Comments on: Google to Buy Geo-Tagging Site Panoramio http://gigaom.com/2007/05/31/google-to-buy-geo-tagging-site-panoramio/ Tracking the Internet Evolution Sat, 19 Jul 2008 14:52:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU By: ram http://gigaom.com/2007/05/31/google-to-buy-geo-tagging-site-panoramio/#comment-592530 ram Wed, 03 Oct 2007 06:25:02 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/05/31/google-to-buy-geo-tagging-site-panoramio/#comment-592530 <p>cool. phones with cameras have to be turned into cameras with modems to send geotagged pics. we are very interested as we have a community of people who have been asking us to allow their photos to be uploaded to our site as the events unfold. share the laughter/sadness/moments of importance with people who are emotionally very close but geographically spread. as an aside, I think google is unravelling its awesome footprint that is kinda all pervasive. exciting , at the same time scary- a single company being the repository of so much knowledge/private information/geographical information is not good.some kind of secure distribution of digital assets where no one single person can aggregate should be put in place.</p> cool. phones with cameras have to be turned into cameras with modems to send geotagged pics. we are very interested as we have a community of people who have been asking us to allow their photos to be uploaded to our site as the events unfold. share the laughter/sadness/moments of importance with people who are emotionally very close but geographically spread.
as an aside, I think google is unravelling its awesome footprint that is kinda all pervasive. exciting , at the same time scary- a single company being the repository of so much knowledge/private information/geographical information is not good.some kind of secure distribution of digital assets where no one single person can aggregate should be put in place.

]]> By: Artashes http://gigaom.com/2007/05/31/google-to-buy-geo-tagging-site-panoramio/#comment-137692 Artashes Sun, 03 Jun 2007 17:18:34 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/05/31/google-to-buy-geo-tagging-site-panoramio/#comment-137692 <p>Btw, I wonder whether Google's new Street View service as part of their Maps product has some correlation with their Panoramio acquisition... Perhaps they will soon introduce geo-tagging/stories with Street View.</p> Btw, I wonder whether Google’s new Street View service as part of their Maps product has some correlation with their Panoramio acquisition… Perhaps they will soon introduce geo-tagging/stories with Street View.

]]> By: Artashes http://gigaom.com/2007/05/31/google-to-buy-geo-tagging-site-panoramio/#comment-137685 Artashes Sun, 03 Jun 2007 17:14:24 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/05/31/google-to-buy-geo-tagging-site-panoramio/#comment-137685 <p>@ Gavin:</p> <p>You make a good point, you can surely find something "unique" about other similar services. However, the barrier of entry and introduction of exactly the same feature is minimal and there is nothing that stops Google-Panoramio from releasing the features available on Grapheety, Sociallight, etc.</p> <p>Michael Sharon just proved my previous point - too many companies competing on same turfs, so unless you are funded by VCs with connections to Google board, you are out of luck and major acquisition cash in the pocket. :)</p> <p>Best, Artashes</p> @ Gavin:

You make a good point, you can surely find something “unique” about other similar services. However, the barrier of entry and introduction of exactly the same feature is minimal and there is nothing that stops Google-Panoramio from releasing the features available on Grapheety, Sociallight, etc.

Michael Sharon just proved my previous point - too many companies competing on same turfs, so unless you are funded by VCs with connections to Google board, you are out of luck and major acquisition cash in the pocket. :)

Best,
Artashes

]]> By: Michael Sharon http://gigaom.com/2007/05/31/google-to-buy-geo-tagging-site-panoramio/#comment-131260 Michael Sharon Fri, 01 Jun 2007 16:24:39 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/05/31/google-to-buy-geo-tagging-site-panoramio/#comment-131260 <p>@Gavin - Discovering, browsing and creating location-based stories is exactly what we're doing at <a href="http://socialight.com" rel="nofollow">Socialight</a>. The difference is, we let you do everything from the web as well as your location enabled mobile device.</p> @Gavin - Discovering, browsing and creating location-based stories is exactly what we’re doing at Socialight. The difference is, we let you do everything from the web as well as your location enabled mobile device.

