Internet News

MapQuest Has More

Mapquest Introduces New Look, New Capabilities by Greg Sterling, Search Engine Land (Jun 29)

Mapquest is still in the online map and local search game with added capabilities.

A few points of interest:

+ "The ability to easily save and customize information, including My Maps trip itineraries, and share it with friends via social networks, including: Facebook and Twitter"
+"Ways to plan and personalize travel with notes, anecdotes, landmarks and short cuts"

+ "Users can search multiple times within a map and see all the results layered or plotted in different colors simultaneously: e.g., movies, pizza, ATMs, parking. "

The Canadian MapQuest is much improved. Can see streets in Stratford, On and find the theatres. Also banks, schools, some gas stations. There is more for Toronto - including traffic and a satellite view.

However, there is a strong American bias - the bar of icons for quickly finding services included one for "4th of July" events.

MapQuest describes all the features.

Google Earth 5.2

Announcing Google Earth 5.2, Google Lat Long Blog (Jun 14)

Here's a reason to get Google Earth and a GPS device when hiking or running.

"Google Earth has always been a great tool for viewing your outdoor activities, whether it be hiking, running, biking, skiing, sailing, or just about any other way you choose to explore the world. With the release of Google Earth 5.0, we added the ability to connect your GPS device directly to Google Earth and import your track. Now, with Google Earth 5.2, we’ve added the ability to view elevation, speed, and other data as a graph directly in Google Earth. "

There is also Google Earth Pro.

"Google Earth Pro, which gives the powerful tools needed by engineers, real-estate professionals, governments, and others to process and visualize large geographic data sets."

Also Better GPS graphs, browser in new Google Earth, Tom Krazit, Relevant Results (Jun 14)

"Travelers were able to connect their GPS devices to Google Earth to view trip data with the 5.0 release, but they can now see altitude changes and the average speed of their trip in graphs accompanying the route. And if you've forgotten the experience already, you can generate a video of the route."

Walking Directions in Map Services

Woman who walked onto highway sues Google Maps, Cathal Kelly, Toronto Star (May 31)

Woman in Utah used Google Maps on her Blackberry to get walking directions to a place 3 kilometers away. Unfortunately, there was a highway in the way and she was hit by a car. She is suing Google and the driver. This reminds us to be wary in trusting to the accuracy of the directions of the mapping services - a good look at the map before setting out is advised. I would say this is especially true in the United States where cars and roads rule and pedestrian walkways are rare.

Bing Maps Getting Cooler

New Bing Map Apps: Gas Prices, Distance Calculator and Parking Finder, Bing (May 19)

Bing Maps has apps - and it is quite cool. Of course, most only work in the United States. Three new ones are:

+ Distance Calculator Map - put in the start and end points - get the distance. Drag the flags around on the map to see the changes - will work in Canada. However, for the US, distance calculator shows the total distance by air and by bus/car

+ Parking - in some US cities and airports

+ Gas Prices - find the nearby gas station and prices - US only

See all the apps at http://www.bing.com/maps/explore/?org=aj

It's likely that you'll need Silverlight installed to enjoy these apps.

Google Canada Maps using new data

Google Making Changes To Canada Maps, Now “Owns” The Data As In US, Greg Sterling, Search Engine Land (Apr 29)

Quoting from Google

"To keep up with all these changes, we’ve started using new map data in Canada. This new base map is built from a wide range of sources, just as we recently announced for the US in October. In Canada, we’ve made use of data from organizations such as the National Hydrography Network and Canadian Council on Geomatics. Once again things like satellite imagery and Street View were also helpful to make a rich, thorough base map."

3D World on a Map

Google Maps gets 3D view of the world, by Stephen Shankland, Cnet - Deep Tech (Apr 26)

Google Maps has 3D Earth View - though you need a browser plugin to view it. Using it could take some getting used to. Bing is working on something similiar for its maps - and it requires Silverlight.

3D is the direction, and likely immersive - street level - just walk in.

More information about using Google Maps in Google Earth Added To Google Maps, No Download Needed, Search Engine Land (Apr 26)

Street View and Local Businesses

Google “Augmenting” Street View With Local Biz Information, Greg Sterling, Search Engine Land (Apr 26)

More information is embedded in the street views 0 "Local business listings now appear as small icons connected to their buildings in the Street View image."

Biking with Google Maps

Bike Directions Added to Google Maps, by Ian Paul, PCWorld (Mar 10)

Another gift from Google -- "Google on Wednesday launched bicycle directions for Google Maps making it easier for cyclists to plan routes in 150 U.S. cities including Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Portland and Washington, DC. You can use Google Maps to find cycling-specific directions in urban areas, and by default Google Maps will plan your route to avoid steep hills whenever possible. The new maps feature can also be used as a map layer to get an overall sense of cycling accessibility in a particular city."

Street views in Europe

EU Privacy Push May Drive Google To Stop Updating Street View In Europe by Greg Sterling, Search Engine Land (Mar 8)

Stret views anywhere are useful to tourists or others new to the area. But some find it an invasion of privacy - picture of your home available to anyone (could be legitimate worry), picture of you walking on the street - even if the image is blurred. The EU gets more upset about this than we do in North America. Interesting - since the UK and Europe have done much more in the line of surveillance.

However, street views aren't popular.

According to Bloomberg: The EU’s privacy watchdog said in a Feb. 11 letter to Google obtained by Bloomberg News that “it is disproportionate to retain unblurred copies of the images for one year,” and urged the company to cut the period to six months. Street View, which offers photos of roads and intersections, was introduced in 2007 in the U.S. and is being rolled out across Europe.

If the EU continues to press Google on the issue the company may decide against any future updates of Street View images.

User Photos part of StreetView

Google Adds Flickr, Picasa Photos To Street View, by Matt McGee, Search Engine Land (Mar 1)

Streetview in Google Maps already has the pictures taken by Google's vans and tricycles roaming through cities. Now it is including user photos from Flickr and Picasa and Panoramio.

When you are in a Streetview, look for the box User Photos or for small, gray circles on top of photos.

Google Lat-Long has details in Navigate your way through user photos in Street View

This depends on the photographer placing the photos on a map in the first place. Guess that's a given.

Is anybody keeping an archive of all these pictures?

Extras on Google Maps

Google Maps Labs: A Fun New Google Tool, by
Daniel Ionescu, PCWorld (Feb 12)

Google now offers experimental features for Google Maps. Click on the new green icon in the top right of Google Maps - looks like a pawn - mouseover it to see Google Map Labs.

"Among the experimental features in Google Maps Labs, you will find "Drag'n'Zoom," which will let you draw a box on the map to immediately zoom into that place and "LatLng Tooltip," a feature that shows the latitude and longitude of where the mouse pointer is positioned."

Also in this posting - Google has a Chart Tool - it's not quite like using Microsoft Office - there is real coding involved - but there is tremendous variety of types of charts. More information at Google Code - Chart Tools.

Postscript Feb 15: Google Maps Gets Its Own Lab, ResearchBuzz - detailed description of the features and how to use them.

Bing Maps - video

Bing’s real advantage – Spatial Search, The Next Web (Feb 12)

Bing is doing fascinating work with maps and street views. Charles Knight has posted this must-see video on Bing Maps showing Bing's use of geolocated images in Flickr. They call it a "continuum of experience".

Will Google Show Interiors?

Google Maps To Add “Google Store Views”, Barry Schwartz, Search Engine Land (Feb 4)

First we find the store on the map - then use Google street view to see what it looks like - and next we can enter the store and "wall" through it. Rumour has it that Google is developing a store view - but it won't comment.

Vaguely I remember this was done my someone else - maybe Amazon with its views a few years ago.

Google Ocean

Google’s Ocean Showcase turns you into a desktop Cousteau , by Christian Zibreg, Geek.com (Feb 5)

Google Earth tours oceans.

"Google launched Ocean Showcase late Thursday as a new enhancement to the Google Earth mapping data. As a result, Google Earth users can tour the ocean and enjoy amazing details, including biological and topographical diversity of the ocean, lots of cool videos of marine animals, and professional narration by National Geographic’s explorer Sylvia Earle."

PCWorld has a slide show - Google Ocean Showcase: Dive into Your Desktop

I wonder if the views will also show damage to ocean floor from trawlers, dolphins being killed, the cubic acres of plastic waste, the waste in general.

MapQuest in the Ring

MapQuest Integrates Citysearch Content

New features at Mapquest as it slips behind Google Maps in popularity.

* 360 View: street-level imagery
* Upgrades to the appearance of maps on the site
* Mobile maps improvements
* Expanded category based searching

It has just announced that it is also adding 700,000 more business listings, user ratings and other content from Citysearch:

MapQuest 360

MapQuest (Finally) Launches Street Views With “360 View” by Greg Sterling, Search Engine land (Dec 14)

MapQuest (owned by AOL) has introduced “360 View” in 30 cities and 15 suburbs in the US Eastern States. This puts it back in the race against Google , now well established, and Bing's new streetview features. It's going to be a long road, says Sterling. One competitor they don't need to worry about is Yahoo which bowed out of the race some time ago.

3D Navteq

Navteq to supply Microsoft with 3D map data, by Stephen Shankland, Webware (Dec 7)

Google now has competition in the 3D street views. Navteq is partnering with Microsoft to do the same for Bing maps.

"Navteq, which already has a sizeable data-collection operation and supplies mapping data to Microsoft and others, now is upgrading its technology in cooperation with Microsoft. The 3D data will be available to other customers, too, though. "

How will they ever keep this up-to-date? Should someone be planning on keeping archives? Imagine, 20 years from now being able to "walk" down the street as it used to be.

More Canadian Cities in Google Streetview

Nine more Canadian cities added to Google Street View, Globe and Mail (Dec 2)

"Victoria, Nanaimo, B.C., Edmonton, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Sudbury, Ont., London, Ont., Sherbrooke, Que., and St. John's, N.L., are among the more than 20 Canadian cities that have been filmed for the Google feature.

Users can search for an address in those cities and see a 360-degree view of the streets."

Bing Map Tools

Bing's Cool New Search Tools: A Visual Tour
Jeff Bertolucci, PC World (Dec 2)

These aren't really search tools - they are map tools.

+ map upgrades - especially Streetside for views of streets
+ Applications Gallery - "series of map overlays that provides valuable information, including nearby businesses, local traffic conditions, and even realtime Twitter updates"
+ Photosynth - photo management tool for stitching photos together
+ Twitter overlay - tweets on a map

Bing Map Experience

Bing Maps Steals The Cool Crown From Google by Greg Sterling, Search Engine Land (Dec 2)

Bing does street views now too - and in 3D - IF you install Microsoft Silverlight.

