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from the informations-sans-frontières dept.
Wired had a story Sunday where they make the case that, between it's own wireless service and current negotiations with phone companies that would let customers move its service and international cellular networks at no extra cost, Google is doing its best to keep users locked into its network:
...you'd be able to travel across the US, the UK, Italy, Hong Hong, and Sri Lanka while paying the same fees for calls, text, and data—an attractive option for anyone who's ever carried a phone overseas. Carriers tend to charge inflated rates for this kind of "roaming," forcing you to think twice about using your phone at all while traveling. "Roaming fees in Europe and Asia can kill you," says Richard Doherty, an analyst with New York-based research firm Envisioneering.
...Google said it doesn’t comment on "rumor or speculation." But the report fits nicely with what we already know about Google's plans for its unconventional wireless service. Google appears to be envisioning a wireless world where we can move effortlessly from one wireless network to another, making it easier for us to stay online.
Of course that just means more ad revenue for Google:
The more you're online, the more you'll use Google's search engine and other apps—and the more the company can serve you ads. "Google needs reach," Doherty says. And what better way to extend that reach than by offering what so many of us want: ready access to the internet at all times?
Having just opened my wireless bill that included a recent week spent in Cancun, Mexico I can personally attest that roaming charges hurt not just in Europe and Asia.
(Score: 1) by anubi on Wednesday April 08 2015, @06:40AM
Bingo! I, too, welcome *targeted* ads. There are very specific things I will seek out, and if anyone is marketing their version of it, I would certainly like to see it.
Trade magazines come to mind... like Electronic Design, EDN, Circuit Cellar, and the like.
My favorite ad spots in the magazine were in the back when they had them all organized into type of product, and each merchant had something like a 2"x4" tile. Several pages of these tiled ads. I could look them over in a few minutes to see if any were of interest.
I note online AliExpress has been tuning their system up pretty well to sense what I am dialing into and making pretty good suggestions of similar things.
So has Google and YouTube.
I have two main gripes with ads:
* Not targeted - trying to sell me something I have no use for...
* Obtrusive use of javascripts and annoying presentation such as flashing, overlaying something else I came to see, or oversized.
A small ad is all it takes. If I am interested, I will click on it.
Google is doing a great job of this - I would have a hard time telling Google how to improve how they place their ads on their search results page. Although I use NoScript, the way Google does it, the ads that do come through are perfectly acceptable. I have no intention of trying to block them.
I only wish other webmasters would do ads like Google does them.
If my statistic means anything, I do like ads... but I absolutely hate and will take steps to avoid ALL ads if they are presented in an obnoxious manner. I like lemon pie too, but I will completely avoid the pie place if they throw the pie at me.
"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." [KJV: I Thessalonians 5:21]