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Google Maps, Local Expand To UK

Posted by timothy on from the well-it's-about-thames dept.

Koushiro writes "From Google's official blog comes word that Google Maps UK and Google Local UK have been launched, confirming speculations that the search engine giant would continue to expand its regional services to an international audience. The seemingly logical next step, of course, would be to expand coverage to Western Europe, but given the input Google's UK office had into this project, can we expect Google Maps India next?"

6 of 373 comments (clear)

  1. Google Maps India a distant dream by cOdEgUru · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Not due to the lack of attempt, just that mostly directions meant (when I was growing up) was : "Go Straight for two kilometres, turn right at the Junction with the Statue and then one mile ahead take a left by the Cricket Stadium". Not something you want to pull up on Google!

    In the Rural areas of the country and even in the suburbs of some major metropolitan areas, the above method will apply.

    Rarely are there Street names. But it doesnt really matter as men arent embarassed to ask for directions :)

    --
    Rapid Nirvana
    1. Re:Google Maps India a distant dream by swiftstream · · Score: 3, Interesting

      It is like this in other places, as well--or even worse! I lived in Nicaragua for three years, and in the capital they gave directions by referring to places that had been destroyed thirty years earlier, in the earthquake of '72!

      "What? The American school? Oh, right, it's right behind [such and such building]"

      "Where's that?"

      "Uh, well, it got destroyed in the earthquake, but if you drive three blocks east toward the lake, then turn south..."

      --
      Be a PATRIOT--because the only thing we have to fear is the lack thereof.
  2. Looks like UK satellite views soon too... by Aphrika · · Score: 4, Interesting

    If you go to the maps.google.com, zoom right out and switch to satellite view, you can scroll over to the right where the UK is and hey presto satellite views!

    It's not complete yet and only zooms halfway in before you're notified it's incomplete, but it should definitely be something to look forward to.

  3. Re:Poor routing by cybergibbons · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I presume your at Imperial College... but that's not the point.

    That motorway based route would not only be faster when there is no traffic (which is what most route finders assume), but it is a hell of a lot more simple. Simplicity is really important when your driving a route for the first time in London...

  4. From memory... by aug24 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    The OS here (whom I worked for till last September or so) use a double-orthogonal approach. That is, they flatten left and right sides of the country relative to their respective centre lines, then marry the two images. This makes measurement errors smaller.

    International maps tend to use a simple Mercator projection.

    Someone from the OS will hopefully be along shortly to correct my terminology... Nigel T? Dave R? Are you reading?

    Justin.

    --
    You're only jealous cos the little penguins are talking to me.
  5. Re:Unusual Projections by redbaron7 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    It is worse than that. It looks like their postcode database was in OS GR coordinates (good), which they converted to lat,long; but used the new coords as if they are WGS84 and not Airy36. This results in errors of a few hundred metres. I've mailed them point out the error.