"Bing Maps is introducing “Street Side” in 56 US metro areas, with the ambition to go global eventually. This is the Microsoft answer to Google Street View: immersive street-level photography that, like Street View, allows users to “walk down the street” and explore neighborhoods in cities"

Working with online maps

Hawaii Joins The Google Street View Union; Microsoft Updates Look Of Bing Maps, Adds Features, Greg Sterling, Search Engine Land (Nov 10)

Here's a way to go to Hawaii - walk the streets through Google Street View. Details and some pictures at Google Blog's post on Fifty States of Street View.

Meantime, Bing and Mapquest are also improving their map views and map handling.

From Bing - Bing Maps Gets An Overhaul…And, Some New Features

Google Maps Look Better

Google Maps' appearance takes new direction by Harrison Hoffman, Webware (Oct 24)

Google has made some changes to make its maps more readable.

Google describes it as Evolving the look of Google Maps

Post states, "All the same information is maintained on the map, but there is more contrast between background detail such as local roads, and important orientation signals like neighbourhoods and major arterial roads: "

This is clear from the images given. These changes are subtle but do seem to improve readability. True for Google Maps Canada too.

Disputed Country Borders

Google Placates India, China With Different Map Versions John Ribeiro, IDG News Service via PCWorld (Oct 23)

Would that all disputes could be solved so easily.

China and India both claim ownership over Arunachal Pradesh. Google Earth makes them both happy:

"The Chinese version of Google Maps shows parts of Arunachal Pradesh as inside China's borders. In contrast, the Indian version of Google Maps depicts the state as part of India. " And the global version of Google Maps, "shows Arunachal Pradesh as disputed territory within broken lines on the map."

Google US Takes on Own Maps

Tectonic Shifts Altering The Terrain At Google Maps by Mike Blumenthal, Search Engine Land (Oct 14)

Google has dropped TeleAtlas, a supplier of geospacial map data, from Google Maps in the US. It is using an amalgam of Street Views, Map Maker (where an area can generate its own map), information from public entities, some partnering, and "crowdsourcing" - especially of traffic from cellphone users.

Mike Blumenthal seems to be the expert - and has several blog postings about changes Google has made. In this article he interviews Mike Dobson of TeleMapics.

Especially:

Does Google perceive the collection and generation of geospatial information a key competitive differentiator or a necessary evil?

Another dilemma! I suspect that Google began their map compilation efforts as a necessary evil to remedy their dissatisfaction with the maps being provided to them by Navteq and TeleAtlas. Google passed on the opportunity to acquire both Navteq and TeleAtlas because they believed that they could produce something better. Once they started development, mapping really got in to their corporate culture and they began to realize that map compilation, presentation and distribution was a key competency within the grasp of their organization. It was only a few steps higher on the ladder before they realized that Google could be a market leader in map data quality and coverage.

Good luck Google - it's not going to be easy. And while people might forgive and error in the bibliographic citation of a book, they won't be happy being directed to the wrong place.

Street Maps for Canada have arrived

Google gives Canadians a 'Street View' , Amber Bellaire, Globe and Mail (Oct 8)

"Canada has finally joined Google Street View, featuring high-resolution, street-level images of 15 Canadian cities. "

"Three-hundred-and-sixty degree views of Toronto, Calgary, Banff National Park, Montreal, Quebec City, Halifax, Vancouver, Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Squamish, Whistler, Ottawa, Hamilton, Kitchener and Waterloo are available."

It helps to watch the video tour. [1:46 min]

Faces and license plates are supposed to be blurred - as they were of the person walking down my street in Toronto when the Google camera took shots this past summer. But I think I recognize the dog.

Google Maps Place Pages

Google Launches “Place Pages,” Gets Rid Of Tabbed Info Bubble by Greg Sterling, Search Engine Land (Sep 24)

Goolgle has added Place Pages to Maps with information on local points of interest and transit stops.

"Google is swapping its “info window” in Maps out in favor a much richer full-page experience that offers more information and a number of new capabilities and features. The pop-ups on Maps previously opened to an expanded info-bubble view, featuring a tabbed experience that buried much of the information available about a business."

Comparing online maps

Comparing On-Line Map Providers by Google Maps Mania (Aug 23)

Interesting - meta search for online maps.

"Maps Compare is a website with four different on-line map services on one page. The site places Google Maps, the Google Earth browser plugin, Yahoo Maps and Bing Maps beside each other, which can be quite useful if you want to compare the map coverage provided by each provider in different locations."

And there are others.

+ Where's the path
+ Dual Maps - Google Maps, Bing Maps and Google Maps Street View all under one control.

Explore Canada through Bing Maps

'Binging' Canada to the web , Jennifer Yang, Globe and Mail (Aug 5)

Users of Bing Maps who are located in Canada will be exhorted to Explore Canada and given a list of places of interest and businesses. It's not a travel site - it's provided to show the features at Bing Maps.

"Stacey Jarvis with Microsoft Canada says the Explore Canada section is simply a way of getting people acquainted with Bing Maps, which is still getting off the ground.

Each suggested location or business links to a Bing-generated map. If someone were to click on the Alberta oil sands link, for example, they would be taken to an aerial view of Fort MacKay, Alta.

As for the seemingly haphazardly compiled list of recommended destinations, they do have one thing in common: All were among the most popular search items during the months of May and June."

Zooming in on Street Views

Google Street Views Allows Zooming In On Panoramio Photos by Barry Schwartz, Search Engine Land (Jun 27)

Demo of zooming into phots in Google Street View. Run the demo because it's not going to be obvious when you do the Google Map search.

Photos with Maps

Google Adds Photos To Some Location-Based Search Results by Matt McGee, Search Engine Land

Google has started to show user-contributed photos of places along with map inset on some geographic queries.

Google - Real Estate Search

Land Grab: Google Expands Real Estate Listings, Matt McGee, Search Engine Land (Jul 6)

Google Maps in the US has new tools for searching real estate listings. Look in the upper left corner for "Real estate on Google Maps‎ - Search for real estate listings near XXX"

"There’s a basic search functionality that, while not as comprehensive as what’s available on most real estate sites, probably offers more than enough options for most home buyers: search by price range, bedrooms and baths, square footage, and a sign of the times — a checkbox to search foreclosures."

Google Maps - Features

10 Top Overlooked Features of Google Maps, PCWorld.ca (

Slideshow on ways to use Google Maps - create maps, change them, add pictures, share them. Also - get transit routes (in Toronto shows subway but not bus routes).

What's Here on Google Maps

Google Maps Let’s You Discover “What’s Here” by Greg Sterling, Search Engine Land (Jun 22)

"Google Maps has introduced a useful new feature called “What’s Here,” which allows you to use the map as a kind of discovery tool. Select a point, right click and the menu appears with a new choice “what’s here,” allowing discovery of — you guessed it — what’s at/around the designated site or point."

Navigation in Google Street Views

Introducing smart navigation in Street View: double-click to go (anywhere!) , Google Lat Long Blog (June 4)

Google has improved navigation in Street Views with street arrows and a "pancake".

"As you move your mouse within Street View, you'll notice that the cursor now has lightly-shaded geometry attached to it - it will show an oval when your mouse is following a road and a rectangle when moving across the facades of buildings. We affectionately refer to this cursor geometry as the "pancake" because it has the appearance of a pancake laying flat to the object where the mouse is pointing. By giving you a sense of depth,it makes the flat image almost feel three-dimensional!"

Watch the video.

Also Google Street View Gets Smart Navigation, PCWorld via Business World (June 5)

Google's Street View is spreading over the planet despite some resistance because of privacy concerns.

Google Map Mashups

12 totally awesome Google Maps, by Don Reisinger, Webware (May 7)

Who knew? First - there is a Google Maps Directory , and secondly, there are all these interesting tools: distance calculator, median ages in US and Canada, world oil consumption - and so much more. And you can add these to My Maps.

Henry Hudson's Voyages

400 Years in the Making: Celebrating Henry Hudson, Google Lat Long Blog (May 4)

This is fantastic. The Henry Hudson 400 Foundation commissioned Cartosoft to create a map using Google Maps API that is "full of Henry Hudson history: early harbor and coastline illustrations, stories of the first New Yorkers, photos ancient maps, 3D models of Hudson’s ship the Half Moon, and of course, the routes Henry Hudson sailed."

View it at http://www.henryhudson400.com/home.php

Google Maps Gaining Share

Understanding Google Maps & Yahoo Local Search , Blumenthals (Apr 10)

According to Hitwise figures, while Mapquest traffic has increased in the last year, Google Maps is closing in quickly.

Google Camera Cars in Canada

Google to blur faces in Canadian Street View, by Tamsyn Burgmann, CP via The Star (Apr 5)

This article doesn't say it but Google camera cars have been spotted in Toronto. This is one of 11 cities for which Google is preparing street views. It did some filming two years ago in 2007 - a project that was stalled while privacy issues were addressed.

" It's the 2007 photos that will be showcased in the upcoming release. The reason they're only being posted now is partially thanks to concerns previously raised by the federal privacy commissioner, who feared the easily accessible photos showing some citizens could infringe on their privacy, [Elizabeth] Denham said [assistant privacy commissioner of Canada].

Canada's privacy laws require that the person being photographed give their consent to the pictures being published, unless they are being taken for "journalistic, literary or artistic purposes."

The company recently approached Denham's office to explain what measures it has taken to alleviate its misgivings. In post-production, Google now subjects all photos to an automated process of blurring people's faces and licence plates."

So - people in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec, Saint John and Halifax - keep a sharp eye - you might be on candid camera.

Presentations on Search at CIL Conference

Some presentations from the Computers in Library 2009 Conference are available.

Under Information Discovery & Search

+ A Super Searcher Shares 25 Search Tips/Thoughts by Mary Ellen Bates

+ Searching Google Earth by Ran Hock

+ Searching Conversations: Twitter, Facebook, & the Social Web - by Greg Notess [Not available yet[

+ Information Discovery: Science & Health by Walter Warmick - entering the deep web by using federated search of scientific databases. [Available at site]

+ Seeking Health by Tamas Doszkocs - lists several health search engines and identifies some with semantic search capabilities (medstory, healthline, goopubmed) [Available at site]

Conference also had a track on Search and Search Engines - federated search, mobile search, RSS, emerging search technologies.

