I’ve been checking the hotel I’ll be staying in for SMX social and right now I do see 3D shapes of buildings and that’s dammed handy to get a better understanding for your location.

Check it out here: 49 West 32nd Street, New York, NY 10001

Is that really new?

Update not new at all – I’ve just not zoomed in as far at first

this is a blog post as originally posted on locallytype

3D building shapes on Google Maps

The cooperative of Yahoo! and Dash will provide an incar local search service as well – whilst here you will not need to buy a $50,000 car first to find the nearest sushi place

Read more at latlong In-car Google Local Search with BMW ConnectedDrive

Uh and Mercedes partners with Yahoo! and Google for a feature called Search & Send, which will allow you to send routes from your computer to your Mercedes S-Class, CL-Class Coupe and the new-generation C-Class.

More at techomical Mercedes-Benz Partnership With Google And Yahoo Brings First Directions-To-Vehicle Feature In U.S.

this is a blog post as originally posted on locallytype

BMW ConnectedDrive – Extends Local Search to UK and Italy

Dear Frank,

Thank you for your reply and for removing our logo from your site.

We contacted you because we became aware that you were using our logo without permission. As you can see from our Guidelines for Third Party Use of Google Brand Features, located at http://www.google.com/permissions/guidelines.html, we only allow use of our logo with permission. We do not, however, have any objections to the use of our trademarks in plain text, e.g., Google Maps™ mapping service.

Additionally, this is not a new policy or procedure, and sending such notices is standard practice for trademark owners who are required to protect and maintain the integrity of their trademarks.

Lastly, we contacted you at this email address because this is the address listed for your site in the WHOIS database.

Thank you again for your prompt cooperation with our request.

Sincerely,The Google Trademark Enforcement Team

Fair enough. Here is what I replied.

Hi Guys,Thanks for the reply and the clarification.

I figured the thing with the WHOIS – in the meantime.

And I do appreciate that you guys didn’t pick me because of a special reason.

Now let me point to a thing that – at least somehow – still confuses me.
I’m German and have lived there quite some time.
On your German site there is a page

http://www.google.de/intl/de/logos.html

The text reads as follows
“Offizielle Logos

Wenn Sie gerne einen Link zu Google auf Ihrer Webseite schalten möchten, steht es Ihnen frei, eines der unten angezeigten offiziellen Logos zu benutzen.

Falls Sie das Google-Logo für andere Zwecke benutzen möchten, lesen Sie sich bitte die Seite Google-Genehmigungen durch.”

In short it says that I should feel free to add any of the Logos displayed to my website if I would link to Google.

If I would want to use them for something else, I’m asked to read the guidelines.

Well I’ve used a Logo not listed here – I used the Maps one – but still I’m confused why that’s such a big difference.

It would be great if you would let me know your thoughts on this.

Kind Regards

So is there more than just one Internet? At least a German one with rules different to the US internet… I’m still confused. 

this is a blog post as originally posted on locallytype

The Trademark Enforcement Team explains – but Google Germany seems different

View Larger Map

I do very well remember when I first implemented maps on a site via an API – it took me like two hours to figure how to get a API key, generate a long and a lat to center the map, place a marker etc. and last but not least to implement the code on the site.

It was one of the things you don’t do that often and you forget about over time until you need it again…

Simple is good complex is bad.

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It’s as simple as that Google Maps

So this is what I submitted -

Name: Frank Fuchs
Title: MR
Organization: private
Organization type: Non-profit
Request Type: Logos
Primary Media Type: Online
Title or URL: http://www.locallytype.com/pages/submit.htm

Request Description: I do have a little website around the topic of local search and maps – a blog mainly. The page where I would love to use a Google Logo is a page listing various local search engines, online yellow pages and data provider. Please take a look and tell me if it is OK for me to use the little Logo.

And this is Emily’s answer

Hi Frank,Thank you for your interest in Google. We have reviewed your request to use the Google logo. Unfortunately, we cannot approve your request. We typically do not allow third party use of our logo or brand features.You’re welcome to use unaltered screenshots of Google, and can certainly put Google in plain text with the TM sign. We hope you understand our position and know that we appreciate your support.Thanks, Emily

this is a blog post as originally posted on locallytype

Unfortunately, we cannot approve your request

I checked my e-mails and found a refreshingly positive subject on one of the notes.

Unauthorized use of the GOOGLE logo on http://www.locallytype.com/pages/submit.htm

it said. And the sender was the “Google Trademark Enforcement Team” immediately raised a picture of the A-Team in my head.

The mail reads like this.

Dear Sir/Madam:
It has come to our attention that you are using the GOOGLE logo on your website (www.locallytype.com/pages/submit.htm) without our express written permission. Please note that we allow use of our logo only if we have granted express written permission;
see http://www.google.com/permissions/guidelines.html. Such unauthorized use constitutes trademark infringement and unfair competition under both federal and state laws. It misleads consumers into believing that some association exists between you and Google; and it weakens the ability of the GOOGLE mark and name to identify a single source, namely, Google.In the hope that these events have resulted from your inadvertence rather than your deliberate actions, we ask that you contact us within seven calendar days of receiving this email message, and confirm that you will:

1. Cease and desist any further use of the GOOGLE mark and/or logos on your website and any solicitations, packaging, marketing, or other materials without our express written consent.

