This video shows how to do Geocoding and Reverse Geocoding in Quantum GIS thanks to the “geocoding” plugin. To work the plugin will need a valid Google API key (code.google.com To understand better the results are used maps overlays from Google and OpenStreetMap. This is possible thanks to a plugin called “openlayers” that, as the name indicates, uses the OpenLayers APIs to add layers from Google (and OSM, and Yahoo) into the QGIS canvas.
Google Places Mobile Option to Only Show Open Businesses
Google Places Search on the iPhone and Android now offers an option to show only business that are open. The feature is available in Places search and filters out not just restaurants that are closed but restaurants for which Google is not confident of their hours. I performed the following search yesterday afternoon for Restaurant Spokane:
All Places:
Only Open Places option selected:
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It is not totally obvious from the screen shot but the ranking was significantly altered when the top two Places listing completely disappeared. Not because they were actually closed but because the listings were not claimed and Google had been unable to find their hours elsewhere on the net.
Bing recently noted while presenting at the GetListed Portland seminar that 50% of all restaurant queries are now originating on mobile phones. If that fact and this feature is not enough to motivate business owners to claim their listing and populate it with accurate information, I am not sure what is.
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New Google Places Review Bug
Google Places and Hotpot have had a rough run of bugs of late. It seems that barely is one fixed that another crops to the fore. This was reported to me on February 22 by Plamen. The first 40 characters or so of the review are lopped off. It appears to be affecting any review written since November 16:
Another screen shot from Byways Cafe in Portland:
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