Found through Google Street Views

Strangest Sights in Google Street Views Tom Spring, PC World (Mar 3)

24 strange sites found through Google Street Views.

"With the unblinking eye of Google's Street Views, anyone can be a virtual rubbernecker. And some of the things you can spot using the service are downright unexplainable."

Also see story of Cheating husband caught on Google Street View? by Chris Matyszczyk. CNet News (Mar 30)

Google Earth Street View

Using Street View in Google Earth by Google Earth Blog (Mar 26)

It's not always easy to figure these things out. This posting has a "How To" video on how Street View works and looks in Google Earth.

Street Views in the UK and Canada

Google Street View mapping service launched in UK , Telegraph UK (Mar 19)

The 3D street view in Google Maps has reached the UK - "25 British cities, including London, Manchester and Edinburgh, with other major towns following in the coming months. "

However, you can't just go to maps.google.co.uk and expect to see these. Use the instructions in Blosocoped - Google Street View Launched in UK and Netherlands. Use the pegman.

The Telegraph article mentioned that street views are available in Canada. But not from Google - not yet.

Sarah Perez writing for Read Write Web points us to A Better Street View Comes to Canada (Mar 18)

"Parts of Canada finally have their own Street View maps, but surprisingly, they didn't come from Google. Instead, the maps were created in a joint effort between British Columbia-based Canpages.ca and San Francisco-based MapJack, two companies that have teamed up to provide the service which Google has yet to bring to Canada. These new Street View maps also have features that the search engine giant doesn't offer, including a fullscreen mode and views of pedestrian pathways where cars can't travel."

MapQuest is Stronger

How The New Toolbar and On-Map Search Tool from MapQuest Saved My Trip To Chicago! by Jarrod Krug, Mapquest blog (Mar 120

Many improvements at Mapquest. This article describes the new features of the toolabar.

"As fate would have it, I had my laptop and was near a coffee shop with WIFI. Once settled, I opened MapQuest.com, downloading and installing the new MapQuest Toolbar into my browser. The new toolbar not only allows you to easily search Maps, Directions, Gas Prices, and Traffic from your browser anytime, it has a new "Find Me" feature that I was going to put to good use. Using the Skyhook Wireless Loki plugin, "Find Me" was able to approximate my location on my MapQuest map of Chicago.

Google Earth The Best

Google Earth from The Technophile in The Guardian (Feb 12)

Here's another guide to version 5.0 of Google Earth. The Guardian says "Forget the rest, Google Earth is still the best"

Four Online Map Services

Different Directions: Online mapping services are changing by Don Reisinger, Webware (Feb 4)

Don Reisinger researched the four major services--Google Maps, Live Search Maps, MapQuest, and Yahoo Maps-- and concluded - "I've come to a staggering conclusion: I'd only consider using one of those apps". Guess which one.

Google Latitude for Location

Do You Know Where Your Kid Is? Check Google's Maps By MICHAEL LIEDTKE AP via ABC News (Feb 4)

Mobile users with Google Maps can broadcast where they are with Latitude - "The new software released Wednesday will enable people with mobile phones and other wireless devices to automatically share their whereabouts with family and friends." This will be available in the US and 26 other countries including Canada.

Privacy issues? Maybe not - a person has to turn it on, and Google is not keeping a history of movements - just the last location.

Desktop users can also participate - and see where their friends are.

Live Blog of Google Ocean Event

Live Blogging The Google Earth 5.0 / Google Ocean Event by Danny Sullivan, Search Engine Land (Feb 2)

Greg Sterling and Danny Sullivan attended the unveiling of Google Earth with Oceans. Sullivan "live blogged" the event. It's almost as good as a video. Read and enjoy - and link to other blogs and articles.

Google Earth Adds Oceans

Google Earth now includes the oceans - dive and fly -
earth.google.com/ocean. People love it. Here are three articles from today:

Video: Google Earth dives into the sea, CBS via Webware (Feb 3)

Getting Your Feet Wet With Google Ocean: First Look in Images Tom Spring, PC World (Feb 2)

Article gives a tour with screenshots -- "Google takes a deep-sea plunge with Google Earth 5 beta, which adds a new feature called Google Ocean. With this introduction to the mapping software, you can travel far below the surface to spot shipwrecks, track the movements of great white sharks, and wander the ocean floor--no scuba equipment required."

Google Earth upgrade opens ocean of possibilities by Matt Hartley, Globe and Mail (Feb 2)

Highlights same features but with Canadian examples -- "Canadian users can also see the rate at which ice is disappearing from the Arctic, track the migrations of satellite-tagged sea life and use the Dead Zone layer to explore areas unable to sustain marine life, such as the St. Lawrence Estuary and Vancouver Island's Saanich Inlet."

Video tour begins off coast Hawaii with some deep diving. Awesome.

Birds and Google Earth

Google Earth reveals hidden oasis, BirdLife, 26-01-2009

Good use of Google Earth if it leads to preserving this area - not if it means the tourist industry or developers try to move in:

"Space may be the final frontier, but scientists who recently discovered a hidden forest in Mozambique show the uncharted can still be under our noses. BirdLife were part of a team of scientists who used Google Earth to identify a remote patch of pristine forest. An expedition to the site discovered new species of butterfly and snake, along with seven Globally Threatened birds."

Google Transit

Test Drive New Transit Site at Google Lat Long (Jan 22)

"Now when you visit maps.google.com/transit, you'll find a heatmap representation with pins that indicate where we can offer you full schedule routing. "

Google Transit has several Canadian cites: Vancouver, Ottawa, Hamilton, York Region, Montreal, and Fredericton - BUT NOT Toronto.

Get this text listing of all cities or use the balloons on Google Maps (tho - in the case of Canada, it's odd to see the balloon for Vancouver near Prince Rupert.)

Google Earth with Imagery

Google Earth gets ultra-high-resolution artwork, by Rafe Needleman, Webware (Jan 13)

"The digital globe app Google Earth (download) is getting new imagery from inside buildings. One, at least: a new layer gives viewers gigapixel (ultra-high-resolution) photos of artwork from inside the Prado Museum in Madrid, Spain. The Prado project also includes detailed exterior views of the museum's buildings. See Google's blog post on the new layer. "

Google Maps with Public Transit

Google Maps Adds Public Transit Data In 50 Cities by Matt McGee, Search Engine Land (Jan 13)

Google Maps has added public transit data in more than 50 cities around the world. The only Canadian city is Montreal - several others are in Europe, and the United States.

Get full list and see how it works from Google LatLong - New ways to get around with the Transit Layer

Google Street View as a Sleuthing Tool

Google search finds missing child . BBC News (Jan 9)

Google Street View and GPS signal from a mobile phone helped locate a 9-year-old girl in a hotel in Athol, Massachusetts.

Google Maps and Google Street View

If you love maps online, here are two reviews.

The Year in Google Maps , at Google Maps Mania (Dec 8) -- the changes at Google Maps from January to November 2008

Street View: A year in review, the Official Google Blog (Dec 9) -- in January it had 23 US cities; now it is around the world (but not in Canada).

Google Earth used by terrorists

Google Earth Used by Terrorists in India Attacks John Ribeiro, IDG News Service via PCWorld (Nov 30)

This was predictable - but how could we have stopped it?

"The terrorists that attacked various locations in south Mumbai last week used digital maps from Google Earth to learn their way around, according to officials investigating the attacks."

MapQuest is back on the Map

MapQuest: “We’ve Come Out Of Hibernation” by Mike Blumenthal, Search Engine Land (Nov 25)

MapQuest is finally responding to the challenges in local search presented by mapping services at Google, Yahoo and Live.

"Despite perceptions, MapQuest is actually a more popular mapping destination than Google or Yahoo’s map sites, and the company continues to innovate and push out new features and services, with a renewed level of energy in recent months. What follows is my Q&A with Mark Law, Vice President of Product Development and Christian Dwyer, Senior Vice President & General Manager, MapQuest, Inc."

MapQuest has been around for several years - "MapQuest was originally founded in the 1960s by R.R. Donnelley & Sons in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, as a cartographic services division responsible for creating free road maps given to gas station customers."

Pegman in Google's Street View

Google revamps Street View interface by Stephen Shankland, Webware (Nov 25)

Drag a pegman to where you want to see the street view. Article has screenshots on what this will look like.

Also see Happier travels through Street View with Pegman at Google Lat Long Blog.

Street View is available for US cities and some other countries - not Canada for personal privacy reasons. See http://maps.google.com/help/maps/streetview/

MyMapquest

Mapquest takes another baby step forward by Rafe Needleman, Webware (Nov 20)

More improvements to Mapquest.

"You can now save personal data in your My MapQuest account -- like your home and work addresses, your mobile numbers, and car's mileage. The first two features make it easier to create a route involving one of your typical hangouts and send it off to a phone. The third helps you with your expense reports or taxes."

Ancient Rome in Google Earth

Google Earth's ancient Roman holiday, Stephen Musil, Webware (Nov 12)

Google Earth is more and more amazing - "Google's "Ancient Rome 3-D" offers a 3D simulation of the ancient city at the height of its power. The new layer for the tool allows virtual time-traveling tourists to fly around the city and zoom in to explore ancient structures as they likely looked at the time, including the Colosseum, the Forum, and the Circus Maximus. Pop-up windows offer historical information. "

It's on my vacation to-do list.

Edit Wars

Google Maps: Will Edit Wars go Politically Postal? by Mike Blumenthal, Understanding Google Maps and Yahoo Local Search (Nov

There is the potential for wars and hijackings at Google Maps as people argue about labels, locations, and additions. Blumenthal shows one of the edit pages at Google Maps.

Microsoft maps with panoramas

Microsoft maps get Photosynth panoramas by Stephen Shankland, Webware (Nov 6)

You have to have time for this and an inclination for tinkering.

"Microsoft now lets people using its Live Search Maps service get a more immersive view by integrating the company's Photosynth panoramic viewer technology. "

Google Street Views Spreading

Google Street View Tidbits, Google Operating System (Oct 27)

"After launching Street View in the US, Australia, Japan and France, Google will expand the coverage to Spain tomorrow. The next countries will be Italy, Germany, UK and the Netherlands. Google has just started to capture photos in the Eastern Europe, as you can see from these images taken in Bucharest, Romania."

See some examples of these shots in the posting.

