Bigmouthmedia search engine news: local-search

Google Earth undergoes revamp

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 12:00:00 GMT

In anticipation of Earth Day, which is set to take place next week, Google has revamped its Earth application to include new features, it has been revealed.

According to a company statement, with Google Earth 4.3, the search engine provider has "completely rethought how [users] might interact with the 3D world".

Google said: "We've redesigned the navigation to make it much easier to fly from the heavens down to the streets of your town. And with all of the great user-created buildings in the 3D Warehouse, we wanted to make it easy for you to get right up close to see the rich detail."

Among the new features of Google Earth are improved navigation capabilities, including a better zoom control which enables users to travel from images of outer space to street-level views in a "single seamless motion".

Additionally, new 3D content has been added, such as photo-textured cities and towns in the US and elsewhere.

Web surfers will also be able to find Google's Street View feature on the application as it makes its Google Earth debut.

Meanwhile, the service is now available in 12 new languages, including Danish, Spanish, Indonesian and Romanian.

In related news, Google announced earlier this week that it has expanded its Maps application by adding a feature which showcases embedded YouTube videos. Such videos have been available in Google Earth since October last year.

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Google Maps launches embedded YouTube feature

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 12:00:00 GMT

Google Maps has announced the launch of a new feature which showcases embedded YouTube videos within the application.

According to a blog statement posted by Julia Li of Google Maps, the search engine provider considered the move to incorporate the feature in its Maps product as "only natural" since it has been available in Google Earth from last year.

Google made a YouTube layer available in its Earth application in October 2007 and the feature enables users to zoom into any location on the planet and view videos relating to that place.

Now, web surfers who use Google Maps can find videos under the Photos & Videos tab of the bubble that appears when they click on a listing.

Commenting on the service, Ms Li stated: "While I love watching videos on YouTube, the experience is even better for me when I can view their geographic context.

"In addition to using Google Maps to get local business details, read reviews and check out photos, I can now also get a sneak peek with embedded videos."

She cited the example of a bakery situated in San Francisco which has embedded a video showcasing the artistry of the range of confectionery available.

In order to utilise the service, business owners need to upload their videos on to YouTube and ensure that the 'embed' option is turned on.

Following this, they must associate their videos with their business listing using the Local Business Centre.

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Google frees up control of KML

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 12:00:00 GMT

Google's keyhole mark-up language (KML) technology has been accepted as an open standard for describing geographical data, it has been revealed.

Members of the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) - a group of universities, firms and government agencies that aim to achieve a consensus to develop publically available interface specifications - have approved the language.

As a result, Google no longer owns KML and the OGC will take responsibility for maintaining and extending it.

KML is used to manage the geospatial information in Google Earth and enables users to engage in a range of activities, such as creating models of buildings and overlaying customised place names on generic maps.

As a result of its acceptance by the OGC, Google hopes KML will be used more broadly for map description.

Commenting on the language, Google said: "KML has become the HTML of geographic content, the dominant way to share user-created maps online. There are now tens of millions of KML files available online, hosted on more than 100,000 unique domain names."

It added that KML can no longer be described as Google Earth's file format because it has "transcended" the application in scope and has even "outgrown" Google itself.

Explaining the development, Michael Weiss-Malik, Google's KML product manager, stated that the passing on of the language to the OGC means that "everyone has confidence [Google] won't take advantage of the format or change it in a way that will harm anyone".

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Google to offer hurricane flood warnings

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 12:00:00 GMT

US citizens living in the hurricane danger zone may soon have access to a warning system courtesy of Google, it has been revealed.

Speaking to Reuters, Bill Read, the director of the National Hurricane Centre in the US, stated that there is a planned programme under which a Google application will be coupled with storm surge data to provide people with information concerning whether their home is threatened by a particular storm.

He commented: "People can plug in their address and see at what level they are at risk."

According to Mr Read, it is hoped that the service will available in time for the coming Atlantic hurricane season, which is due to start at the beginning of June and run until November.

