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Google Businesses The Internet Announcements

Google Local Launched In Canada 173

Posted by CowboyNeal from the coming-to-a-browser-near-you dept.
Shiifty writes "Globe Technology is reporting that Google Local has gone live in Canada. Google.ca partnered with Yellowpages.ca to deliver local answers to search queries by cross referencing Google's 4 billion website database with Yellowpage's 2.4 million listings. Google cited a Kelsey Group study, which said that 25 per cent of all commercial on-line searches are now local in nature."
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Google Local Launched In Canada More

Google Local Launched In Canada

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  • Local, eh? (Score:5, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday September 23, 2004 @05:21PM (#10334923)
    Finally I'll be able to find nearby places to buy igloos and poutine!

  • finally (Score:5, Funny)

    by Coneasfast ( 690509 ) on Thursday September 23, 2004 @05:22PM (#10334940)
    i can now find a porn distributor in MY area, not halfway across the country.

  • This is scary (Score:4, Interesting)

    by superpulpsicle ( 533373 ) on Thursday September 23, 2004 @05:22PM (#10334941)
    Google is taking over the world faster than M$ nowadays.

  • Turing test (Score:5, Interesting)

    by BillsPetMonkey ( 654200 ) on Thursday September 23, 2004 @05:27PM (#10334983)
    Proponents of the idea that google + "I'm Feeling Lucky" button could be a good contender in the Turing Test [ucsd.edu] have been dismissed with "What if you ask google where your local chip shop is?"

    So it's scary and amazing that it could actually have an answer to that question.

    • Re:Turing test (Score:3, Interesting)

      by temojen ( 678985 )
      I Tried That [google.ca].

      The results?

      A local medical clinic, A restaurant 3 hours away, a chip shop 3 hours away, A dermatologist in annother city, a shopping mall in annother city, a brewery, a local BnB, 2 more restaurants 3 hours away, and a lawyer.

      Oh, by the way, the local chip shop is across the street from my office.

    • Still not there...

      I'm in Toronto and it gave me the British Potato Council.

      There are 2 solutions. We can improve Google to give a better answer or create a personal teleporter so everything is equidistance away in terms of time.
  • Does this mean that Google is going to embrace the Yahoo concept of local Googles?

    Is this anything like having a bunch of little Googles running around out of control?

    Is this modelled after Ma Bell breaking up into Baby Bells?

    Got to ask these questions, after all they are a company traded (sort of...) on the stock exchange..

    Yahoo!

  • Decent exposure (Score:4, Insightful)

    by Aiofe ( 221963 ) <elsie@thorne[ ].au ['.id' in gap]> on Thursday September 23, 2004 @05:27PM (#10334991)
    Small businesses are going to love that - it will almost certainly mean more exposure.

    It will also be a valuable resource for going on a holiday - I can find a good coffee shop before I leave home, from the comfort of my PC, instead of struggling with local directories.

  • This rocks (Score:4, Insightful)

    by MirgNave ( 710935 ) on Thursday September 23, 2004 @05:28PM (#10334996)
    I can't wait for this type of thing to become popular. The web has revolutionized information on the global scale, no doubt. But finding information on the local scale often continues to be only slightly better than what you could get by picking up a phone book. I hope that someone (google or not) can come up with a solution to this.

  • Doesn't work (Score:5, Interesting)

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday September 23, 2004 @05:28PM (#10335000)
    I looked up "plumber" in "windsor, on", of which I know there are about a dozen or more in the yellow pages, and the only ones that show up are across the border in Detroit. I'm sorry but I can't hire a U.S. plumber to work in Windsor - they would need a permit.

    • Um, yes it does. kthx. (Score:4, Informative)

      by DanglingDongle ( 798400 ) on Thursday September 23, 2004 @06:10PM (#10335370)
      I tested plenty of things in 3 much smaller communities than windsor. It found many results; often a few more than the local yellowpages. Seeing as a search for "plumber" in Windsor, ON gives over 15 pages of google results, and the second result is in Windsor (not Detroit), did u really go through all of the pages? I doubt it, but there are many more results in Detroit, that I agree with. It is a familiar interface though, so skipping through those 15 pages wouldn't take that long if you needed something.

