The wonderful thing about the total $urveillance $tate is the way it has been embraced by the enslaved. We love our gadgets, and don't you dare threaten to take them away!
"Google buying Waze map service for $1.03 billion" by Michael Liedtke | Associated Press, June 12, 2013
SAN FRANCISCO — Google Inc. is believed to have trumped two fierce foes, Facebook Inc. and Apple Inc., in the bidding for Waze, which is based in Israel but maintains a Palo Alto, Calif., office....
The $1.03 billion price underscores the increasing importance of digital maps as people use navigation services on their smartphones and tablet computers.
Mapping the whole world as a public $ervice, 'eh?
The reliance on mobile maps creates more opportunities to show money-making ads, particularly from local merchants. Google can also link the navigation systems to other applications to help generate revenue....
Waze doesn’t disclose revenue. It has about 100 employees. But Waze has been gaining a foothold in digital mapping. Waze says nearly 50 million drivers in 190 countries use its mapping app to avoid traffic jams and find the fastest way to their destinations. The service figures out the most efficient routes by drawing upon real-time information shared by about 70,000 members who help edit the maps and provide tips, such as where to find the best gasoline prices.
I know, I know, it all seems benign and in the service of bu$ine$$, and it is; however, it is also serving the ulterior motives of a total surveillance grid over the entire planet.
Even though Google has assumed ownership of Waze, regulators could still review the deal to assess its effects on the mapping market. None of Google’s acquisitions have been blocked by regulators, although a few underwent reviews that lasted nine to 12 months.
Most of the inquiries have centered on Google’s dominance in Internet search — a service closely linked to maps — and online advertising.
Waze’s sharing tools could also help Google improve its two-year-old social networking service, called Plus, as it tries to lure traffic from Facebook.
Waze chief executive Noam Bardin said the company decided it made more sense to tap into Google’s vast resources than to stay on its own and eventually face the distractions of an initial public offering of stock.
‘‘Choosing the path of an IPO often shifts attention to bankers, lawyers, and the happiness of Wall Street, and we decided we’d rather spend our time with you, the Waze community,’’ Bardin blogged.
What's wrong with Wall Street?
Waze, which started five years ago, is the latest mobile startup to blossom into a billion-dollar baby. Last month, Yahoo Inc. agreed to buy Tumblr, a blogging service started in 2008, for $1.1 billion.
The acquisition also could help Israel’s efforts to stamp the country as a wellspring of innovation.
That's where the companies that take care of telecommunications monitoring, transportation security, and now mapping services
Faced with limited natural resources, Israel has excelled in technology and fostered a vibrant high-tech culture.
Yup, old underdog Israel against all odds narrative.
The country is a popular destination for global venture capital funds seeking to capitalize on Israel’s entrepreneurial spirit, as well as Israeli expertise honed in universities and advanced technology units of the Israeli army.
Yes, Israel's military-industrial complex is second to none -- as the college endowment money and pension fund dough flow toward her!!
Technology is now viewed as Israel’s main economic engine, accounting for roughly half the country’s exports. Israel is even promoting itself as ‘‘startup nation.’’
Three cheers for Israel! Hip-hip-hooray! Hip-hip-hooray! Hip-hip-hooray!
The Waze buyout ranks among the largest company sales in Israeli history.
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