Google 360 Street View Finally Comes to Ohio

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH -Kyle Heiberger knew why the maroon Chevy Cavalier with a roof-mounted camera was there. He’d read blog posts and news articles about Google Street View’s comprehensive mapping system, which provides a 360-degree, block-by-block view of public roads and neighborhoods at street level.

The camera on the car was quietly snapping thousands of photos for the central Ohio edition. When it stopped at a Canal Winchester intersection last June, the 27-year-old couldn’t resist: He stuck out his tongue. Earlier this week, his face — intentionally blurred for privacy — could be seen by anyone with an Internet connection.

“There’s something scary about it, but it’s exciting as well,” said Heiberger, a North Side resident who works for a paving company. “I’ve been waiting for this to come to Columbus for a while.”

Launched in May 2007 in New York, San Francisco, Miami, Denver and Las Vegas, Street View on Tuesday added Columbus and 36 other metro areas (including Cincinnati, Dayton and Toledo).

Also rolled out were images from Yellowstone and Everglades national parks and eight other natural areas.

With the click of a mouse, Google users can take a virtual stroll up High Street or across the Golden Gate Bridge. There’s no more guessing whether that new restaurant has convenient parking or the liquor store has a discreet entrance; Street View removes all doubt.

.http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/06/14/1_GOOGLE_MAP_ART_06-14-08_A1_EBAG71P.html?sid=101

Companies Mine Web Data For Profit

The New York Times – Amid debate over how much data companies like Google and Yahoo should gather about people who surf the Web, one new company is drawing attention — and controversy — by boasting that it will collect the most complete information of all.

The company, called Phorm, has created a tool that can track every single online action of a given consumer, based on data from that person’s Internet service provider. The trick for Phorm is to gain access to that data, and it is trying to negotiate deals with telephone and cable companies, like AT&T, Verizon and Comcast, that provide broadband service to millions.

Phorm’s pitch to these companies is that its software can give them a new stream of revenue from advertising. Using Phorm’s comprehensive views of individuals, the companies can help advertisers show different ads to people based on their interests.
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“As you browse, we’re able to categorize all of your Internet actions,” said Virasb Vahidi, the chief operating officer of Phorm. “We actually can see the entire Internet.”

Phorm is not the first company to realize that providers of broadband services are sitting on deep caches of consumer data. Other advertising companies like Front Porch, NebuAd, Adzilla and Project Rialto are trying to do much the same thing. What distinguishes Phorm is the success — and scrutiny — it has had in the British market.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/20/business/media/20adcoside.html?ex=1363752000&en=9bb5f72af714b1b9&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink