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Google Acquiring Frommer's In Big Travel Data Play
Nerval's Lobster writes with the widely-reported news that Google plans to acquire from publisher John Wiley & Sons the Frommer's travel guides,
along with Wiley's other travel-related publishing assets. "This marks Google's second purchase of a popular guide in less than a year. In September 2011, the search engine giant acquired Zagat, with the intention of mining the company's enormous trove of data on restaurants and local points of interest. Zagat scores and summaries now appear in the Google+ Local tab (present on the left rail of the Google+ profile page). Google's acquisition streak reveals a particular conundrum facing tech companies that offer travel and location services: you can assign thousands of the world's best software engineers the task of creating a simple, intuitive interface for ferreting out the best airline fares or restaurants—but sooner or later, you'll need to fill that system with reliable content."
Come on, this has got to be getting into anti-trust issues.
And a few thousand other people :).
but sooner or later, you'll need to fill that system with reliable content.
... reliable and useful content that's profitable. Or write it off as advertising expense.
I donno about making money off travel guides on the internet. I imagine they sell a heck of a lot of books to people who never use them. So they don't have to be that accurate or up to date and they profit off people who never use the data. Its a gift type of product.
But the only people using the online data are "actually using it" and they're going to be pissed off when its out of date. So less profit and more hassle... may be better off sticking to selling the books.
On the plus side, I donno I guess file it as advertising expense or a loss leader. On the minus side people who get inaccurate data are going to be mad at you...
"Science flies us to the moon. Religion flies us into buildings." - Victor Stenger
This makes open-source content projects such as Wikitravel (currently under consideration to be adopted by the Wikimedia Foundation) all the more important.
http://alternatives.rzero.com/
"OK, now that folks value crowd-sourcing over professional editorial reviews, let's corner the market on professional editorial reviews."--Google
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No one has ever beaten Zagat! And no one ever will!
So they had to go and buy some local information. They didn't get enough off the people driving the google cars for streetmaps?
At least in my town there are some awful restaurants that have all the negative reviews "Filtered" and receive good ratings, above legitimately good restaurants. I've found the reviews on tripadvisor.com to be more trustworthy.
... you made out with your sister!!!! Couldn't resist :>)
It's a bit like those streets where they have the sales people out front trying to get you in to their restaurant . All down to a good pitch and who's cooking your food being irrelevant to your choice. Big bonus for the ones that spot the guide book bwankers on their whirl wind tour of wherever tourists might go. Then of course there are those places only locals go, never to appear on any review, street view, or guide book. Oh, and, I hate those reviews of places because they buy advertising. Then there is the PR shites and their wealthy clients.
Me I like the chaos theory of tourism and eating out. Or, even better getting to know the chefs and cooks in the places they like to drink. If you're not confused by now, did you ever really know if that was cat or chicken?
Since Google gets revenue from ads, I'm wondering if the "Do no evil" company will be tempted to implement a policy of "restaurants who buy Google ads get an extra star on their review". What's next, will Bing try a similar strategy & buy Consumer Reports?
Well, I'm not the kind to kiss and tell, But I've been seen with Farrah.
I've never been with anything less than a nine, so fine.
I've been on fire with Sally Field, gone fast with a girl named Bo.
But somehow they just don't end up as mine...
It's a death-defying life I lead, I'll take my chances.
I've died for a living in the movies and tv.
But the hardest thing I'll ever do is watch my leading ladies,
Kiss some other guy while I'm bandaging my knee.
I might fall from a tall building, I might roll a brand-new car,
'Cause I'm the unknown stuntman that made Redford such a star.
I've never spent much time in school, but I taught ladies plenty.
It's true I hire my body out for pay, hey hey!
I've gotten burned over Cheryl Tiegs, blown up over Rachel Welch
But when I wind up in the hay, it's only hay, hey hey!
I might jump an open drawbridge, or Tarzan from a vine,
'Cause I'm the unknown stuntman, that makes Eastwood look so fine.
They'll never make me president, but I got the best first ladies
Someday's I got'em as far as the eye can see - ouee
A morning dove with Jacky Smith, a crash in the night with Cheryl
But in the end they never stay with me
On my fall from the Tower Building, so Burt Reynolds don't get hurt
I might leap the mighty Canyon, so he can kiss and flirt
Well, that smooth talker's kissing my girl - I'm just kissing dirt
Yes, I'm the lonely stuntman, that made a lover out of Burt
http://www.google.com/press/ita/
Couple of years ago Google bought ITA software which makes online travel booking software.
Buying a company for travel content seems to be along those lines.
Could be an extention of Google Map someday that you basically point out where you are, and where you would like to be, and google will handle the rest for you.
Also note that the link shows Arthur Frommer ower of the afore mentioned Frommer's Travel Guides commented on Google's aquisition of ITA and seemed pretty in favor of Google. Interesting. Tinfoil Hat Activate!
And Lonely Planet is one hell of a lot more important than Frommers.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lonely_Planet
"The average reporter we talk to is 27 years old......They literally know nothing." - Ben Rhodes
You're an idiot.
Only Yelp does that.
What we really need is an outlay like this that can be used by General Patton and ...who was that imbecile they replaced him with for D-Day?
errrr..
It looks a bit like a wheel barrow with antenna like handles and those hydrostatic non-friction wheels (that haven't been invented yet.)
Only bigger.
Google Can Disrupt Travel Industry With Their Suite of Products - "Google Travel" On The Cards?
http://www.travopia.com/2012/08/Google-Products-In-Travel-Industry.html