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Google Maps now highlights photos of restaurants' most popular dishes
Google Maps has long since shown crowdsourced photos of the dishes at listed restaurants, but a new tab will flag up the most popular choices with photos to match.
More popular apps are sending data to Facebook without asking
It's not just dating and health apps that might be violating your privacy when they send data to Facebook. A Privacy International study has determined that "at least" 20 out of 34 popular Android apps are transmitting sensitive information to Facebook without asking permission, including Kayak, MyFitnessPal, Skyscanner and TripAdvisor. This typically includes analytics data that sends on launch, including your unique Android ID, but can also include data that sends later. The travel search engine Kayak, for instance, apparently sends destination and flight search data, travel dates and whether or not kids might come along.
Google wants Maps to be the only thing you need to plan a night
If you're looking to go somewhere, you probably start your search with Google Maps, before heading over to Yelp and Trip Advisor. Google's not happy with that state of affairs, and is determined to make sure that its mapping platform is where you start, and end, your plans for Friday night. The company has announced a whole slew of new features that'll gradually turn Maps into the only tool you'll need to plan a night out.
Plan group trips in Skype with help from TripAdvisor and StubHub
Bringing TripAdvisor into a group chat is pretty easy -- just tap the Add to Chat button and select TripAdvisor from the list of available plug-ins. You can choose a destination, then search for restaurants, hotels and activities in the area. Sharing interesting things from your search is as easy as tapping the Send button, and your TripAdvisor post will show up in the group chat. StubHub works similarly; you open the add-in and search for an event, location or date and then select the tickets you want. Once that's done, you can send the StubHub link to the entire group, and then everyone can click through to see the listings on the service, purchasing the seats they want.
Recommended Reading: Making a shed a top-rated destination on TripAdvisor
I Made My Shed the Top Rated Restaurant On TripAdvisor Oobah Butler, Vice If you've ever wondered just how many reviews on sites like TripAdvisor are fake, you're not alone. One writer took maters into their own hands to prove the extent of the issue by creating a fake restaurant in a backyard. Once it became popular on the site though, things escalated quickly.
Fitbit's Ionic will let you play Deezer from your wrist
Fitbit's Ionic smartwatch suffers from a dearth of apps, we noted in our Engadget review, but the wearable firm is trying to flip that equation with an update to its Fitbit OS. It will bring over 100 new watch faces and 60 apps, including Yelp, Nest, Hue Lights and Flipboard. The most interesting one is Deezer, coming in 2018, as it will run on the Ionic without a smartphone, lightening the load for runners and other athletes. The company also launched Fitbit Labs, a new effort to create apps that motivate athlete behavior changes and accelerate Fitbit's pace of innovation.
FTC may investigate TripAdvisor over deleted posts, but it isn't yet
Earlier this month, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that TripAdvisor had deleted multiple posts from users warning others about incidents of assault and rape that had taken place at a certain resorts in Mexico. Since then, the journal says that dozens of others have come forward with similar stories. Now, it reports that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is looking into the website's business practices.
TripAdvisor labels hotels involved in sexual assault cases
Travel reviews website TripAdvisor has launched a new badge notifying users that they may want to do more research about the hotel or resort they're looking at. "TripAdvisor has been made aware of recent media reports or events concerning this property which may not be reflected in reviews found on this listing," the notification says. "Accordingly, you may wish to perform additional research for information about this property when making your travel plans." The company promised to launch the badge after a report revealed that it deleted several users' reviews warning others of rape and assault that allegedly happened over the years in some of the highest-rated resorts on the website.
TripAdvisor admits deleting post warning of rape and assault
TripAdvisor is the go-to website to visit when you want to look up hotel and resort reviews. Based on what the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel unearthed, though, you might want to do more digging beyond the review portal next time you travel. According to the publication, TripAdvisor deleted several posts by users warning others of rape and assault over the past few years. In some cases it cited an old policy wherein language used in its forums should be G-rated. Other posts were declined citing "hearsay" as the reason, even though the victims were talking about their personal experiences.
TripAdvisor adds GrubHub food delivery to its travel tools
GrubHub makes it pretty easy to scrounge up food when you don't feel like picking it up yourself, and now the food-delivery company wants to extend that to how you eat when traveling. Travel site TripAdvisor has announced that starting today, when you're planning your next vacation and mulling options for dining and entertainment in some 1,100 cities, GrubHub's network of restaurants will be in the mix. The companies say that if you see the "order online" button next to a listing, clicking it will redirect to GrubHub's website.
