Facebook buys AR startup building a 1:1 digital map of the physical world
The acquisition appears to be about augmented reality, but Scape Technologies' capabilities go way beyond AR.
Topic: Keyhole, Inc
German Design Firm Claims Willful Patent Infringement Over Google Earth
A German design firm is claiming that Google and Google Earth have infringed its patent (USRE44550 E1) and is seeking triple damages under the notion that the infringement was intentional or willful. The firm, ART+COM (“ACI”), makes the following claims: The development history of Google Earth indicates knowledge and infringement by key Google employees Google Earth […]
Ingress: Is Google’s AR Game A Stealth Local Data Effort?
I recently got a new Android phone and found a little card in the box advertising Ingress, the “massively multi-player location-based alternate reality game from Niantic Labs at Google.” Ingress had slipped past my notice despite Greg Sterling’s mention of it nearly a year ago. Yet, here it was, already preloaded as an app in […]
Google Introduces Offline Maps For Mobile, Claims A Billion Users Globally For Maps, Earth
During its “next dimension” event this morning Google sought to convey to an audience of tech journalists and others how much effort, expense and care it has invested in Google Maps. Indeed, the platform is roughly eight years old and has seen enormous growth and evolution. The rumored and much discussed potential launch of an […]
Report: Expect More Aggressive Acquisitions From Google
Despite what many believe to be an overheated market for tech start-ups, Google hasn’t been shy about spending. Last week it bought security company Zynamics; today it reportedly agreed to acquire BeatThatQuote.com; it’s still waiting for Justice Department approval on the $700 million purchase of ITA Software announced last year; and it reportedly offered $5 billion for […]
Google’s John Hanke Speaks About New Mobile Incubator
Last week I wrote briefly about Google’s John Hanke’s move into a new role, based on a Forbes interview with him. Yesterday I got to speak directly with Hanke about his “new gig,” as they say. The former CEO of Keyhole came to lead the “geo team” (Maps, Earth) at Google after Keyhole was acquired […]
Google Maps’ John Hanke Becomes Head Of New “Entrepreneurial Lab”
Last year at a conference in London I was told by someone that Google Maps’ John Hanke was changing roles and that Marissa Mayer had taken over Local. The latter was obviously proven out by very public announcements. An article in Forbes now confirms Hanke’s role as the head of a new Google “entrepreneurial lab” […]
Google, US Gov’t Back Same Data Mining Startup
Their objectives may be different but both Google and the “investment arm of the CIA” are funding the same startup: Recorded Future. According to a piece in Wired both In-Q-Tel (the CIA investment firm) and Google will have a seat on the company’s board. This is reportedly the first time the government and Google have […]
ComScore To Report Google Maps Now Number 1
Forthcoming January traffic data will reportedly show that Google Maps has taken the lead from MapQuest as the top mapping site in the US. According to the numbers that I received (I’ve asked comScore to verify), MapQuest’s January monthly unique visitors were 41.5 million and Google’s were 42.2 million. This is the first time that […]
Google Brings Earth Enterprise Into The Browser
Google is bringing mashups behind the enterprise firewall and into the browser. What that means, among other things, is that Google Earth Enterprise users will be able to see data rendered on Google Earth within a browser environment rather than having the Earth client on their individual desktops. Here’s the Google Blog post.
Wired Mag Waxes Wordy About Maps & Local
First, for map and online mapping lovers, there is the Wired piece, Google Maps Is Changing the Way We See the World, an interesting survey of the history of the mapping at Google, mashups, mapping APIs, Google’s acquisition of Keyhole (now Google Earth) and user-generated content on maps (My Maps). Then there is the tiresome […]
SearchCap: The Day In Search, March 8, 2007
Below is what happened in search today, as reported on Search Engine Land and from other places across the web:
Google Wins Google Earth Patent Case
Google wins key ruling in patent dispute from BusinessWeek reports that the patent case against Google over Google Earth has now been closed. Google has won the dispute dating back to 2002, when it was filed by Skyline Software Systems against Keyhole, which Google later acquired and whose software became Google Earth. Skyline held a […]