Google

Google’s iLost ad uses a phony street address to exaggerate Apple Maps flaws

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 27, 2012

Remember an ad Google's subsidiary Motorola recently published to highlight Apple Maps flaws? "Looking for 315 E 15th in Manhattan?", Google's advertisement read. "Google Maps on Droid Razr M will get you there & not #iLost in Brooklyn", it went on to suggest that iOS 6 Maps will direct users to a wrong road name in the wrong city. Well, guess what? That address doesn't even exist!

That's right, 315 E 15th Street is not an actual address in Manhattan. This whole maps thing is really getting blown out of proportion. Why would Google fake an ad and make folks search for an incorrect, ambiguous street address other than make Apple Maps look bad. Apple of course also isn't one to shy away from deceptive advertising. Remember this?

New app from Google hitting iOS soon: Field Trip

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

So much about distancing from Apple. Google just recently launched very nice YouTube client and Chrome browser for iOS, it's said to be working on a standalone Maps app and now introduced a new software that runs in the background analyzing your environment to give you facts about the places around you.

It pops up a nice card when you get close to something interesting and will even read the info to you if you have a headset or Bluetooth connected. Best thing you check it out in a video I've included right below...

Schmidt on patent wars: Google is friends with both Apple and Samsung

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 27, 2012

Google chairman Eric Schmidt is in South Korea to help with the launch of Nexus 7 in the country. As always, the outspoken executive defended Google's position on patents and addressed Apple's legal victory in the high-profile patent infringement case against South Korea-based Samsung.

Long story short, Schmidt is dissatisfied with Apple's efforts to fight Android backers in the courtroom, insisting that companies should compete with products. Of course patent disputes are hurting consumer choice and preventing innovation, Schmidt underscored. According to one patent expert, Android has infringed upon a total of 17 valid Apple and Microsoft patents. Plus, don't miss out on Schmidt dancing in Korea, Gangnam style...

Street View coming to Google Maps mobile web app in two weeks

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 26, 2012

I just read through David Pogue's freshly published article on the Mapgate situation and noticed a couple interesting revelations. The New York Times technology columnist says that in two weeks, you’ll be able to get Street View in the Google Maps mobile web on your iPhone, iPod touch and iPad.

Right now, you can use Safari on your iOS device to navigate to maps.google.com and use Google's maps on the web, though without spoken directions (you'll get written directions instead). More tidbits right below...

Voice navigation was a deal-breaker in the Apple-Google maps talks

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 26, 2012

The Verge reported yesterday that Apple could have kept Google Maps until iOS 7 as Google's contract to keep the maps app on the iPhone had more time remaining. A new report sheds more light on the matter, with sources claiming that talks between the two Silicon Valley technology giants crashed over voice-assisted navigation.

Long story short, Google fought hard to bomb the deal as it wouldn't hand over the data needed to bring voice-guided navigation to a competing platform. Instead, the search Goliath continued to offer advanced location and navigation features on Android, widening the gap as it differentiated its platform from Apple...

Google Play Store: 675,000 apps, 25 billion downloads

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 26, 2012

Google is creeping up on Apple, announcing yesterday on its Android blog that its Play Store now has 675,000 apps which have been downloaded 25 billion times. It was just recently that Google bragged about half a billion cumulative Android activations and on September 5 the search Goliath announced it was activating 70,000 tablets and 1.3 million Android devices each day.

At this rate, Google should have no trouble surpassing Apple's platform by year's end. By comparison, Apple's App Store carried over 750,000 apps and the company sold a total of 425 million iOS devices, as of September 12. The iPhone maker said earlier at WWDC that customers downloaded over 30 billion apps as of June...

Apple could have kept Google Maps until iOS 7

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 26, 2012

Apple could have kept the stock iOS Google Maps for another year, if it wanted, a new report alleges. When Apple publicly announced in June it would drop the native Google Maps app in favor of its own solution, Google was shocked as its contract with Apple to keep the maps app on the iPhone "had more time remaining", the New York Times reports.

Luckily, if the paper's sources are to be believed, Google is working on a standalone Google Maps app though it won't be released immediately because Google wants to do it right and incorporate 3D view as it wants the program to be comparable to Apple Maps, namely its three-dimensional Flyover views of major cities...

Apple poaches Google’s Sally Cole as Communications Director

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated May 30, 2017

Apple is already thought to be aggressively recruiting Google Maps employees and now it appears Cupertino is after other high-ranked individuals currently employed by the search giant. Like Sally Cole, who had up until last month used to be Google's Director of Internal Communications for almost six years.

She is now employed in a very similar capacity by Apple. Cole arrives at a time when the growing rivalry between Apple and Google is turning into an all-out war. Perhaps Cole will reorganize Apple's PR department which appears to be out of sync lately.

Scuffgate, reports of teething problems with the iPhone 5 and recent cutbacks blamed on the new retail head John Browett all seemingly indicate that Apple is increasingly becoming prone to unusual PR missteps...

Eric Schmidt: a Google Maps app is up to Apple

Cody Lee ∙ September 25, 2012

As Apple continues to take heat over its new mapping software, the question on everyone's mind seems to be: will Google release a standalone Maps app for iOS? It's a fair question, considering it recently published a YouTube app for the platform.

But a report that surfaced last week claiming Google had already submitted a Maps app to Apple and was awaiting approval was quickly debunked. And Eric Schmidt himself confirmed yesterday that his company hasn't made a move yet...

Google Chrome updated with iPhone 5 support

Jeff Benjamin ∙ September 24, 2012

My favorite iOS browser, Google Chrome, has been updated to support the larger screen size of the iPhone 5. The update accompanies iOS 6 compatibility, as well as the often included stability and security improvements.

All of you who were using Safari in the interim, can now return to your regularly scheduled program.

That didn’t take long: Passbook for Android lands

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 24, 2012

The brand new Passbook app in iOS 6 is garnering traction in both tech press and the real world with the likes of Starbucks, Target, theme park Accesso, airlines Delta, American Airlines, Virgin Australia and others all announcing they have or are implementing Passbook support.

As Passbook simply organizes digital coupons, tickets, loyalty cards and other items wrapped inside Apple’s new .pkpass file type, developer Attido Mobile was able to create a handy Passbook client for Android devices. It has been available for some time, is called PassWallet, does pretty much everything Apple's app is capable of and could easily be gone if Apple has any say over it...

Apple beats Aston Martin, Google, Bang & Olufsen to rise as UK’s coolest brand

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated November 20, 2017

CoolBrands, an annual initiative to identify the UK's coolest brands annually since 2001, has published the official results for the calendar year 2012. Based on responses from 3,000 consumers and a panel of 39 experts, Apple was voted UK's number one brand. In fact, the Apple brand beat second-ranked YouTube, Aston Martin (#3), Twitter (#4) and Google (#5). Last year, the iPhone and iPod brands were ranked second and third, respectively, as Aston Martin took the leading spot...