New lawsuit targets Google over location data
Google is accused of using dark patterns to get more location data from its users and profit from better search results and Google Ads.
Topic: Geospatial data
Bing offers a trio of new local search APIs
Each one performs different but complementary functions for enterprises and app developers.
Google Maps Competitor deCarta Benefitting From Google Fees
Later this morning Google is going to hold an event to update us on the current state of all things Google Maps. This is widely seen as a pre-emptive PR strike of sorts against Apple. Next week Cupertino is potentially going to announce its own advanced mapping service as an integral part of iOS 6. […]
Yandex Joins Bing, Yahoo In Using Nokia-Navteq Map Data
Russian search giant Yandex announced that it will be licensing data from Nokia-owned Navteq to offer better and more comprehensive maps coverage around the world: Yandex . . . has purchased a license for digital maps supplied by the leading global location content provider, NAVTEQ. These digital maps will be used in the development of […]
Nokia Now “Powering” Bing Maps
In May of last year I had a conversation with someone who told me that Nokia Maps (Navteq) would effectively replace the infrastructure behind Bing Maps. I was surprised to say the least and wrote about it in a story entitled Bing Maps To Be Powered (Replaced) By Nokia? The impression I got is that […]
After Little Resistance in Germany, Bing Expands Streetside Photos Across Europe
Microsoft’s Streetside photo service will be taking photos across Europe before the end of the year. The expansion comes on the heels of its launch in Germany earlier this year — a move that’s generated far less resistance than Google’s Street View service. According to German news reports today, Bing’s Streetside service has received about […]
Google Earth Builder: Enteprise Data In The Cloud (And On The Map)
At the Where 2.0 conference today Google announced “Google Earth Builder,” which is a cloud-based solution for enterprises that want to render their data on maps. The idea is that enterprises of all stripes can upload and store all types of geospatial data on Google’s servers. Proprietary enterprise data is rendered and published on Google […]
deCarta Challenges Google With Free Mapping, Local Search Tools Aimed At Mobile Developers
Today at the Mobile World Congress event in Barcelona, deCarta announced a set of free developer tools intended to challenge Google Maps and Places. I received a briefing last week and was impressed by the suite of products and tools, which include the following: White Label Maps Application White Label Local Search Engine Maps APIs […]
Google To License Street View Imagery To Game Developers
Will driving games soon be featuring images of real places and roads courtesy of Google’s Street View? That’s the word from the Kmeme blog, which says that Google will make its imagery available to game developers: A game company will be able to license the entirety of the real world’s roads and all the surrounding […]
Google News Now On Earth
Earlier this week, Google added Google News to Earth. This follows the earlier addition of the NY Times to Earth. Other companies plotting news on a map include MetaCarta, Everyblock, Outside.in, YourStreet and a couple of others.
Google Maps Opens Up Editing To Everyone
Last year in November Google opened up Maps to community editing, allowing people to move the pushpin markers to correct or improve the accuracy of business locations. John Hanke, Director of Maps & Earth, told us at the time that Google would move beyond just place markers and allow registered users to edit Maps more […]
Microsoft Acquires UK-Based MultiMap Mapping Provider
Microsoft announced this morning that it has acquired UK-based mapping platform and consumer destination MultiMap. Deal terms weren’t disclosed. MultiMap will reportedly operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of Microsoft but within the Virtual Earth and search teams. According to the press statement issued, MultiMap brings “new location and mapping technology to complement existing offerings […]
San Francisco Oil Spill Maps & Wishing For Better Community Map Search Tools
Trying to figure out the impact of last week’s oil spill in San Francisco Bay, which happened after the container ship Cosco Busan hit the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge? There are maps to the rescue! Links to them below, along with some observations on the difficulty in finding community-built maps like these in Google Maps. […]
Google Mapping Announcements Revisited
Yesterday I discovered Google’s new “Street View” by chance, looking for directions, and blogged it, before it was officially announced and before I’d had a chance to talk to anyone at Google. At Where 2.0 yesterday I spoke to John Hanke, Google Maps GM, after the official announcement about Street View and some of the […]
Google Maps Introduce User-Generated Content
When Google launched its personalized mapping tool, My Maps, the company said it would soon be integrating user-generated content. It appears that is now happening on many Google Maps searches (hat tip to NLC Marketing Blog).
InfoNow Partners With Virtual Earth For Store Locator Maps
InfoNow and Microsoft Virtual Earth have announced a partnership to provide Virtual Earth enhanced mapping on third party websites that use InfoNow’s Location Insight product. Location Insight provides banks, retailers and others with the ability to deliver store location information on their sites, on mobile devices and over the telephone. You can see how it […]
Google Maps API Adds KML And GeoRSS Support
Google has added support for its KML (Earth) format and the open GeoRSS format to the Google Maps API.