mapping

Hat tip to my colleague Chris Smith for pointing out that Google has rolled out ads within Google Maps Japan.

It looks like the ads were just contextual based on the location, rather than being from a restaurant-specific search (although I don't read Japanese so I can't tell what the query was).

To me this looks very busy. And I'd imagine the ad density clutter will only get worse over time.

Perhaps Google feels that Japanese users of Google Maps will be more tolerant of the ads and the busier interface? Or perhaps this is the shape … Read more

Google cares what you think about local businesses and thinks other people do too. The company on Tuesday added a new feature to Google Maps that allows people to post user ratings and reviews of local businesses. The maps previously had professional reviews, but not reviews from users. More information is on the Google Blog.

I must say it was faster to do than writing a review on Yelp or CitySearch and a tad more intuitive than posting a review on Yahoo Maps.

Category: Mobile

Google Maps Mobile is a smaller version of Google's mapping service that?s been optimized for mobile phones. Users can get real-time traffic, satellite imagery, and driving directions, as well as search for local businesses right on their phone. Google Maps Mobile isn't just a destination for mobile Web browsers, it's actually a full-on application for users running Windows Mobile or the Palm OS on their handset.

Web site: www.Google.com/gmm

Webware coverage: Apple. Google. Yahoo. Strange bedfellows?

Winners in this category:

Category: Reference

Ask.com may not be the No. 1 search engine out there, but it's been doing some interesting things with new Web technologies, including its mapping services. Ask.com Maps and Directions allows users to search and get directions in any city really quickly. What separates it from some other directions services is its capability to give you directions for both driving and walking. It works mostly for short hauls (obviously) and gives you turn-by-turn directions for getting around city blocks on foot. If you've ever been following a road map in the city and come … Read more

Category: REFERENCES

Yahoo Maps is one of the most popular mapping services available, and features several handy tools for figuring out how to get from place to place. Like other mapping services, there's a driving directions tool that gives you a turn-by-turn guide. Users can also click a "reverse" button that will reverse the directions, which can be very helpful with tricky one-way streets and confusing freeway on- and off-ramps.

In addition to driving directions, users can also sort and search using business listings and see their locations right on the map. Yahoo also provides its Maps … Read more

Category: Reference

Get directions and find places online. Google Maps shows streets, traffic, and satellite images. Users can type in an address and get a pinpoint location or pull up driving directions. Users with a Google account can also partake in the My Maps service, which provides users with simple drag-and-drop tools to chart their own customized maps and share them with others.

Google Maps recently launched a new feature called Street View. Using 360-degree, video-capture technology, users can explore a photograph of their local streets if they live in one of the cities that has been mapped by the … Read more

I do not take directions lightly, primarily because if I did, I'd never get anywhere. For the woefully orientation-challenged (and easily frustrated) like me, legible maps and accurate instructions are crucial. Even more so is being able to access them from a PDA or smart phone when you're lost.

Thankfully, there's a proliferation of reliable mapping and GPS-locating software for mobile handsets, but today I'll focus on one that contains both downloadable and Web-based (WAP) components.

Earthcomber Pros: Broad cross-platform support; numerous map services Cons: US content only; content partnerships somewhat limiting; possible carrier fee Download: Windows Mobile or Palm WAP address for BlackBerrys and smart phones: http://mobile.earthcomber.com… Read more

Google Maps Street View (more coverage) is about the coolest mapping application I've ever seen. And the creepiest. On it, you can see people walking into adult bookstores (and you thought Google only tracked your porn habits online), license plates on cars parked in driveways, and women inadvertently (presumably) flashing their underwear at the Google cameras.

But there's a way for users to block Street View images. Just as governments have asked Google to blur the overhead images of Google Maps, you can ask Google to censor street-level photos. It's easy: just click on "Street View … Read more

BERKELEY, Calif.-- Michael Jones, chief technology officer of Google's geography software, on Tuesday counted Google Earth as fifth among the most populous nations, by a measure of how many people have installed the mapping application that lets people see their house from space.

More than 200 million people have downloaded Google Earth, according to Jones, who spoke here at the Fifth International Symposium on Digital Earth. That's just under the population of Indonesia at roughly 233 million and the United States at just more than 301 million. Brazil's population falls short of Google Earth users with … Read more