      This is not likely Google's fault though, I'm sure the Detroit pages that get spidered, happen to have Windsor somewhere on their page, hence they are listed. Maybe a better algorithm could help, but I'm not sure how that type of thing could effectively be filtered (if its even possible).

      I just don't think you can make the "Doesn't Work" comment just because you live in a border city where this problem would actually occur. Its kind of like saying that cell phones don't work because they have problems in certain areas.

      DD
      • In cases where you need a bit more specificity, use the area code - so for instance if you need a listing of small engine repair shops in Windsor, On Canada and Detroit keeps getting in the way, you could ask for 'small engine repair' + (519) where 'windsor, on'
        For even more specificity, use area code plus local exchange number..
    • Dude, what plumber in his right mind would live in Windsor?
      • I tried plumber for Ottawa and came up with 10 pages of results. I then tried for Pembroke, ON (pop 5,000) and it came up with 6 pages although it expanded the search area to the whole of Renfrew county. I think it is very useful.
  • Yay I live near to canada in buffalo ny, does this work for me, eh?

  • Busted (Score:4, Informative)

    by hey ( 83763 ) on Thursday September 23, 2004 @05:32PM (#10335047) Journal
    I looked for "computer store" (and similar words) in "Toronto, ON" and it found nothing in the Toronto computer getto at College and Spadina. There are dozens of stores there. Maybe they should have got some people to know Canada to try this before going beta.

    • I think you got what you asked for.... But fancy what happens when you search for "computer store spadina" in Tornoto, Ontario :

      1. NT Computer [google.ca]
      2. Sonnam Computer Network [google.ca]
      3. PC Maniac [google.ca]

      And the list goes on....

      Moral of the story : It's still a search engine, never hurts to refine your search

      • Less refined searches should return less refined results, so everything in your search should have come up in his, plus about 1000 more.

        The pat that cracks me up is that their example is Coffee Shop in Vancouver, BC (although this might be localized on my IP) and that only returns about 10.... for anyone that hasn't been to Vancouver, we have about 2000 "coffee shop"s, (including bubble tea shops etc.) Most malls have at least 2 starbucks, there's a few corners in Vancouver with 3 coffee shops on the same

    • Maybe you should have got some people who know how to spell "ghetto" before posting.
    • I tried "computer store" and "gatineau, QC", and all that showed up were computer stores across the river in Ottawa, ON. Not to mention many non-computer stores. And for some reason, the Corel corporation.

      This search engine bites.
    • The key words there being "going beta." Of course it's not perfect, they're still working on it. Or is every piece of software people write supposed to be bug-free on the first compile?

    • Re:Busted (Score:5, Informative)

      by dgmartin98 ( 576409 ) <[moc.liamg] [ta] [emanresutodhsals]> on Thursday September 23, 2004 @06:26PM (#10335522)
      Try using your postal code in the location box, instead of the word Toronto. That's where Google Local becomes really amazing.

      • MOD PARENT UP (Score:2, Insightful)

        by crabpeople ( 720852 )


        i just tried that with my postal code and it made it VERY local. its amazing how people think that a new search engine should forgive bad searching habits. you STILL have to be precise people!

      • I just tried entering a search with only a search term and a postal code, and it said it didn't understand the postal code.

        Is there more to it than that? I'm always interested in getting more from google.