2. Take commercially reasonable measures to limit the unauthorized use of the GOOGLE mark and/or logos on materials that have already been created.

3. Agree not to use any trademarks owned by Google (including the Google logo) without the advance written consent of Google.Sincerely,The Google Trademark Enforcement Team

Again the A-Team picture – I changed the page and removed the Logos – and added a note where the Google logo had been placed.

Space formerly dedicated to a US startup that launched the second search engine with two OO in the name. Sadly this company has concerns with me using their logo and mark. So I had to remove mentioning and logo (due to the same reason there is a “hole” in the page header). Just so that you know this US startup does have a reasonably popular service in the wider area of local and maps – which now is no longer listed here. Special Thanks go to the OO people in Ireland! Really good use of ur time! And hey do a search for your company name and Logo and you will find like ~9mio results. So IMHO the job you guys have should be pretty safe over this summer holiday season! Cheers

I’ve replied as follows.

Hi Guys,Thanks for the note.I’ve removed the Logo from the page, and just wasn’t aware of the limitations. Sorry for that.But out of curiosity – I don’t make money off this page I’m just providing and overview of services – actually refer people to you. And there are millions of pages out there using your Logo to advertise their paid services – so how come you picked me?Uh and/or is this whole thing new?
Many Thanks
~frank

Not so really well formed response – but hey I’m German and I was so excited – it was the A-Team – uhm well sort of…

It would have been nice to hear back from the guys. I know – based on personal experience – that it’s impossible to please every customer/user with personal attention sometimes and there are bigger fishes out there to be prosecuted by the A-Team I know but still …

Well and so I contacted Philipp to get his opinion on this and to hear if he had heard about similar cases – he replied and proposed to blog about it to see what the blogsphere would make out of it.

So what is my take on this? After having slept over this – I still haven’t changed my mind – its just a little too bold to act like this, even if you are a big brand and you have to protect it, there should be a way to allow people like me to use the Logo without “express written permission”.

But to be fair I’ve had a look at our Brand Guidelines – that consist of 41 chapters! – and we are not really too different and pretty picky about our brand and logo etc. because of good reason – obviously

Uh and I really don’t want to come up with examples of Google Logo use
that seem much more like an appropriate target for the TE team. But the
whole thing reminded me of a picture Barry posted, I’ve seen at Search
Engine Roundtable.

Internet cafe in Cairo 

I hope the guys did the right thing and asked for permission for this – as removing it might be a little harder than deleting a  

this is a blog post as originally posted on locallytype

I am feeling Special – Google Cease & Desists Logo Use

Read more at contnetsutra. Google launches local search Or @ krishna’s weblog Google Local for India (Indian Google employee)

this is a blog post as originally posted on locallytype

Google Maps without a map – Launched in India

120 Google employees each carrying a coloured cardboard

The article mentions that since small business owners are still quite hesitant with regards to advertising on search engines, Google now conquers this last bastion in a symbolic way.

120 Google employees each carrying a coloured cardboard figure with a little search box on the chest went to the city centre to illustrate the huge potential advertising represents for the small businesses.

Google offers a special 30 Euro voucher and a free webpage for businesses without a web presence for interested businesses in Germany right now.

Accompanied with a not further described advertising campaign this is all aimed to lower the inhibition threshold for small business owners to enter the world of online advertising…

This is quite a nice and good idea – but it still needs to be seen how and if Google will conquer this market.

As the last inch into the pocket of the business owner might be quite a long one still – as from my experience the performance advertising is still seen as some sort of gamble – if you talk to the plumber or the bike shop down the street.

this is a blog post as originally posted on locallytype

Google employees as door to door salesmen – for Maps special offer

They have rolled out the “text-view” which gives them way more space to add textual information to the core business listings.

This finally is way more of a local search than a maps product. Although positioning the former Local Search product as part of the Maps product quite a while ago was a very clever decision – the mum and pop user out there will much more likely get the idea and concept of a Map product than the one of a local search.

Really ask your friends / the ones not working in the industry / what local search is and you will understand what I mean. Over time it needs to be seen if this newly declared standard of calling Local Search – Maps – is going to be adopted by the masses.

The second “new” feature is the sort by distance functionality which I haven’t seen before – rather basic but still crucial for a local search – ehm maps product nowadays.

this is a blog post as originally posted on locallytype

Google Maps – Text View and Sort by Distance

The Lost Tavern Ad for Google Maps

The Lost Tavern Ad for Google Maps

Google Trends – Search Volumes compared

Google has obviously choosen a topic that is right at the heart of people in the UK. Their Pubs. Compare Sex London with Pub London in Google trends

this is a blog post as originally posted on locallytype

The Lost Tavern – Google Maps UK Video Advertising