Begin your quest with Google Maps 8-bit for NES

We're constantly making improvements to Google Maps in order to take advantage of better hardware and web standards. For example, last October we launched MapsGL to capitalize on the improved graphics capabilities offered by WebGL.

In our pursuit of new digital frontiers, we realized that we may have left behind a large number of users who couldn't access Google Maps on their classic hardware. Surprisingly, the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) was unsupported, despite its tremendous popularity with over 60 million units sold worldwide.

Our engineering team in Japan understood the importance of maps on retro game systems. With the power of Google’s immense data centers, and support from Nintendo and Square Enix, we were able to overcome the technical and design hurdles of developing 8-bit maps. Today, we’re excited to announce the result: a version of Google Maps for NES, with beautiful low-res graphics, simple and intuitive controls, and a timeless soundtrack.





With Google Maps 8-bit, you can do all the things you already do on regular Google Maps. Search for famous landmarks and sites around the world. Take an epic journey with 8-bit Street View. Get detailed directions to avoid dangerous paths, and battle your way through a world of powerful monsters and mystic treasures.

Coming soon to the Google Store

As the first NES cartridge to be released in nearly 18 years, we’re working hard to make Google Maps 8-bit for NES available in the Google Store as soon as possible. A mobile version for Game Boy is also under development.

For those who are eager to try Google Maps 8-bit now, we’ve made a limited trial available on desktop: just click the "Quest" box in the top right corner of Google Maps to get started. Please be mindful of dragons while playing. We wish you a safe and happy quest.

Update April 1, 2012 9:45 PST: Happy April Fools! While we don't really have a NES game coming we do hope you enjoyed exploring Google Maps 8-bit. Here's to many more adventures and quests!

Posted by Tatsuo Nomura, Software Engineer, Google Maps

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A red pin to mark a dream: Competing in the National Geographic Bee

Editor’s Note: Today’s guest author is Luke Hellum. Luke is an 9th grader who has been studying geography since he was in kindergarten, making it to Arizona's state geographic bee three times, placing in the National Geographic Bee finals last year, and returning to the National Geographic Bee this year as a youth correspondent. Google is excited to sponsor this year’s event and we wish all participants the best of luck.

Today, thousands of grade-school and middle-school students will compete in state-level Geographic Bees, thanks in part to Google’s sponsorship of the competitions. State and U.S. territory bee winners will advance to the national bee prelims in Washington, D.C. on May 22, and ten will be part of the final broadcast on the National Geographic Channel. Like many of these young “mapheads,” starting at the age of five, I dreamed of participating in the bee and one day making it to the finals.

As a sixth grader, I reached the Arizona state competition for the first time, finishing fourth. The following year, I placed second, and although it was an improvement, I was disappointed and committed to ramping up my preparation efforts in 2011 for my final year of eligibility. I began studying rigorously again in the summer, averaging about 20 hours a week.

During the fall, my mom went to Washington D.C. for an Online News Association conference and met Jesse Friedman, a Product Marketing Manager from Google. She shared with Jesse her appreciation for Google’s sponsorship of the bee, and told him that I’d been heartened by the fact that former bee competitors were now Google employees, demonstrating through their work on Google Earth and other projects that geography can have a place in my future career. I realized that the value of my knowledge wouldn’t end with the bee. Jesse wished me luck and gave my mom two stickers of the Google Maps red pin to pass along to me and my brother (who will be competing for the first time in this year’s Arizona bee).

One of my study resources was a 12’ x 6’ map that covered the wall of our office. When I got the iconic pin, I decided to put it on Washington, D.C., representing my goal to reach the national bee. At times, eagerness, anxiety and restlessness would plague my study efforts. Glancing across the room at that pin would help me press on, remind me why I was working so hard, and ultimately pushed me to study harder. After many months of preparation, I won the state bee, achieved my goal of getting to Washington D.C. and placed 7th in the finals. I even got to meet Brian McClendon, Engineering VP of Google Earth and Maps.

The red pin has remained a fixture on the map. It’s still on Washington D.C., as I will be returning to the bee this year as National Geographic’s youth correspondent for the bee broadcast. After that, I plan to move it around on the map as my goals shift to places I want to go in the future: New York City, where I’m moving in June and Palo Alto, where I hope to attend Stanford University someday before founding my own startup.

