run in my choice of browser.

Comment by Jeanna

Jeanna — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 09:53:12 -0800

we are listed as your enemy over here at Metblogs, but we do have some good information every once in awhile...

Comment by NapoleonXIV

NapoleonXIV — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 13:00:15 -0800

So in other words, #20, all those push-pins denote sites of future mixed-use condo development.