Google Maps on TiVo
Google Maps was released a few months ago and quickly took the online world by storm due to the ingenious way you can drag around inside the maps.
Recently, they added satellite map views which don't really help you get where you want to go as much as look really cool when you zoom around your own neighborhood.
But cooler than all that is a HME hack that puts Google Maps on your TiVo, complete with dragging, zooming, and both satellite and normal map views, just like in a web browser. Also worth noting is that it was created by none other than the founder and CTO of Strangeberry (currently TiVo's lead engineer for TiVoToGo, HME, and other new TiVo technologies whoa! He just left TiVo).
I like the companies that Arthur picked to google in the satelite map on his "products page"
Probably just coincidence, but it made me chuckle.
Posted by: Tyson | April 21, 2005 at 11:04 AM
PLEASE, please can someone explain what is even remotely cool about having mapping functionality on your TiVo? Why not just continue using the computer for this type of functionality.
Personally, I was EXCEPTIONALLY underwhelmed that Arthur used this as his proof-of-concept.
Posted by: New York | April 21, 2005 at 11:36 AM
I don't know if it's that bad of an idea. You might be watching a cooking or travel program that mentions a town you never heard of, so you might plop the zip code into your tivo and zoom out to get an idea of how close it is to the mountains, coast, or what the nearest airport is if you wanted to visit.
Posted by: Matt Haughey | April 21, 2005 at 11:50 AM
Seriously, Matt.
I really hope that the applications revealed / announced as part of TiVo's contest push the envelope a bit more, or that TiVo provides developer access to the core TiVo DVR as part of its Tahiti strategy soon.
Posted by: New York | April 21, 2005 at 12:41 PM
It could be used for some interesting interactive functionality and even adversting for TiVo especially when coordinated with people like the travel channel. You could go from seeing say a travel show on Whistler and then go to the map and have a number of different sites, companies, etc. that are plotted. By selecting them you could even get a short video of say a local Inn there in Whistler. Seems like an interesting potential advertising play for Tivo.
I could also see useful application in say pulling up your house and filtering out take out delivery places and then using your TiVo remote (which will be a phone by then) to automatically phone the restaurant for take out.
The technology is interesting and could have some interesting advertising value. Not sure how/if they would actually do this or not.
Posted by: Thomas Hawk | April 21, 2005 at 02:16 PM
After following a few links I found this page:
http://shreddies.org/gmaps/
Goolge Sightseeing! No work will get done today then...
Posted by: Martin | April 22, 2005 at 01:42 AM
Hey, all I know its lots of fun roaming around with this app
cool
Posted by: MB | April 23, 2005 at 06:48 AM
If targeted advertising is the future of TiVO, what is stopping an advertiser from showing their commercial and then up pops a Google Map centered on the tv viewer's address and pinpointing all of the advertiser's close locations?! That would be an impressive use of Google Maps on TiVo technology!
Posted by: Josh | April 25, 2005 at 08:04 AM
Wondering what I'm doing wrong. Don't get a map, just the long/lat, a pointer pin, and blank background
Is it a firewall thing?
Posted by: confused | October 22, 2005 at 09:55 AM
I am having the same problem. I get the Long/Lat and the little flag, but not the background maps
Posted by: lee | November 10, 2005 at 08:30 AM
http://green-tea.airmode.de/Green-tea.html
Posted by: Fill | November 17, 2005 at 05:19 PM