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Google's Nearby Feature Recommends Apps and Websites Based On Your Location (googleblog.com)
Google on Thursday announced Nearby, a new feature for Android devices that recommends apps and websites based on your physical location. The idea is simple: You're on the go and there is an app that might be useful to you but you don't know it exists. Nearby will let you know about such apps. The company writes in a blog post: To use Nearby, just turn on Bluetooth and Location, and we'll show you a notification if a nearby app or website is available. Once you've opted-in, tapping on a notification takes you straight into the intended experience. If you're not interested, just swipe it away to give us a clear signal.
Nearby has started rolling out to users as part of the upcoming Google Play Services release and will work on Android 4.4 (KitKat) and above.If you're a developer, Google has published another blog post to help you get started.
I know, crapdot thinks I should be afraid about privacy stuff. Why? Why does this matter? How does this affect anyone? Why do I have a reason to care? You idiots are way too paranoid. I know, I know, you'll mod me down so you don't have to explain yourselves to normal people who aren't afraid of their own shadow and don't wear tin foil hats.
More ads.
Wow! So sad, and rapid the deterioration has become!
My android is 4.2. Should I feel lucky?
So now we have to block any kind of updates to Google play services or downgrade to Android 4.3 or lower.
Google seems to be running out of novel ideas that are actually useful and welcomed.
If you're physically close to your phone, point its browser to F-Droid. I recommend you use those apps.
See? That's way better than that crap service Google wants to foist on you.
So they have even more data to hand over to advertisers and the government like they always do.
that you live near a porno film studio.
It's definitely NOT something I would want to leave on all the time.
Xaotik Designs
You're on the go and there is an app that might be useful to you but you don't know it exists.
This isn't a problem for me, this is a problem for whoever made the app, and frankly I'm not interested in solving their problems. How about stop using my god damned phone as an advertising platform? I paid $300 and continue to pay $50 a month for the "privilege" of having this device that society has decided it's difficult to live without. If you want to bombard me with ever-more advertising, how about stepping up to pay the fucking bill?
As it's opt-in like the Apple's version was it should really be useful and not nearly as scary as it could be. There something nice about easy access to store, business and review apps while shopping. I imagine Android will do even better as it has less worry about showing off the data it already knows about you. It's one of the reasons why Google Now can do better than Siri. (Except for voice recognization. I don't know why Google needs me to say somethings like 5 or 6 times before it understands me compared to iOS only messing up ocassionally. ) While I understand the privacy concerns, this is not really a new privacy issue as Google already has the data and would just be showing it. That said it also probably makes it more obivious to users how much data Google really has.
As difficult as it may be to believe, Android has an intense cadre of shills (or perhaps rabid insane fans) that pollute every Internet article they can find which sheds a bad light on Google.
For us normal humans with functioning brains, we're just waiting for when Google goes under, hoping they sell their patent for a spying phone to a respectable company like Apple.
We will finally find out where all the hot single/asian/russian ladies living in our area actually are!
Why Bluetooth? My phone already drains battery fast enough even without that on
I recently flew United and, I have to admit, I had mixed feelings about having to download their app if I wanted to watch in-flight entertainment. I somewhat understand the rationale--now-a-days, I see that most people are bringing their own screen on an airplane to play games or read or use the in-flight WiFi to stay connected, or whatever. And I'd definitely rather watch the movie on my iPad Pro or laptop versus on the little screen in the back of the seat or the antique CRT that drops from the ceiling every five rows with inconsistent color.
On the other hand, I do get a bit grumpy about having to waste my storage space and battery life for this (especially when they don't put plugs at the seats). The app also does more than just let me watch in-flight entertainment. So I download their app and then have to take a trip through Settings and say, "No, you don't get to put up notifications, no, you can't have access to my address book and calendar, etc. etc."
If whet they mean by app/website is one for a nearby business. If that is in fact what I'm searching for. If I'm looking for an auto repair shop, for example, a geographically sorted list would be of some value. If I'm looking online to order something, then not so much. In fact, I might be better off ordering from a business located in a less expensive neighborhood or country.
A host is a host from coast to coast
But no one will talk to a host that's close
Unless of course the host that's close is busy, hung, or dead.
Have gnu, will travel.
for the US and maybe W Europe at some point?
Is there yet another popup gimmick lurking as a background process bugging me when I want to do something?
It's also interesting, that in the US, there is no compulsory obligation for residence registration, when one moves. Why? Probably because of the idea of freedom of unhindered movement.
But on the other hand they track the shit out of you! Every fart one does is registered somewhere and maybe some very smart genius robot mind puts this effort up with the idea just to sell you something since you seem potty trained like a reverse slot machine: push button, money drops out.
We'll see how all this turns out, maybe they put something in the food, if that immersion in ads/popups/visual impressions no longer works.
"we'll show you a notification if a nearby app or website is available"
I'm not sure but I think my applications come from all over the world. Why would I care is one is 'nearby'? And, no thank you, I don't want more mandatory cruft in my phone.
...omphaloskepsis often...
Whatever happened to folks abusing the tagging system for comedic effect? There was a time when I got more enjoyment out of just reading the headlines & trying to guess what the tags would be before looking at them, and more lulz out of being pleasantly surprised to have guessed wrong.
I still see the odd 'donotwant' or 'whatcouldpossiblygowrong', I think - but it's not like the old days. Tags were fun, and google was there if you needed search.
btw - if you're wondering the relevance to this particular story, I say to you again: 'donotwant' and 'whatcouldpossiblygowrong'.
Nearby huh? I hope Trent Reznor sues them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFxFRqNmXKg
Piece of SHIT company!