By Navigating the show floor at CES is like completing a quest in the consumer electronics edition of Fable 4, but a recent update to Google Maps may unlock the door to a virtual cheat code. With a recent update to the omnipresent Google Maps, Android users can now navigate indoor maps for popular Las Vegas locations such as the Las Vegas Convention Center and The Venetian, the two most important locations for CES attendees.
Also included in round one are the MGM Grand, Caesars Palace, Bellagio, and The Palazzo, although I’m a bit nervous it might work too well: finding the nearest ATM after you’ve nearly gone bankrupt at the blackjack table could be a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
For those of you following our CES coverage from home, check out the online demo which should give you an idea how the technology works. As more and more companies and organizations submit their maps, it will be exciting to see how this technology is used and adopted by the public: there are certainly logistical challenges when trying to pinpoint locations indoors.
In addition to the obvious application of indoor navigation, it will be interesting to see how quickly this is leveraged into a gaming environment where FPS and racing games take place on levels based on real-world floor plans. If you’re doubting that this is realistic endeavor, take a look at the Navigation based game coming to Google Games in February:
Give Google Indoor Navigation a test and let us know what you think in the comments. It’s only available in select locations for the time being, but here is the full list of available locations. Do you think the ability to upload indoor maps could eventually lead to privacy concerns if 3rd parties start uploading private residences and other areas that would otherwise be off limits? Any other forseeable negative issues?
United States
- Akron-Canton Airport (CAK)
- Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL)
- Boise International Airport (BOI)
- Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)
- Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW)
- Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD)
- Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL)
- George Bush Houston International Airport (IAH)
- Indianapolis International Airport (IND)
- Kansas City International Airport (MCI)
- Lambert-St. Louis International Airport (STL)
- Las Vegas McCarran International Airport (LAS)
- Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP)
- Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC)
- Portland International Airport (PDX)
- San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
- Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
- William P. Hobby Airport (HOU)
- DDR Corp. shopping centers in Puerto Rico, including Plaza del Atlántico in Arecibo, Plaza del Sol in Bayamon, Plaza Rio Hondo in Bayamon, Plaza del Norte in Hatillo, Plaza Palma Real in Humacao and Senorial Plaza in Rio Piedras
- Vallco Shopping mall in Cupertino, CA
- Brixmor Property Group including Eagle Rock Plaza in Los Angeles, CA
- Mall of America
- Macy’s*
- Bloomingdale’s*
- Home Depot*
- Ikea*
- Caesars Entertainment – Bally’s Las Vegas
- Caesars Entertainment – Caesars Palace
- Caesars Entertainment – Flamingo Las Vegas
- Caesars Entertainment – Harrah’s Las Vegas
- Caesars Entertainment – Imperial Palace
- Caesars Entertainment – Paris Las Vegas
- Caesars Entertainment – Planet Hollywood
- Caesars Entertainment – Rio Las Vegas
- Las Vegas Convention Center
- Las Vegas Sands – The Venetian
- MGM Resorts – Aria Hotel & Casino
- MGM Resorts – Bellagio
- MGM Resorts – Circus Circus Hotel & Casino
- MGM Resorts – Crystals Retail
- MGM Resorts – Excalibur Hotel & Casino
- MGM Resorts – The Hotel at Mandalay Bay
- MGM Resorts – Luxor Hotel & Casino
- MGM Resorts – Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino
- MGM Resorts – Mandalay Bay – Four Seasons
- MGM Resorts – Mandarin Oriental
- MGM Resorts – MGM Grand Hotel & Casino
- MGM Resorts – The Mirage Resort & Casino
- MGM Resorts – Monte Carlo Resort & Casino
- MGM Resorts – New York, New York Hotel & Casino
- MGM Resorts – Signature
- MGM Resorts – Vdara Hotel
Japan
- Narita International Airport
- Haneda Airport, International Terminal
- Haneda Airport, Domestic Terminal
- JR East in Tokyo and Chiba (main stations)
- Tokyu Corporation (main stations)
- Tokyo Midtown
- Daimaru
- Matsuzakaya
- Tokyu
- Mitsukoshi
- Takashimaya
- Odakyu
- Isetan
- Keio
- Matsuya
- Seibu
- Tobu
- Printems Ginza
- Marui
- Marunouchi Building
- Shin-Marunouchi Building
- Marunouchi OAZO
- Marunouchi BRICK SQUARE
- TOKIA Tokyo Building
- Shibuya 109
- 109 MEN’S
- Miraikan
- Roppongi Hills
- Venus Fort
- Tokyu Hands Ikebukuro
- DECKS TOKYO BEACH
- remy gotanda
- LaLa port TOYOSU
- The National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation (Miraikan)
[Thanks iJoe!]
That’s actually an old update, the new one is 6.1
what’s even cooler is that the Barometer in the galaxy nexus can tell you what floor you’re on. I actually went to O’hare the other day and it was pretty neat to navigate even though I’ve been there countless times.
I’m very directionally challenged. This is fabulous! Looking forward to DFW & many other places else!
The Google maps game on Google+ can be a real “game changer”, I think it will be less FPS/race and more “do this win a reward” kind of game. For example: enter this store and scan this product and win a reward (points that can be transformed in discounts or gift cards etc…). But this is only a guess.