

Apple is launching a project to map the inside of every large building - davidbarker
http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-indoor-mapping-project-and-ibeacon-2014-6

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GrantS
"It was intended to compete against or replace Google Maps for iPhone users,
but it turned out to be filled with errors and distortions, some of them
hilarious — the Brooklyn Bridge imagery was so twisted it looked like it was
collapsing into the East River."

It bothers me that the genuine usability issues stemming from some incorrect
landmark data at the launch of Apple maps are still confused with eye candy
hiccups due to the fact that pixel-perfect automated city reconstruction is a
hard computer vision problem. The distortion of the Brooklyn Bridge's imagery
when projected onto noisy height-map data had no effect on routing people to
their destinations correctly. You'll find countless examples of funny-looking
projections, weird shadows, etc. on Google Earth as well simply due to the
nature of projecting imagery captured from one viewpoint onto incomplete proxy
geometry and viewing from another viewpoint.

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jonknee
That's true, but it's also _the Brooklyn Bridge_. It's a testament to the fact
that they launched their Maps app well before it was ready.

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spilk
The article says that Apple "has the jump" on Google when it comes to indoor
maps, but Google already has indoor maps in a lot of places. What gives?

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cloudwalking
The media will say almost anything to stir up controversy and get page views.

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bla2
I wonder how happy Apple is about a CEO from a partner company effectively
pre-announcing their efforts here. Sure, it wasn't secret, but it was also not
covered by the press before.

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rpgmaker
That's exactly what I thought after Dr. Dre appeared in a video pretty much
announcing Beats acquisition before it was official.

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mcintyre1994
"Apple appears to be hoping to persuade building owners to upload a map of
their space, and then iBeacons could in theory be used to automatically
validate the map's accuracy...currently, Google is validating its indoor maps
by hand"

It's interesting that the innovation here is apparently going to be in the
verification, with humans manually building the maps. I wonder if Google's
'Project Tango' is supposed to be merging these steps so the map doesn't have
to be built manually and is automatically verified - that certainly seems like
a possible use of it.

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lunixbochs
They acquired WiFiSLAM a while back, which was an indoor location company.

[http://thenextweb.com/apple/2013/03/26/what-exactly-
wifislam...](http://thenextweb.com/apple/2013/03/26/what-exactly-wifislam-is-
and-why-apple-acquired-it/)

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taksintik
Not sure how important this feature is to actual users. Seems like a waste of
resources. But it's Apple so I'm sure they have a good reason

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alelefant
Blueprint Roomba instead of DJ Roomba?

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pessimizer
Now Apple will know exactly when you're taking a shit.

edit: I wonder what type of algorithms they'll be able to run over world poop
production to extract maximum shareholder value? Will they be able to maximize
network efficiency by pinpointing world shit cycles? iMessage usage probably
shoots straight up. When people aren't shitting, that capacity could be
shifted. Do people buy more when they're shitting? Good place for analytics.
Glad you volunteered the information.

~~~
adventured
Don't buy an iPhone. Don't use a smartphone. Use a smartphone from another
vendor that doesn't track you. Turn off your smartphone. Take the battery out
of your smartphone. Block or don't reveal location data to the extent you can.

Take your pick, you've got plenty of options if you don't like the way Apple
does business.

~~~
pessimizer
Should I leave America if I don't like the NSA? Or when Google follows suit
(as they already seem to be doing) do I have no other choice than to drop out
of the culture? What about when all phones are smart, and there's no payphones
left? Should I get all of my family to just move closer to me?

>you've got plenty of options if you don't like the way Apple does business.

This is a lie by oversimplification.

edit: this is the dystopia of months in the future, not years. You're
announcing when you shit, and announcing when you sleep, and announcing who
you sleep with, to the vendor of your phone.

edit2: I'm honestly shocked that this is a minority opinion. It's not going to
be X is on 509 Main Street, it's going eventually going to be X is in the
bathroom at 509 Main Street. What possible consumer benefit could that have?
Is it to help you find local businesses that appeal to your interests?

I have to assume that I'm just out of touch and people love the attention. I
don't.

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hnriot
"Should I leave America if I don't like the NSA?"

Yes. That would probably be the easiest thing. It's not like the NSA are going
anywhere anytime soon. Maybe move out of the Area 51 tin-foil campgrounds
worrying about who knows when you're in the bathroom. Nobody is forcing you to
buy Apple products or any other smartphone for that matter. The world managed
just fine before them, and if it makes you happier, I'm sure you'll manage
just fine without one too.

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pessimizer
I don't buy Apple products, your reply is utterly vacuous, and you should be
ashamed. Use iPads for plates for all I care.

edit: and as a programmer, I'm largely going to be the watcher, not the
watchee. I'll program for it, but I'll never use a product that is openly user
hostile.