Meteorologists use a computerised model that estimates the height of storm surges by taking into account a number of the storm's characteristics, such as its size, forward speed and wind strength.

Reportedly, the idea to make the information available to the public stemmed from the volume of calls local emergency managers and weather forecast offices receive concerning what the flooding will be like at people's houses.

Mr Read stated: "We're not going to know that off the top of our heads. So we can say 'go to our web site, go to such and such', and it is there."

There has been particular concern in the US over flooding after Hurricane Kartrina struck in 2005. During the storm, the New Orleans levee system failed and many people lost their lives and homes.

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Google Transit to be released in Southern Hemisphere

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 12:00:00 GMT

Search engine provider Google has announced it is to roll out its Transit service in the Southern Hemisphere.

The application, which enables users to plan a trip using public transport, was originally launched in December 2005 and is already running in a number of cities across the US, Canada, Europe and Japan.

It allows travellers to calculate their route, transit time and cost, as well as giving them the option to compare the trip to one using a car.

In a new development, the application is set to be released in the Australian city of Perth. According to Google, it will be available in the area "within weeks".

Speaking at the Sydney Opera House, Alan Noble, Google Australia and New Zealand's head of engineering, stated: "It's very, very convenient. We've taken public transportation information - which is sometimes quite difficult for mere mortals to understand - and made this very easy to use on Google Maps," The Age reports.

He added: "What we have is all this information - transit information, driving directions, business listings - and put it in one immediate location."

According to Mr Noble, Google is "looking forward" to making Transit available to all cities in Australia "as soon as possible".

Meanwhile, Mark Burgess, the executive director of Perth's public transport service providers Transperth, stated that the organisation was eager to provide Google with the necessary information for Google Transit, as the application would help to improve transport services.

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Google Sky released on web browsers

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 12:00:00 GMT

In a new development, search engine provider Google has made its Google Sky software available on web browsers.

Previously only available through Google Earth, the Sky application enables internet users to explore the universe by zooming in on galaxies and seeing planets, among other things.

Google describes the feature, which was initially launched in August last year as a downloadable application, as "like having a giant, virtual telescope at your command - your own personal planetarium".

The new version available through browsers allows users to look at objects in space in ultraviolet, infrared, x-ray or microwave light and the navigation is similar to that of Google Maps.

Commenting on the development, Michael Weiss-Malik, a software engineer at the firm, stated that Google did not want "web-based users to be left out of that cosmic exploration experience".

"So I'm delighted to announce the launch of the web version of Google Sky, which turns your browser into a virtual telescope that can zoom and pan across the entire cosmos," he added.

According to a company blog, the feature allows users to browse tens of thousands of named objects, view galleries highlighting the best images from the Hubble telescope and see current planet positions and constellations, among other things.

Google has released its updated Sky service in 26 localised language editions, saying this marks its first product to support left-to-right languages.

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Google sued over Earth's Sky layer

Mon, 18 Feb 2008 12:00:00 GMT

Search engine provider Google is being sued by a former contract worker who claims it stole his idea for Google Sky, one of Google Earth's most popular layers.

According to a lawsuit filed last week in Atlanta, Jonathan Cobb is seeking $25 million in damages.

Mr Cobb began working for Google in 2006 as a contractor hired through WorkforceLogic USA.

He claims that he disclosed the idea for Google Sky, a feature added to Google Earth last August, in an internal email discussion group when he worked for the company in early 2006.

The application allows users to navigate through stars and galaxies through a virtual telescope.

According to Information Week, Mr Cobb alleges that Google took his idea "despite the fact that [he], when making application for contractor work with Defendant WorkforceLogic USA, made disclosure of his previously developed Sky idea and concept".

The complaint states: "Defendant Google took the concepts and ideas originally presented by plaintiff and, without any notice or credit being extended to plaintiff, used them as its own.