Wherever the red pin may end up, it will continue to symbolize the confluence of my passions: geography, technology, and discovering the world.

Are you similarly looking to be inspired by what you can do with geography? Watch the video below to see how individuals from a variety of fields use their geography education to pursue their passions.



Posted by Luke Hellum, 2011 Arizona National Geographic state bee champion and finalist in the 2011 National Geographic Bee

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Why maps matter: Using digital cartography tools to change the world

People have created maps since early civilization, but only recently have digital mapping tools like Google Earth and Maps made it easy to build sophisticated and interactive maps that can be disseminated to hundreds of millions of people online. Non-profits have taken advantage of these tools to create maps that matter, and that are truly initiating change around the world. That’s why my team, Google Earth Outreach, exists: to help public benefit organizations use Google’s mapping tools for good.


Find out how non-profits are changing the world with maps.
There’s no better inspiration for creating your own map than the stories of accomplishment from organizations like the ones featured in the video above. We invite you to check out the new Success Stories section of the Google Earth Outreach website. Along with a completely new look and feel, our website now allows you to learn all about a variety of organizations that are using maps for good.

Get started by reading about how the Amazonas Sustainable Foundation partnered with Google to collect Street View imagery for the Amazon. It’s now possible to virtually float down the Rio Negro and its tributaries, see ground-level images of riverside communities, and trek down a trail into the Amazon rainforest, all without leaving the comfort of home. You’ll also learn about Architecture for Humanity, an organization using Google SketchUp to design architectural solutions for communities in need.

Collecting Street View imagery in the Amazon
Once you’ve read through the stories and have an idea of what you might like to create, you can browse through our tutorials or request a software grant for our enterprise-level products like Google Earth Pro. Or, if you’re interested in an overview of all the tools available to you from Google, feel free to check out our Explore Tools page, where you’ll find information about the many Google mapping tools (both free and Pro) that are available to non-profits.

If you’re looking for additional training beyond the tutorials, check out our new Events page, where you can see where Google Earth Outreach will be next and where we’ve been in the past, including rich resources from past workshops.

If you want to change the world, we hope these new tools help. Happy mapping!

Posted by Raleigh Seamster, Google Earth Outreach

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Traffic and Transit Come to Google Maps in Malaysia

We originally launched Google Maps in Malaysia back in 2009, and since then, Malaysians have been avid users of the service on both their desktops and mobile devices. So today, we are happy to announce three new features for Malaysia that we hope will make the map even more useful — especially for a nation with a lot of commuters.

First up, we have implemented the Traffic layer, which provides data about real time road congestion right on the map. Users can quickly see whether roads are congested or flowing freely based on colour coding — red for choc-a-bloc, yellow for slow moving, and green for smooth flowing.

Traffic Layer in Kuala Lumpur

Second, Transit information is now available, meaning that Malaysian public transportation details can now be found on Google Maps. This means that train and bus stops are now listed on the map, but more importantly, when you go to the “Get Directions” tab, you will see a new option — designated with a bus icon — to plan your route via public transport. The results of your search will give you step-by-step public transportation directions on how to get from Place A to Place B via bus, LRT, monorail, and Komuter train.

Transit Information in Google Maps Mobile in Kuala Lumpur

Finally, Google Maps is now available in Bahasa Malaysia, giving Malay native speakers better accessibility and the option of interfacing and navigating with Google Maps. Since 60 percent of Malaysians use Bahasa Malaysia as their primary language with over 90 percent proficiency, this localisation should make it easier for Malaysians to get the most from Maps.

To plan your journey and and get ahead in your travels, go to maps.google.com.my.

To learn more about traffic in Google Maps you can watch this video tutorial:

Posted by Jing Lim, Software Engineer, Google Maps Malaysia

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Find out your trip duration based on current traffic

Should I take public transit or a taxi to the airport? What’s the fastest way to get to my appointment on time: local streets or the expressway? Oftentimes, the answer to these questions depends on the current traffic conditions.

Now using both live and historic traffic data, Google Maps enables you to once again see the estimated length of time your journey might take. In areas where the information is available, this new and improved feature evaluates current traffic conditions and is constantly being refreshed to provide you with the most accurate, up-to-date estimate possible. To see this feature, simply access directions as you normally would on Google Maps. Below the time estimate for how long your trip might take without any traffic, you’ll see the adjusted estimate that factors in current traffic data.

