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Google Wants to Map Indoors, Too
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."
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.
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
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.