"Such actions represent a violation of defendant Google's publicised corporate motto 'Do No Evil'."

Neither Google nor WorkforceLogic were immediately available to respond to the issue.

In November last year, Google faced a similar patent infringement lawsuit, having been sued by Northeastern University over technology it utilised in its core web search system, the Times of India reports.

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Nokia showcases new mobile street map technology

Mon, 11 Feb 2008 12:00:00 GMT

Telecommunications firm Nokia has unveiled the latest version of its Nokia Maps service.

In an announcement made at the GSMA Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the firm revealed it is to offer users real-time walking directions on their mobile handsets.

The original version of the application was intended for people who desired navigation while driving. This incarnation, however, is geared toward pedestrians.

Nokia Maps 2.0 allows users to view turn-by-turn directions, while also accessing information concerning surrounding buildings and streets.

Additionally, for a fee, people will be able to see multimedia tourist guides from external companies that include such things as photographs, video and audio streams.

Commenting on the new service, Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo, president and chief executive officer of Nokia, stated: "Nokia is taking navigation services out of the car so it can always be with you. Struggling with oversized paper maps will become a thing of the past," the BBC reports.

Meanwhile, Niklas Savander, executive vice president of services and software at the firm, added: "The future is about bringing context - time, place and people - to the web. That is the foundation of the next generation of the worldwide web."

Although currently only available on a small number of handsets, Nokia Maps is set to be introduced to Nokia Series 40 handsets, which - according to CNET News.com - accounted for more than half of the Nokia devices shipped in 2007.

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Ask.com launches Click to Speak

Fri, 04 Jan 2008 12:00:00 GMT

Search engine Ask.com has announced it has introduced free voice-activated capabilities to its Mobile Directions service.

Click to Speak, as it is known, enables users to specify their location and desired destination via speech and await directions on their internet-enabled mobile devices.

According to a company statement, the new service is designed to eliminate the need for typing addresses, which can be "slow, error-prone and, in some cases, unsafe".

"Voice input is one more way Ask.com Mobile helps searchers find exactly what they are looking for faster and easier," stated Doug Leeds, senior vice president of product management at Ask.com.

Click to Speak is quick, free and accurate and makes driving or walking directions "a breeze", he added.

Meanwhile, Amit Desai, co-founder and chief product officer of Dial Directions, the voice-activated phone service that will provide Ask.com users with the new feature, commented: "Voice input is a natural complement to the Ask.com Mobile Directions service.

"We look forward to a continued relationship with Ask.com as they look for new ways to further improve the mobile web search experience with Ask.com Mobile."

According to Mr Desai, Click to Speak offers a "dramatic improvement" over typing addresses on mobile devices.

Dial Directions is a free service that is available across the US. It allows mobile phone users to request directions to a location via a phone call and receive them by text message.

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Yahoo! adds rerouting service to maps

Wed, 19 Dec 2007 12:00:00 GMT

Yahoo! has added a new feature to its mapping service which enables users to reroute a journey.

The additional function means that people using Yahoo! Maps can "drag and drop" directions at any point in accordance with any preferences they have.

Once this has been done, information will pop up comparing how many miles have been added or subtracted as a result of the reroute.

According to Yahoo!, "this [service] would be great for long trips where you want to see some interesting detours or scenic routes".

It adds: "Once you get your directions to your destination, if you don't quite like what you see, you can pick up your route and drop it somewhere else and we'll drive you through the area you select in the most efficient manner."

In addition to this new feature, the search engine provider has made alterations to its business searches on Yahoo! Maps.

Inside the business pop-ups on the map, there are now user review quotes and photographs. The list view has also been reformatted to make it easier for users to understand their results.

Earlier this year, Google introduced a rerouting feature to its mapping service.

According to Josh Lowensohn writing in a CNet News.com blog, the Google version is superior as it shows users the street name, mileage and time estimates when they are in the middle of dragging the marker around, as opposed to after they have placed it.

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