Favorite Places on Google Maps

We on the Google Maps team are committed to organizing all the local places and businesses that can be found online. To show you the range of all this interesting local information, we've teamed up with local experts around the world to share some of their favorite places. We invite you to explore their maps by visiting google.com/favoriteplaces

Google I/O 2009 - Mercurial on BigTable

Project Hosting on Google Code is a web-based platform for open source development, providing mailing lists, an issue tracker, a source code repository, download areas, and so on. This talk will focus on a new version-control component of Project Hosting on Google Code: Mercurial backed by Bigtable. Mercurial/Bigtable is designed to scale over thousands of machines and use Bigtable's replication to run over multiple datacenters. It is built to be able to host hundreds of thousands of open source projects. Come learn about Mercurial's architecture, and how we've extended it to grow to "Google size".

For presentation slides and all I/O sessions, please go to: code.google.com/events/io/sessions.html

My Tracks

My Tracks is an Android application that enables you to record GPS tracks while hiking, biking, or running. Learn about it.

Google Maps API and Zipcar

With Google Maps API front-and-center on the front and back ends, Zipcar has grown to become the world's largest on-demand carshare service.

Google Earth, Nine Inch Nails, and Real-time Geo Community

Presented by Craig Johnston and Brian Hull

The band Nine Inch Nails recently released a ground-breaking geo-Twitter-like iPhone / Google Earth plug-in application. This follows on the heels of many creative uses of KML and Google Earth to communicate with fans. This talk is from the software developer team that supports the band.

http://access.nin.com/

Throughout the last couple of years Google Earth has enabled us to present amazing visualizations and perspectives to those interested in Nine Inch Nails, from releasing download numbers of the latest album, plotting tour-dates and geo-cached ticket treasure hunts to the latest realtime integration with geo-located mobile fans. We present our conceptual and technical experiences integrating the Nine Inch Nails online community with Google Earth and the Google Earth plugin.

Map your world with Map Maker

Whether it's drawing roads and bridges from scratch, highlighting major landmarks, or tagging your friendly neighborhood convenience store, you can edit and contribute to local map features with Google Map Maker. Check it out for available countries at mapmaker.google.com.

For more tutorials and help getting started with Google Map Maker, please visit our Map Maker Help Center,

http://sites.google.com/site/mapmakeruserhelp/

Google Latitude Stunt - HI MOM

Send a friend a custom version of this video.

http://google.com/latitudes...


To learn more about Google Latitude, visit:
http://google.com/latitude

Your world in 3D - Google SketchUp and Google Earth

Create 3D models using Google SketchUp and add them to the 3D Buildings layer in Google Earth. Learn more at http://sketchup.google.com/yourworldin3d/

Visible Past Gwiki

Imagine an online historical atlas where each historical event would be mapped and annotated with text, diagrams, pictures, videoclips, and audiofiles. http://www.visiblepast.net

Imagine... a site where people interested in the same historical events, places, monuments or periods can network.

Imagine... a site that can automatically index information and create clusters of events, places or historical personalities based on the users common interests in them.

Imagine... a site that can recommend the best books or articles available for a specific historical topic.

Imagine... a service that would deliver to your cell phone information about any spot on the planet you might find yourself at.

Imagine... a room with life-size screens on which virtual models of the ancient Roman Forum, of the Omaha Beach Battle or of the Forbidden City would be projected and interacted with in 3d.

Now imagine... there was a way to make available for reading or editing the information stored by the atlas to the person using the cell phone in Rome, at the ruins of the Roman Forum. Imagine that the person in the 3D virtual reality room could visualize all the data contributed by the visitors of the online atlas.

Finally, imagine the people using cell phones, desktop computers or full immersion 3d virtual reality models talking to each other through a communication system that allows them to share impressions, passions and ideas.

These ideas do not belong to the realm of science fiction. They are the product of the Visible Past project, initiated by a group of faculty at Purdue University. Visible Past is a seamless network of information that turns the idea of information searching and retrieval on its head. Spatially locating and disseminating information, Visible Past takes the pain out of searching for information because through it information searches for you.

Send a geoGreeting!

Send a unique message to your friends with the geoGreeting website. Your text will be spelled out with aerial views of buildings and other things from an interactive Google map. For example, a circular stadium would be used to represent the letter “O”. Give it a try!

