Google (GOOGL 1.42%) is well known for its offbeat projects and products. The letter from Larry Page and Sergey Brin that accompanied the company's 2004 IPO promised as much: "Do not be surprised if we place smaller bets in areas that seem very speculative or even strange when compared to our current businesses."
And nothing has changed. Google is still making seemingly crazy bets 10 years later.
Sometimes Big G is trying to steal a march on Apple (AAPL 0.51%), other times Google just wants to change the world, and every once in a while the company just moves in mysterious ways. Nobody but nobody saw it coming when Google teamed up with Roche Holding (RHHBY 1.64%) subsidiary Genentech to launch a medical research company.
In that spirit, this slideshow below will take you through seven of Google's craziest business ideas. From moon shots to money-making products, with some canceled ideas thrown in for good measure, I'm sure you'll see something new here.
