OT: Google Maps

[RPI-Fan]

http://maps.google.com/

:eek:

[VPI97]

That's friggin awesome.

[QuikSand]

As I understand it, Google's view of their future is that they become an internet-based version of "all knowledge," in essence. Sort of like making the Bat-Computer available to everyone with a phone line. Good stuff.

[Franklinnoble]

Wow. Very cool.

[JeeberD]

Wow, that's simply awesome. I was able to voom right to my apartment complex with just a few clicks...

http://home.comcast.net/~jeeberd2/google.jpg

[rkmsuf]

You can't stop Google. You can only hope to contain Google.

[RPI-Fan]

Try getting directions somewhere, and then click on one of the steps in the directions.:eek:

[gottimd]

Wow, that's simply awesome. I was able to voom right to my apartment complex with just a few clicks...

http://home.comcast.net/~jeeberd2/google.jpg

Thats odd, if you look really closely, you can see someone continously pressing the "Submit Reply" button on that map.

[tanglewood]

When I first started using the internet for information it was a task in itself to get anywhere at all. Now Google and Wikipedia are just about the only two sites I use when trying to find out stuff. Progress is great. :)

[WSUCougar]

Yowsa.

Just typing in your address in the search line and BA-ZOOM you're there. Bye bye, Mapquest.

[KWhit]

That is amazing.

[Franklinnoble]

Thats odd, if you look really closely, you can see someone continously pressing the "Submit Reply" button on that map.

:D

[cartman]

My street isn't on the maps, so much like Neo, the Google hasn't found me... :D

[Wolfpack]

Like most mapping software, the program locates the correct block my house is on, but the actual location is way off. Guess Google doesn't have proper address geocoding.

[KevinNU7]

I like it alot. It looks like they are going to intgrate it well with their search engine.

[Radii]

Try getting directions somewhere, and then click on one of the steps in the directions.:eek:


that is awesome.

And the click and drag ability on the map instead of having to re-center like you do wtih mapquest is a huge improvement. Bye bye mapquest is right.

[Ryche]

Wow, I'm in love. Nailed my commute perfectly, not that it's too complicated. What you really have to thank for how beautiful this works is Navteq, they're the company that provides the actual mapping data. I believe they do the mapping for most vehicle's indash systems.

[Draft Dodger]

well, they acurately got my 1 minute commute correct!

Distance: 0.8 mi (about 1 min)

1. Head east from Water St - go 0.2 mi
2. Turn right at Eastern Ave - go 0.6 mi
3. Turn right at Marlboro St - go 0.0 mi

[TargetPractice6]

So how is this different from other online mappers that have been around for awhile?

[sabotai]

Try getting directions somewhere, and then click on one of the steps in the directions.:eek:

That is the coolest thing ever.

[RPI-Fan]

So how is this different from other online mappers that have been around for awhile?

:rolleyes:

[sabotai]

So how is this different from other online mappers that have been around for awhile?

For one, the maps are about a thousand times better looking (meaning easier to follow).

Secondly, putting this "jfk to 350 5th, new york, ny" in the search gives you complete directions. Every other map thing I've used you basically had to give full addresses of start and destination.

Another thing is you can move the map around "in real time". With the others, you have to click on buttons and it'll jump you to a different location.

[sabotai]

Hm. My one compaint, however, is that it doesn't mark one-way streets.

[Glengoyne]

Speaking of the demise of Mapquest.

Microsoft was once sued for so completely eclipsing a competitor's product in almost every aspect. I'm referring to Stacker, and yes the lawsuit was fueled by MS's decision to actively put Stacker out of business. So I'm drawing no parallel here, other than I haven't seen a product so thoroughly spanked since Microsoft squashed Stacker.

I see no reason to go to Mapquest again, I mean ever.

[jbmagic]

what better to use? Mapquest, Yahoo Maps, or google maps?

[AgustusM]

So how is this different from other online mappers that have been around for awhile?

by far one of the best features is "hotels near airport"

you get a map that shows you how close the hotels are, and then when you choose one you get the link to that hotel.

simple, yes - but very usefull

[TargetPractice6]

:rolleyes:Great answer, jerk.

Thanks for the real answers. I really didn't know and didn't have much time to playa round with it.

[DaddyTorgo]

Google is taking over the world.

[SunDevil]

I do not know if anyone saw the 60 minutes show on google about a month ago, but they also have a map program that is made up of satellite photos, and can zoom down to almost the roof of your house. You start off from space and can zoom down to almost your roof, with really good quality. It is on google's site somewhere and I think you have to pay for the software, but the demo they gave on the show was awesome.

