4 ms·

Can maps be a killer app?

by 0003 9y ago

mcrady 9y ago
I launched Google Maps for mobile in 2005. In 2006, Eric Schmidt was worried that Yahoo Go was a killer app. My claim that Google Maps was the real killer app fell on deaf ears. :)
- guelo 9y ago
  If Schmidt's worry about Yahoo Go led to Google's purchase of Android Inc. around the same time frame then I would say you were both right.
  - mcrady 9y ago
    Android was acquired in 2005. Larry was the driving force behind the acquisition, IIRC.
- danso 9y ago
  I consider myself an old tech geek but "Yahoo Go" rings absolutely no bells for me. What was Google Maps for mobile in 2005? Those were flip phone days for me.
  - mcrady 9y ago
    We launched on j2me flip phones and soon added support for blackberry. The displays were small and most phones didn't have GPS.
  - mcrady 9y ago
    And here's info about Yahoo Go: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yahoo!_Go https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yahoo!_Go
  - pbhjpbhj 9y ago
    FWIW I had a flip-phone with some form of Java based Google Maps IIRC. It had an Opera browser too.
  - deleted 9y ago
    [deleted]
  - kalleboo 9y ago
    Google Maps for J2ME was one of the most impressive J2ME apps for sure. It had cell tower location for phones without GPS and even did Street View https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3073/2874464079_0fea1bc0c0_b.jpg https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3073/2874464079_0fea1bc0c0_b.j... https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2140/2220421483_f4a2ccea8a_b.jpg https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2140/2220421483_f4a2ccea8a_b.j...
- joshuamorton 9y ago
  This is a total non sequitor, but huh, your last comment on this account was in 2012. Do you use others, or just only speak when you feel you have something incredibly cool (which this tidbit certainly is!) to add?
  - mcrady 9y ago
    :) Yeah, I'm a super lurker.
ceejayoz 9y ago
It was pretty mindblowing when it came out, and was the first instance I recall encountering meaningful usage of AJAX.
- eco 9y ago
  That's what I remember about it too. It was such a drastic improvement over the old MapQuest site where you'd have to click arrows around the edges of the map and wait for it to load to scroll around the map. I was immediately sold on it (even though I was still just printing out directions to take with me in the car).
CydeWeys 9y ago
Why not? How do you define "killer app"? Maps is one of my very highest used apps, alongside chat/text/email. I'd say it's more revolutionary than all of those, because chat/text/email were just mobile versions of apps perfected on desktop, but a mobile map app shows you exactly where you are, which changes everything. I've traveled internationally both in the pre- and post- smartphone era, and let me tell you, travel is way easier now.

Can maps be a killer app?

by 0003 9y ago

Can maps be a killer app?

I launched Google Maps for mobile in 2005. In 2006, Eric Schmidt was worried that Yahoo Go was a killer app. My claim that Google Maps was the real killer app fell on deaf ears. :)

guelo 9y ago
If Schmidt's worry about Yahoo Go led to Google's purchase of Android Inc. around the same time frame then I would say you were both right.
- mcrady 9y ago
  Android was acquired in 2005. Larry was the driving force behind the acquisition, IIRC.
danso 9y ago
I consider myself an old tech geek but "Yahoo Go" rings absolutely no bells for me. What was Google Maps for mobile in 2005? Those were flip phone days for me.
- mcrady 9y ago
  We launched on j2me flip phones and soon added support for blackberry. The displays were small and most phones didn't have GPS.
- mcrady 9y ago
  And here's info about Yahoo Go: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yahoo!_Go https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yahoo!_Go
- pbhjpbhj 9y ago
  FWIW I had a flip-phone with some form of Java based Google Maps IIRC. It had an Opera browser too.
- deleted 9y ago
  [deleted]
- kalleboo 9y ago
  Google Maps for J2ME was one of the most impressive J2ME apps for sure. It had cell tower location for phones without GPS and even did Street View https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3073/2874464079_0fea1bc0c0_b.jpg https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3073/2874464079_0fea1bc0c0_b.j... https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2140/2220421483_f4a2ccea8a_b.jpg https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2140/2220421483_f4a2ccea8a_b.j...
joshuamorton 9y ago
This is a total non sequitor, but huh, your last comment on this account was in 2012. Do you use others, or just only speak when you feel you have something incredibly cool (which this tidbit certainly is!) to add?
- mcrady 9y ago
  :) Yeah, I'm a super lurker.

ceejayoz 9y ago

It was pretty mindblowing when it came out, and was the first instance I recall encountering meaningful usage of AJAX.

eco 9y ago
That's what I remember about it too. It was such a drastic improvement over the old MapQuest site where you'd have to click arrows around the edges of the map and wait for it to load to scroll around the map. I was immediately sold on it (even though I was still just printing out directions to take with me in the car).

CydeWeys 9y ago

Why not? How do you define "killer app"? Maps is one of my very highest used apps, alongside chat/text/email. I'd say it's more revolutionary than all of those, because chat/text/email were just mobile versions of apps perfected on desktop, but a mobile map app shows you exactly where you are, which changes everything. I've traveled internationally both in the pre- and post- smartphone era, and let me tell you, travel is way easier now.