Microsoft is seeking, and now very likely to obtain, a German patent injunction against the Google Maps service, the Google Maps Android client app, and web browsers providing access to Google Maps.
But mainly, I wanted to see how Google Maps fared compared with Apple's Maps, which kicked Google Maps off the iPhone in September.
Google Integration: Utilization of Google Maps and Google Places to provide direction and location information.
ENGADGET: Google and Kia partnership will bring Google Maps and Places to new cars this year
In past years, NORAD partnered with Google to help track Santa using Google Maps and Google Earth.
FORBES: NORAD Partners with Microsoft To Help Kids Track Santa
The company already has significant interests in location services through its Google Maps and Google Street View offerings.
These then link to a web-based dashboard where survey data can be tracked on Google Maps and Google Earth, according to Water for People.
During her tenure at Google, Mayer's been described as being a key influencer on products such as Gmail, Google Maps and Google's minimalist search page.
Other sites with devoted followings such as the photo-sharing site Flickr also won multiple awards, as well as sites such as Google Maps and Google Earth.
BBC: The BBC has scooped three prizes at the annual Webby Awards.
The immediate integration of Google solutions will utilize Google Maps and Google Places to acquire driving directions and locate Points of Interest (POIs) in a seamless and organic manner.
ENGADGET: Google and Kia partnership will bring Google Maps and Places to new cars this year
Much of this strategy is supported by a variety of technology developments, such SAP NetWeaver Gateway, the HANA in-memory platform, mobility capabilities from the Sybase acquisition, and the recently announced partnership with Google Maps (See SAP Partnership with Google Maps Indicates a New Openness).
In fact, that the new Google Maps app is much better than the old Google Maps which Apple threw off iOS only three months back.
FORBES: An Economist Explains About Apple's and Google's Maps
Whereas GIS professionals take great pains to ensure accuracy in maps, Google treats maps like all other Internet content.
Google Maps 5.0 for Android might seem similarly earth shattering, but it marks a significant change to the basic technology of Google Maps.
ENGADGET: Google Maps 5.0 hits Android, includes new 3D map view and offline Navigation
The great majority of them come with no Google services: no Google Maps, no Google Play and no Gmail or Google Calendar.
One reason is that Google Maps has a way for its users to let it know of gaps between reality as reported by users and what Google Maps thinks is reality.
It loads much more quickly than the old iOS Google Maps app because it uses vector graphics instead of bitmap graphics, and it has turn-by-turn navigation which the old iOS Google Maps app did not have.
After a series of restrictions the Germans placed on Street View including giving people the right to have their houses blacked out on Google maps Google decided to stop driving its Street View cars around Deutschland.
FORBES: Google Threatens To Shut Down Street View In Switzerland
You can still access other apps on the phone, such as Google Maps, Gmail and Google Search.
Much has been written about the forthcoming 3-D maps that could leave Google Maps in the dust and score points for Apple in the simmering rivalry.
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The essential point was that if you tried to access Google Maps from a Windows Phone using IE then you got the Google home page, not the maps.
FORBES: Links 6 Jan: Why Can't Windows Phone Get Google Maps? Because IE Isn't Good Enough
Like most Android phones, the S4 comes with a suite of useful Google apps, including Gmail, YouTube, Google Maps and the voice assistant Google Now.
But the biggest change for me so far is the new Apple Maps app, which replaces the Google Maps app.
After Maps, Google Play, Google Search, Gmail and YouTube were the top apps on Android and iOS devices in December.
The early CloudCar example runs on a very simple interface with options like Google Maps navigation, media playback and Google contacts on the left.
Google-owned properties like YouTube, Blogger, Google Images and Google Maps already show up frequently in Google search results, points out search engine marketer Rand Fishkin.
Critics expressed a clear preference for Google Maps in this commentary, with over 10% of all comments regarding maps being a direct vote for Google.
As recently as yesterday, Google was explaining its auto-redirect of Google Maps on Windows Phone devices to Google.com as a question of incompatibility rather than one of choice.
FORBES: Links 6 Jan: Why Can't Windows Phone Get Google Maps? Because IE Isn't Good Enough
Acer already sells a lot of Android-based phones and relies on Google services such as Google Maps (hence, the leverage Google can apply to get Acer to hold back).
In the meantime, iPhone users can go to maps.google.com on Safari, along with the other third-party alternatives that Apple CEO Tim Cook recommended in his letter of apology.
As recently as yesterday, Google was explaining its auto-redirect of Google Maps on Windows Phone devices to Google search as a question of incompatibility rather than one of choice.
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