For example, if I’m trying to get to JFK Airport from Manhattan I can see it is quicker to take the train versus a taxi during rush hour.

Comparing Driving Time vs. Transit Time

If the roads you’re traveling do not yet show the current traffic information, don’t despair. You can help your fellow drivers and improve traffic data about road conditions and speeds by turning on the My Location feature on Google Maps for Android.

We hope being able to plan your travels based on current traffic information saves you time, and perhaps even prevents some road frustration. Happy driving!

To learn more about directions and navigation on your Android phone, start here.

Posted by Szabolcs Payrits, Software Engineer, Google Maps

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New 45° imagery available for 15 cities

Just in time for spring break, we're updating the 45° imagery coverage in Google Maps for several spots around the world. This time the new imagery includes 13 U.S. cities and 2 international locations.

Atlanta is a cultural and economic center the Southeastern United States. Growing from a settlement at the beginning of a railroad line, it's now the headquarters of global brands like Coca Cola, CNN and Delta Airlines. It's also a major transportation hub. Atlanta's international airport, Hartsfield-Jackson, is the world's busiest airport by passenger traffic, serving 89 million passengers per year.


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Founded 540 years ago, Córdoba, Argentina, is the second oldest Spanish colonial capital within Argentina. In 1613, the order of the Jesuits established Argentina’s first university here. At the end of the 19th Century, a European immigration wave – mainly from Spain and Italy – contributed significantly to the city's industrialization. These days, due to the many churches, Córdoba is often referred to as la ciudad de las campanas, or “City of the Bells.” The link below features the Córdoba Cathedral of the Jesuit Order.


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San Luis Obispo, California, developed as a city from the fifth mission of the Catholic Church, founded by Spanish Franciscan Junipero Serra in 1772. With the start of mass mobility, it became a popular stop on U.S. Route 101 and California State Route 1. Some even say San Luis Obispo is the happiest city in the country. The link below will direct you to the historic mission buildings.


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Have fun exploring the new sites!

Below is the full list of updated cities:

US:
Atlanta, GA; Canyon Lake, TX; Charleston, SC; Dallas, TX; Houston, TX; Lakeland, FL; Lubbock, TX; Orlando, FL; Port Charlotte, FL; Roanoke, TX; San Luis Obispo, CA; Smyrna, TN; Walker, LA

International:
Adelaide, Australia; Cordoba, Argentina

Posted by Bernd Steinert, Geo Data Specialist

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Crossing the 50 billion km mark & giving Google Maps for Android a fresh look

(Cross-posted on the Official Google Blog)

Every day, millions of people turn to Google Maps for Android for free, voice-guided GPS navigation to guide them to their destination. So far, Navigation on Google Maps for Android has provided 50 billion kilometers of turn-by-turn directions, the equivalent of 130,000 trips to the moon, 334 trips to the sun, 10 trips to Neptune or 0.005 light years! When getting to your destination matters most, Google Maps for Android will get you there:


A new look for Navigation on Android 4.0+ phones

In today’s release of Google Maps 6.5 for Android we’ve redesigned the Navigation home screen in Android 4.0+ to make it easier to enter a new destination or select from recent and favorite locations by swiping left or right.

Left: New Navigation home screen   Right: Navigation in Google Maps for Android

Crisper, faster maps for high pixel density devices

If your device has a high pixel density screen, such as those on Galaxy Nexus, Galaxy S II, Droid Razr and others, you’ll now get higher resolution map tiles that take better advantage of the pixels-per-inch on your screen. The result is a crisper, less cluttered map that is easier to read:

Left: Previous style Right:New style in Google Maps 6.5 for Android
Compare our new map on the right to the previous map on the left. The road network is easier to see, less obstructed by labels, and has more color contrast. At more zoomed-in levels, you’ll notice a more controlled amount of maps labels to avoid cluttering the map and blocking out street names. The new style also helps maps react faster to panning, zooming, and twisting.

You'll start seeing the new style as you navigate around new areas on the map; however, you can see these changes immediately by clearing your cache from the Maps settings.

