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Hot off the wire from AllThingsD:

Rose’s mobile app incubator Milk yesterday announced it was shutting down its only product, Oink.

Google is not outright buying or “acqhiring” Milk, the sources explicitly said, but Rose and some others from the company have been hired. It’s not clear what will happen to Milk after Rose joins Google.

His social and more recent local background would seem to make him a natural at Google+. Rose is also an Angel investor having thrown in with Fab, Zynga, ngmoco, Foursquare, and Twitter.

Interestingly, Google was very close to acquiring Rose’s Digg four years ago, but the deal never went through.

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Google opens its registration for its annual I/O conference on March 27. Remember, tickets sold out last year in under an hour so set your alarms!

The conference also moved from May to June this year where Google will debut many new technologies, including some Glasses hopefully. While we do not have official word on the Glasses “Project WingFront,” we were told by a Google employee that this year’s I/O was going to be “totally insane.” Perhaps so insane that Google moved from a two-day format to three days this year.

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Google also updated its I/O website with some fun and games.
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The Android team announced today in a post over at Google+ that Google’s mapping service on Android won the Best Consumer Mobile Service Award at the Mobile World Congress show in Barcelona, Spain. For mobile users, the Google Maps mobile app, including Google’s other location and mapping offerings, is a reason alone to get an Android handset as many would not be able to get around without it. Though Apple also has a native iOS Maps app that taps into the Google Maps backend, and Google itself provides a surprisingly capable web app, Google Maps for mobile looks and works best on Android smartphones. Perhaps not surprisingly, the latest and greatest Maps features début on Android first. For example: Advanced (and free) turn-by-turn GPS navigation for driving, and walking and public transit directions with 3D views that integrate nicely with Google’s other location-based services like Latitude and Places.

In case you were wondering, the Device Manufacturer of the Year award went to Samsung, which also got the Best Smartphone award for the Galaxy S II. New features in Google’s location-based products are now introducing regularly. The latest update to the Google Maps for Android app brought improved transit navigation and more accurate positioning and indoor maps. Google has a nice interactive overview of Google Maps for newbies here.

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I absolutely love the new page that showcases some of the more unique and wonderful shots the “9 eyes” of Google’s Streetview cars capture. Named after the nine cameras on each car, the website reminds us there is beauty everywhere—or that a billion camera shots by a billion monkeys is bound to turn up some winners…

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  Grand Canyon before and after Google Earth 6.2’s improved image rendering 

Google just dropped the latest release of Google Earth, version 6.2, bringing with it a new method of rendering imagery that does away with the “quilt effect” (pictured above, left) created when stitching together various images. According to Google’s blog post introducing the update, the new rendering process “preserves the unique textures of the world’s most defining geographic landscapes.” Google said the change will appear on all versions of Google Earth, but the 6.2 release is optimized for the ideal viewing experience.

The 6.2 Google Earth release also includes new sharing features giving you the ability to share screenshots of virtual locations from the app on Google+. Other improvements in the update include a redesigned search panel and the Auto complete feature already available on other services like Google Maps. You will also now have access to walking, bike, and transit directions and “search layers” with relevant results beyond the usual top 10). Google explained the new search layers in its blog post:

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Google's evolving Earth Day logo throughout recent years. The logo signifies the company's interest in green energy.

Google is ending 2011 with a green bang.

The technology giant made an investment that brought its total renewable energy investments to more than $915 million. Google announced this morning that it is injecting $94 million into four solar photovoltaic projects established near Sacramento, Calif. The portfolio projects are being built by solar development company Recurrent Energy.

“We’ve already committed to providing funding this year to help more than 10,000 homeowners install solar PV panels on their rooftops,” announced Recurrent Energy in a statement. The development company also released energy details through its press-release concerning expected electricity generation:

The four solar PV facilities included in the transaction will provide 88 MW of power to SMUD   and were the first to be awarded as part of the utility’s feed-­in tariff program (FIT) introduced in January 2010…The projects are expected to generate nearly 160,000,000 kWh in their first year of operation, which is roughly equivalent to offsetting the electricity consumption of more than 13,000 average U.S. homes.

The facilities serve the Sacramento Municipal Utility District.  Construction on three of the area projects will finish in early 2012, with the fourth completing later in the year. Global investment firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co., through a new venture called SunTap Energy, is co-investing in the projects alongside Google.

