Posted 07/22/08 at 05:38:31 PM by Mark Edward Soper

Search Engine Roundtable reports that Google Maps now provides optional walking directions. Just click Get Directions, enter the starting and ending addresses, click the Get Directions button, and select the Walking option. You get a map with walker-friendly directions (no freeways for you!) and timings as part of the package.

In my tests, Google Maps provided useful walking directions for locations within about 6 miles of the starting location. However, if you're wanting to plan a longer hike, you're on your own.

Hit the jump for a chance to give us your feedback.

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Internet, Google, web browser, google maps, walking, directions

Posted 07/04/08 at 10:51:26 PM by Pulkit Chandna

Google’s Street View service has already hit a roadblock in the UK, even before its launch across the Atlantic. Google would be hoping that this is just a hurdle and not a dead end for Street View’s UK version. Street View is an extension of Google’s navigational and mapping services that features photographs of locations on Google Maps and Google Earth.

A U.K rights organization, Privacy International, believes that the service violates people’s right to privacy as Street View photographs freely feature passers-by, that too, without their consent. The organization has been in constant touch with Google over the issue but seems unsatisfied with the answers it has received thus far. Google has tried to placate Privacy International with promises of a new technology - which it claims is under trial – that can identify human faces and blur them.

However, every bit the cantankerous and incredulous social rights organizations, Privacy International has asked Google to either furnish more details of the technology within a week or run the risk of being officially referred to the Information Commissioner, who can even gatecrash Google’s ‘Street View’ launch plans.

Privacy International has a plausible reason behind its skepticism. It points to Google’s track record of freely reneging on such promises; as it did with the promise of developing ‘crumbling cookies’ after acquiring DoubleClick.

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Software, Google, google earth, google maps, google street view, privacy international, information commissioner

Posted 06/25/08 at 06:47:26 AM by Pulkit Chandna

Google recently shut the door on Microsoft with a major online ads deal with Yahoo. Having warded off any possible threats to its throne in the immediate future, Google can look to consolidate its gains. And consolidate it will. Mark Mahney, financial analyst at Citibank Investment Research, expects Google to earn $1 billion from display ads alone in 2009.

Currently Yahoo is the leading player in the global online display ads industry – not to be confused with search ads - worth $22 billion annually. Google will be able to trim Yahoo’s lead in 2009 by auctioning display ads space across its bouquet of prime internet properties that includes Youtube, Google Videos, Images, Maps and Finance, and DoubleClick.

The internet juggernaut has finally solved its Youtube conundrum and will start feeding video ads to the website’s legion of video buffs. Mahney anticipates $500 million in Youtube display ads sales alone in 2009.

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microsoft, Google, Yahoo, youtube, display ads, revenue, sales, doubleclick, google images, google maps, google videos, video ads, citi financial research