Ooo La La

Google's Street View arrives in France by Stephen Shankland (Oct 15)

"Google has begun expanding its Street View feature of Google Maps to several major cities in France, the first European country to get the Internet giant's driver's-eye view."

Mapquest adds local info

MapQuest taps Yelp info for local push by Stephen Shankland, Webware (OCt 9)

"MapQuest will begin showing business reviews from start-up Yelp on Thursday, part of a plan to expand from just a mapping site into a go-to hub of local information. "

Geode knows where you are

Firefox Geode: Web sites know where you areby Stephen Shankland, Webware (Oct 7)

"... Mozilla Labs released a Firefox plug-in Tuesday called Geode that lets Web sites figure out a person's approximate geographic location and use it in online services--as long as you grant the software permission to access the information. "

Live Search Maps

Microsoft updates Live Hotmail and Maps Josh Lowensohn, Webware (Sept 29)

"... Live Search Maps , Microsoft's online mapping tool has a really neat new way to get directions using local landmarks and local businesses. If the service picks up on one of these landmarks as part of your route, it will use it in addition to the street name. Oftentimes this comes in handy where a business has better signage than the city, which in the case of car dealerships and fast food restaurants is almost always true."

Google Maps has New York Transit

Google Maps groks New York public transit by Stephen Shankland, Webware (Sept 23)

"The online map service now has data from New York's Metropolitan Transit Agency, one of the largest, most complicated, and most widely used transportation systems. It includes data from buses and subways, the Long Island Rail Road, the Long Island Bus, the Metro-North Railroad, and the MTA Bus Company. And it connects to regional systems, including New Jersey Transit's commuter rail, light rail and bus service, the Staten Island Ferry, and the Port Authority's PATH Rail, AirTrain JFK, and AirTrain Newark. "

Google Maps for Researchers

September 2008 InfoTip: Cool Uses for Google Maps by Mary Ellen Bates (Sept)

Tips from a professional researcher on how to use Google Maps for more than getting driving directions.

IE7 with Live Search Maps

Adding Live Search Maps As An Internet Explorer Search Provider , Virtual Earth -(Sept 21)

Describes how to add Live Search Maps to IE7.

"image If you have Internet Explorer 7, you may be aware of the ability to add custom search providers to your browser. This allows you to add not just Live, Google and Yahoo!, but the likes of specific web site searches such as ESPN, Facebook or Target (yes, the retailer)! I figured there's enough map lovers out there who may just want to search the Virtual Earth-based consumer site Live Search Maps right from the comfort of their own browser. "

Google Earth

10 Amazing Google Earth Add-Ons Alex and James Turnbull, PCWorld (Sep 1)

Fascinating -- "Maps from centuries past, paths of satellites whizzing by, global warming brought to life: User-created Google Earth mashups present a dizzying array of information in a new and imaginative graphical form." - Article has screenshot with informative text for each machup.

MapQuest Evolutionary

MapQuest inches toward modernity by Rafe Needleman, Webware (Aug 26)

Updates coming to Mapquest, once king of online maps and now being outshone by Google and MSN.

"In a nutshell, the changes are evolutionary and to my mind required if the app to stay relevant. But the MapQuest team has to be careful with its updates, since so many general users of the service are accustomed to its somewhat old-fashioned interface and market-trailing features. Of his users, Law says simply, "They don't want to see a lot of change.""

Maps and photos

Flickr taps into open source for better maps. Yahoo Maps to follow? By Josh Lowensohn, Webware (Aug 13)

"Flickr is now utilizing maps from the wiki-based Open Street Map project to improve the detail level on cities where Yahoo's maps fall short." ... "What was once a brown blob now has streets, landmarks, and of course geotagged shots."

Yahoo Maps

Yahoo Maps Now With Better Search Integration & New Features, Barrty Schwartz, Search Engine Land (Aug 1)

Yahoo Maps -- "The main improvements include better local search integration, usability enhancements, and printable view changes."

New version seems to be true for Canada also except that the satellite view is not as detailed as for the US, there is no option to find businesses on the map, and of course there is no live traffic. I think there has been some loss of detail for rural Ontario - or perhaps Yahoo Canada never had it.

Google Maps - good or evil?

Are Google Maps good or evil? By Stephen Shankland, Webware (July 22)

Two articles - "One argued that Google Maps helps awful people find you, but the other argued Google Maps helps you find awful people." . Good or evil - that is the question.

Google Street Views in the UK

Google defends Street View tool , BBC (Jul 7)

Privacy International in the UK has said that Google Street view for UK cities "could breach data protection laws if people's faces were shown." But Google says that it blurs the faces.

Interesting - since public spaces in the UK is extensively monitoried through cameras as it is.

Ask.com outsources maps to Microsoft

Ask.com Drops Map Product & Outsources To Microsoft Virtual Earth by Barry Schwartz, Search Engine Land (July 2)

Another shoe dropped - Ask dumped its own map product (which was very impressive) and replaced it with Microsoft's Virtual Earth. And so the world (and especially Ask.com) shrinks.

"Virtual Earth can now be found on Ask Maps, Ask City, and within Ask's search results as Smart Answers. It is a shame to see Ask.com dissolve the mapping service, but it really comes as no surprise to me as they continue to cut costs and outsource innovation to other companies."

Google Map Maker

Google Map Maker: Unleash your inner cartographer By Stephen Shankland, Webware (June 24)

"Google ... unveiled a new Web-based tool, Map Maker, that lets people add roads, lakes, businesses, and other features to unmapped regions of Google Maps." These unmapped regions include Cyprus, Iceland, Pakistan, and Vietnam and the Caribbean.

MyMaps with QuikMaps

Quikmaps does what Google Maps failed to do By Josh Lowensohn, Webware (June 18)

Google MyMaps was not easy to use - I can attest to that. Josh Lowensohn says " <b>Quikmaps , a third party tool that plugs into the same Google Maps data, is a far simpler solution letting you simply doodle on the map." Has screenshot that proves it's possible to use it.

Google Maps with Public Transit

Google Takes the Bus (and Subway, and...) by Barb Iverson, Poynter ONline (May 29)

Finally, a map service from Google that caters to people who use public transit.

"Google is using its maps service to boost public transit and assist new riders or out-of-town visitors by offering information on how to make trips by public transit in several cities and countries. This service includes instructional videos, trip scheduling, and covers various modes of transit (bus, light rail, subway etc.). Some areas (but not all) also offer fare information directly through Google Maps."

See the cities and start a search at Google Maps Transit. 0 Shows Vancouver, Fredericton and Montreal - No Toronto!

Google Earth Browser Plugin

Mainstreaming Google Earth By Plugging It Into The Browser by Greg Sterling, Search Engine Land (May 28)

Google Earth to be available through the browser for Windows users.

Google Earth - Google News Mashup

Mashup alert: Google Earth gets Google News By Stephen Shankland, WebWare (May 20)

"Google has added a new layer to Google Earth that shows Google News related to the area shown on the screen."

"The Internet has made global news a reality, but there are several efforts under way to meet the demand for local news, too. Google News can be customized to show headlines from a given city, state, or ZIP code, and MetaCarta overlays links to local news on a Google map."

Climate Change Map

Animated map brings climate to life by JEREMY LOVELL, Reuters via Globe and Mail (May 19)

Animated map that uses Google Earth shows effects of climate change on the world over the next 100 years.

"The project, Climate Change in Our World, is the result of co-operation between web search engine Google, Britain's Environment Ministry and the country's Met Office."

" The Google map shows the world heating as the years advance, with some of the greatest temperature increases at the ice-bound poles where vast areas turn red indicating rises well into double digits.

The map also offers specific information on local impacts and actions people can and in some cases already are taking."

See Google Earth Outreach - http://earth.google.com/outreach/index.html

Need to install Google Earth to view the map.

Google Maps - Photos and Real Estate

Google Maps adds user-created photos, videos, maps By Elinor Mills, Webward (May 14)

Google offers one more place to stick your photos.

Google Maps will show "photos, videos, and maps that people have created about different locations around the world".

Great for armchair travellers, but will remove all surprise for travellers. What happens with the architectural gem is torn down, or the beautiful wetland is filled with overstuffed houses, or the dramatic cliffside is blown up for aggregate?

Also - Google adds real estate listings to Maps - that should make for some very crowded maps for US cities.

And - Google Maps becoming a gateway by Matthew Ingram, Globe and Mail (May 14) - there are wikipedia entries too.

"And finally, Google has added Wikipedia entries for various locations -- so that when you search Halifax, for example, you can click on the thumbnail of an encyclopedia entry for the city and read about the famous explosion in 1917 that destroyed much of the town."

Do all of this from your cell phone or Blackberry.

Blurred Faces

Google Starts to Blur Faces in Street View Photos by Brian Bergstein, AP (May 14)

Google should have been more sensitive to protecting privacy in their street views from the outset.

"After privacy complaints, Google Inc. is beginning to automatically blur faces of people captured in the street photos taken for its Internet map program. Rolling it out will take several months, however."

Google Maps getting photos

Google Maps Adds Pictures & Explore Feature by Chris Silver Smith, Search Engine Land (May 8)

Google Map results could have geo-coded images from Picasa or Panoramio beside maps on an address search.

"The new feature now displays the images by default — apparently somewhat randomly selected — along with links to some popular searchs and user-created maps for the area."

Has screen shots, which is a good thing. I tried several addresses without seeing any photos.

Street views in driving directions

Google map directions get Street View By Stephen Shankland, Webware (Apr 29)

Driving directions on Google Maps will have street views - only in the US so far.

"Google Street View is available in 44 areas of the United States, and there are strong signs Google is bringing Street View to Europe. Street View is available through the Google Maps programming interface so that those using Google Maps can add Street View abilities to their Web sites."

Also Google Adds Street Views To Step-By-Step Driving Directions by Barry Schwartz, Search Engine Land -- good screen shots.

Google and 3D Oceanography

Google diving into 3D mapping of oceans By Elinor Mills ,Webware (Apr 30)

Google may get into mapping the ocean - making a trio of Google Earth, Google Sky, and Google Ocean.

"The tool--for now called Google Ocean, the sources say, though that name could change--is expected to be similar to other 3D online mapping applications. People will be able to see the underwater topography, called bathymetry; search for particular spots or attractions; and navigate through the digital environment by zooming and panning. (The tool, however, is not to be confused with the "Google Ocean" project by France-based Magic Instinct Software that uses Google Earth as a visualization tool for marine data.)"