]]> By: Pilgrim’s Picks for Friday June 1st | Marketing Pilgrim http://gigaom.com/2007/05/31/google-to-buy-geo-tagging-site-panoramio/#comment-131119 Pilgrim’s Picks for Friday June 1st | Marketing Pilgrim Fri, 01 Jun 2007 15:14:35 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/05/31/google-to-buy-geo-tagging-site-panoramio/#comment-131119 <p>[...] Google’s bought another company - yawn - geo-tagging photo company Panoramio. (via) [...]</p> [...] Google’s bought another company - yawn - geo-tagging photo company Panoramio. (via) [...]

]]> By: Gavin Quinn http://gigaom.com/2007/05/31/google-to-buy-geo-tagging-site-panoramio/#comment-128649 Gavin Quinn Thu, 31 May 2007 20:47:43 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/05/31/google-to-buy-geo-tagging-site-panoramio/#comment-128649 <p>Joost, Artashes:</p> <p>I agree with both of your points. I think there tends to be one giant, with others playing catchup, but I don't think it's as static as you allude too. I think Wikimapia.com has a huge user base and tagged base. I think flickr has way more photos, though not really location based. Giants come and go, no one says Facebook is worthless just because Myspace is already so big?</p> <p>I also think that Panoramio has done a great job keeping things simple, providing many photos of those areas. They obviously got a huge boost from teaming with Google on Google Earth.</p> <p>I think where sites like http://www.grapheety.com can have a unique niche is where people want location based stories with pictures, rather than just pictures of things. When a person writes useful information about a place, with attachments, there is some real value.</p> Joost, Artashes:

I agree with both of your points. I think there tends to be one giant, with others playing catchup, but I don’t think it’s as static as you allude too. I think Wikimapia.com has a huge user base and tagged base. I think flickr has way more photos, though not really location based. Giants come and go, no one says Facebook is worthless just because Myspace is already so big?

I also think that Panoramio has done a great job keeping things simple, providing many photos of those areas. They obviously got a huge boost from teaming with Google on Google Earth.

I think where sites like (link) can have a unique niche is where people want location based stories with pictures, rather than just pictures of things. When a person writes useful information about a place, with attachments, there is some real value.

]]> By: Artashes http://gigaom.com/2007/05/31/google-to-buy-geo-tagging-site-panoramio/#comment-128627 Artashes Thu, 31 May 2007 20:41:15 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/05/31/google-to-buy-geo-tagging-site-panoramio/#comment-128627 <p>@ Gavin:</p> <p>As there really can be one big winner per competing field, that's what companies get for starting same services on the same turf. My prediction - Panoramio will grow fast and explode in popularity, while others will play catch-up and pretend to be more innovative than Google's arm (even if for a while).</p> <p>Best, Artashes</p> @ Gavin:

As there really can be one big winner per competing field, that’s what companies get for starting same services on the same turf. My prediction - Panoramio will grow fast and explode in popularity, while others will play catch-up and pretend to be more innovative than Google’s arm (even if for a while).

Best,
Artashes

]]> By: Simon Leyland http://gigaom.com/2007/05/31/google-to-buy-geo-tagging-site-panoramio/#comment-128620 Simon Leyland Thu, 31 May 2007 20:32:51 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/05/31/google-to-buy-geo-tagging-site-panoramio/#comment-128620 <p>GPS as standard in phones/cameras wont be long in coming Nate. The Nokia N95 already has a 5megapixel camera and integrated GPS. Ok its expensive at the moment but give it a year or so...</p> GPS as standard in phones/cameras wont be long in coming Nate. The Nokia N95 already has a 5megapixel camera and integrated GPS. Ok its expensive at the moment but give it a year or so…

