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Google Wants to Map Indoors, Too

Posted by timothy on from the where's-the-good-silverware dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Google maps are getting extended indoors next month with a new app called Micello that takes over where conventional navigators leave off — mapping your route inside of buildings, malls, convention centers and other points of interest. You don't get a 'you are here' blinking dot yet — but they do promise to add one next year using WiFi triangulation. At the introduction next month, Micello will only work in California, but they plan to expand to other major US cities during 2010."

11 of 174 comments (clear)

  1. This is great! by Ponga · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Soon, the human race will never again need to have a sense of direction, thanks to our GPS-and-wifi-triangulation-capable overlords!

    :/

    1. Re:This is great! by Shakrai · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Soon, the human race will never again need to have a sense of direction, thanks to our GPS-and-wifi-triangulation-capable overlords!

      That depends on how lazy the individual human is, doesn't it? I finally broke down and bought a TomTom for my travels but I don't feel compelled to use it (or even keep it in the car) when I'm near home. When traveling though it's incredibly useful. Even if you have a good sense of direction you'll find that the point of interest database will completely change the way you travel. Hmm, I'm hungry, how about some Italian? *tap, tap tap*, this place looks good and it's only three miles off our route.

      I also like the TomTom over the cellular/google equivalents because I know it isn't phoning the mother ship with details about my location and travels. Personally I don't trust Google at all anymore with their data retention policy and sheer size. Perhaps that's a little paranoia on my part but it's the way I feel. A disconnected device has less privacy concerns and doesn't stop working if you wander somewhere without cellular service.

      --
      I want peace on earth and goodwill toward man.
      We are the United States Government! We don't do that sort of thing.
    2. Re:This is great! by Shakrai · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I love how my garmin will show the next 5 exist and let me pick food, sleep, gas, hookers, etc.... and then I can look at that list.

      Your garmin has hookers in it's POI database? Shit, if I had known that I wouldn't have gone with the TomTom ;) Can you limit the search to ones without STDs?

      I just have to buy a new POI and Map database every 2 years

      How much does garmin charge you for that? I think TomTom is around $50 for a year worth of updates, i.e: it's not just one download and your done.

      --
      I want peace on earth and goodwill toward man.
      We are the United States Government! We don't do that sort of thing.
  2. Re:I volunteer by tacarat · · Score: 2, Interesting

    What about reviews and price lists for the parts of those buildings you DO want to go to?

    --
    "Common sense will be the death of us all"
  3. Re:Illegal reporting? by eln · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Misusing the word "literally" like that SHOULD be illegal...maybe that's what the OP had in mind.

  4. The Foundation Series by sammykrupa · · Score: 1, Interesting

    And the universe of the Foundation Series is becoming a reality: the earth is becoming one big mega-uber-tropolis, a land mass covered in a labyrinthe of buildings that are only navigable with the help of a handheld computer.

    Just a thought.

    --
    Dashboard Widgets
  5. Re:I know the bathroom is here somewhere by commodore64_love · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I used to study for exams inside JCPenney's truck-loading dock bathroom. I had a test tomorrow, but I couldn't leave my job, and so that seemed a natural place to hide and review my notes for 1 or 2 hours without getting caught. Quiet too since the dock was rarely used at night.

    Ahhh the good old days.

    --
    "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." - historian Evelyn Beatrice Hall
  6. Re:I know the bathroom is here somewhere by insertwackynamehere · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Actually this has been joked about before around where I interned, because my boss developed an iPhone application called SitOrSquat and I actually implemented Google's API in it (he had made his own mapping system using MS tiles before 3.0 came out with Google support built in) and I also developed the signifigantly lagging behind Android version. I'm not trying to whore but not only does the app exist but the exact same Costanza joke has been made before around the office.

  7. Asking for Trouble... by mkarcher · · Score: 2, Interesting

    You know we're just asking for trouble with this, right?

    One day, the DoD is going to license this technology, mod it with tracking capabilities, and deploy it to track personnel in secure facilities with an intuitive color-coded interface showing clearance requirements for areas and clearance levels for personnel. It'll deploy to secure facilities, one by one, improving security in small, but nontrivial amounts.

    And then, of course, toward the end of the deployment schedule, it'll make it into Cheyenne Mountain Complex's Production systems. At that point, Google Skynet/WOPR Beta will come out of hiding. We better pray that they hard-coded "Don't be Evil" into it's source at assembly level.

    --

    These opinions are my own and not necessarily
    the opinions of God or any other supreme being.
  8. Re:"the last mile" by ChefInnocent · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Well, maybe they were thinking BnL from Wall-E or Costco from Idiocracy.

  9. Re:I know the bathroom is here somewhere by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    But it will make you view (5) 30 sec videos before it tells you the location.