Right now the deals are within Maps listings, and the process will be self-service for businesses looking to offer deals. Very much looking forward to this, and is a different model than Groupon for sure — with lots of intent based on search.

Also in other Google news today, the company told the Associated Press it is hiring well over 6,400 people this year — their largest hiring to date (and after a 23% increase in their employee base last year). I read in a UK publication that 1000 of the 6,400 will be in European offices.