Silicon Valley JavaScript Meetup - January 21, 2009

Silicon Valley JavaScript Meetup session from January 21, 2009, hosted at the Googleplex in Mountain View, CA.

Nicholas Zakas talks about the performance differences between local and global variables (cross variables.)

Davey Waterson talks about ActiveRecord.js, an open source JavaScript library that implements the ActiveRecord data persistence and querying pattern popularized by (though not invented by) the Ruby on Rails community.

Tom Robinson talks about server-side JavaScript using Jack and Roundabout.

More infromation:
http://javascript.meetup.com/9/calendar/9319458/

Local Business Center for Google Maps

Go to Local Business Center: http://maps.google.com/localbusinesscenter
Use Local Business Center to enhance your business information on Google Maps and google.com.

iGoogle Love Stories

What do you love about your iGoogle homepage? Share your story with us. www.google.com/sharethelove09

A Tour of Glacier Data Sets via Google Earth and GeoServer

Two widely used glacier data sets are the World Glacier Inventory (WGI) and the Glacier Photograph Collection (GPC). Both data sets are available from the National Snow and Ice Data Center. The WGI encompasses over 100,000 records of glacier data and the GPC houses approximately 10,000 digitized photographs. The online GPC has doubled in size this year due to significant updates from the USGS Ice and Climate Project collection and also many contributions by Austin Post.
These updates bring photographs from the past to the forefront by enabling users to view Alaskan glaciers from the 1960s through the
1990s. The GPC KML files are updated intermittently. Because the WGI contains over 100,000 data records, a PostgreSQL database with a PostGIS extension was selected to store the data. GeoServer, an open source server, supports PostGIS and produces KML output automatically. By facilitating access to the KML files, data users can locate their region of interest and search for glacier data in a spatial context. The KML files are presented in Google Earth.

Presenter: Lisa Ballagh

National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC), Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES), University of Colorado at Boulder.

Using Google SketchUp with Earth for Scientific Applications

Numerous scientists and engineers have discovered the value of the Google Earth application and Keyhole Markup Language as a medium for research and teaching in earth science, life science, and environmental science. Google SketchUp, on the other hand, has been used mainly for designing buildings and for recreational 3D modeling.This talk demonstrates the use of Google SketchUp to create Collada models that have Earth and Planetary Science applications on the virtual globe. Sample applications include plate tectonics, geophysics, atmospheric science, and the generation of paleoDEMs that represent the earth's landscape during previous geological periods.

Presenter: Declan De Paor

Director of the Pretlow Planetarium and Research Professor of Geophysics at Old Dominion University, Norfolk VA.

Declan obtained a PhD from the National University of Ireland in 1981. He came to the U.S. in 1983 as a Senior Fulbright Scholar and has since worked at Johns Hopkins University, Boston College, Harvard University, Boston University, and Old dominion University. His main research interests are strain and kinematic analysis of deformed rocks and digital mapping of geologic structures.

Google Latitude privacy tips

Learn about Google Latitude privacy options

www.google.com/latitude

Google Earth 5.0 - Launch Event

Google Earth 5.0 Launch Event at California Academy of Sciences, 2/2/09. Speakers include: Greg Farrington, Dr. Eric Schmidt, John Hanke, Vice President Al Gore, Dr. Sylvia Earle, Terry Garcia, Marissa Mayer, Jimmy Buffett

Google Latitude

Google Latitude lets you see your friends on a map on Google Maps for mobile and iGoogle. Use Latitude to plan an impromptu meetup, see that a loved one got home safely, or just stay in touch with friends. www.google.com/latitude

See where your friends are on a map with Google Latitude. Latitude is a new feature for Google Maps for mobile and an iGoogle gadget.

What's New in Google Earth 5.0

With Google Earth 5.0, you can now travel back in time to see historical imagery, dive below the surface of the ocean and record a tour of your journeys. Download at http://earth.google.com

How NYC uses Google Maps and Google Earth

Check out the brand new Official NYC Information Center and nycgo.com use the Google Maps API, Google Maps for mobile, and Google Earth.

How to create a "My Map" in Google Maps

How to create personalized, annotated, customized maps using Google Maps.

Google Maps API and REA Group

The REA Group used Google Maps to increase total user engagement and property detail page views by an average of 10% across 20 sites in 3 continents.