Pick your preferred public transit mode and route option

Google Maps 6.5 for Android now lets you choose to prioritize a particular transit mode (such as the bus or subway) and route option (like taking the recommended route, one with fewer transfers or one with less walking). Whether you just need to get somewhere as fast as possible, or you want to avoid the risk of a missed connection or you prefer not to tire your legs, you can get the transit directions that best suit you. Transit directions and schedules are available for 475 cities around the world.

To start using Google Maps 6.5 for Android, download the update from Google Play. Learn more about how to use other great features of Google Maps for Android on the redesigned Google Maps YouTube channel that has 12 new videos available today.

Posted by Harlan Hile, Software Engineer

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Take a train through the Swiss Alps with Street View

For the first time, you can ride a train on Street View. Through a partnership with UNESCO and Rhaetian Railways, we captured 75.8 miles/122 km of the famous UNESCO World Heritage Albula/Bernina railway line with Street View cameras. Starting today, in addition to accessing the imagery from directly within Google Maps, you can also find the collection in our new gallery.

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See in Gallery

Like our trip to the Amazon, this Swiss mountain journey also began last year, when we attached the Street View trike to the wagon of a Rhaetian Railway train. From the very front of the train, the trike took 360-degree images along the expansive track.

See in Gallery

You can watch the video of how we did it here, and for more Street View collections around the world, visit our updated Street View gallery.

Enjoy the ride!

Posted by Raphael Leiteritz, Product Manager, Google Maps


(Cross posted to Official Google Blog) 

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Street View Guide to Japan’s Cherry Blossom Season

One of the most popular times to travel to Japan is during the sakura season, when the nation’s innumerable cherry blossoms erupt in full pink bloom. With the season starting soon, we launched a new visual travel guide this week that uses our Street View technology to help English, Korean, Chinese and Japanese speaking travelers plan hanami flower viewing trips to popular destinations across Japan.

Check out the new Street View Guide to Japan

Working with the Japan Tourism Agency and Japan National Tourism Organization, we figured out the most popular tourist spots for foreign travelers and listed them on our guide.

This edition covers eight distinct areas — Ginza, Asakusa, Akihabara, Tsukji, Kamakura, Fuji spots, Kyoto, and Osaka — and for each, we recommend spots for sightseeing, eating, and, shopping. We are able to offer interiors panoramic views of many of the guide’s business locations, since many of the business owners participated in our Business Photos pilot program. In total, the guide offers 339 total locations, including 26 great cherry blossom viewing spots.

Visit the Toji Temple in Sakura Season

We encourage you to view the guide if you are traveling to Japan in the next few months or would like to virtually experience a few of Japan’s most beautiful sites. So grab some sake and some friends — it’s officially sakura season!

Posted by Kaori Negoro, Senior Product Marketing Manager, Google Japan

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Street View on Google Maps comes to Thailand

Last September, we announced with the Tourism Authority of Thailand that we would collect street-level imagery of Thailand via our Street View cars. Just as we started driving, however, 65 of the country’s 77 provinces experienced heavy flooding — resulting in one of the worst humanitarian and economic crises in the country’s long history.

While flood waters affected our original driving schedule, the team was determined to keep the cars on the roads by driving up-country and focusing on un-affected areas. And if the weather wasn’t enough of a challenge, how about carefully maneuvering Street View cars around curious elephants!

After six short months, it is with great pleasure that imagery of greater Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Phuket is now available on Google Maps. We hope that locals in these areas find the panoramic views helpful for finding their way around their cities, discovering new restaurants and shops, and promoting their businesses online. Tourists can also get a preview of Thailand when planning vacations, figuring out travel logistics about the exact places to visit, or simply looking for more examples of the country’s hidden beauty.

Below you can see Bangkok’s Grand Palace, one of Thailand’s great national treasures. The 360-degree imagery in Google Maps provides an immersive sense of what this spot is like in ways that a single, still photo wouldn’t be able to encompass. For example, scroll around the panorama and you’ll see Bangkok’s bustling roads littered with brightly-painted tuk tuk auto rickshaws and hot pink taxis cruising down the streets.

Grand Palace, Bangkok - View Larger Map

The new imagery also includes breathtaking views from northern and southern Thailand, from sunny Laem Phrom Thep and Phang Nga Bay in Phuket, to famous temples like Wat Chiang Man or the mountain top monastery of Doi Suthep in Chiang Mai. We will continue driving in Thailand throughout the year, so stay tuned for more imagery updates in the future.

