Mapping the Google Way

Google won’t do anything unless it can’t do it better. MapQuest had been serving your internet mapping needs for what seemed like forever, so how could Google Maps compete with the loyalty MapQuest had generated? By blowing MapQuest's service out of the water.

Here’s how Google did it:

First, MapQuest had to reload every time you wanted to look to the east or west of your searched location. With Google’s maps, you can scroll seamlessly to the next town or the next state.

Second, Google combined map views with satellite views to show you a hybrid—actual space imaging of your town, with the roads in color and identified by street name or highway number. Brilliant.

The service is still not perfect. Try finding satellite views of someplace out in the boonies, and Google will shrug. And Google’s driving directions, like MapQuest’s, aren’t always completely accurate.

The best thing about Google maps is their versatility. Developers have taken Google maps and loaded other data into them for expanded informational value. More Google Maps apps are being made every day. Following are some great Google Maps applications.

As always, click EasyEdit to add your own fun uses for Google Maps.

Great Google Maps Applications

WeatherBonk

Go to weatherbonk.com and type in your location. Using Google Maps and weather data, you can view weather conditions in your location.

Gas prices map

This map overlays your city with local gas prices. It could be a dime cheaper per gallon just around the corner from where you filled up. You need to know where to go for cheap gas, and this map app shows you where. Occasionally buggy and slow, and the information seems to be out of date for some areas.

Map your workout

There are two Google Map applets that show you the best route to exercise in your city—Mapmyrun.com and Gmaps-Pedometer.com. MapMyRun has an easier-to-use interface, but both apps pivot on the same principle. Given your address, they calculate the best round-trip route for the length of run you specify so you know how to run eight miles and get back to where you started at the end. These won’t work for some out-of-the-way locations. While Google Maps will be able to find you no matter where you are, these maps are powered by less sophisticated databases.

Ultimate commuter map

While some sites like WeatherBonk supply weather maps and others provide traffic maps powered by Google, only Traffic.poly9.com gives you Yahoo-powered traffic information and weather information from worldweather.org uploaded onto a Google Map of your city.

Traffic maps

Connecting traffic webcams from 39 U.S. cities, three Canadian cities, and three cities in Europe, Local.alkemis.com displays webcam locations on Google Maps of your city, for easy understanding of your city’s traffic patterns.

UFO sightings

UFOMaps.com gives you nationwide coverage of UFO sightings by month and year. What was that you saw last night? Did anyone else see it? Check out UFOMaps and see. If no one else reported it, you can via MSN Messenger.

Cell reception

This is quite possibly the best Google Map app by far. If you live in an area with spotty cell reception, this site is the perfect way to find where you can make those calls, and where you can’t. Extrapolating cell phone tower locations onto Google Maps gives you an instant understanding of your cell phone geography.

"Hot or Not" maps

Using the information given on HotorNot.com, the dating site where other members rate a candidate’s appearance, the Hot or Not Map will show you were the beautiful people of your city go to be with others like themselves—attractive and shallow. Customizable by gender and sexual orientation! Useful for maximizing your stalking potential.

Housing maps

What neighborhoods have the most apartments available? Housingmaps.com can tell you by extrapolating Craigslist classified ads onto Google Maps in a number of cities. Perfect for apartment hunters or investors looking for down housing markets.

Make your own "personal" map

Frappr.com (short for Friend Mapper) is a Google Map-powered application currently in beta testing stage. You can enter names and ZIP codes for any sort of group you would like (college friends, distant relatives, out-of-state business colleagues) and Frappr will churn it out for you as a Google Map. It’s simple and easy, and you can start a group so that multiple people can add information to the same map.


See also:

• Froogle
• Fun With Google
• Gmail
• Google Book Search
• Google Calendar
• Google Groups

• Google News
• Google Search Tips
• Google Zeitgeist
• Image Search
• Your Website and Google