TripAdvisor is offering two free months of Google Play Music
Google Play Music is a solid service, but it's a bit of an afterthought in the marketplace compared to bigger players like Spotify and Apple Music. And in a crowded market, Google's likely looking for ways to muster up more interest and exposure for the service -- but the partnership the company announcing is a bit of an odd one, no matter how you slice it. Google has partnered with Tripadvisor to put specific travel-focused stations inside the Tripadvisor Android app. Tapping one to start it up will drop you into the Google Play Music app and offer you two months of the premium service for free, provided you've never used it before.
California will fine companies that try to silence disgruntled customers
Remember the New York hotel that imposed $500 fines for any guest who wrote disparaging reviews on sites like Yelp and TripAdvisor? The state of California does, and has decided that it wants to stop the practice of any business, including hotels and restaurants inserting "non-disparagement" clauses into their terms of business. Under the law, any outlet trying to enforce financial penalties onto upset keyboard warriors would be met with a $2,500 slap. Subsequent violations would set them back $5,000, and there's a $10,000 bonus non-prize if a company is found to be recklessly violating the rules. Let's hope that the trend carries over to other states, but also that some canny legislator widens the definition to cover gadget reviews for, er, no specific reason.
This Is the Modem World: Review Sites Are Broken
Each week Joshua Fruhlinger contributes This is the Modem World, a column dedicated to exploring the culture of consumer technology. I'm about to walk into my favorite restaurant in the world. The food is yummy, healthy and fits my budget. The staff knows my name and rarely has to ask how I'd like something served. And the location couldn't be better. It's the perfect place. But before I can pass the threshold to nosh nirvana, a stranger on his way out gives me a sideways glance and whispers, "This place is horrible. Don't bother." This place? My place? The best restaurant on earth? How can this be? Perhaps something has changed. Did the chef leave? Is the cute hostess gone? Have I been wrong this whole time? But I have faith. I follow through, and the best restaurant in the world is still just that, just as I remembered.
TomTom extends Live service and HD Traffic to Canada with Go Live 1535M nav unit
Satisfying your poutine craving just got easier as TomTom extends its internet-enabled Live service and HD Traffic to nav systems up north. Using the Go Live 1535M portable GPS unit, Canadian drivers can now access the company's signature HD Traffic feature to get real-time routing based on current congestion. Another perk of being connected is the suite of apps that gives adventurers access to Yelp, TripAdvisor, Expedia, Twitter and local search from the dash -- making it easy to find that perfectly crafted caribou jerky and brag about it on social networks. Starting in October, Canucks can cop the system for around $269 with a free 12-month starter subscription to Live offerings. Check out the full PR after the break.
TomTom announces Go Live 1535M in all its app-wielding glory, offers dashboard tweeting
If you're a fan of TomTom's Go Live series of nav units, you'll get a kick out of what the company announced today. Hitting retail and online stores in October is "the world's first portable navigation device with a suite of popular travel apps," the Go Live 1535M. That's right folks, this piece of dashboard flair will allow you to use Yelp, TripAdvisor, Expedia and Twitter all from the comfort of its 5-inch touchscreen. In addition to the new application integration, the GPS juggernaut's classic features will be available as well: hands-free calling, real-time traffic info, local search, fuel prices and weather forecasts. Sounds great, right? But what's that... you already sprung for the 2535M model? No worries, mates -- you'll be able to download the new features this fall via software update. Pricing for these app-enabled navigators will start at $250 which includes a free 12-month subscription to TomTom Live services. Pretty soon, you'll be able to make that dinner reservation while TomTom tells you how to get there, seconds before you tweet about it.
Turbine recruits new operations of VP into its fellowship
News on the wire is that Ken Surdan has been appointed as Turbine's new VP of operations, and will oversee worldwide operations of Lord of the Rings Online, Dungeons & Dragons Online and Asheron's Call. His previous gigs include senior vice president for technology for TripAdvisor, chief operating officer at Smart Bargins and a member of the "Lord of the Rings: One LARP to rule them all" group. If we had to guess, we'd say Ken probably played as Gandalf -- because that guy managed just about everything.Okay, in all seriousness, Surdan is bringing quite a lot of operations experience to Turbine. For a company that seems to be looking at expansion in the coming years, it's a very smart hire. The only thing we're not entirely clear on is whether or not he's replacing anyone or is filling an until-now empty position.
