The official blog for Google Maps
Create, collaborate and share advanced custom maps with Google Maps Engine Lite (Beta)
March 27, 2013
Maps are useful for visualizing and sharing information about places around the world. For enterprises,
Google Maps Engine
has been providing businesses with professional tools to help them organize large datasets, make decisions, and give their customers important details about their locations and services.
Of course, experts aren’t the only ones who love to make maps. Today we're launching
Google Maps Engine Lite (Beta)
, so any mapping enthusiast can now create and share robust custom maps using this powerful, easy-to-use tool. You can import small spreadsheets of locations onto a comprehensive map, visualize those places through a variety of styling and drawing options, and organize and compare up to three different data sets for your non-business purposes.
Here are a few examples of maps that’ve been created with the new lite edition of Google Maps Engine.
The MAPA Project
, a nonprofit dedicated to African conservation, used Maps Engine Lite to map the locations of “shark spotters” — trained observers who watch the water for sharks — along the False Bay coastline in South Africa. Spreadsheets of Shark Spotters locations and recent white shark sightings were both imported to create the map below. Learn more about how to recreate this map through
this tutorial
.
View larger map
Here’s another close-to-home use of this advanced custom mapping tool. I enjoy checking out local hikes with my dog, Amos, so I created a map using trail heads from
San Francisco Bay Area Hiker
and information about the different pet requirements on each route. The resulting map also denotes which hikes require a leash, and is great for sharing with my friends and other dog-loving hikers in my community.
If you have already created My Maps, you can import your existing
My Maps
, layering them with still more information to make them more detailed and helpful than ever before. These My Maps will continue to be available for people who want to create simple custom maps, and will eventually be incorporated into Google Maps Engine Lite.
Import your My Maps to Google Maps Engine Lite
While there is plenty to play with today, Maps Engine Lite is still in beta and available in English only, and we are eager to learn more about how people use it as we continue to build out more capabilities for the Maps Engine products.
To try Google Maps Engine Lite for your own custom mapping needs, visit
mapsengine.google.com/map
.
Posted by Beth Liebert, Product Manager
Mapping creates jobs and drives global economic growth
January 30, 2013
(Cross posted to
Official Google Blog
)
Twenty years ago, we used paper maps and printed guides to help us navigate the world. Today, the most advanced digital mapping technologies—satellite imagery, GPS devices, location data and of course
Google Maps
—are much more accessible. This sea change in mapping technology is improving our lives and helping businesses realize untold efficiencies.
The transformation of the maps we use everyday is driven by a growing industry that creates jobs and economic growth globally. To present a clearer picture of the importance of the geo services industry, we commissioned studies from
Boston Consulting Group
(BCG) and
Oxera
. What we found is that maps make a big economic splash around the world.
In summary, the global geo services industry is valued at up to $270 billion per year and pays out $90 billion in wages. In the U.S., it employs more than 500,000 people and is worth $73 billion. The infographic below illustrates some examples of the many benefits of maps, whether it’s improving agriculture irrigation systems or helping emergency response teams save lives.
Click the image for a larger version
1.1 billion hours of travel time saved each year? That’s a lot of time. Also, consider
UPS
, which uses map technology to optimize delivery routes—saving 5.3 million miles and more than 650,000 gallons of fuel in 2011. And every eight seconds, a user hails a taxi with
Hailo
, which used maps and GPS to deliver more than 1 million journeys in London alone last year. Finally,
Zipcar
uses maps to connect more than 760,000 customers to a growing fleet of cars in locations around the world.
Because maps are such an integral part of how we live and do business, the list of examples goes on and on. That’s why it’s important we all understand the need to invest in the geo services industry so it continues to grow and drive the global economy. Investments can come from the public and private sectors in many forms—product innovation, support of open data policies, more geography education programs in schools and more.
We’re proud of the contributions that
Google Maps
and
Earth
, the
Google Maps APIs
and our
Enterprise solutions
have made to the geo services industry and to making maps more widely available, but there’s a long way to go. To learn more about the impact of the maps industry, see
the full reports
.
Posted by Brian McClendon, VP Google Geo
Better maps in your Android apps!
December 3, 2012
(Cross posted on
Google Geo Developer Blog
)
Today we’re launching an update to the
Google Maps Android API
, which gives developers the ability to use Google’s comprehensive, accurate and useful maps to build beautiful Android apps. The updated API is easy to use and features vector-based maps that load quickly and enables users to easily navigate 2D and 3D views, and tilt and rotate the map with simple gestures.
With the new version of the Google Maps Android API, developers can utilize Google Maps to its fullest. We’ve incorporated many of the highly-requested features developers want, such as:
More dynamic and flexible UI designs for large screen Android devices, such as tablets, using
Android Fragments
Adding more Google Maps layers in their apps including satellite, hybrid, terrain, traffic and now
indoor maps
for many major airports and shopping centers
The ability to create markers and info windows with less code
Some of our favorite apps already use Google Maps, such as
Trulia
,
Expedia Hotels
and
FlightTrack
. Soon, when you upgrade to the latest version of these apps, you’ll experience the new API and maps as rich as those in Google Maps for Android.
With the latest Google Maps Android API, Trulia Android app users can search for a place to buy or rent in 3D.
To hear from these developers about their apps and migration to the new version of the API, check out the following Google Developers Live video below.
More than 800,000 sites around the world use our mapping APIs to create amazing and useful apps. We hope you enjoy using this new addition to the Google Maps API family and building mapping experiences that were never before possible on a mobile device.
To get started, follow the
Google Maps Android API v2 documentation
and reach out to the
developer community
if you have questions on building your app with this API.
Posted by Andrew Foster, Senior Product Manager, Google Maps
Building great websites and apps with the Google Maps API
October 3, 2012
We’re constantly working to build the most comprehensive, accurate and usable maps in the world for our users--no matter where or how they access Google Maps. While millions of people come directly to
maps.google.com
to search for a nearby business or get directions, many people around the globe experience Google Maps on their favorite website or application thanks to the
Google Maps API
(and some very talented developers). In fact, today 800,000 active websites and apps are using the Google Maps API to create interesting and useful experiences for you.
MoreThanAMap.com
To demonstrate the capabilities and features of the Google Maps API, today we’re launching a new website called
morethanamap.com
. This site showcases the unique features of the Google Maps API and how developers are using it.
Visit
morethanamap.com
to learn more!
Through
morethanamap.com
you’ll learn how developers can embed popular Google Maps features like Street View, public transit directions, location data, and advanced data visualization capabilities into their website or app. The interactive demos on
morethanamap.com
show how these features are ready to be added to any website or app.
Developers can use the Google Maps API to embed Street View imagery into their sites and apps
Even if you’re not a developer, the animated
London Heathrow flight
map or
global population heat map
are a fun way to visualize data and explore the power of Google Maps.
Google Maps Developers Stories from Around the World
Morethanamap.com also features stories from our community of developers who are using the Google Maps API to
start businesses
,
help improve their communities
or
save the environment
. Starting next week we’ll showcase these stories weekly on the
Geo Developers Blog
. And follow us
on Google+
to learn more.
With just a
backpack and a camera
Google Maps team member
Carlos Cuesta
went on a global tour to video blog six distinct developers who are creating thriving applications with the Google Maps API.
Start exploring what’s possible with the Google Maps API today at:
morethanamap.com
.
Posted by Ken Hoetmer, Google Maps API Product Manager
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