Posts About ‘Google Maps’

Sneak Preview of the New Google Maps

Last week it became clear that Google is working on a new Google Maps. Or should we say, has been working on a new Google Maps. They seem to be ready now and later today when Google I/O start the new Google Maps is expected to be presented. We are quite sure because one of the sessions is called “Google Maps: Into the Future”…

Some screens from the new Google Maps have already been sent out and some others have been leaked. The Google Operating System presented some imagery which showed the integration of Google+ into Google Maps (no surprise there). And now Droid Life has gotten their hands on some new imagery which seems to come from a sign up page for trying out the new maps which was temporarily released (too soon).

Find the images of the new Google Maps below (thanks to Droid Life) and notice the much prettier, much clearer and probably responsive design. (more…)

Google Maps: Turn by Turn Directions, Voice Searches & an Infographic

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Despite being dropped by Apple earlier in the year, and yesterdays news that Amazon may drop Google Maps in favour of their own solution, Google Maps are still going strong and seemingly adding updates every week!

This month Google Maps have added voice activated searches, turn-by-turn navigation for traffic conditions, half a gigameter of biking navigation in 12 countries in Google Maps for Android, more than a million public transport and transit stops, and despite news that infographics links may be discounted in the future, Google have themselves produced an infographic to show us that they know what we did this summer…

As an avid Map Geek/obsessive, I am always happy to share with you the new features in Google Maps! Happy travelling people!

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Google Streetview Goes More Inside Businesses

Google-Maps-Inside

Google yesterday launched a new addition to Google Maps as part of the Google Business Photos service. When using Google Maps in certain areas worldwide (yes, not only US) you can now find businesses and actually take a look inside them.

Google improved the functionalities to look inside in a 360-degree panoramic which allows you for example to see a holiday house from the inside before you decide to book it, not a bad idea in many cases.

To use the functionality you go to Google Maps, find the business and drag the orange Pegman on the left hand side of your screen onto an orange circle on the map. (more…)

New Options To Monetize Embedded Google Maps

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If you use the Google Maps API on your website you can easily connect Google AdSense via the Maps Ad Unit so you can monetize your map. The Maps Ad Unit was introduced within the Maps Javascript API V3 four years ago. Google now added two new extensions to the Maps Ad Unit which means more choices to monetize your map.

The fist addition is the possibility to use a link unit instead of direct ads. As you might know a link unit consists of links / topics related to the content of the page. After clicking a link Google will show a separate page with relevant ads. Note that as a publisher you will get paid for clicks on the ads on the separate page, you will not get money for clicks on the topics itself. (more…)

Google Indoor Maps & Arctic Exploration on Street View

Explore Scotts Hut on the World Wonders Project

July is turning out to be mapping season for Google. They’ve been rolling out general map updates for more precise coverage of National Heritage areas and coastlines, 3D buildings, detailed ferry routes and timetables to get you over the water easily. Google Indoor Maps also hit the UK, and more Street View history was made with a tour of Antarctica & the South Pole.

So for those of us who can’t find our way out of a paper bag – here are the new updates that you may have missed! (more…)

Google Fined in France For Abusing Dominant Position

Bottin Cartographes, Rue Édouard Nieuport, Suresnes, France - Google Maps

Things are not really going Google’s way in the first weeks of January so it seems. At least, if you look at the outside perspective of things. From the inside they did some pretty nifty things with the launch of Search Plus Your World for example.

From the outside however we have seen complaints about privacy, complaints about abusing their own products to push their own products and many other little hick ups which led us to think Google might be trying to kill themselves.

In the series of ‘ouch that hurts a little’ Google can add another to the list. A ruling Tuesday in a Paris court found Google guilty of abusing the dominant position of Google Maps. (more…)

Google Maps Team Develops Game For Google+

Google is rolling out Google+ to all their own products but the Google Maps team thought it might be time to give something back. Not officially announced yet is a new game the Maps team developed for the social network.

The description reads: “Coming soon, play your world like never before with a game from the Google Maps team on Google+ Games powered by WebGL.”. So, after today you can search your own world but next month you can also play it :-) . The video below shows a sneak peak of the game. (more…)

Dutch government discourages Google Maps and encourages the paid version

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Now, I’m all for privacy and being open and making people understand of the consequences when it comes to the use of some services, especially Facebook and in some cases Google. But in this case I think there is somebody being a bit to eager.

In the Netherlands, the Local Affairs Office decided to warn Dutch municipalities for the use of Google Maps because of privacy issues. This warning was based on a 68 page counting research which showed that many municipalities use Google Maps on there websites but don’t have any idea about the privacy consequences of that usage. The most remarkable result of the report however is that they advice the municipalities to use not another free service, but the paid Google Maps service, which costs 7000 euros a year or develop a tool for 550.000 euros. Talk about useless spending of public money… (more…)

Google letting you check available rooms in Maps?

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It seems as if Google is making some more changes to Google Maps at the moment. Either that or I haven’t been paying attention lately ;) .

I noticed two different things in the past two days. First I noticed Android continuing my Google Maps query where I left it at my computer and then this morning I noticed the checkin / check out options on Google Maps.

This morning I was looking on Google Maps for the Parking I had to go to for my meeting a bit later on. I then noticed that on top of the results there was the possibility to fill in check in and check out dates. Not for the Parking off course, but for the hotels nearby to the Parking. A quick check on Twitter and with some friends learned me they hadn’t seen it before either. So it might be something new, or we have looked over it.
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History pin: the extra use of Streetview

When Google, or any other service for that matter, launches a new product it is almost never immediately clear how useful the product can really be. That was also the case with Streetview. Yes, it was a very nice feature and you could actually see your own house if you were lucky (in my case even my car could be found). But the real use? With the open web, the real use of a product usually becomes clearer when others adopt a product to start using it for their own purposes. The integration of different products makes that a product all of a sudden makes sense.

Now there is already a lot of ‘sense’ in Streetview, but Historypin is one of these features which gives that little extra touch. This Google Maps Mash up in my opinion is something which could be very usefull in for example history lessons at schools. (more…)