BumpTop acquired by Google, no longer available

Leaving us so soon? BumpTop, the OS overlay specialist that gave Windows 7 touchscreen PCs a great reason to exist back in early 2009, seems to be pulling the plug on its one and only claim to fame. In a somewhat terse update posted to the site, the company -- which just outed a Mac version of their software in January -- has been acquired by Google, which means that BumpTop (for both Windows and Mac) will "no longer be available for sale." This plug pulling also means that no future updates are planned, but if you're not shaken by such a thought, the app can still be downloaded for the next week free of charge. As for BumpTop Pro users? End-of-life support will be provided for you all, but there's no guarantee that won't change as the wind blows. We're definitely curious to see what Google has in store for BumpTop -- ChromeOS and Android could get real crazy, real fast.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

An important BumpTop announcement

Dear BumpTop fans,

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.

Today, we have a big announcement to make: we're excited to announce that we've been acquired by Google! This means that BumpTop (for both Windows and Mac) will no longer be available for sale. Additionally, no updates to the products are planned.

For the next week, we're keeping BumpTop Free available for download at bumptop.com/download to give BumpTop fans one last chance to grab a copy.

Existing BumpTop Pro users should visit bumptop.com/pro for more information.

Thanks again for all your support over the years. Despite our change in strategy, we remain as passionate as ever about helping shape the future of computing!

Sincerely,
The Bumps


April 30th 2010

[Stevenk Posted May 2nd 2010 3:16PM]

Glad i already got it!

[paradigm Posted May 2nd 2010 3:21PM]

@Stevenk
Glad I don't.

[One Love Posted May 2nd 2010 4:05PM]

@Stevenk : I would like to be acquired by Google someday. :)

[thisisit Posted May 2nd 2010 4:10PM]

nope, you can still download it next week.
nope, i'm glad i don't.

[who said what Posted May 2nd 2010 4:21PM]

@thisisit

Very soon there will be only 3 or 4 tech corporations left!

[Stevenk Posted May 2nd 2010 4:24PM]

@who said what Thats why i'm trying to keep the little Cingular dude alive!

[doutorpiranha Posted May 2nd 2010 5:20PM]

WORST aquisition in Google History.

Dear Google, you gonna get owned by HPPalm if you really base chrome os on this crap amateur execution of a lousy idea.

[doboy Posted May 2nd 2010 5:31PM]

@paradigm

Agreed. Hope Google didn't spend too much money. I installed it for half an hour on my 2730p tablet and realized it was pointless b/c I never store my files on my desktop anyways. File storage on a desktop is just a recipe for disorganization - especially if you're in the middle of writing a research paper or similar.

[HellFlyer Posted May 2nd 2010 6:23PM]

@Stevenk
I got full refund and still can use my Pro version :D

[moranlorena Posted May 2nd 2010 7:53PM]

@doboy This will be great for the future devices of google --particularly the chrome tablet-- which was promised to have a real multi-tasking capability (as shown on the video) http://j.mp/tablet-concept-from-google

[Wesscoast Posted May 2nd 2010 9:52PM]

@Stevenk

Everybody who saw this thing thought it was convoluted a clunky, effectively an overly complex 'desktop.'

Glad for the devs to get some cash, I can't imagine what Google's going to do with this thing, its a nightmare to use. Picking up documents and putting them in piles on the desktop? Seriously?

Well, at least it kinda looks 3D, maybe Google will just snag the UI, and skip the horribly thought out 'file management' system.

[choco Posted May 2nd 2010 10:11PM]

@Stevenk
im glad to see google buy this... i tried it out, and think its a great option for an interface (especially with a touch device). But currently its clunky and a bit buggy...and interferes with my filing habits.

If google polishes this up it could be an useful and intuitive interface,
maybe even better than apples.

[McKirf Posted May 3rd 2010 1:59AM]

@Stevenk

Yeah if Apple bought the company, you would be arranging photos in stacks, and tossing them all over the place. ...Oh wait!

[Stevenk Posted May 2nd 2010 3:17PM]

Google is SkyNet!

[DougieBear Posted May 2nd 2010 3:31PM]

@Stevenk

Actually I don't think it is.

[JonnyB Posted May 2nd 2010 3:31PM]

@Stevenk get ready bub, Google will control the world with their Android toilet, Android microwaves, Android tvs and don't forget, Android robots!!!

[benwb Posted May 2nd 2010 4:24PM]

@JonnyB
an'droids'?

[JonnyB Posted May 2nd 2010 5:33PM]

@benwb they already started........my god.......

[Cy Starkman Posted May 2nd 2010 6:52PM]

@JonnyB

Android robots? Sounds more deadly than a ATM machine

[Kangal Posted May 2nd 2010 8:41PM]

@Stevenk
Will Google's androids be something like from dragonballz or Terminator?

[ryn456 Posted May 2nd 2010 10:05PM]

@JonnyB maybe, but thats a better alternative then the ""ipocalypse"

[Genocidal Bot Posted May 2nd 2010 10:51PM]

@Stevenk
Too late...

[Theli Posted May 2nd 2010 3:17PM]

Android 3.0 on a tablet with a 3D desktop?

[TinWard Posted May 2nd 2010 5:09PM]

@Theli Bumptop only really makes sense on a touch screen so I'd say that's most likely because otherwise, it offers too little functionality for the amount of interaction required.

