I thought I heard on NPR, that the google maps app would become available in the app store when it is no longer part of the base iOS. I wanna say that was on NPR, but dunno where I heard it, or if it was the hosts suggesting it.

I have a question about credit card processing using an iPhone. I've heard of Square and they charge 2.75% per transaction.

When I do a google search, it looks like there are others out there, I'm just looking for one with a good rep for a low cost to have a credit card payment option for a silent auction. Any suggestions?

I have the Square reader and it works great. I know that PayPal is introducing a competitor, but it's only a triangle. [link]

I think Skype has just doomed itself. [link]

do we blame Microsoft, or was this in the works before the takeover?

People used to freak out that Google was reading their mail when gmail displayed targeted ads. This seems to think that people have gotten over that (admittedly silly) paranoia, as opposed to just having lost steam. The feeling that your audio is being parsed seems like it will make people even more nervous.

However, Skype is another company that I don't fully understand the profit model of, since I've never given them a penny, and if their service started to cost, I would drop it rather than pay. I've embraced video conferencing wholeheartedly, but I can also let it go pretty easily. I have no idea what the demographic of the people who pay is.

For a long time, paying Skype was a cheap way to call people who did not have computers. But all you can eat phone plans and the pentration of computers into at least the rich nations has killed that.

(A lot of people in poor nations who cant afford computer computers have smart phones with unlimited text and rely mostly on texting, plus whatever browsing they can afford on their phones. That includes a fair number of homeless people in poor nations - at least according to my Doctors Without Borders acquaintences).

And I don't think the objection that will kill them is privacy. People seem to put very little value on privacy in practice. It is that the ads will either interrupt conversations, or if they make them low key will be totally ineffective on not a serious revenue source. Or it could be both. Maybe they will find a form that people will put up with. But I have my doubts.

That's a bummer about te walking/transit directions. I've only used/needed it once when I was in SF but it worked so perfectly. I hope they figure it out so it's available.

How will the ads interrupt conversation?

If you are doing video chat and a full color video ad you both are seeing takes up your vid chat space that, sure seems like an interruption. Even worse if it has sound, though I cant believe MS would be that foolish.

The articles I read said it was for audio calls. And the ad was visual. I'd need to see your source to get a feel for how obtrusive you're thinking of, because the scenario I read about is flouted by closing your eyes.