Thursday, November 8, 2007

Google Coming To A Gas Station Near You

November 7 2007
By Duncan Riley


Google’s quest to be everywhere continues to grow with news that the Mountain View search giant will today announce a new deal that will see motorists in the United States hooking up to Google at the gas station.

Pumps made by Gilbarco Veeder-Root Inc will include an Internet connection and will display Google Maps on a small color screen. Motorists will be able to obtain directions to hotels, restaurants, hospitals, or other local landmarks as specified by the gas station owner and get a print out from the pump to take with them.

Google will not be displaying ads against the content, however there may be opportunities for coupons and similar revenue streams at a local level directly with each gas station owner. The initial roll out will be 3,500 gas stations with future expansion dependent on demand.

AP quotes Google’s Karen Roter Davis saying that the move is part of Google’s drive to make its services available whenever and wherever people need them; “This will be sort of a Googley, more stealthy way of getting directions,” she said. Googley indeed

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