“The investment is a clear demonstration of solar’s ability to attract private capital from well-­ established investors like Google and KKR,” said Arno Harris, CEO of Recurrent Energy, in the blog post.  “This transaction provides an example of the direction solar is headed as a viable, mainstream part of our energy economy.”

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Google Goggles gets a new meaning

The New York Times today relayed an open secret among some in the Google community: the company is working on wearable technology in its secret off-campus Google X lair.  However, the technology we have heard about is not the watch-type variety as described (although, we would be surprised if Google was not working on that technology, too):

Over the last year, Apple and Google have secretly begun working on projects that will become wearable computers. Their main goal: to sell more smartphones. (In Google’s case, more smartphones sold means more advertising viewed.)

In Google’s secret Google X labs, researchers are working on peripherals that — when attached to your clothing or body — would communicate information back to an Android smartphone.

People familiar with the work in the lab say Google has hired electronic engineers from Nokia Labs, Apple and engineering universities who specialize in tiny wearable computers.

While Apple may be focusing on iPod nano-like watches, Google seems to be pushing ahead in heads-up displays. We first brought news that prominent wearables PhD Richard DuVaul moved from Apple to Google in June.  His research is focused on wearable heads up displays (HUDs).

His dissertation was on “The Memory Glasses“, a heads-up display  focused on the problems associated with wearable memory support technology. This included hardware and software architectures, and low-attention human-computer interaction for wearable computing, including the use of subliminal visual cues for just-in-time memory support.

Our source tells us that this is what Google is building.  They are in late prototype stages of wearable glasses that look similar to thick-rimmed glasses that “normal people” wear.  However, these provide a display with a heads up computer interface.  There are a few buttons on the arms of the glasses, but otherwise, they could be mistaken for normal glasses.  Additionally, we are not sure of the technology being employed here, but it is likely a transparent LCD or AMOLED display such as the one demonstrated below:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6YQiKmDWpI]

In addition, we have heard that this device is not an “Android peripheral” as the NYT stated.  According to our source, it communicates directly with the Cloud over IP. Although, the “Google Goggles”  could use a phone’s Internet connection, through Wi-Fi or a low power Bluetooth 4.0.

The use-case is augmented reality that would tie into Google’s location services.  A user can walk around with information popping up and into display -Terminator-style- based on preferences, location and Google’s information.

Therefore, these things likely connect to the Internet and have GPS.  They also likely run a version of Android.

Google VP Marisa Mayer recently talked to Jason Kincaid about serendipity and location back in May:

[vodpod id=Video.9929744&w=650&h=400&fv=%26amp%3BembedCode%3DUzNDJoMjpzR4v5RcbxsAczC071d3QOq1]

This would be a great tie in to this system.  Instead of actual inputs, this system could just pull information as it becomes available and shoot it to the screen when the information was desired.

We do not have a release date for this new device, but we know that Google Co-founder Sergey Brin is closely associated with the project and it will be Google-branded hardware.

Google representatives couldn’t comment on rumors and speculation.

Related articles

• NYT: Apple’s been “conceptualizing and even prototyping some wearable devices” (9to5mac.com)

British Telecom is suing Google over  six alleged infringements that affect its services in a plethora of areas, including Android Market, Google Maps, Google Search, Google Music, Google Places, Google Offers, Google Plus and location-based advertising.

According to Florian Mueller’s news blog Foss Patents, the lawsuit was reportedly filed in the U.S. district court for Delaware.

BT is seeking damages and an injunction, and its complaint indicates Google refuses to pay. The second sentence of paragraph 21 in the action states: “BT brings this action to recover the just compensation it is owed and to prevent Google from continuing to benefit from BT’s inventions without authorization.”

Google contacted the Wall Street Journal Dec. 19 and issued a statement regarding the recent patent infringement allegations.

“We believe these claims are groundless and we will vigorously defend ourselves against them,” said Google to WSJ.

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In July Google launched an experimental Hotel Finder tool, which allows users to search specifically for the most relevant hotel related results. The service allows users to find places to stay in select areas, get price comparisons in one convenient location, and compile a shortlist of potential destinations. According to Search Engine Land, Google is now testing rather large “Comparison ads” at the top of hotel related search results that display links to the Hotel Finder tool. The move apparently has the hotel industry concerned…

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UPDATE [Tuesday, December 13, 2011 at 9:58am ET]: Ouch! Google has killed Google Shoot View.

