Understanding Google My Business & Local Search
Google Maps #2 Map Provider in US- #1 Mapping Site in US? Google Maps API
This talk, The New Meaning of Mapping, was given last week by Michael Jones, Google’s Chief Technology Advocate, at theWhere2.0 conference. Previously he was Chief Technologist of Google Maps, Earth, and Local Search and was originally responsible for development of the technology used in the creation of Google Earth. The presentation includes a number of interesting nuggets
If you have any doubt about Google Mapping ambitions be sure to watch the chronological video of Street View driving to date at 12:08 into the movie. Google clearly sees Mapping as the place where business will take place going into the future.
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2 Comments
I finally got time to watch this whole presentation today, Mike. Thank you for posting it.
Okay – much fascinating stuff covered in his presentation. Loved the lunar landing, underwater, etc. Very clear on the fact that Google is placing Mobile first after watching this. And, the hint that business will happen via Maps…it’s like watching the genii come out of the bottle, the cat crawl out of the bag. Here it comes! Really amazing, amazing, amazing.
2 other reactions…one a comment, one a question for you, Mike.
My comment: Boo for the comment about Germany. German officials are not afraid of Google mapping a zoo. To my understanding they are doing precisely what they should, as the hub of the holocaust, warning that privacy concerns and the concept of too much data being too readily available to governments could be a dangerous thing. I thought the speaker’s aside and quickly spoken comment about Germany was disrespectful and dismissive of very genuine concerns coming from a country with one of the most alarming and attention-worthy modern histories. That was extremely wrong to make that dismissive comment about the zoo, given the nature of this controversy.
My question: Do you really think computers will be antique in 2 years, Mike? I’d love to hear your thoughts on that.
@Miriam
Google’s cavalier attitude towards privacy is annoying. It is an engineer’s viewpoint as demonstrated by their being so totally flummoxed by the response to Buzz….
In the US, with a population of 308 million folks there are ~276 million cell phones. Sometime in 2011 or early 2012 it is likely that web browsing capable smartphones will make up 50% of that total…ie somewhere on the order (by then) of 150 million hand sets. So the opportunities are great short and long term for a large number of folks being connected.
The other trend that bears on this is the netbook and now the “slate” computing (ala iPad)…these have huge opportunity to add a new form of mobility to a full computing environment…always on, always present. The opportunities there are incredible as well.
But there is a huge difference between great opportunity for cell web access & slate always connected computing and desktop computers being antiques in 2 years.
Here are the constraining factors:
Having 50% of the phone capable of being on the internet and them actually having plans and being active browsers is a big difference. It will take significant additional time for users to be able make that leap.
There is a difference in the experience of the web on a handset and a larger computer screen as well. Some things just can’t be done on a mobile handset.
When you see what Apple is doing with the iPad portends a new type of always connected home and mobile computing. One that is capable of replacing traditional desktop experiences. I can see every child carrying one in their backpack and every commuter having one in their valise. But it is 5 to 10 years out to have their penetration to a level that will play a role.
Business access will likely remain a fixed location, stationary and traditional access point for many people. None of these trends affect that.
The day is coming when these sorts of mobile devices have a strong and even dominant presence on the web but it is a ways off.
One of the points that Steve Jobs made the other day in reference to their iAd product was that for many people the app NOT the browser was the way that they were accessing the data on internet. Thus search & the browser do not play the same role on the cell phone that it has traditionally on the desktop.
There is some truth to that. It is not clear to me that Google Search will be a dominant gateway to the internet. I am not sure if it will be a million little apps, HTML 5 or something else but it makes prediction business much harder. 🙂 Interesting none the less.
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