Google Search iOS app update takes on Apple's Siri with smarter conversations

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  • Reply 41 of 55
    chipsychipsy Posts: 287member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Gatorguy View Post





    So Bing doesn't serve targeted ads then or did you block Microsoft as well? Another serious question as I haven't used Bing more than a handful of times. I know Yahoo does ad targeting as that's who my wife uses.



    As far as my own ad tracking experience I use Ghostery and just block 'em all.

    Microsoft certainly isn't innocent when it comes to tracking its users and mining data. There is even one element of the ad tracking that is worse on Microsoft websites than on Google websites. On Google websites it's only Google tracking you while Microsoft does allow third party targeted advertising services to track you as well. Each with their own separate opt-out (and would imagine also different privacy agreement although not specifically mentioned in the MOPS).

    Here's a quote from the Microsoft Online Privacy Statement:

     

    "We also allow third-party ad companies, including other ad networks, to display advertisements on our sites. In some cases, these third parties may also place cookies on your computer. These companies currently include, but are not limited to: 24/7 Real MediaaCerno,IncAdBladeAdConionAdFusionAdvertising.com,AppNexusBane MediaBrand.netCasaleMediaCollective MediaFox InteractiveInterclickMillennialPrecisionClickROI MediaSocial MediaSpecificMediaTrafficMarketplaceTribal FusionValueClickYahoo!YuMe, and Zumobi. These companies may offer you a way to opt-out of ad targeting based on their cookies. You may find more information by clicking on the company names above and following the links to the Web sites of each company. Many of them are also members of the Network Advertising Initiative or the Digital Advertising Alliance, which each provide a simple way to opt-out of ad targeting from participating companies."

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  • Reply 42 of 55
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,731member
    chipsy wrote: »
    Microsoft certainly isn't innocent when it comes to tracking its users and mining data. There is even one element of the ad tracking that is worse on Microsoft websites than on Google websites. On Google websites it's only Google tracking you while Microsoft does allow third party targeted advertising services to track you as well. Each with their own separate opt-out (and would imagine also different privacy agreement although not specifically mentioned in the MOPS).

    I didn't know that. Allowing 3rd parties to place and track ads too and each with their own data mining and sharing policies?

    But... but... but... Microsoft's (Bing) privacy is better than Google's :err:
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  • Reply 43 of 55
    waterrocketswaterrockets Posts: 1,231member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Lorin Schultz View Post

     

     

    Based on the example @msimpson hilariously illustrated, you would never know if you were seeing an ad or not, would you? How would you know if that first result is really based on your preferences or if the restaurant paid Google to make them first?


     

    This is a very real possibility. For two different users working signed into Chrome, searches for the same string often no longer return the same top results. Much of what I've seen of this is based on my interests, and I don't believe it's given me undesirable results based on advertising dollars, but I can't say that's not possible. It's interesting now though, because "The Internet" has become more dynamic, and while the branches and boughs are the same as they used to be, everyone may see different leaves. I'm amazed at how quickly I can find answers to obscure questions, but in my kids' own Chrome instances, they get led down different paths based on their own history and interests.

     

    Of note about the new Google Now (Google Search app): the parking card rocks. Down at the bottom of the cards, I've always got one with a map pin for where I last parked my car. No app needed, don't need to tell it I parked, it's just always there. Very handy for the one or two times/month I park somewhere in a rush and don't immediately recall which side of the lot to head to.

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  • Reply 44 of 55
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    Originally Posted by AnalogJack View Post

    That is not the distance to the sun, it's a definition of the phrase 'astronomical unit'


     

    Ooh, wait, Siri gets her data from Wolfram|Alpha, so it’s entirely possible that she’s sending you REALTIME data as per the location of the Earth on its orbit.



    Remember, Earth’s orbit is not perfectly circular, and with summer nearing in the Northern Hemisphere, Earth is reaching apoapsis.

     

    Someone will have to remember to ask her how far the Earth is from the Sun when we hit December.

     

    Originally Posted by Gatorguy View Post

    More terrifying and invasive than an app knowing just what you're doing and what mood you're in? image

     

    Yes, slightly.

     

    Knowing mood and current occupation can only narrow down the list of potential search results. Being in one’s head, however…

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  • Reply 45 of 55
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,731member

    Knowing mood and current occupation can only narrow down the list of potential search results. Being in one’s head, however…
    Knowing your mood isn't being in one's head? It is of course.
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  • Reply 46 of 55
    Apple should also consider doing this http://bit.ly/1jIj15d
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  • Reply 47 of 55
    lorin schultzlorin schultz Posts: 2,771member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Gatorguy View Post

     
    So Bing doesn't serve targeted ads then or did you block Microsoft as well? Another serious question as I haven't used Bing more than a handful of times. I know Yahoo does ad targeting as that's who my wife uses.


     

    I'm also being serious when I ask why anyone cares about targeted advertising? If knowing which sites I visit makes money for Google so that they can keep giving me services in exchange, it seems like a fair trade to me. The only consequence I can see is that I'll be served ads for Macs and mics instead of booze and pills. How is this a problem?

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  • Reply 48 of 55
    hill60hill60 Posts: 6,992member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Ezhik View Post

     

    See, that wasn't so hard. No need to come up with excuses like ad tracking when you can just be honest and admit that you hate Google.