Benefits: "In addition to the "wow factor" Google Ocean will no doubt have for amateur oceanographers, marine enthusiasts, and anyone fascinated by the movie 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, the project has the potential to promote more collaboration and advance research."

Geographic way to search

Search for Mapped Web Pages in Google Maps Google Operating System (Apr 20)

Google Maps has picked up the map view available through Google Experimental.

"This is an entire new way to search the web by changing the focus from general information to geographical information. You could use it to search for people, companies, organizations, events, traditional food or anything that could be connected to a location."

Posting has screen shots. This really will be an interesting way to search the web. We should be able to do some creative things with it.

Google Maps - Traffic

Google Maps Now Offers Traffic Predictions by Greg Sterling, Search Engine Land (Apr 17)

"... Google Maps has introduced its own version of traffic predictions, based on historical traffic information."

Google Earth 4.3

The new Google Earth has landed by Jessica Dolcourt, CNET via WebWare (Apr 15)

Love virtual travel? Google Earth has new features to keep you at your computer day and night.

"Hot on the heels of major improvements to Microsoft Virtual Earth, Google Earth has had a few big announcements of its own. "

New York Times is involved too.

NY Times Teams with Google Earth. Why Not You, Too? Amy Gahram, Poynter Online (Apr 15)

"On Apr. 7, Google announced that it is collaborating with the New York Times (which geocodes its news) to add a New York Times "layer" in the popular Web-enabled 3D mapping tool."

There is a video that explaiins how to do it.

Competition in Online Maps

Google, Yahoo and Live Expanding Their Maps, Marketing Pilgrim (Apr 11)

Jordan McCollum has sorted it out for us - changes at Live Maps, Yahoo Maps, and Google Maps Street Views is Australia (Australians aren't happy).

It's nice that these mapping tools have so many views of Las Vegas but who needs it? Las Vegas is a simple grid.

Yahoo Maps adds Imagery

Yahoo Adds Much More Imagery To Maps by Greg Sterling, Search Engine Land (Apr 11)

Microsoft isn't the only one enhancing maps. Yahoo has added aerial and satellite imagery for the US market. Is Yahoo acting like the last rose of summer - blooming in a last gasp.

Upgrades to Live Maps

Live Maps added traffic updates and many new features this week. Full details in these two articles at WebWare - with glorious screen shots.

Live Maps gets a major upgrade by Harrison Hoffman

"Live Maps now offers a wealth of new features, including exporting to GPS devices, improved 3D imagery, and one of my personal favorites, MapCruncher integration."

Beyond Microsoft's new traffic-avoidance feature by Rafe Needleman

"Today Microsoft announced a new feature on its Live Search Maps service: Clearflow, an option that will alter driving directions based on traffic, not just on the usually metered major freeways, but on adjoining connector ramps and streets as well."

A commenter on this post said that Clearflow will not be reliable - uPostLive - for a wiki-style traffic watch system. Today's communications are going beyond sci-fi.

Errors in Maps

Top Causes of Errors in Online Mapping Systems by Chris Silver Smith, Search Engine Land (Apr 7)

Beware - the online maps have many mistakes (must be true for the GPS car systems too).

"Causes of internet map errors range from digital mapping methodology, data errors, data interpretation errors, usability errors, and errors in interpreting user queries."

Mashup on US Foreclosures

Foreclosures Shown on Scary, Encroaching Heat Maps TechCrunch(Apr 7)

Very interesting use of maps at HotPads - and the information about the extent of foreclosures in the US residential market is frightening.

"If you want to see in stark colors exactly how the mortgage credit crisis is spreading across the country, go to real estate search site HotPads and look at the foreclosure heat maps in your area."

Street Views

Google Earth to get Street View within 'weeks' by Rafe Needleman, Webware (Mar 31)

Google Earth, the 3D view of the earth, may be getting the Street View that is currently available in Google Maps for some US cities. Google collects these middle-distance overhead imagery from airplanes.

Of interest: "Google's aerial images are seamlessly integrated into Google Earth already, in contrast to Microsoft's Live Search Maps, which forces the user to turn on the "Bird's-Eye" mode to see aircraft imagery. Microsoft has street-level imaging product in open beta testing, but it is not integrated into its mapping product yet."

Mapping Marketshare

Mapping Marketshare: Maps Up, Mapquest Down & Yahoo Local is UP! Blumenthals.com (Mar 25)

Google Maps has 21% of market in the US, taking some users away from MapQuest. Figures were from Hitwise.

Traffic Conditions on Maps

Announcing MapQuest Traffic, Mapquest (Mar 17)

Mapquest now shows traffic conditions in "most major US cities". It shows flow and incidents. Google, Yahoo, and Live also have this.

In Canada, Live Maps shows traffic conditions in Toronto and Montreal. Canadian Traffic Information from Globis Data Inc also covers those two cities.

Some of Canada.com's ciity guides show live traffic cameras, such as this one for Hamilton .

Google Sky

Google Sky brings the heavens to a browser near you by Leslie Haines, The Register (Mar 14)

Google Sky is now available through any web browser.

"The material on offer includes some nice Hubble snaps, Chandra X-ray, GALEX Ultraviolet and Spitzer infrared showcases, and a historical layer showing how past generations viewed the vast majesty of space. There's more, including an ominous-sounding "Earth & Sky Podcasts" button, but we decided not to open the airlock doors on that particular piece of Web 2.0."

Google Removes Photos of Fort Sam Houston

US bans military sites on Google maps By Sophie Borland, Telegraph UK (Mar 3)

No more "street views" of US military bases - and likely any other close-up photos. Maybe we should start questioning close-up views of any place.

"The US defence department has banned Google from taking pictures of its military sites because it says it is a "potential threat" to security.

It follows the discovery of detailed of images of the Fort Sam Houston army base in Texas, on the Google Maps web service which clearly showed the location of barriers, headquarters and control points. "

Yahoo Maps Tools

Yahoo Maps Adds More Data, Other Improvements by Greg Sterling, Search Engine Land (Mar 6)

"Yahoo Maps has announced a range of improvements. These include expanded global coverage, including better data and coverage of Eastern Europe; and, in the US, more "granular" neighborhood data for 300 cities and 12,000 neighborhoods. Functionality has been improved as well. Tiles are "lighter" for faster load times, colors and styles have been adjusted and there are several other visual improvements."

Yahoo also has <b>MapMixer for users to use to create maps.

Google Street Maps

Google has street maps for 30 US cities now. See them on this map - click on the camera icons.

Libraries Map Mashup

Best of ResourceShelf: Libraries411.com: Maps “Mashup” Combines Public Library Location Info with Yahoo and Google Maps (Jan 13)

Libraries 411 is a mashup to show public libraries in Canada and the United States on online maps.

It reads you IP number to know where you are, but you can also search by zip or postal code or by name. You can also save the map, get directions, and switch between Google, Yahoo and MSN.

Images from Google Maps

20 Awesome Images Found In Google Maps by Chris Silver Smith, Search Engine Land (Jan 14)

Guide to the "top coolest things to see in Google Maps." Those satellite images show a lot.

Google Earth Stories

Top 25 Stories of Google Earth 2007 Google Earth Blog (Dec 27)

"The following are my favorite stories about Google Earth in 2007."

More Collaboration on Google My Maps

Google Turning My Maps Into Social Mapping Platform With Collaboration, Ratings And Comments by Greg Sterling, Search Engine Land (Dec 13)

Google has been adding feature to Google Maps through the year to make them more personal. My Maps made it possible for people to create mashups.

"Then last month, Google introduced community editing and collaboration for My Maps. And today, Google is introducing comments and ratings for My Maps."

Live Search Maps Canada

Live Search Maps for Canada - http://maps.live.com/?mkt=en-ca&setlang=en-ca

Live Search Maps for Canada has improved greatly but it still doesn't match the detailed aerial views of many places in Canada that Google Maps has.

It uses data from Navteq. The controls and ease of use make this an attractive online mapping tool.

+ Get road, aerial, and hybrid views - standard now. In Toronto, shows TTC subway stops. But in smaller centres, such as Sudbury, has road but not aerial.

+ Use 3D for bird's eye view but must install Virtual Earth. See this posting at LiveSide for more information and youtube video - Live Maps to incorporate Birds Eye view into 3D maps (Oct 16, 2007)

+ Create a Ccollection - add points of interest with pushpins - save and share. See this collection of points in Oliphant and area.

+ Save location.

+ Get traffic - at least for Toronto - see this view of downtown Toronto - click on Traffic button to see activity.

+ Send map in email or, if using MSN Spaces, blog it.

Ask.com Maps in the UK

Ask.com’s Interactive Maps and Dynamic Directions Come to Ask UK, ResourceShelf (Dec 1)

"A very quick note to point out that Ask Maps including both walking and driving directions are now available on Ask UK for the United Kingdom. The same services are also available for Ireland. The service works just like the Ask.com (U.S.) version."

OK - when can we expect this in Canada?

Faces on Google Street View

Google Making Street View Anonymous Robert McMillan, IDG News Service via PC World (Nov 30)

"Google is making changes to its European launch of Street View to protect the privacy of those it photographs, may do the same for U.S. version."

Arctic Ice Melting

Arctic Ice Melting Animation in Google Earth Google Earth Blog (Nov 26)

"The National Snow and Ice Data Center has a time animation which shows the extent of ice melting in September of each year since 1979."

Weather on Google Earth

Google Earth Gets Weather Layer Googlified (Nov 9)

The new version of Google Earth has a "“Weather” layer showing constantly updated weather information like the clouds and radar images overlaying the map ..."

Live Maps Better

Microsoft Releases New Maps, Local And Mobile Upgrades Search Engine Land (Oct 15)

Microsoft has added "feature and content enhancements for maps, local and mobile services".

How Google Earth is Made

Google Earth - How Google Maps the World Simson Garfinkel, Technology Review (Nov/Dec 2007)

Fascinating -- Images in Google Maps a"re actually a combination of aerial photos and satellite ­imagery--and a lot of post­processing. Technology Review interviewed engineers at Google and at ­DigitalGlobe, the company that supplies Google's satellite photos, and did a little bit of reverse-engineering to figure out how it works."

New MapQuest

MapQuest is taking a page from the others and adding more features and razzle dazzle to their online map service. There is a short demo showing the features.

At MapQuest (beta) the first map you see is on North America - Canada included. It can give street directions in Toronto and find the pizza places. That's all that I ask.