]]> By: joost http://gigaom.com/2007/05/31/google-to-buy-geo-tagging-site-panoramio/#comment-128452 joost Thu, 31 May 2007 19:12:31 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/05/31/google-to-buy-geo-tagging-site-panoramio/#comment-128452 <p>@#4: The way I look at Panoramio vs the others you mention is that Panoramio users are essentially creating an entirely new “map layer”, because their focus is on “descriptive” photos. On top of street maps and satellite photos you will soon be able to pull in user generated photos from interesting points (Panoramio) in addition to 360 street views (newly launched Google street views).</p> <p>So the key thing that sets Panoramio apart is its focus on “objective” photos, that show objects rather than people. For example, when we experimented with automatically integrating Flickr geotagged photos in EveryTrail trips, we found that often these photos were close-ups of people. Nothing wrong with that, but not as relevant when you want to include photos to show were you have been.</p> @#4:
The way I look at Panoramio vs the others you mention is that Panoramio users are essentially creating an entirely new “map layer”, because their focus is on “descriptive” photos. On top of street maps and satellite photos you will soon be able to pull in user generated photos from interesting points (Panoramio) in addition to 360 street views (newly launched Google street views).

So the key thing that sets Panoramio apart is its focus on “objective” photos, that show objects rather than people. For example, when we experimented with automatically integrating Flickr geotagged photos in EveryTrail trips, we found that often these photos were close-ups of people. Nothing wrong with that, but not as relevant when you want to include photos to show were you have been.

]]> By: Gavin Quinn http://gigaom.com/2007/05/31/google-to-buy-geo-tagging-site-panoramio/#comment-128409 Gavin Quinn Thu, 31 May 2007 18:45:08 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/05/31/google-to-buy-geo-tagging-site-panoramio/#comment-128409 <p>I wonder how this will affect other similar sites like http://www.grapheety.com or http://www.flagr.com etc?</p> I wonder how this will affect other similar sites like (link) or (link) etc?

]]> By: joost http://gigaom.com/2007/05/31/google-to-buy-geo-tagging-site-panoramio/#comment-128406 joost Thu, 31 May 2007 18:42:43 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/05/31/google-to-buy-geo-tagging-site-panoramio/#comment-128406 <p>Congrats to Eduardo, Joaquin and the team at Panoramio! We integrated their brand new API in EveryTrail a couple of months ago and their global catalog of geotagged photos is of very high quality indeed. Way to go! Geotagging is going mainstream :)</p> <p>@#1: you can already automatically geotag your photos by using a separate GPS device or GPS enabled cellphone at sites like ours. Joost www.everytrail.com</p> Congrats to Eduardo, Joaquin and the team at Panoramio! We integrated their brand new API in EveryTrail a couple of months ago and their global catalog of geotagged photos is of very high quality indeed. Way to go! Geotagging is going mainstream :)

@#1: you can already automatically geotag your photos by using a separate GPS device or GPS enabled cellphone at sites like ours.
Joost
(link)

]]> By: GuyNamedNate http://gigaom.com/2007/05/31/google-to-buy-geo-tagging-site-panoramio/#comment-128352 GuyNamedNate Thu, 31 May 2007 18:19:13 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/05/31/google-to-buy-geo-tagging-site-panoramio/#comment-128352 <p>Sorry, I can't edit the above comment, but I meant "I <em>wonder</em> when..."</p> Sorry, I can’t edit the above comment, but I meant “I wonder when…”

]]> By: GuyNamedNate http://gigaom.com/2007/05/31/google-to-buy-geo-tagging-site-panoramio/#comment-128351 GuyNamedNate Thu, 31 May 2007 18:18:26 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/05/31/google-to-buy-geo-tagging-site-panoramio/#comment-128351 <p>I when GPS technology will be cheap/compact enough to include standard in all cameras and camera phones. Then, the geo-tags could be applied automatically as the pictures are taken. Lots of cool things can be done with geo-tagged content.</p> I when GPS technology will be cheap/compact enough to include standard in all cameras and camera phones. Then, the geo-tags could be applied automatically as the pictures are taken. Lots of cool things can be done with geo-tagged content.

]]>