     

    Hate?

     

    More of a case of do not require their services.

     

    I know it's a hard concept to swallow, I choose to exercise my freedom of choice.

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  • Reply 49 of 55
    hill60hill60 Posts: 6,992member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Chipsy View Post

     

    Microsoft certainly isn't innocent when it comes to tracking its users and mining data. There is even one element of the ad tracking that is worse on Microsoft websites than on Google websites. On Google websites it's only Google tracking you while Microsoft does allow third party targeted advertising services to track you as well. Each with their own separate opt-out (and would imagine also different privacy agreement although not specifically mentioned in the MOPS).

    Here's a quote from the Microsoft Online Privacy Statement:

     

    "We also allow third-party ad companies, including other ad networks, to display advertisements on our sites. In some cases, these third parties may also place cookies on your computer. These companies currently include, but are not limited to: 24/7 Real MediaaCerno,IncAdBladeAdConionAdFusionAdvertising.com,AppNexusBane MediaBrand.netCasaleMediaCollective MediaFox InteractiveInterclickMillennialPrecisionClickROI MediaSocial MediaSpecificMediaTrafficMarketplaceTribal FusionValueClickYahoo!YuMe, and Zumobi. These companies may offer you a way to opt-out of ad targeting based on their cookies. You may find more information by clicking on the company names above and following the links to the Web sites of each company. Many of them are also members of the Network Advertising Initiative or the Digital Advertising Alliance, which each provide a simple way to opt-out of ad targeting from participating companies."


     

    Don't go to Microsoft sites, don't go to Google sites apart from cutting YouTube links and pasting them to FaceBook.

     

    I first used Google in around 1996 when they came out of Stanford, things changed I don't like what they became.

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  • Reply 50 of 55
    hill60hill60 Posts: 6,992member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by waterrockets View Post

     

     

    This is a very real possibility. For two different users working signed into Chrome, searches for the same string often no longer return the same top results. Much of what I've seen of this is based on my interests, and I don't believe it's given me undesirable results based on advertising dollars, but I can't say that's not possible. It's interesting now though, because "The Internet" has become more dynamic, and while the branches and boughs are the same as they used to be, everyone may see different leaves. I'm amazed at how quickly I can find answers to obscure questions, but in my kids' own Chrome instances, they get led down different paths based on their own history and interests.

     

    Of note about the new Google Now (Google Search app): the parking card rocks. Down at the bottom of the cards, I've always got one with a map pin for where I last parked my car. No app needed, don't need to tell it I parked, it's just always there. Very handy for the one or two times/month I park somewhere in a rush and don't immediately recall which side of the lot to head to.


     

    Been taking a photo of where I parked for years before phones had GPS.

     

    I also use my innate skills as a homo Sapiens to look for and remember landmarks.

     

    Still works fine.


     


    It's strange how for thousands of years we managed to get things done without these gadgets.

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  • Reply 51 of 55
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    Originally Posted by Gatorguy View Post

    Knowing your mood isn't being in one's head? It is of course.

     

    Hey, I can’t speak for you, but most of us out here have FACES.

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  • Reply 52 of 55
    dasanman69dasanman69 Posts: 13,002member
    hill60 wrote: »
     
    <span style="line-height:1.4em;">It's strange how for thousands of years we managed to get things done without these gadgets.</span>

    Our increasingly reliance on those gadgets is in some ways making us dumber.
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  • Reply 53 of 55
    asdasdasdasd Posts: 5,686member
    hill60 wrote: »
    Been taking a photo of where I parked for years before phones had GPS.

    I also use my innate skills as a homo Sapiens to look for and remember landmarks.

    <span style="line-height:1.4em;">Still works fine.</span>

     
    <span style="line-height:1.4em;">It's strange how for thousands of years we managed to get things done without these gadgets.</span>

    For thousands of years we've been parking cars and taking pictures of them? I've been lied to.
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  • Reply 54 of 55
    waterrocketswaterrockets Posts: 1,231member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by hill60 View Post

     

     

    Been taking a photo of where I parked for years before phones had GPS.

     

    I also use my innate skills as a homo Sapiens to look for and remember landmarks.

     

    Still works fine.


     


    It's strange how for thousands of years we managed to get things done without these gadgets.


     

    Call me crazy, but it seems much easier to remember where you parked all the time, then just pull out your phone if you're wrong or forgot. Luckily, nobody is forcing us (yet) to use the tools we have available.

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  • Reply 55 of 55
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,731member
    hill60 wrote: »
    Been taking a photo of where I parked for years before phones had GPS.

    I also use my innate skills as a homo Sapiens to look for and remember landmarks.

    <span style="line-height:1.4em;">Still works fine.</span>

     
    <span style="line-height:1.4em;">It's strange how for thousands of years we managed to get things done without these gadgets.</span>
    Call me crazy, but it seems much easier to remember where you parked all the time, then just pull out your phone if you're wrong or forgot. Luckily, nobody is forcing us (yet) to use the tools we have available.

    ... or refrigeration or microwaves or televisions or even those cars that need parking and those cameras for picture-taking, all of which we got along without for 1000's of years. :\
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