Google now has their own map system that alows you to click and drag maps rather than clicking on an arrow and waiting for a new image. It's still in a beta stage but seems really nice.
Google Maps
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20050208-4596.html
Another day, another new Google product: Google Maps
2/8/2005 2:22:54 PM, by Adam "StoneTable" Israel
Google is taking on mapping services now with the beta launch of its new Google Maps site. The site offers some features not previously seen on other map sites, including the ability to click and drag the maps dynamically instead of having to click and reload. Address searches turn up results in a three-dimensional pop-up bubble with links for driving directions, although Caesar tells me the driving times given for suburban Boston are a tad on the optimistic side. Currently, Google only has the US and parts of Puerto Rico and Canada mapped.
Right now, the JavaScript-heavy Google Maps only supports Internet Explorer and Mozilla-based browsers — users of Safari, Opera, OmniWeb, and other browsers are currently out in the cold. Google plans to add support for some non-IE, non-Mozilla browsers down the line (specifically Safari). Users of those unsupported browsers can try using the service anyway. I gave it a shot with Opera and Safari with uneven results.
Map and local search sites, which have been basically static in terms of features since their launch, have seen some interesting twists in recent days. Amazon's A9 search engine recently added actual storefront pictures from 10 metropolitan areas to its A9.com Yellow Pages, with efforts underway to add more cities to the database. (Amazon is advertising for Block View Drivers on Craigslist.) Google looks to have improved on mapping in a similar manner with Google Maps.
Google Maps
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20050208-4596.html
Another day, another new Google product: Google Maps
2/8/2005 2:22:54 PM, by Adam "StoneTable" Israel
Google is taking on mapping services now with the beta launch of its new Google Maps site. The site offers some features not previously seen on other map sites, including the ability to click and drag the maps dynamically instead of having to click and reload. Address searches turn up results in a three-dimensional pop-up bubble with links for driving directions, although Caesar tells me the driving times given for suburban Boston are a tad on the optimistic side. Currently, Google only has the US and parts of Puerto Rico and Canada mapped.
Right now, the JavaScript-heavy Google Maps only supports Internet Explorer and Mozilla-based browsers — users of Safari, Opera, OmniWeb, and other browsers are currently out in the cold. Google plans to add support for some non-IE, non-Mozilla browsers down the line (specifically Safari). Users of those unsupported browsers can try using the service anyway. I gave it a shot with Opera and Safari with uneven results.
Map and local search sites, which have been basically static in terms of features since their launch, have seen some interesting twists in recent days. Amazon's A9 search engine recently added actual storefront pictures from 10 metropolitan areas to its A9.com Yellow Pages, with efforts underway to add more cities to the database. (Amazon is advertising for Block View Drivers on Craigslist.) Google looks to have improved on mapping in a similar manner with Google Maps.
