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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."
but Google maps keeps directing me to the middle of the city.
Check out my sci-fi/humor trilogy at PatriotsBooks.
Then I'll be impressed. And scared.
To map all the strip joints and beer pubs.
Hope is the currency of fools
Just when I thought I could sleep under my desk...
http://www.red-bean.com/fitz/google/where-are-my-socks.html
They already know.
Apparently submitter didn't RTFA, it's not -GOOGLE- that is doing this, but a company called Micello, they just use google maps. I realize that not reading the article is the norm, but can the editors at least read the first paragraph in the linked article before approving?
This is both incorrect, misleading, and illegal reporting. It uses Google Maps outside, and its own crap completely unrelated to Google inside. It's not "quite literally" Google Maps for inside places. It's a mapping tool, and Google Maps happens to also be a mapping tool. I don't think we need to use another company's trademarks to let people know what the hell a map is.
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.
"Micello is quite literally Google maps for the insides of buildings," said Ankit Agarwal, founder and CEO of Micello. "We are mapping the last unchartered territory--the last mile--between the front door and where you are going."
Whoa. Big building.
Your brain is not a computer.
Micello or anyone else, I think they'll run into trouble with some management companies for places like malls and large office buildings who will view such maps as security threats. In reality, it could be a real benefit for business (the first time I had to navigate the Minneapolis Skyway system, it took me an extra 30 minutes to find the place I was seeking), but I just don't know that the property managers will see it that way.
I use irony whenever I can, but my shirts are still wrinkled...
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.
Theme song from "Jaws"... a knock sounds at the door. A woman answers, "Yes?"
A muffled voice sounds from the other side of the door, "Mrs. Arlsbergerhh?"
"Who?"
Again the voice is muffled, "Mrs. Johnannesburrrr?"
"Who is it?"
"Flowers."
"Flowers? From whom?"
"Plumber, ma'am.."
"I don't need a plumber. You're that clever Google, aren't you?"
"Candygram."
"Candygram, my foot! Get out of here before I call the proper authorities. You're Google, and you know it."
"I'm only TomTom, ma'am.."
"TomTom? Well.. okay.."
>>A least Microsoft isn't taking picture of people's homes and posting them online without permission.
They don't have to -- if your home has been built or purchased in the past 30 years, it's likely the floorplan is already available online. Just check with your county/parish tax assessor's office. With many of them, just enter the street address and you can see a county tax appraisor's estimate of value beside a photo or two of the home and a floorplan drawing.
This information, in most cases is considered public information and is thus available free to anyone who can click a mouse. Worst case, a simple data scraper would yield an entire county's data in a few days.
So no, they don't have to drive around and take photos when photos are already available online, complete with a floorplan courtesy of the government.
You are in a nicely-appointed lobby that would not be out of place at an upscale accounting firm. There is a reception desk, some waiting chairs, and a stack of Wall Street Journals. Down the hall to the east, you hear sounds of flushing.
> GO TO BATHROOM
Here? In the lobby? You would certainly be escorted out by the grumpy security guard that just walked through.
> ASK GUARD FOR BATHROOM
He's gone already, but did not seem the conversational type. He walked down the hall to the east, opened a door, and went inside. You can hear a faucet running there.
> GO TO BATHROOM
Using what? The stack of Wall Street Journals? They are printed on 100% post-consumer recycled fibers, if you catch our drift. It would be unpleasant.
> GO EAST
You wander down the hallway, a little too frantic for a casual stroll, muttering "Follow that guard!" to yourself and giggling. You spy two doors, marked "Women" and "Men". The men's room door is open. You see a guard inside, eyeing the last sheet of toilet paper.
> GO TO BATHROOM
You're in the men's room already.
> GO TO BATHROOM IN BATHROOM
WIth what? Your bare hands?
> GO TO BATHROOM IN BATHROOM WITH TOILET PAPER
Splendid concept, that toilet paper. Changed the whole face of hygiene (and the other end too.) Sadly, the guard has highly-trained bathroom-guard reflexes, and snatches the last sheet before you can even blink. As he quivers with smug satisfaction, you notice a billfold in his pocket. It contains quite a bit of cash.
> ASK GUARD TWO FIVES FOR A TEN
Unrelated to Google!
As expected on Slashdot, not only the submitter, but also the /. editor didn't bother to read TFA. One segment might tip you off:
This is a separate company called Micello with a separate product. They may be counting on Google to buy them, but their only current relation to Google Maps is that they mention Google's product in the description of their own product, and that the article title contains the words "Google Maps".