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Take a ride with Google at CES

Tour the Google booth, and a theme-park-style ride at CES

Kent German
Kent was a senior managing editor at CNET News. A veteran of CNET since 2003, he reviewed the first iPhone and worked in both the London and San Francisco offices. When not working, he's planning his next vacation, walking his dog or watching planes land at the airport (yes, really).
James Martin Managing Editor, Photography
James Martin is the Managing Editor of Photography at CNET. His photos capture technology's impact on society - from the widening wealth gap in San Francisco, to the European refugee crisis and Rwanda's efforts to improve health care. From the technology pioneers of Google and Facebook, photographing Apple's Steve Jobs and Tim Cook, Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg and Google's Sundar Pichai, to the most groundbreaking launches at Apple and NASA, his is a dream job for any documentary photography and journalist with a love for technology. Exhibited widely, syndicated and reprinted thousands of times over the years, James follows the people and places behind the technology changing our world, bringing their stories and ideas to life.
Expertise photojournalism, portrait photography, behind-the-scenes Credentials
  • 2021 Graphis Photography Awards, Gold Award, Journalism, 'The Doorway' Graphis Photography Awards, Silver Award, Portrait, 'Cast of film '1917'' Graphis Photography Awards, Silver Award, Environmental, 'Upper Lola Montez' ND Awards, Architecture, 'Taj Mah
Kent German
James Martin
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It's a Google world after all

Google landed at CES 2019 with a massive pavilion in the parking lot of the Las Vegas Convention Center. The two story structure houses a wealth of exhibits on Google products and services, some of which it announced at the show. There was no shortage of color or pizazz.  

CES 2019: See all of CNET's coverage of the year's biggest tech show.

CES schedule: It's six days of jam-packed events. Here's what to expect.

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Care for a ride?

A highlight is a Disneyland-like ride on the top floor of the pavilion. The ride is part of a big promotional blitz the search giant is making around the Assistant, the company's digital helper software, like Amazon's Alexa and Apple's Siri.

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The ride was quite popular, with a queue beginning outside the pavilion's doors.

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Once you're inside, you start in a room where you hear the story for the ride. Dad, the patriarch of a family, is sleeping as his wife leaves for a trip. Before she departs, she reminds him of his task for the day: rush through his errands and buy a cake for Grandma's 91st birthday. 

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You're almost at the ride boarding area.

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See? It does look like a theme park.

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Then you board the ride for your trip through Dad's day.

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Throughout the ride you see various hurdles Dad encounters -- like a traffic jam on the freeway and a baker that speaks only French -- and how he uses Google Assistant to get over them and complete his important task.

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The ride also takes a brief dip outside.

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Happy Birthday, Grandma!

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After the ride, you can view and order photos of yourself taking a spin.

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On to the gadgets

After the ride you can also peruse the exhibits.

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More Google gear

The people working at the pavilion were decked out in Google gear.

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CES 2019: See all of CNET's coverage of the year's biggest tech show.

CES schedule: It's six days of jam-packed events. Here's what to expect.

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