MapQuest Rebuilds 'From The Ground Up' Greg Sterling, Search Engine Land (Oct 12)

Geotagged Videos

News.blog: Google Earth's geotagged YouTube videos Josh Lowensohn,
CNET News.com (Oct 12)

Google Earth has a new layer that permits viewing YouTube videos of the place.

"With the layer enabled, videos will pop up anywhere you are on the map and play on the video's page on YouTube if you click the thumbnail. PC users get a slightly better experience than Mac or and Linux users, as the videos will play right inside the application."

More instructions and description in the article.

Transit on Google Maps

Google Transit Now in Google Maps Barry Schwartz (Oct 8) - select cities in the United States plus Japan.

Street Level Imagery

Street-Level Imagery for Canada? What About Other Countries?, ResourceShelf (Sep 25)

Lists "numerous sources for 360 street-level imagery (both static and live) from around the globe."

Maps for Visualizing Data

New Research Paper and Demo: Hotmap and How People Use Online Maps from Microsoft Research, ResourceShelf (Sep 27)

The research paper, Hotmap: Looking at Geographic Attention, is about using maps for visualizing data and tracking related user data. There are other examples of use of maps in this posting.

Google Sky Shots

In Pictures: Most Spectacular Sights in Google Sky PCWorld (Sept )

PCWorld has a slideshow with views from Google Sky. There are also instructions to help you get started using Google Sky to " travel the far reaches of the universe." Google Sky is a separate application - requires Windows XP and above.

Mapping Sites

Kings of the Road: The Web's Best Mapping Sites by Steve Bass, PCWorld (Sept 13)

Steve Bass gives us a comparative review of the five major web mapping sites - Ask City, Google Maps, MapQuest, Microsoft Live Search Maps, and Yahoo Maps. His conclusion - "annotation and other tools gave Microsoft Live and Ask City a slight edge over Yahoo Maps, and a substantial advantage over Google Maps and MapQuest." There is an excellent chart comparing features for each.

Ask City - Key sentence - "While not available for Canadian cities, Ask City is one snazzy map app if you're travelling to the US." Maps will show for Canadian places but you can't find streets or businesses. But for American cities, you can circle an area, zoom into it, search only it, get walking directions, jump to another part of the city. Terrific.

Google Maps does cover Canada well but I must admit that, like Bass, I experienced great difficulty figuring out the My Maps features.

MapQuest is probably the favourite in Canada. The yellow-page side of local search is well covered for Canadian places. But there are a lot of ads and popups, and the directions for shortest time, at least in Toronto, are way off.

Microsoft Live Search Maps is better than MapQuest for Canadian maps. Not all the features Bass describes are available - eg no Traffic. However, there are yellow page listings, 2D and 3D views (though I didn't test this - read Bass's comments before you try), it can find landmarks, and the scratch pad is very useful.

Yahoo Maps is very good in the United States but not in Canada. It can give directions (same ones as Mapquest) but no businesses or landmarks. Closest pizza place for Torontonians is in Niagara Falls, NY. It's odd that Rogers doesn't help out all its Ontario users by adding yellow page services to Yahoo Maps for Canada.

Steve Bass has a section on mashups of maps with other information for people in the US.

Conclusion: For maps and services in Canada Live Maps is the best and Google Maps comes in second.

Google Street-Level Views

Google's new street-level view concerns Privacy Commissioner, Terry Pedwell, CP via Globe and Mail (Sep 12)

Jennifer Stoddart, Canada's Privacy Commissioner, says many of the street-level images Google has on the Internet could break Canada's privacy laws.

"I am concerned that, if the Street View application were deployed in Canada, it might not comply with our federal privacy legislation," Ms. Stoddart says in a letter to David Drummond, Google's senior vice-president of corporate development and chief legal officer.

"In particular, it does not appear to meet the basic requirements of knowledge, consent, and limited collection and use as set out in the legislation."

Comments are interesting - people point out that public scapes are filmed and photographed every day and that privacy is often impinged upon by film crews. Whether they are for or against, the point is that the horse has left the stable.

Map Mashups

Online maps offer more than directions By Kim Komando, Gannett News Service via USA Today (Aug 31)

Lots on mashups. Tips - "Do a Web search for whatever you're trying to find. Include "map" as a search term. You'll probably find a site that has what you need. Some focus on a specific geographic area."

Maps in one place

Flash Earth Puts Google Earth, Virtual Earth & Others On Web, Barry Schwartz, Search engine land (Aug 29)

"Flash Earth gives you mapping data from Google Earth, Microsoft Virtual Earth, Yahoo Maps, OpenLayers and NASA Terra. "

Note the words of caution at the Flash Earth site - "Flash Earth is an experimental application that uses satellite and aerial imagery from online mapping websites without official consent."

Try it now because tomorrow it could be gone. I used it to find my cottage through Google Earth and then it seized possibly because of jamming from Google.

Map Sites

Track Your Google Searches, Improve Your IQ by Steve Bass, PC WOrld (May 9)

Interesting for Some Smart, Cool, and Useful Maps - birders, try Geobirds, an online birdwatching destination.

Google Earth with real time traffic

Google Earth Adds Real Time Traffic Layer Barry Schwartz, Search engine land (Aug 21)

"By activating the traffic layer, little green, yellow and red balls are overlaid on the highways and roads, each symbolize the level of traffic congestion in that area." - has screenshot. What's next?

Bits from Bass

Please Do Not Use These Programs for Illegal Purposes, Steve Bass, PCWorld (Aug 21)

Today's column is packed with goodies - "Powerful new tools let you search for free software and music, zoom in on landmarks and buildings, and add comments to news stories."

Try Microsoft's Photosynth for virtual travel - but will need XP on a Vista capable machine.

And for people keen on really stretching Google by using the syntax, Jason Stallings, author of Google Hacks, has created a program that sets up the query for searches for music, tools, video and other types. Worth trying to see the query - though it won't always find something. The download comes with a Blue Shirt Studio toolbar for Firefox. If you are a technophile you might use this - otherwise don't install it.

Toronto Area Mashups

Oodles of Googles DAVID SILVERBERG, Globe and Mail (Aug 4)

Mashups of information and maps for the Toronto area. Try the Toronto Transit Trip Planner to get subway stops and bus numbers; or TaxiWiz for the estimated cost of a taxi trip.

Nanaimo on Google Earth

Visitors to Google Earth put Nanaimo on map by HAYLEY MICK AND SIRI AGRELL, Globe and Mail (Aug 6)

Nanaimo on Vancouver Island wants to be seen. It has become the most active supplier of geographic data to Google Earth. "The site allows people to zoom in on satellite imagery of city landmarks, arriving ferries and even local bus routes and view them as it they are flying overhead." It's been done at the high resolution of 10 centimetres on the ground equalling one pixel on Google Earth.

"As Google Earth expands its capabilities – and the Nanaimo government makes even more civic information accessible – users will some day be able to see what roads are closed for construction on a given day, what area of the waterfront will be the site of a fireworks festival, current assessments of property values, city ordinance, traffic updates and other valuable information."

And BC plans to do more.

"About 100 cities are providing detailed information to Google Maps, Mr. Jones said. This month, B.C.'s Agriculture and Lands Minister met with top Google Earth brass to discuss the province supplying updated information for Google Earth and Google Maps. If the project goes ahead, British Columbia would be the first Canadian province to provide information on things such as traffic and mineral resources."

Make Your Own Map

At TinyMap you can locate places on a map and show the waypoints - directions to that place or spots of interest - then publish the map. There are little icons for marking the kind of place of interest - photography, walking etc - but not a method for adding photos.

Google Earth

Google Lat Long Blog has news and notes from the Google Earth and Maps team.

Google Earth Blog is about "sharing the best news, interesting sights, technology, and happenings for Google Earth."

Google Mapplets

Google Mapplets mashup mania By Alex Zaharov-Reutt, ITWire (Jul 15)

Google's new Mapplets - "making it possible for Google Maps users to customize and overlay lots of different information over maps than simply street names and the standard “points of interest” like parks, street lights, gas stations, churches, schools, parks and more."

"Google’s Mapplets are currently available to users in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Italty, Germany, Spain, France, the Netherlands, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden and Russia, and is available in English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Dutch, Danish, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish, Russian and Chinese."

Google Street View

Google viewed from ground level, Craig Crossman, Seattle Times (Jul 9)

Crossman loves the Street View to Google Maps. It's only available for New York City, Miami, San Francisco, Las Vegas and Denver.

"Street View works with the drawn map image underneath the Street View window as well as the Satellite, and the Hybrid option that combines both of them as an overlay. So as you move the avatar, a corresponding photo of the location will appear."

Google My Maps

Google creates new avenue to unite mapping mashups, AP via International Herald Tribune (July 11)

My Maps is a new offering at Google whereby developers of the popular mashups of information with maps can jion with other mashups through mapplets. "Now, users with Google log-ins will be able to pick from more than 100 mapplets to customize and save their own maps. "

Also - Google lets users overlay data on personalized maps By Eric Auchard, Reuters via Washington Post - describes it as "MyMaps, as the new feature is known, allows consumers to select from more than one hundred mini-applications created by independent software developers. These allow users to overlay data on top of Google's popular online map service."

Learn more at maps.google.com

See Google Maps Mania blog for news about Google Maps and examples.

One example is of embedding maps is The Big Map at MyMapsPlus which pin points other "my maps".

Google Earth picks out Submarine

Photos of China's top secret submarine found on Google Earth Marketwatch (Jul 9)

No kidding - Google Earth picked up images of China's new second-generation nuclear submarine in its satellite capture in 2006. This will cause an international flap.

Revolution in Cartography

Google Maps Is Changing the Way We See the World by Evan Ratliff, Wired (June 26)

At lot has happened with cartography thanks to an army of amateur cartographers using Google Earth and tools from Microsoft and Yahoo. People have been layering more information on top of the detail provided through digital maps.

"Today the power still lies in the hands of the map makers. The only difference is that we're all mapmakers now, which means geography has entered the complex free-for-all of the information age, where ever-more-sophisticated technology is better able to reflect the world's rich, chaotic complexity."

Several comments on this article mention more tools.

MS Virtual Earth

Microsoft Virtual Earth Enhances UK 3-D; EveryScape Seeks To Make 3-D Better, Cheaper by Greg Sterling, Search Engine Land (Jun 19)

"Microsoft announced that it's enhancing Virtual Earth in the UK with improved 3-D elevation data from Intermap Technologies. These improvements will make their way throughout Western Europe and to the U.S. The idea is to use better terrain and elevation data to provide a more photorealistic 3-D experience overall."