        Cheers

  • Newswire article (Score:3, Informative)

    by nuclearsnake ( 257605 ) on Thursday September 23, 2004 @05:33PM (#10335056) Homepage
    MONTREAL, Sept. 21 /CNW Telbec/ - Yellow Pages Group (YPG) today
    announced a strategic agreement with Google that will make its business
    listings available on Google Local Canada, a new local search service that can
    be found at http://local.google.ca . As part of the agreement, YPG's 2.4
    million Canadian directory listings will be available on the new Google site,
    helping to provide users of the service with comprehensive local search
    results.
    "The distribution agreement provides great benefits for both our
    customers and users conducting local searches," commented Jean-Pascal Lion,
    Vice President - Electronic Directories, Yellow Pages Group. "In addition to
    YellowPages.ca(TM), it gives users another entry point to access our
    information which ultimately provides our advertisers with greater exposure.
    It really is a win-win situation."
    "With the backing of YPG's up-to-date, extensive business listings
    database, this new functionality will significantly enhance the user's
    experience when doing a search on Local.Google.ca or Google.ca by providing
    complete local Canadian information through a single source," notes Mr. Lion.
    According to a Kelsey Group study, 25% of all commercial online searches
    are now local in nature. Google Local addresses the growing online local
    search market and represents the next step in local search technology. YPG's
    network of Web sites received 3.8 million unique visitors in July 2004 and
    Google Canada's sites received more than 12.3 million unique visitors during
    that same period(1). With their combined reach in Canada - more than 72% of
    all Canadian Internet users - and their extensive data, YPG and Google should
    optimize the relevance and completeness of local searches.
  • Interesting that the driving instructions link goes to mapquest instead of Yahoo Maps. I have found Yahoo Maps to be better too.
  • What? e.g. coffee shops

    On the other hand, you don't need Google to find any.
  • It works in the USA [slashdot.org], too.

  • blogged (Score:3, Informative)

    by dirvish ( 574948 ) <dirvish@foundne[ ]com ['ws.' in gap]> on Thursday September 23, 2004 @05:50PM (#10335206) Homepage Journal
    This was on the Google Blog [google.com] two days ago.

  • Use Yellow Pages Categories (Score:1, Informative)

    by Anonymous Coward
    <HINT>

    Use yellow pages categories, like Auto Parts

    </HINT>

    Worked great for me.
    • i Use yellow pages categories, like Auto Parts Worked great for me. yeah, and and go to the library instead of searching for something on google! Not like I'd want to look up anything quickly while at my computer. Worked great for me!

  • local eh? (Score:3, Informative)

    by Fyre2012 ( 762907 ) on Thursday September 23, 2004 @05:53PM (#10335232) Homepage Journal
    Both google.ca and local.google.ca traceroute to servers in California... Go fig. I'll be a happy man when Canada actually has some more impressive network capabilities of it's own, instead of routing and piggybacking everything to the US. (sorry if the department of homeland security scares me...) This includes the talented programmers and people who operate the networks themeselves, who all seem to go to the states for the $$. I know we're laying lightpipe down everywhere to get ready for something big coming down the pipe... At least in the greater Toronto area, that is For the record: Name: local.google.ca IP Address: 64.233.167.99 Location: Sunnyvale (37.417N, 122.061W) Network: GOOGLE Name: google.ca IP Address: 216.239.57.104 Location: Sunnyvale (37.417N, 122.061W) Network: GOOGLE

    • Re:local eh? (Score:3, Informative)

      by GeckoX ( 259575 )
      What does the location of google's servers have to do with piggybacking bandwidth in the states? Google is located in California, why wouldn't their servers? Just because it's a service customized for canadians doesn't mean it has to be provided from in canada. It is the internet after all right?

      FYI, Canada has some of the fattest pipes in the world crossing coast to coast. Try tracing something that is actually IN Canada too. Unless your ISP dumps you stateside, you're likely staying on canadian pipes the

  • I can see it now... (Score:5, Funny)

    by AndyMouse GoHard ( 210170 ) on Thursday September 23, 2004 @06:04PM (#10335332)
    "eh" is a very common word and was not included in your search.

    Bill
  • I just tried this with a bunch of things, and gave my home address.

    It is FANTASTIC!

    I'm truly impressed. That could be my favorite web app now!

    COOL

  • What the hell? I've been using Google.ca for at least a year and a half now to bring up Canadian websites, when American ones are not wanted (like when searching for a retailer). So what's this new change here?

