Gas stations getting pumped for Google Maps
Cars and maps are kind of a match made in heaven. People get lost, and roads are confusing. Luckily, pumping gas is not, and despite some states like Oregon requiring people to pump your gas for you, most other places are a self-serve affair. The Associated Press is reporting that a new line of gas pumps from Gilbarco Veeder-Root, due to ship next month, will be equipped with a touch-screen panel that includes a slightly stripped-down version of Google Maps to let you browse local attractions like hotels, amusement parks, and restaurants that have been handpicked by the gas station's owner. When you've found what you're looking for, you can then print out the directions right from the pump. Stations that buy and install them simply need to hook up the pump to the Internet to get the things going.
There are already several things missing from this service from the get-go. The first is ads, which isn't a bad thing for users, but an interesting move from a company that's created an empire off of advertising. Instead, Google is letting the station owners work with local retailers to set up coupons that drivers can print out along with the directions.
Find where you want to go on these new Webby gas pumps with integrated Google Maps.
(Credit: Gilbarco Inc.)The second missing piece is bona fide point-to-point directions, meaning you can't just type in a street address where you want to go. You're simply not getting the same directory of what you'd find searching Google Maps through your computer or mobile device. While it's cool the gas station owners can pick their own favorite spots, what if where you're trying to go isn't on there? It's clearly an awesome first step, but hardly a full-featured solution--at least until they update the software.
Despite the cool factor, you're unlikely to see these new pumps in your neck of the woods for some time. The initial rollout is fairly small at only 3,500 pumps, and there are no plans to produce more unless there's demand for it.
[via AP]
Josh Lowensohn writes for Webware.com, CNET's blog about Web applications and services. E-mail Josh, or follow him on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/Josh. 
Putting the terminal on the pump is idiotic - why not put it out of the way so the rest of the world that isn't lost and had the foresight to use a MAP doesn't have to wait for some slacker hipsters to be bombarded with a zillion ads while they search for "restaurants, New York City." "Oh look honey, how about this one?" "No sweetie, they don't serve organic conflict free tofu - keep searching dear." "But there's a line of 12 cars waiting for this pump, honeybunny and we've been searching for 15 minutes." "Well, they'll just have to wait their turn."
My prediction? The same passive aggressive folks that take 20 minutes to move from a parking space when they know someone is waiting will camp out at the pump, "look! there's a Starrbucks around here!!" and prompt huge lines, delays, and a few fistfights.
I know, everyone thinks folks will surf during the 3 minutes that gas is actually going into the car; sure. Has anyone ever completed a search for anything in less than 10 mintues especially when bombarded with ads AND having only the "sponsored links" showing up? The average driver has enough trouble finding their wallet and gas cap. This will be a mess. Just stick a terminal on the wall near the air hose and tell folks to pull it out of the way and then surf all they want.
This is a bad application of good technology.
People who are dumb enough to leave the house lost, are also the morons who can't pump their own gas without crisis.
We rely on too much on technology these days because we are a lazy society and we don't want to think for ourselves anymore.
Look at how technically advanced our cars are. They are designed to save us from ourselves because we a too busy to talking and texting to drive correctly.
It does raise privacy and speed concerns. We have had self-service checkout lanes in our supermarkets around here for a half year and the understanding of the technology has gone from "what the heck is this?" to "I'm outta here in 60 seconds flat" in that time.
Also in this case, there are local competing technologies which will do a better job, like a cell phone or a gps unit.
But I do think that "Internet Cafe" will go the way of pay phones with the new technology.
- by carwaterguide November 27, 2008 4:52 AM PST
- it's has review many sites like gas for free,run your car on water etc.
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