Ads on Google Maps

Google to Weave Advertisements onto its Maps Jeremy Kirk, IDG News Service via PC World (Jun 1)

Billboards sprung up along highways to obliterate the scenery in the 1950s. Why not have push-pin graphics on online maps to obliterate the roads.

"In a sneak preview Thursday, Google Inc. revealed how it plans to integrate its AdSense advertising platform with Google Maps, meaning some push-pin graphics used at the maps site could be turned into mini-advertisements."

Google buys Panoramio

Google Buys Panoramio, Photo Mapping Software by Barry Schwartz, Search Engine Land (May 31)

"Google announced last night the acquisition of Panoramio to help continue to complete the Google Earth application"

Use Panaramio to map your photos.

Bet they can attach this to Picasa too.

Google Streetview

Google Launches "Street View" Photography, Greg Sterling, Search engine land (May 29)

Screen shots and a video of changes at Google Maps to show street view of addresses. Reminds Greg Sterling of what A9 did a couple of years ago.

This is the demo from Google. Of course, only available at selected cities - Las Vegas, New York, San Francisco, Miami - as far as I can figure out from the map.

Where online maps can take you

More Maps Announcements Coming This Week by Greg Sterling, Search engine land (May 28)

Where online maps are now and where they might be going - more street views, and more personalization.

"Among the majors there's a kind of "arms race" going on to develop the richest mapping interfaces and, in the case of Google and Microsoft, most "immersive" 3-D environments."

Yahoo Maps

Yahoo Maps Get A Makeover by Greg Sterling, Search engine land (May 16)

Mapquest, Yahoo, Microsoft, Ask, Google all jockey for top spot or at least number 2 in online maps. Today Yahoo Maps is making another leap according to these excerpts from the press release.

"But today Yahoo is rolling out a range of improvements and design enhancements to Maps that follow some very interesting mapping enhancements in Yahoo Travel. Here's the list of upgrades and changes from the press release: "

I think I detect some improvement in clarity and speed in the Yahoo Map for Toronto.

Yahoo Maps for Europe

Yahoo Upgrades Online Mapping Service, AP via AP.org (May 16)

Yahoo -- " Yahoo Inc.'s online mapping service in the United States will begin giving driving directions in 34 European countries Wednesday as part of an upgrade aimed at luring traffic away from rivals AOL and Google Inc."

Some numbers: "In April, AOL's industry-leading Mapquest service attracted 49.2 million U.S. visitors, a 3 percent increase from last year, while traffic to Google's maps surged 49 percent to 30.8 million visitors, according to comScore Media Metrix. Meanwhile, U.S. traffic to Yahoo maps declined 5 percent to 29.4 million."

Sound at Google Earth

Sounds bring Google Earth to life BBC News (May 10)

"As well as homing in on visual feasts around the globe, users of Google Earth may soon be able to listen to the sounds that accompany them. ... Wild Sanctuary has over 3,500 hours of soundscapes from all over the world."

Panoramio and Google Earth

Panoramio Approaches 1 Million Photos in Google Earth, Google Earth Blog (Apr 25)

"So, if you are browsing the world and need more information about interesting places, I highly recommend turning on the Geographic Web layer. The Panoramio photos in particular are particularly useful for letting you get a perspective on what people have seen in the area you are viewing. I'm looking forward to planning my next trip and using this as a way to make sure I see the best things."

Start by reading this posting and then go to Panoramio. Oh my - this will be wonderful for people who want to do a travel journal.

User Content On Google Maps

Google Maps Introduce User-Generated Content by Greg Sterling, Searchengineland (Apr 25)

User created content (reviews, recommendations, lists) is showing up on Google Maps. This posting will guide you to finding it. Could be very useful when planning a trip (hotels in a city, museums etc), or evaluating local services (best pizza). Posting remarks that Yahoo and Live also solicit user reviews.

Google Maps for Darfur

Google for Change in Darfur by Rebecca Lee, ABC News (Apr 11)

Google's 3D maps in Google Earth can be used for humanitarian work -- "The company is now pairing with the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum to highlight the crisis in Darfur in graphic detail online, by using Google Earth maps to allow users to zoom in on 1,600 villages destroyed in this conflict, and see the devastation up close."

More Google Map Mashups

Google turns to users for online maps, AP via Yahoo News (Apr 5)

Google "will provide free tools designed to make it easy for people to share their knowledge about their neighborhoods and other favorite places by creating customized maps that can assemble information from a variety of sources."

Big change -- "Until now, Google's two-year-old maps had primarily been used for driving directions and finding local businesses. The more personal maps should open up new avenues as users share insights about their favorite vacation spots or a wide range of academic subjects, said Jessica Lee, product manager of Google maps."

Standings -- According to February data from comScore Media Metrix. "... ranked Google maps third in its category (22.2 million U.S. visitor, trailing AOL's Mapquest (45.1 million visitors) and Yahoo (29.1 million visitors).

Live Maps Better

Live Search Maps Adds New Features And Firefox 3D Support, Searchengineland (Apr 3)

New features at Live Search Maps including capability to view the 3D in Firefox and also some instant answers.

Do-it-yourself Virtual Earth Maps

The 10 Minute Map, Windows Live Virtual Earth Blog (Mar 5)

Instructions on how to create a "dynamic map with a custom data layer on your website" and then to "make real-time updates to the data layer by simply editing your Collection at Live maps".

Overlays to Google Earth

Google Earth gets overlay search feature Juan Carlos Perez, IDG News Service, 2/15/07

"Google Earth's search engine now returns KML (Keyhole Markup Language) files which developers have created to add data to the application's maps ..."

"Google Earth is a free, downloadable PC application that taps a multiterabyte database of aerial and satellite images to let users "fly" around the globe using a video-game type user interface."

Google's Historical View of Earth

Google Earth Overlays Maps With Historical Data , PC World (Nov 13, 2006)

Google Earth has an historic side to it. In November, Google overlaid maps by David Rumsey Historical Maps "to connect users to information about the history of the world".

Also Fly-By History (Dec 20)

Find the maps and a download for Google Earth at http://www.google.com/educators/gaw.html

Mapshark

Mapshark: A Search Engine For Mashups, Search Engine Land (Jan 17)

Phillip Lenssen gets credit for finding Mapshark, a Custom Search Engine built using Google, to discover mashups. "Search online maps in over 600 websites".

MSN Virtual Earth

More Geo Info from Virtual Earth, Search Engine Showdown (Jan 10)

"Microsoft announces that they will be updating the aerial imagery in Live Local. Over 400,000 square miles of U.S. aerial imagery are supposed to "enhanced with high-resolution coverage.""

Google Earth

Google Earth 4 Released out of Beta by Nathan Weinberg, Inside Google (Jan 11)

"Google has taken version 4 of Google Earth out of beta, making it the default install of Google’s wildly-renowned globe mapping software."

Virtual Earth for walkers

New Release of Virtual Earth Launched, Search Engine Watch blog (Dec 13)

Cyclists and walkers might use the new build of Microsoft's Virtual Earth to create routes.

Also see posting in Windows Live Blog - New Virtual Earth release launches

Maporama adds 21 countries

MAPORAMA INTERNATIONAL EXTENDS ITS GLOBAL CARTOGRAPHIC COVERAGE TO MAGHREB, MIDDLE EAST AND EASTERN EUROPE COUNTRIES, Maporama (Sept 28, 2006)

Maporama added cartographic data for 21 new countries at street-level detail. This includes Eastern Europe (Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia, Georgia, Lettonia, Lithuania, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Bielorussia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Moldavia, Albania, Slovakia, Macedonia, etc.), Mediterranean basin (Lybia, Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria) and Egypt.

Geo-Tagged Photos

Google Earth Adds Wikipedia, User Content, GigaOM

More mashups of photos with Google Earth done through Panoramia

"Little icons now indicate selected entries from Wikipedia, geo-tagged photos from Panoramio, and posts by the Google Earth Community. All of this is very sparingly done, but it’s great to see Google incorporating community content into the default version of one of its product."

Also described in Google Earth Adds Geographic Web Layer, Search Engine Land

Using Online Maps

Are online maps dangerous? by Mathew Ingram, GeekWatch (Dec 8)

Was Google Maps responsible for CNet editor James Kim taking the Bear Camp Road in Oregon that led to his death? Other printed maps made the same mistake of not warning that the road is not to be used in the winter. So - not Google Maps exactly. But maybe anyone for trusting to the first map they see (always check 2 or 3 sources), and what about the State Highways - why was the road open?

Yahoo Maps

European Street Maps Release Yahoo Local Maps blog (Nov 16)

Yahoo Maps is out of beta and has street-level maps for several countries in Europe - though the geocoder and driving directions are not yet ready.

You need Macromedia Flash 7 and Broadband to view the maps.

This new version of Yahoo Maps is available to Canadians but only through maps.yahoo.com - where you can make a Canadian address your default. It will find addresses and provide directions, but it can't find local services (hotels, cafes etc), and it does not have a satellite view. I think Canadians are better with Google Maps for streets and aerial views.

Drawing tools for Google Earth

New Google Earth Beta Released By Nathan Weinberg, Inside Google (Nov 5) - And on the heals of Microsoft's announcement about their Virtual Earth comes Google's new Google Earth Beta with free drawing tools.

Microsoft Virtual Earth 3D

Microsoft's Virtual Earth can show 3D maps for 15 cities in the US, and in time people will be able to build their own models overlaid with their photos. You must download software to enjoy this. Will Microsoft be able to draw fans over from Google Earth?

Microsoft launches 3-D maps for Web search, Reuters (Nov 6)

"Microsoft Virtual Earth 3D compiles photo images to generate photo-realistic 3-D models of buildings and landscape in cities including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, Philadelphia, Seattle and Dallas."

Microsoft Virtual Earth in the Round by Susan Kuchinskas, Internet News (Nov 7)

"When Live Search users click on the "maps" tab, search results appear in a map context with the option of exploring the area using not only the standard aerial and bird's-eye views, but also three-dimensional models."

Of interest -- "models are made by overlaying photographic images over 3D models. Over time, ..., it should be possible to use consumer-generated content to create some of the models. "

Google Earth Content

Google Earth Adds Featured Content Partners SEW Blog (Sep 14)

"Google just announced that they launched new featured content on Google Earth from the United Nations Environmental Program, Discovery Networks World Tour, US National Park Service, Jane Goodall Institute and Turn Here."