Laem Phrom Thep, Phuket - View Larger Map

In addition to today’s announcement about adding Thailand imagery to Google Maps’ Street View feature, we’re also thrilled that the Google Trike has arrived in Thailand. Using this unique vehicle, sometimes mistaken for an ice cream vendor, we will begin collecting imagery of new spots that the Street View car cannot reach. Together with our local partner, the Tourism Authority of Thailand, a poll has been opened at www.tourismthailand.org/mymiracle for Thais to decide where the Trike should go. Visit the site and let us know through photo, video, or text the Thai landmark you want to people all around the world to be able to virtually experience.

Despite the floods, Thailand had the highest-ever number of visitors in 2011 with 19 million guests. We hope that this new Street View imagery shows the world that Thailand is back — and ready for even more guests in 2012.

To check out a few Street View in Thailand and more collections around the world, including the Amazon Basin in Brazil, go to our new Street View gallery here.

Posted by Pornthip Kongchun, Head of Marketing, Thailand

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Explore Poland on Street View

This June, the eyes of soccer fans from around the world will be on Poland and Ukraine as they host the 2012 European Football Championship. In addition to the more than one million tourists expected to visit Poland alone, now everyone can explore this beautiful country that just became available via the Street View feature in Google Maps today.

Located in the heart of Europe, Poland has a great history and many fascinating sites. Street View now allows you to take a virtual walk around Cracow, named one of the most interesting cities to visit in Europe. Cracow’s Main Square dates back to 13th century and is one of the largest market squares in Europe.

Cracow, Main Market Square - View in Larger Map 

In Warsaw, the capital of Poland, you can explore the Old Town, part of the city which was completely destroyed during World War II and now is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Warsaw, Old Town Market Place - View in Larger Map

Poland also has some great places to spend free time and relax. On the seaside you can have walk on the longest European wooden pier, which is located in Sopot. Travel 700km south and you’ll be in the Tatra mountains, where you can have a beautiful view of Dolina Chochołowska, or have a walk on Krupówki street in Zakopane.

Sopot, wooden pier - View in Larger Map 

Whether you are planning your visit for the European Football Championships in June or you simply want to explore our country at the heart of Europe, we hope you enjoy this special view of Poland.

To view other collections around the globe, including the Amazon, you can visit our new Street View gallery here.

Posted by Joanna Borowska-Perek, Google Poland

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Visit the Amazon on World Forest Day with Street View

(Cross Posted on Official Google Blog)

Last August, a few members of our Brazil and U.S. Street View and Google Earth Outreach teams were invited to the Amazon Basin to collect ground-level images of the rivers, forest and communities in the Rio Negro Reserve. Today, on World Forest Day, we’re making those images available through the Street View feature on Google Maps. Now anyone can experience the beauty and diversity of the Amazon.

Tributary of the Rio Negro - View Larger Map

Take a virtual boat ride down the main section of the Rio Negro, and float up into the smaller tributaries where the forest is flooded. Stroll along the paths of Tumbira, the largest community in the Reserve, or visit some of the other communities who invited us to share their lives and cultures. Enjoy a hike along an Amazon forest trail and see where Brazil nuts are harvested. You can even see a forest critter if you look hard enough!

Amazon Rainforest - View Larger Map

This project was made possible in partnership with the Amazonas Sustainable Foundation (FAS), the local nonprofit conservation organization that invited us to the area. We used the Street View trike and a tripod camera with a fisheye lens—typically used to capture imagery of business interiors—to capture both the natural landscape and the local communities. In all, more than 50,000 still photos were stitched together to create these immersive, 360-degree panoramic views:

Many areas of the Amazon, including Rio Negro Reserve, are under the protection of the Brazilian government with restricted access to the public, so we hope that this Street View collection provides access to this special corner of the planet that many of us otherwise wouldn’t have the chance to experience. Together with FAS, we’re thrilled to help everyone from researchers and scientists to armchair explorers around the world learn more about the Amazon, and better understand how local communities there are working to preserve this unique environment for future generations.

To do this directly from maps you can go to Brazil map and drag Pegman to the Rio Negro River

Start exploring this portion of the Amazon and other collections around the world on the updated Street View site and gallery.

