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Google UK Gets Local

dbfriends   on 12 April 2005 - 13:56 · 17 comments & 2996 views

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Google's local information service is to be expanded to the UK later this year. Google Local, as it's called, will search for your nearest service - be it pizza or an electrician. American users have had their own local service for some time, although it's still in beta.

The UK launch had been rumoured for some time, but was confirmed this week by Holger Meyer, head of Google Germany, Switzerland and Austria, who said it would be coming "later in the year". Speaking to the German trade magazine Der Handelsblatt, he said Britain would test the system before it rolled out over the rest of Europe in the coming years. "Google Local (which it will be called in all areas and zones) starts first in Great Britain... and only later in Germany," he said, but refused to be drawn on further details.

The American service has proved popular since it was launched, offering maps, addresses, contact numbers and the distance to your nearest business for a whole range of goods.

View: Google UK | Google Local (US)
View: The Register Coverage


PS: Your dedicated Neowin writer got 10/10 on both - although the US one was a close call :)

Post a comment · Send to friend Comments · There are 17 additional comments
(1 reply) #1 TheSarge on 12 Apr 2005 - 14:14
Eeecelent. Now brits can no longer use the "I couldn't find a pub" excuse for not being drunk. They can just look it up on Google.
#1.1 Rickie on 12 Apr 2005 - 16:23
Lmao
#2 Chanser on 12 Apr 2005 - 14:19
Google is our Internet God!
#3 L3onheart on 12 Apr 2005 - 14:21
I hope it comes to Portugal soon
(1 reply) #4 Adrian on 12 Apr 2005 - 14:27
The new yellow pages
#4.1 krono6 on 12 Apr 2005 - 18:05
Thats handy than carrying a Big Yellow Book around the High Street all the time
(3 replies) #5 jon86 on 12 Apr 2005 - 14:39
I have always found Yellow Pages (www.yell.co.uk) to be very good so I see no reason to switch to using Google Local.
#5.1 astrofaes on 12 Apr 2005 - 15:31
because the map feature on yell is rubbish compared to google maps
#5.2 Jerichohol on 12 Apr 2005 - 16:37
Agreed, google maps is fantastic
#5.3 jon86 on 12 Apr 2005 - 16:51
I agree that Google Maps is better than Yell's.
#6 M2Ys4U on 12 Apr 2005 - 15:05
at last!!!
#7 oooarrr33 on 12 Apr 2005 - 15:54
Fantastic! Some of the stuff we're starting to see on US google is amazing, so having it local here in the UK is going to be fantastic - especially when they start doing the Taxi's and stuff
#8 robpears on 12 Apr 2005 - 16:01
excellent
#9 nvizible on 12 Apr 2005 - 16:55
omg... we <3 ya google
#10 Bhav on 12 Apr 2005 - 17:28
this is brilliant! google is just the greatest web firm around.
#11 ph_bradley on 12 Apr 2005 - 17:49
google maps in the UK as well?
#12 Colin-uk on 12 Apr 2005 - 22:08
Go Google

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