A Dutch advertising agency called Pool Worldwide has turned Google Maps into a first-person shooter. The website is called Google Shoot View, and simply puts a first-person M16 overlay on top of Google Maps Street View — and quite frankly that’s really it. There’s no blood, running, or screaming, but just the fun of simply shooting at whatever appears on Google Maps. While it won’t replace your midnight Call of Duty rampage, it’s a fun little game to play while sitting at your desk. Check out the promotional video after the break. (via Business Insider)

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Last week Google rolled out indoor maps for a number of airports and retailers in Version 6.0 of Google Maps on Android, and now they have just added 3D maps for a bunch more cities in the desktop version of the app. Adding to the 3D map experience already available in select cities throughout the US, Japan, and Europe, Google announced on their Lat Long Blog today that a few more notable cities have been added including Rome, Seville, and Las Vegas.

This brings up the total number of cities with 3D maps to 18 with Foster City, Honolulu, Las Vegas, Norfolk, Palo Alto, Portland, Redwood City, Riverside, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, San Diego, Santa Cruz, and Sunnyvale in the US, and Rome, IT, Rotterdam, NL; Seville, ES; Stuttgart, DE, and Amsterdam, NL in Europe.

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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Gy-DI_bWElg]

Google is today rolling out a major update to Google Maps for Android with perhaps the most intriguing feature of Version 6.0 being the highly-anticipated indoor maps of select malls, airports, and retailers. Google explains:

Detailed floor plans automatically appear when you’re viewing the map and zoomed in on a building where indoor map data is available. The familiar “blue dot” icon indicates your location within several meters, and when you move up or down a level in a building with multiple floors, the interface will automatically update to display which floor you’re on. All this is achieved by using an approach similar to that of ‘My Location’ for outdoor spaces, but fine tuned for indoors.

Google has partnered with handful of retailers in the US and Japan including the Mall of America, IKEA, Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, and The Home Depot. Business owners can contribute by uploading a floor plan of their building here, while users can view a full list of available indoor maps here. Google also posted before and after screenshots (below) of the Mall of America in Minneapolis after the new feature is applied and a video showing off how indoor maps can be used to navigate through an airport.

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Google’s pedicab trike is once again out and about capturing 360-degree Street View shots of its surroundings, this time NY Times found a team of Google cyclists capturing 58 miles of pathways in New York’s Central Park. Earlier this month Google started adding local parks to the Street View feature in Google Maps, some of which include High Line Park in New York City, Kensington Gardens in London, and the Knuthenborg Safari Park in Denmark.

So far Google has traveled to 20+ countries across the globe to capture panoramic views of areas inaccessible by their Street View cars, so expect many more parks, paths, and other outdoor spaces coming to Maps in the near future. They even recently attached the trike to the front of a train to capture 122km of the Albula-Bernina railway line in the Swizz Alps.

No word on when exactly you’ll see Central Park added to Maps, but it typically takes a few months from the time the trike is deployed. You can check out some of the parks already available in Google Maps here.

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A few members of the Google Maps team answered some pretty interesting questions on Reddit about the platform, from the community. Business Insider posted some of the highlights from the thread:

1. Building shadows within Maps are astronomically correct with the time of day and sun. Google did however scale the shadows.
2. Antartica has a street view in Google Maps.
3. Google collects 3D views with three laser cameras on their street cars.
4. The team is excited about/considering making a 3D game using Maps data.
5. Google Maps has a street view partner program for anyone to add street view photos taken with their own camera.
6. For colorblind Maps users, Google is figuring out how to accommodate users with the red and green indicators for Traffic.
7. Google favors higher quality images that are older over blurry ones that are newer.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/?v=X3EO_zehMkM]

What do you get by marrying Google Maps to WebGL, a software library that extends the capability of the JavaScript programming language to allow it to generate interactive 3D graphics within any compatible web browser such as Google’s Chrome 14 or Firefox Beta? Pure awesomeness, that’s what. They are calling to Google MapsGL and it enables “far richer visuals and animations”, the search company wrote in a blog post this morning:

WebGL is a new technology that brings hardware-accelerated 3D graphics to the browser without additional installed software. With WebGL your maps experience is much better with 3D buildings, smoother transitions between imagery and the ability to instantly “swoop” into Street View without a plugin.

Just visit maps.google.com and click “Try it now” to take hardware-accelerated Maps for a spin. We wrote in the past about WebGL-based Chrome experiments worth checking out, including a remarkable water simulation and interactive music video.

