Comments on: Location-Software Maker Sues Google, Saying It’s Being Evil (& Microsoft-like)

By: Jan Ouellete

Jan Ouellete — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 13:22:17 +0000

Hey, I recently came to this website and I’ve visited it daily given that that as a way to remain updated. Maintain up the good work.

By: Eugenio Paolello

Eugenio Paolello — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 21:56:05 +0000

If Google were to scan GMail for link exchange requests and then factor that into page rank, would that be good or evil?|eric_lee89|

By: wshun

wshun — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 02:04:05 +0000

Could I simply download Skyhook from its own website (or other marketplace), and install it on my android phone?

By: Marcos El Malo

Marcos El Malo — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 07:05:43 +0000

What is most striking is how Google has positioned itself as the open alternative to Apple’s closed eco-system. Now we are finding that Google’s android platform (Android + Google’s apps + android marketplace) is no more open than Apple when push comes to shove. A least Apple has always been up front about the iOS platform. Google has released reams of marketing material that read as manifestoes of freedom that now seem like lies and propaganda.

A quote from Vic Gundotra, a Google VP: “If you believe in openness, if you believe in choice, if you believe in innovation from everyone, then welcome to Android.”

No one is saying that Google should run itself as a charity. We just wish Google would operate according to the ethical standards it claims to embrace.

By: Chicken Little

Chicken Little — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 06:48:33 +0000

They know when you park a couple streets away so they can gank your stereo.

By: ChH

ChH — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 12:20:10 +0000

I pay attention to where I am, where I’m going, and use map software on my laptop – largely because I like the idea of being able to know how to get back home without any electronic navigational aid. I suppose that’s horribly old-fashioned.

But, nick – it looks like the main point of this system is not so you know where you are indoors, but so that advertisers know where you are. Think Jon Anderton walking through the mall … only without the retina scanners.

By: Brian Too

Brian Too — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 00:15:27 +0000

Gartner is predicting that Android will tied for #1 mobile OS market share by 2014. Lots of people are sceptical of this forecast, but just imagine it comes to pass.

Google would have a fast growing percentage of a fast growing market. There is big money in play here.

http://www.infoworld.com/d/mobilize/android-hits-no-2-spot-mobile-oses-in-2010-059?source=IFWNLE_nlt_daily_2010-09-13

The best strategy for Skyhook might be to make themselves an attractive buyout target for Google. However if Google’s not interested… well the lawyers always get richer.

By: Jeremy

Jeremy — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 18:45:22 +0000

@Nick
Previously when I was in downtown Chicago, I used the skyhook location-software to detect where I was and needed to walk in the city on my iPod touch. It worked wonderfully. There are many more uses than inside your own home. Think outside the box Nick!

By: nick

nick — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 18:23:28 +0000

This would be an actual story if Google had something like a controlling marketshare anywhere. This is currently a yawn. Microsoft owned 90+% of the OS market when it rogered people with Internet Explorer. Google has less than 20% of the smartphone OS market.

“Google said blah blah blah in a press release” has nothing to do with the legal documents that Motorola signed governing Google’s acceptance to their modifications of the system software.

Also, maybe it’s just me but I can’t imagine why you’d want GPS on indoors, let alone how a WiFi router, that barely knows what timezone it’s in let alone could possibly be more accurate than the last GPS signal I got walking into a house. And it’s a little big-brothery to think that you need to be GPS-accurate aware of your location in your home or office.