[AgustusM]

I do not know if anyone saw the 60 minutes show on google about a month ago, but they also have a map program that is made up of satellite photos, and can zoom down to almost the roof of your house. You start off from space and can zoom down to almost your roof, with really good quality. It is on google's site somewhere and I think you have to pay for the software, but the demo they gave on the show was awesome.

http://www.keyhole.com/

[JeffR]

Hmm, directions don't seem that great. Tells me to take a road that doesn't exist for the last 30 miles or so to my parents' place, and suggests a route from my sister's that I tried once and, going by my odometer, is longer than the way I normally take.

[Tigercat]

Yea, once the google direction finder gets more and more options it seems to make more and more mistakes. Hell i gave it a couple of trips I have to take that are very long and it couldn't even compute the directions(even though both trips use only state highways and interstates). But it is still in beta, so perhaps that is part of the kinks to work out. Otherwise this is by far the future of maps online. Its about time too, map quest hasn't been all that different since 1996. 9 years is along time to go with very little change.

[Desnudo]

Very slick. I like the scrolling versus reloading every time you change the orientation.

[BigJohn&TheLions]

http://www.keyhole.com/

Yeah. They bought keyhole. I tried the free demo. It's scary. I zoomed in on my mother's place and could see her van. I zoomed in on my old place and cound see the patio I put down in the back yard. The walk I poured. The trees I planted. A car parked on the grass I planted...

Oh, and if you typed in "Baghdad" you could zoom in on it too...

Scary.

[sterlingice]

As I understand it, Google's view of their future is that they become an internet-based version of "all knowledge," in essence. Sort of like making the Bat-Computer available to everyone with a phone line. Good stuff.
Wasn't that essentially Yahoo's aim back in the day?

So how is this different from other online mappers that have been around for awhile?
I'm with you. I don't see this as any different than maps.yahoo.com.

SI

[cartman]

Yeah. They bought keyhole. I tried the free demo. It's scary. I zoomed in on my mother's place and could see her van. I zoomed in on my old place and cound see the patio I put down in the back yard. The walk I poured. The trees I planted. A car parked on the grass I planted...

Oh, and if you typed in "Baghdad" you could zoom in on it too...

Scary.

Very scary. In fact, Keyhole used to be considered above Top Secret. It was the service our intelligence community used for obtaining satellite photo info.

My uncle, who worked for the NSA for over 30 years, was over at my house. I was showing him the demo of Keyhole I downloaded. He asked me what it was I was using, and you should have seen his reaction when I told him it was Keyhole! From the look on his face, you could tell he just knew that at any moment that a bunch of black vans were gonna pull up outside and cart me away! :D

[KevinNU7]

Hm. My one compaint, however, is that it doesn't mark one-way streets.
I sent it as a suggestion

[DanGarion]

Well remember it's still BETA :)

[KevinNU7]

dangarion, two of my suggestions were implemented after only a couple of hours.

[KevinNU7]

here's my latest one. We'll see how long it takes

"Orlando to Fort Lauderdale to Naples"

Let's say I am in Orlando and I was going to Fort Lauderdale. From Fort Lauderdale I wanted to go to Naples. It would be great if that could all be on one screen. Rather then having to put in Orlando to Fort Lauderdale and then Fort Lauderdale to Naples.

[JeeberD]

Oh, and if you typed in "Baghdad" you could zoom in on it too...

Scary.

Well, at least on the demo version the images appear to be fairly old. I found my current apartment complex, but the 1.5 year old Walmart right across the street is nowhere to be found. So I don't think that they're giving away too much sensitive info... :)

[Wolfpack]

I was going to say, I'm pretty sure they'd have to have those photos declassified before posting them. It shouldn't be a real-time uplink with any of the KHs in orbit.

I'd also wager they wouldn't have photos of certain very sensitive areas regardless of timeframe. Groom Lake AFB at one time could be such an example, but I think since the advent of the stealth technology, they've been pretty much declassified, haven't they?

[Desnudo]

Very scary. In fact, Keyhole used to be considered above Top Secret. It was the service our intelligence community used for obtaining satellite photo info.

My uncle, who worked for the NSA for over 30 years, was over at my house. I was showing him the demo of Keyhole I downloaded. He asked me what it was I was using, and you should have seen his reaction when I told him it was Keyhole! From the look on his face, you could tell he just knew that at any moment that a bunch of black vans were gonna pull up outside and cart me away! :D

That explains why I always feel like someone is watching me.

[Craptacular]

what better to use? Mapquest, Yahoo Maps, or google maps?
Yahoo Maps now has integrated real-time traffic info for many cities. However, that Google mapping is pretty spiffy.

[Desnudo]

Wasn't that essentially Yahoo's aim back in the day?


I'm with you. I don't see this as any different than maps.yahoo.com.

SI

The map scrolling versus map reloading is the main one I noticed immediately. Like Gmail, Gmap looks a little bit better than the rest of the options.

[ice4277]

Most of the extra Gmap features don't really do much for me, but the map seems much easier on the eyes.