The ArcGIS JavaScript™ Extension for Google Maps™

The ArcGIS JavaScript™ Extension for Google Maps™ allows you to extend the Google Maps™ API to use ArcGIS Server services. With this extension, you can add your own data to a Google map and embed this map in your own page.

If you are just getting started, the Google Extension reference includes sections on

• Concepts


• Examples


• API Reference

Additional information on ArcGIS Server services and JavaScript™ basics is also included.

If you are new to mapping and GIS, and would like to learn more about GIS concepts, you can check out What is GIS? on the Geography Matters Web site.

Stay on top of the latest news and advice by reading the ArcGIS Server blog.

London Geo Developer Meet-up

Last Monday, 15 of us met in the Google Victoria offices for the first London Google Geo Developer Meet-up. The primary goal was to allow people to meet each other, and we certainly achieved that. A good time was had by all. In addition, we had some brief presentations:
Tina Ornduff talked about Google Earth Education and her recent talks with educators in the UK. Some of the projects include Digital Geography, Google Lit Trips, and Real World Math

Marc Tobias Metten gave an excellent presentation on how Nestoria uses Google Maps in their real estate site. It was interesting to hear not just about the map, but the difficulties in working with multiple data providers.
The ex-historian in me was intrigued by Phil Gyford's presentation on Pepys' Diary, his site tracking the diary of Samuel Pepys, a 17th century resident of London. Every day, Phil blogs a day of Pepys' diary, and includes links to resources about the various figures and locations in the diary, as well as providing maps of his daily activities.
I presented about the new Google Earth API, and showed some of the example projects.
Afterwards, we went to the The Phoenix for drinks and food.

Posted by Mano Marks, Geo APIs Team

Put Your Business on Google Maps

It's easy to put your business on the map with Google Maps. The  Google Local Business Center is the portal to Google Maps and is a free service for business owners with a physical business location. Sign in to Google Maps with your Google username and password. If you don't already have a Google account, you can set one up on the spot.

Once you input your information, the generated Google Maps marker will appear in searches and can include your business name, address, phone number, photos, and details of your business such as business hours. It's like having a phone book ad pop up on a map.

1. The photo upload feature allows you to add or edit photos that appear with your business listing.

2. Customer attributes let you create your own business attributes in addition to selecting the initial business type.

3. It's easy to move the Google Maps marker if it appears in the wrong location on the map; simply drag it to the right spot. Use Google Maps Help if you have any questions. 

Also, Mappibiz developers can answer your Google Maps utilization questions or even set up your map listing for you.

What is Mappibiz

Mappibiz is short for "mapping for business."

While an address is important for postal delivery, it does not, by itself, give you the answers you need to run your business effectively. Especially if your business processes depend on precise location.

Google Geo APIs have dynamic functions that can sharpen your customer intelligence. The result? You can improve operational efficiency and heighten your overall customer experience in ways that greatly increase your profit potential.

Google have a well known mapping engine that can be used to develop a quick, cost effective mapping solution. Typically projects involve designing maps based on customer specific requirements for websites. This can involve research, editorial, design and full production services or may be working with existing mapping to evolve new products depending on a specific project or requirements.

For example, Google Geo API technology can be used by a company to site a new business location to take advantage of a previously under-served market.

How easy it is to do business?

Take a trip around the world to discover how easy (or difficult) it is to do business in 181 economies. 

Business Planet maps flagship online databases of the World Bank Group that support private sector-led growth and financial market development in developing countries. It is an entry point to powerful data sources such as http://www.doingbusiness.org, http://www.enterprisesurveys.org, http://rru.worldbank.org/Privatization and http://ppi.worldbank.org.

Business Planet features more than 20 maps that cover over 190 economies across issues like How easy it is to do business, How often firms are expected to bribe tax inspectors, and much more.

Depending on the indicator, economies are ranked from top to bottom, and then assigned one of three color codings: green for the high performing economies, orange for those in the middle, and red for the lowest performing economies.

You can filter maps by various topics, regions and countries and share a link with your colleagues through a toolbar at the top right corner.

Welcome to Map Land!!!

We are celebrating the launch of launch of Mappibiz.com on New Year's Day. Visit Mappibiz.com to watch the fireworks powered by the Google Geo APIs.  We wish the Google Geo Developers a happy New Year and we look forward to more successful collaboration.

Here's to a wonderful, peaceful, prosperous, and colourful 2009