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Google Launches Mapping Service
Alex Reynolds writes "The beta version of Google Maps is now online, offering an alternative to Mapquest with what some might describe as a very much improved user interface, offering a cleaner layout, drop shadows, clickable waypoints and keyboard controls that allow you to move and zoom the map. For IE and Firefox/Mozilla at this point (no Safari or Opera support, as yet)."
What about the rest of the planet?
This may be the most impressive web application I have ever seen. It performs like a local application, incredibly fast and smooth, but it's all coming over the internet and displaying in my web browser. I can browse around the country like I was playing with a photograph! The lack of Safari support is too bad, but they say it's coming soon.
No, I have nothing constructive to add, just... wow!
Mod down posts with a "Free Mac Mini/iPod" sig, they're spam!
they achieve this by using XMLHttpRequest to make requests to the server and get back results via JavaScript. That's why dragging works so great... they do requests to get IDs of new images to show an dthen they start opening them.
Shorest Distance.
Avoid Highways
Use Highways
Fastest Time
Least number of turns (most direct route).
Avoid Cities
As well the ability to change your route on the map. Say you know that you cant take this road because of traffic today so you need an alternate route.
I think those would be useful features for any map program. At best I have only seen some of them parttilly implemented.
If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
I love the fact that the map loads nearly as fast as I can scroll. It's size is really nice too. Even better, the route marker it puts on the map when it gives directions isn't in the way, like it is on Mapquest.
Add to that the wonderful UI, and I think that Google has a real winner here.
By the way, all of you complaining that the map is USA only should note that this is only a beta. Chances are that when the full version is released, it will cover as much, or more, of the world than Mapquest.
What I would like is a better transit map searching system.. I'm planing a trip to SFO, and having a nice on-the-fly map drawn of different bus/train routes would be handy.
The biggest missing feature of all the mapping services I have seen is the lack of integrating mass transit.
I live in NYC, and whenever I am going somewhere, I usually pull out mapquest to find the address (cross streets) and then sit there with a subway/bus map to try and figure out how to get there. Aside from the time problem (the time intervals that flights trains and busses leave is not as flexible as a car), this should be relatively easy to implement as the search space is so much smaller, and should be easy to acquire information about (as opposed to every backroad across the US). Just overlaying subway and bus stops onto the street maps would be a huge improvement.
There are many profitable ways to utilize this:
I type in to WA. I get all the options- from trains, busses, airplanes. This is targeted marketing nirvana, as unlike people who are searching for TV's just to see the latest stuff, very few people ask for driving directions "just to see how they would get there."
Just targetting airlines and railroads, etc. might be too small of a market... So how about showing ads from places along the route? Driving from NY to DC? See the diners along the way. Taking the train? Stop at the pizza hut in Penn. There is alot of revenue to be made there.
It could be argued that this is a small market. However, considering that there are 10M people in NYC alone, most of which whom rely on mass transit, I would have to disagree.
Yea. Geordie's post would've been put to much better use if he had complained about the problem rather than offering a solution. Or better yet, he could've complained about existing solutions, like you did.