Category Archives: Local Search

Google Street View Comes to Mobile

This is probably the most exciting news I’ve ever heard in mobile search: Google Street Views is coming to mobile phones. Google announced today that its Google Mobile Application now includes Street View. And it’s the same level of quality than what you can see from your desktop.

This is how it works:

“Wondering if the restaurant in your search results is the one you’re thinking of? Just click “Street View” after your search to see the storefront. Unsure about a complicated intersection in your directions? Use Street View to see a photo, so there’s no mistaking your turn. You can also launch Street View from any address where we have photography, or simply by clicking on the map and selecting “Street View”. You can browse Street View overlaid on the map or in full screen, rotate your view to see more of your surroundings, and move along the street.”

google mobile street view

Just imagine how it’s going to help you locate something when you’re outside.  To download Google Mobile Maps for mobile, point your mobile phone browser to google.com/gmm. Note that it only works on BlackBerry and Java-enabled phones.

Also check out the video that Google made to introduce Street View for mobile, it’s rather funny.

Local Mobile Search: Google Launches User Reviews

When you just arrive in a new town and are looking for a good restaurant, the only way for most people is to use their cell phone and call a local directory, or use a search engine.

But besides finding a name and a location for the type of restaurant you’re looking for, these services won’t give you more information about the place.

To avoid possible disappointments, it’d be good to have reviews and ratings of the businesses you’ve found via a mobile search engine.

Google has recently enabled users to write reviews of businesses from their mobile phone.

If you go to Google from your cell and search for a business, then click on it, you’ll see a link to write a review about it and also to rate it (1-5 stars).
google mobile search reviews local search

google mobile reviews

This is a really nice feature, it allows people to easily and quickly get reviews about a business and then decide if they want to go there or not.

Via Google Mobile Blog.

Enkin: Revolutionary GPS Application for Android

If you take two Computational Visualistics students, give them Google Android’s SDK and motivate them with a $275.000 award , you’ll get Enkin, a revolutionary handheld navigation concept.

Here is how Enkin’s creators present it:

“Enkin” introduces a new handheld navigation concept. It displays location-based content in a unique way that bridges the gap between reality and classic map-like representations. It combines GPS, orientation sensors, 3D graphics, live video, several web services and a novel user interface into an intuitive and light navigation system for mobile devices.

What makes Enkin so unique is that it has as “live mode”, meaning that for example when pointing your phone camera towards a building that is in fact an hospital, the interface will indicate so.

The user interface has three different modes:

– Map mode: This is a two-dimensional mode and similar to
classical maps applications. It provides a quick overview of
all active location-based content and lets you easily manage
your data.

– Landscape mode: This mode resembles loosely Google
Earth’s 3D view. It enables your content’s third dimension
by embedding it into a three-dimensional landscape.

– Live mode: This acts as the bridge to reality. Now your content
is displayed extending real physical objects instead of
computer graphics by using the device’s built-in camera.

Watch their video here to see it in action.

Phones equipped with Android haven’t hit the market yet, so when this happens, Enkin will be more impressive than when used from an emulator.

Android proves that it will truly revolutionize the way we search things from our cell phones, especially local information.

Visit Enkin.net for more information. Hat tip to Wireless Watch Japan for the info.