Saving Addresses on Online Maps

Saving Addresses At Google & Yahoo Maps in SEW Blog (Aug 22) -- instructions on how save addresses.

Google Maps

Google Maps Adds Saved Locations, Search Engine Journal (Aug 4)

"Google Maps has added a new personalized feature which saves the addresses of businesses and locations users search for using Google’s local mapping and directions service."

Scientists Use Google Earth

Google Earth impacts science United Press International (Aug 1)

Scientists are using Google Earth for "such widely differing functions as tracking diminishing ice sheets, locating crime scenes and monitoring volcanoes".

GeoPortail View of the Earth

France unveils national rival to Google Earth, Reuters UK (June 23)

"France unveiled a Web site (www.geoportail.fr) on Friday that allows people to access detailed satellite images of the country and said it offered more detail of its territory than Google Earth (www.earth.google.com)."

President Jacques Chirac -- "With Galileo (the European Union satellite navigation system), with the mobile telephone, services linked to global positioning will develop a lot. It is also about democracy because our citizens have the right to know all the facts about the environment."

This is certainly the French view of the world, showing St Pierre et Miquelon in the Gulf of St Lawrence, the French Caribbean islands, and others in Polynesia.

See also France's Géoportail Mapping Site: La Demande C'est Fantastique! by Greg Sterling, SEW Blog (Jun 25) - guide to using Geoportail.

Google Earth Add-Ons

Google Earth Add-Ons -- Maps, Models, and More, Tech Talk (June 24) - hacks and speciality tools for people who love Google Earth.

Maporama - Customize and Collaborate

THE NEW SHOWCASE WEBSITE WWW.MAPORAMA.COM OF MAPORAMA INTERNATIONAL ENTERS IN THE WEB 2.0 ERA , press release (June 29)

"Maporama International today announces the release of its new maps and itineraries website www.maporama.com and its entrance in the Web 2.0 era. The website has been totally redesigned, on the ergonomic level as well as on the technical side. The new interface, based on AJAX technology, brings to the web users new enriched functionalities, dynamic contents and a more rapid information display. Maporama International confirms with this launch its leadership and proves to its users and customers its technological advance on the market."

Also added the socially enhanced web search by Eurekster.

Yahoo Local Maps Blog

New blog from Yahoo! covering maps and local search, Pandia (June

Yahoo has a new blog about maps and local search - Yahoo Local Maps Blog - "... Paul Levine of Yahoo! Local and Maps welcomes readers to the blog, arguing that “whether you’re a user, merchant, publisher or developer, if you’re interested in Local or Maps, this is the place for you.”"."

Google Earth Rollout

Google Earth: An Emerging 'Geobrowser' by Greg Sterling, Search Engine Watch Blog (June 13) - report on session at Google about the recent Google Earth rollout.

"Eric Schmidt, Larry Page and Sergey Brin introduced the session I attended and emphasized the importance of geography and location generally. Schmidt said, "Geolocation is one of the big opportunities around search." He pointed out that Google was "investing heavily in the 'core infrastructure': better maps, faster servers, more local context and data.""

Google Earth

Google upgrades mapping tools by Michael Liedtke, AP via Yahoo News (June 12)

Google Earth will cover more of the planet - "four times more land will be covered in the latest version of its free Google Earth software, enabling about one-third of the world's population to obtain an aerial view of their homes and neighborhood."

It's also available in German, Spanish, French and Italian.

Accident Mashup

Google Earth for accidents? by Ryan Reiterman, The Advertiser - Tribune (June 5)

Here's an innovative mashup using Google Earth and accident data. The Ohio State Highway Patrol is using Google Earth to show where fatal accidents occurred in 2005 combined with with information about the crash - kind of car, factors.

E&P Awards 2006

UPDATE: 'E&P' Announces 2006 EPpy Awards Winners (May 22)

"In the category of Best Overall Newspaper-Affiliated Internet Service with more than 1 million unique monthly visitors, Washingtonpost.com took top honors. In the category of Best Overall Newspaper-Affiliated Internet Service under 1 million unique monthly visitors, the Roanoke.com was the winner."

Really Online Maps

Microsoft's Plan to Map the World in Real Time -- "Researchers are working on a system that allows sensors to track information and create up-to-date, searchable online maps." By Kate Greene, Technology Review (May 8)

"Researchers at Microsoft are working on technology that they hope will someday enable people to browse online maps for up-to-the-minute information about local gas prices, traffic flows, restaurant wait times, and more. Eventually, says Suman Nath, a Microsoft researcher who works on the project, which is called SenseWeb, they would like to incorporate the technology into Windows Live Local (formerly Microsoft Virtual Earth), the company's online mapping platform."

Australia and New Zealand

Google Maps Australia and New Zealand, SEW Blog (May 19) - street levels for Australia and New Zealand.

Google Earth and Geospatial Market

The View from Google Earth, by Mary Jo Wagner, Geospacial Solutions (May 1) -- Michael Jones, CTO at Google, answers questions about Google Earth. Very interesting article on how Google Earth is being used and directions for future development.

+ Local Search: In the beginning, "Google Earth really was an Earth-browsing tool, and now it's an Earth-information tool. We have access to a rich, local search infrastructure at Google. From a value standpoint, if you go on Google Earth and search on businesses, you can type in "I want golf near here" and it won't offer businesses with only "golf" in the name, it'll have businesses like "Steve's Sports" that specialize in golf training. That's really useful and it speaks directly to our mission to get the world's information organized but present it in a geographical context."

+ Updates (some data is 3 years old): "Almost every month we publish a major update to our Earth model. Last month we did all of Germany, but we haven't done France yet. "

+ Use by organizations of the for-fee versions of Google Earth. "The people that use the enterprise product tend to be major home developers that build thousands of houses a year; major international construction companies; and governments, because they tend to have their own data as well. Pseudo-governments like the United Nations use Google Earth for some of their missions, like new peacekeeping exercises in the Congo."

+ Partnering: "We also just did a project with Discovery Channel where you can fly around the world and visit national parks and you can see interesting videos about these places for free, but you can click to pay more for more information if you so desire. We see this as the next phase of organizing all the world's information."

A Look at MapQuest

MapQuest Continues to Redefine Itself By Adena Schutzberg, Directions Magazine (Apr 17)

About the MapQuest site: "First off is "Places," a built-in local search tool. Don't know the address, but rather what you are looking for? Enter it in for a "local search" map of what fits the category for the geography of interest. The database behind these searches is built from business directories, gazetteers and other resources and searched with great speed by Fast's technology. The second hallmark is the goal of making the information on MapQuest.com available on a mobile phone. The third, coming soon, relates to personalization, creating a custom map for say a birthday party or mapping your IM buddies. The fourth relates to support of international business, including such efforts as re-launching country-specific portals for France, Germany and Great Britain."

360 Degree Views

Cool Stuff at the ResourceShelf: Forget Static Street Level Imagery, Check out What Immersive Media is Building: 360-degree views of Surroundings (Apr 25)

Physical View of Maps at Ask

Maps at Ask.com has street level, aerial level, and now physical level. See the mountains and plains of the United States. This works mainly at the distance - ie you have to zoom out to the rivers.

Google Maps has Europe

Google Maps Details Europe, Search Engine Journal (Apr 25) -- Google has done some upgrades at Google Earth and Google Maps. It has been reported that aerial views for Google Earth, especially for Europe, is much improved. Google Maps is also better for Europe now with streets and driving directions.

Entry refers to a blog that is only about maps - The Map Room.

Google Maps may cover Europe now, but it there are still some holes such as Hawaii.

Online Mapping Sites Reviewed

Mapping Goes Local - "When you're on the prowl for a new pizza joint, where do you go to find one" - By Davis D. Janowski, PC Magazine (Feb 15, 2006) -- Reviews the local mapping services that have been springing up over the past year. "This marriage of local search, mapping services, and creative imagery is fairly new, and the sites are still trying to, well, find themselves."

Covers -- A9.com Maps (beta), AOL Local, Google Local, Windows Live Local (beta) (Summary). Yahoo! Local Maps (beta) (summary), Yahoo! Local (summary); and gave top scores to Google Local and WIndows Live.

Maps for China and Japan

MAPORAMA INTL. OFFERS IN WORLD PREMIERE STREET-LEVEL CARTOGRAPHIC COVERAGE OF CHINA AND JAPAN (Apr 13)

"Maporama International just finalized the integration of Chinese and Japanese road cartographic data. Guangzhou, Shanghai and Beijing are the three first Chinese cities covered by Maporama International in street level, what represents more than 5200 kilometers of roads and 29 millions of inhabitants.

Regarding Japan, it is Tokyo and Kyoto that are covered by Maporama International, where 30 millions of inhabitants are localised and more than 2300 kilometers of road fully integrated."

Road Maps

GETTING THERE The science of driving directions by NICK PAUMGARTEN, New Yorker (April 17)

In the past we had Rand McNally to guide us in our automobile. Now we have Navteq and Tele Atlas who are the leading providers of geographic data to the Internet mapping sites and the personal-navigation industry. This article is a wonderful account of the changes in cartography, from Henry the Navigator through Andrew McNally to the ground-truthers of today working for Navteq. Ground-truthing is the practice of driving around to check routes and discover new ones and to note the "attributes" - bridges, ramps, exits etc - but they don't note the things we look for like a landmark. G.P.S. and the in-car mapping systems along with traffic updates (available in some U.S cities) is changing our lives, but not necessarily all for the better. Will people lose their sense of place?

"“Geographers now hate maps,” Nebenzahl said. “If you only give people a six-by-six-inch screen, how can they get a sense of where they are, or where they fit in? We’re pushing the next generation into geographic illiteracy by not giving them a sense of what world geography is.”"

Anyone who loves to pore over maps will love this article.

Map Sites Popular

The Score: Charting Map Site Traffic By comScore Media Metrix, iMedia Connection (April 13, 2006)

Online map sites have grown in popularity with 38% of the Internet user population visiting map sites in March 2006. The top three are MapQuest, Yahoo Maps, and Google Local. New functionality such as mashups of maps with events or places is attracting new users. Frappr supports groups and social networking, and Traffic.com provides real-time traffic information in US cities.

MapQuest Enhancements

All Sorts of New Services, Search Options from MapQuest , ResourceShelf (Apr 3) - new options at Mapquest