Understanding Google My Business & Local Search
April 1st is NOT the Day to Introduce a Google Maps Based Product
I received the following snippet from Google Alert yesterday and I was forced to do a double take
| NordicTrack Introduces Fitness Equipment Merged With Google Maps 7:06 pm today NordicTrack introduces iFit Live powered by Google Maps, the first product that merges fitness equipment and Google Maps technology. If you’ve always wanted to run the marathon route through New York’s Central Park, hike along the Great … |
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Here are my thoughts that developed as I read the blurb:
–Hmm Google’s April Fool’s jokes seem to now be including other companies…
–Well no, it looks real…would someone actually pitch an exercise machine based on the inclusion of Google Maps?
–Appears so, but the tagline? Powered by Google… Powered by Google my ass… seems to me any exercise machine is definitely not powered by Google
–Ok, I know I say and breath “all local all the time” but this seems to be taking the idea to the illogical extreme. Would someone really buy an exercise machine based on the pitch of running a marathon in Central Park in their living room while viewing ads for sneakers?
–Has Google filled every concievable screen space in our lives that they the only expansion option left is the screen real estate on exercise equipment?
and finally
–from a marketing perspective, April 1st is NOT the Day to Introduce a Google Maps Based Product partnership although I am not sure that this product would thrive on an April 2nd intro either.
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Comments
8 Comments
A friend of mine recently bought one of those things. Tells me he uses it to hike trails in Hawaii. It adjusts for elevation changes along the terrain. So ya, it’s real. Now he’s had the thing for a few months. Funny an official marketing release happening now – and on April first.
@Stever
So tell me, does he think it is powered by Google? 🙂
Hey those sound cool. Do you get a visual screen of the path? Beautiful mountain vistas, running along a river or the ocean, etc?
I’m setting mine for pure downhill. I’m lazy. 😀
I bought three for Christmas presents 🙂
@Earl
I have this vision of a bunny rabbit running like mad in place with the dog version of Google Maps chasing it from behind 🙂
@Andy
Generous… 🙂
Sounds like a cool product utilizing the Google Maps data. I am a cyclist and there has been a company selling indoor trainers that integrate simulations of real locales and race courses. For someone stuck inside during winter this seems like a viable alternative to staring at a wall.
As for Google marketing acumen… they do not have any. It is a company run by engineers with questionable business backgrounds. There is a reason the company is starting to struggle and it is not because their products stink.
Sounds like it is the Google Street view they are going to use. In 10 years from now, we probably take gadgets like this for granted. Wonder how many miles are being run in fitnesscenters worldwide everyday – chear those people up. And then attach a generator to the runmill and produce some green energy 😉
I had the opportunity to try out iFit Live when I was at the Icon Fitness corporate headquarters in Logan UT. Icon owns NordicTrack as well as ProForm. I plotted a route in my neighborhood and viewed loca sites on a laptop that sat on the console, while the treadmill incline adjusted to the terrain. I was thoroughly impressed. I know that this feature has become very popular. NordicTrack and ProForm offer it not only on treadmills, but also elliptical trainers and exercise bikes. A couple of their treadmills actually incline and decline with the terrain. Also the NordicTrack 9500 has an android browser for a display, so you can get the street view without having to use a laptop.
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