  • In search of lost innocence (Score:3, Funny)

    by Chocolate Teapot ( 639869 ) on Thursday September 23, 2004 @06:44PM (#10335686) Homepage Journal
    Feeling lucky eh?

  • Make sure to speak "Canadian" (Score:3, Funny)

    by fR0993R-on-Atari-520 ( 60152 ) on Thursday September 23, 2004 @07:17PM (#10335949)
    I searched for "bars" in Toronto, ON. Half the results were ice-cream shops. Searching for "pubs" produced the results I was looking for.

    Course, the best way to find places in Toronto is either word-of-mouth or NOW magazine [nowtoronto.com] anyhoo.
  • The default search criteria is within 75km of your target city. Unfortunately, as most of Canada's cities are very close to the US border, most searches produce results from the US.

    For example, search for Computer Stores in Montreal or a suburb, Canada's second largest city, and the top 5 to 6 results are for stores in the US; from both New York and Vermont.

    What's the point of having a Canadian version if most of the results are from the US? Yes, I can reduce the search radius to get only hits from montre
  • I think teh 25% local search figure sounds about right, there are a LOT of times I am searching for local stuff on Google. Just another way they are one step ahead of the competition....
  • Superpages.ca [superpages.ca] has an option called distance search that I have found quite useful in finding local businesses.

  • Google Local is Cool (Score:3, Informative)

    by monsterhead78 ( 815842 ) on Thursday September 23, 2004 @08:05PM (#10336209) Homepage
    Google is using web pages, online phone directories, etc., to get the locations of local businesses. You then enter a location and some set of keywords; google returns the results. The results are mostly sorted by distance to the specified location, but Google's ranking can override this. And Google will sell locally-targeted advertising. As with all their services, the sponsored links are clearly labeled as such aid displayed in a distinct area on the search results page.

    The online Yellow Pages are one of the few legacy databases I use on a regular basis. I am amazed by the clunkiness of the GUI and the general uselessness of these online interfaces. Yellow Page advertisements have traditionally been a huge cash cow for the Baby Bells. If Google can sway users to access their online directories instead, significant advertising dollars should start flowing to this friendly directory service -- and away from the traditional Yellow Pages. One wonders what countermeasures the Baby Bells -- and other owners of Yellow Pages services -- will launch.

    Effectiveness at using search engines is enhanced by studying them; I'm wondering if Google has contemplated buying/subsidizing one of the better guides to using Google (like O'Reilley's _Google Pocket Guide_) and distributing on a massive scale. I'm also interested in seeing how Google will work to provide access to their service beyond a traditional web interface.

    I really like Google's news service ( news.google.com ) and the beta of their shopping service ( froogle.google.com ). Google's taking on the Yellow Pages could massively shift the landscape of the Internet again.

  • it's pretty incomplete yet (Score:3, Funny)

    by nazsco ( 695026 ) on Thursday September 23, 2004 @11:13PM (#10337340) Journal
    can't find simple things [google.ca]

  • FAQ (Score:3, Funny)

    by aggiefalcon01 ( 730238 ) on Thursday September 23, 2004 @11:34PM (#10337454)
    The Google Local FAQ doesn't mention Canada, but it does give this humorous bit:

    5. Does this work everywhere? Can I find a noodle shop in Nagoya?

    Google Local only searches for locations in the United States right now. However, we plan on expanding this service to other parts of the world once we work out the kinks in this beta product. In the meantime, we recommend Miyoshiya for noodles in Naka-ku, near downtown.
  • I searched for 'strip bar' in Toronto and got:

    (1) A male strip bar
    (2 onwards...) Steak and chop restaurants such as the Purple Onion

    In other words, this is definitely no better than YellowPages.ca....so where's the Googleness?

    -psy

  • Why does the Google.ca French News page redirect to Google.fr?

    The Google.ca English News has a Canada news section, while the Google.ca French News has a France section.

    It would be like Americans googling news at google.com and trying to find local news at news.google.co.uk

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