Forum Moderators: goodroi
As part of a partnership to be announced Wednesday, the online search leader will dispense driving directions at thousands of gasoline pumps across the United States beginning early next month.
Veeder-Root will initially offer the service in about 3,500 gas pumps and expand based on retailer demand.
From the AP:
Latest Additive at Gas Pumps: Google [ap.google.com]
G always impresses me when they come up with ingenious niche offerings that front-runners in the given industry are blind-sided by. Where was Mapquest on this one?
Unlike most of Google's services, this one won't include ads bringing the company income.
I wonder how long that will last if the service takes off?
Depends on how long before gas company execs figure out they could get a cut of those ads.
Where was Mapquest on this one?
Probably minding their bottom line. Google has enough total revenue to try and fail repeatedly.
Hope they are tied down security wise... I could see a jokester hacking one and displaying his own "custom" map of things to do in the area using the G-API... =)
Probably minding their bottom line. Google has enough total revenue to try and fail repeatedly.
The way I see it, Google built that comfortable revenue stream from ventures like this. They never go stagnant and they seem to be constantly moving improving.
Data to be used in designing the Google in-car GPS system. (You know, the one built on top of Google's mobile OS.)
Now I never have to stop, but the millions of drivers without GPS probably will at some point or another, and having directions at the pump would be really handy.
No ads, but it is great branding.
:)
improve the user experience by making suggestions or automatically giving directions to places they think you'd like
Exactly! How cool will that be? :D
Imagine your GPS always showing your favorite types of restaurants that are near by automagically? (Sushi bars for me, btw.)
Or if it would rank gas stations by which ones you historically prefer to go to? It could even build a history of your gas station visits to gauge your cars MPG and recommend a stop at your preferred gas station whenever it thinks you are getting low on gas. (Or show the lowest priced gas along your route.)
If it tracks where you go on what days of the week, it could learn to put directions to your gym on screen automatically when you leave work on the days you normally work out (and route you around any traffic jams along the way).
What about routes to movie theaters showing the flick you want to see, taking into account the different start times to find the soonest showing that you could make? Heck, tap the screen to buy your tickets too. ;)
Or, my personal favorite, integrate into your calendar and address book to take you from one appointment to another without you needing to punch all those addresses into a tiny GPS touch screen.
The possibilities are practically endless.
Making maps available at gas pumps appealed to Google because the Mountain View-based company wants to make its services available whenever and wherever people need them
OK Google if your listening:
I want a calerie counter at cash registers at McDonalds (with hints on how to quiten groups of kids screaming).
Product search at 'Cash widraw machines' to see if I'm am about to go and make a good purchase or get ripped off.
History list at retaurants of what I ate and what I thought of it.
And of Course,
Lie detector software at all 'Car Sale' yards.
Arrr the future, how did Man ever survive before 1970.
Back on Gas Pumps though,
I wonder if Microsoft will take the obvious next step and park trucks at all service stations. You can drive on them and they will take you straight there.
Or Maybe Apple will install the all awaited iTransporter ;)
Still, all this said, don't we already have SatNavs :)
I wonder if gas sales will increase because people will get gas even if they don't really need it or will sales decrease as people 'hang out' in front of the pumps to play with the cool new screen?
JAG