Even if it won't be all that useful, it would be fun to sort out photos. Just little icons of snaps and lasso them with your finger into an album, then spill out some more and sort them.

I've never been a fan of the 3D desktop but Google's obviously seen some potential so it'll be interesting to see what they do with it.

[Generic Posted May 2nd 2010 5:10PM]

@Theli

Much more plausible than my first thought which was:

"finally a cool interface for Chrome OS"

[f314 Posted May 2nd 2010 5:12PM]

@Theli

Nah. I think they just stumbled onto this on the web one day and thought: "WTF? This is just too stupid. Let's buy it and shut it down!"

At least I hope so.. The day my Android phone reboots after update with virtual stacks of paper on the screen is the last day I own it!

[Generic Posted May 2nd 2010 5:20PM]

@f314 not your phone but a tablet. iPad/iPhone style.

[macserv Posted May 3rd 2010 1:07AM]

@TinWard I'm thinking Google might be trying to do what Apple did with Xerox PARC... Take a relatively unknown tech with a lot of potential, double down on it, and make it the next revolution in computing.

The differences are that Bumptop is in no way as revolutionary as Xerox's Alto/Star OS, and that Google is not Apple.

[yulebellow Posted May 2nd 2010 3:19PM]

Then they buy Fusion Garage = Win

[Vdek Posted May 2nd 2010 3:45PM]

@yulebellow Why would they buy Fusiongarage? They are a company located in Singapore...

[mrspiteri Posted May 2nd 2010 4:36PM]

@Vdek lol, so what?

[Generic Posted May 2nd 2010 5:22PM]

@Vdek actually the reason for Microsoft not to buy Fusion Garage would be that its product is a Linux based Webkit overlaid system. If Microsoft wanted something like that it would have bought Palm!

[reiththestud Posted May 2nd 2010 3:19PM]

Let's hope Google can do a good job integrating their IP into their own products. I'd hate to see BumpTops great ideas die.

[reiththestud Posted May 2nd 2010 3:24PM]

@reiththestud
Oh, and downrank if you will, but thank goodness google got them before Apple did.

[oldpass56 Posted May 2nd 2010 3:28PM]

@reiththestud I upranked.

[Stevenk Posted May 2nd 2010 3:33PM]

@oldpass56 same

[thisisit Posted May 2nd 2010 4:05PM]

Apple just don't have to,

http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/apple-bringing-its-operating-system-into-living-3d/

http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=/netahtml/PTO/search-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PG01&s1=20080307360&OS=20080307360&RS=20080307360

[TheLondonExchange Posted May 2nd 2010 4:08PM]

@reiththestud

Downranked for hypocrisy...

[Daveiops Posted May 2nd 2010 4:12PM]

@reiththestud

Up-ranked. Much deserved.

[Kamil R Posted May 2nd 2010 4:16PM]

@TheLondonExchange
Hypocrisy??

And we all know you down ranked because he said something against your dear, do no wrong, cherished apple.

[TheLondonExchange Posted May 2nd 2010 4:21PM]

@Kamil R

Please bitch I don't care if he wanted Google to buy it.

Its more the fact that if Apple had bought it he'd be bitching just like you I'm sure.

You Apple Haters are absolute masteries of hypocrisy. Someone performs a perfectly legal move.

If its Company A (ie Apple) then it's horrible, evil, and WRONG.

If its Company B (Google and anyone NOT Apple) then its heavenly, all is right in the world, its lilies, strawberries, and unicorns for everybody!

Such hypocrisy.

[TheLondonExchange Posted May 2nd 2010 4:23PM]

@Kamil R

Please I don't care if he wanted Google to buy it.

Its more the fact that if Apple had bought it he'd be bitching just like you I'm sure.

You Apple Haters are absolute masteries of hypocrisy. Someone performs a perfectly legal move.

If its Company A (ie Apple) then it's horrible, evil, and WRONG.

If its Company B (Google and anyone NOT Apple) then its heavenly, all is right in the world, its lilies, strawberries, and unicorns for everybody!

Such hypocrisy.

[reiththestud Posted May 2nd 2010 4:45PM]

@TheLondonExchange
I get what your'e saying. If Apple had bought the company I'd be mad. Maybe that's hypocrisy, I'm not sure. I do buy into Google's "Don't be evil" mantra, and I personally believe apple falls into the "evil" category. But Apple does make some great products that's for sure.

[Dr K Nkrumah Posted May 2nd 2010 4:46PM]

@TheLondonExchange

Dude don't waste your time on them, Google buys them and shuts them down and they cheer. If Apple did the same thing, they would be here crying.

[kitsune Posted May 2nd 2010 5:16PM]

@TheLondonExchange
You seem a bit touchy... But I do want a unicorn, please.

[kevin52094 Posted May 2nd 2010 3:20PM]

How is this different then what Apple did with Lala?

[yulebellow Posted May 2nd 2010 3:23PM]

@kevin52094

Apple, Lala, both about music...yeah I see it

Google, Bumptop, web/cloud =/= desktop...wtf?

[Odin Posted May 2nd 2010 3:54PM]

@yulebellow

Android and chrome os could be related to this acquisition.

[jellotime91 Posted May 2nd 2010 3:23PM]

Uhhhh....
So they are excited to announce that their product is discontinued, but, "don't worry, we're rich now! bye suckas!"..

what idiots.

[ChazClout Posted May 2nd 2010 3:28PM]

@jellotime91

Idiots?
I'd rather be a rich idiot TBH.