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Marisa Mayer just made the announcement:

So, today, I’m thrilled that Google has acquired Zagat. Moving forward, Zagat will be a cornerstone of our local offering—delighting people with their impressive array of reviews, ratings and insights, while enabling people everywhere to find extraordinary (and ordinary) experiences around the corner and around the world.

That is an interesting play which I’m pretty sure no one was expecting.  It gives Google a huge foothold in local and will certainly put Yelp, Open Table and company on the defensive and will also fit in nicely with its Offers service.  Zagat’s statement below the fold:

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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3j_2srh7o3M]

Google is anything but the dominant force in Asia, where local search engine Baidu is number one. Also, Asia, the world’s largest and most populous continent with the population of 3.88 billion people, is just beginning to discover Android, but the continent is poised to become the next gold mine for Google as smartphones become more affordable to the mass consumer. One exemption that proves the rule: Korea, a poster child for the latest tech.

People wield the latest gadgets there and use them more often and in ways that put to shame their counterparts from the Western world. Google’s mobile ad team went out into the streets of Seoul to ask smartphone users how they use their devices. The professionally produced footage is, of course, yet another showcase of the numerous ongoing marketing activities meant to convince people to stay under the Google fold.

In this case, Google wants potential advertisers to place adverts on web sites and inject them inside mobile apps using their technology. By the way, notice a bunch of Galaxy S phones everywhere (to our Apple readers: iPhone 4 spotting on mark 1:15).

But who could blame the Internet’s #1 search company for promoting the use of smartphones? With a whopping 97 percent of Google’s revenues coming from advertising, no wonder they did not spare any expense producing this testimonial. Still, worth your time so sit back, relax and enjoy the three and a half minute ride. Also, go past the fold for interesting takeaways from a Google survey in collaboration with Ipsos of over a thousand South Korean smartphone users…

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Stunning 45-degree views are now available in Maps for more places in the US and abroad.

Never content with resting on its laurels, Google have been iterating their products at a pace faster than ever before. Here’s a quick overview of some of the noteworthy changes we spotted in Google’s popular services, such as Docs, Tasks, Chrome Web Store, Blogger and Maps. The latter now features breathtaking 45° imagery for many more US cities (full list here), including international locales, such as Córdoba, Spain. If you haven’t yet seen highly detailed aerial photography in action, definitely give it a try now by checking out the Córdoba, William P. Hobby Airport or the Houston Ship Channel 45° views from all four directions.

Chrome Web Store, the Google-ran online repository of web apps, now supports more markets, having added sixteen new countries for 31 countries in total. In-app payments in web apps distributed on Chrome Web Store are also a go-go: Google confirmed paid transactions in web apps will be available to users in twenty countries “later this year”. Zyngas of this world will love it, that’s for sure. More features in other services right below the fold.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EEOWbIqQdE]

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Android users who downloaded the updated  Maps application today got a nice surprise.  Google Maps for Android now features offline viewing. To enable the new feature, simply navigate to the Labs section of the Maps application and enable the Download Map Area option. After this is enabled, each time you want to download maps for offline viewing you will need to visit a Place page, click the more button, and then select the option to store locally. Maps will then store a 10 mile radius, locally to your device.

Offline viewing is available for Android because of the way it displays the maps. Android uses a vector-based system for displaying map tiles, where the iPhone uses an image based. This means Android can pull maps using about 1/100th of the data the iPhone would. Maybe we’ll see a change to the iPhone’s Google Maps soon.

via TechCrunch

Constant checking of your location is annoying when using public transportation in a foreign city. This will become a thing of the past with the new Google Maps for Android which now features something called Transit Navigation (currently in beta). Basically, this taps Google’s vast mapping database, your phone’s GPS location and real-time public transportation data to figure out where exactly along the route you currently are. The system then alerts you on time when it’s time to hop off the buss, Google explains in a blog post:

Using your location along the route, Transit Navigation will alert you when its time to get off at your destination or to make a transfer. This is particularly helpful if you’re in a city where you don’t speak the language and can’t read the route maps or understand the announcements. 

The best bit? It runs in background so you’ll continue receiving progress reports as subtle Android notifications while checking your email or playing a game. It will even vibrate the device when it’s time to get off at next stop. Other improvements include the navigation interface with big icons and built-in picture viewer for Places pages. The new Google Maps 5.7 for Android with Transit Navigation (BETA) can be downloaded now from Android Market on smartphones that run at least Android 2.1. Transit Navigation arrives with support four hundred major cities around the world and Google will probably add more towns in the future.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NTXkd0dguQ]

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