Posted by Karin Tuxen-Bettman, Project Lead for Google Street View in the Amazon

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Imagery Update: Week of March 19th

The Google Earth and Maps Imagery team recently published another batch of satellite imagery. In this post, we’ll explore a few well-known locations from across the globe.

The azaleas are in full bloom, which means it’s almost time for The Masters. If you’re planning a trip to see the tournament in person, or even if you’re just watching it on TV, check out the refreshed imagery of this world class golf course.

Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, Georgia
Speaking of upcoming sporting events, we also have updates for Weymouth and Portland in the United Kingdom, where this summer’s Olympic sailing events will take place. In the image below, you can see the newly constructed facilities on Osprey Quay.

Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy, Portland, United Kingdom
Making the transition from sporting maritime to commercial maritime, we’re also bringing you fresh updates of the Yangshan Deep-Water Port. This massive port facility located off Shanghai continues to grow at an astounding scale. The below before and after images show the port in 2007 and then in 2011, during which time the port nearly doubled in size.

Yangshan Deep-Water Port in 2007 (left) and 2011 (right)
We end our journey with a much smaller and older aquatic destination. As amazing as it sounds, the ancient temple you see below is actually not in its original location. In the 1960’s when the Philae Temple was threatened by the slowly rising waters of the Nile, a UNESCO project was started to physically de-construct the entire site and then re-assemble it on a nearby island. If you ever get the chance, don’t hesitate to visit this remarkable complex.

Philae Temple Complex, Aswan, Egypt
To receive email notifications when the Google Earth and Maps Imagery team updates your favorite area(s), we encourage you to use the Follow Your World tool!

These are only a few examples of the sites that can be seen and discovered in our latest batch of published imagery. Happy exploring!

Countries/regions receiving high resolution satellite updates:
Canada, United States, Mexico, Cuba, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Jamaica, Guadeloupe, Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago, Costa Rica, Panama, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Greenland, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Sudan, South Sudan, Chad, Niger, Mali, Mauritania, Senegal, Guinea, Liberia, Ghana, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Congo, Angola, Zambia, Mozambique, Botswana, South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, Madagascar, United Kingdom, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, Germany, Austria, Italy, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Ukraine, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Moldova, Bulgaria, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovinia, Macedonia, Albania, Greece, Turkey, Russia, Cyprus, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Jordan, Lebanon, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Yemen, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgzstan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Taiwan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, Japan, The Philippines, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia, Fiji, and Antarctica

These updates are now available in Google Earth and will be live in Google Maps in the coming days. For a complete picture of where we updated imagery, download this KML for viewing in Google Earth.

Posted by Matt Manolides, Google Earth Imagery team

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Introducing more detailed 3D landmarks on Google Maps

Landmarks have often served as one of the most useful ways to help navigate an unknown area. For example, a Parisian might tell a tourist, "the cafe you're looking for is just north of the Eiffel tower" because the Eiffel tower is easy to spot and everyone knows how to get there.

In our ongoing effort to make Google Maps as accurate and useful as possible, we've significantly enhanced the quality of more than a thousand 3D landmarks around the world, making it easier to compare the digital map to the physical landscape.

For example, take a look below at the enhanced detail for the 3D model for Piazza del Duomo in Florence, Italy.

Before

After: Note the smooth curves on the dome
Say, you're looking out your hotel room window in Florence for the first time; it's much easier to get a sense of your location by simply comparing the shapes of buildings on the map to what you see out your window. By combining 3D buildings with other Google Maps features like Street View and driving directions, you'll have the most advanced "tourist map" on the planet.

Here are some additional examples of the beautiful 3D landmarks we've recently updated. This will be available soon on Google MapsGL as well.


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Burj Khalifa


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Sydney Opera House


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The White House


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Petronas Towers
There are several more 3D landmarks to see, so start exploring!

Posted by Paul Messmer, Google Maps software engineer

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A New Home for Google Maps API Developers

(Cross-posted from Google Geo Developer Blog)

When we first launched the Google Maps API, it was all about a map, a pin, and a dream. Back then our technical documentation was relatively simple, consisting of a couple of developer docs and some code samples. Since then the Google Maps API has expanded far beyond our expectations, due in large part to the diverse and innovative developer ecosystem that has grown with us.

With the continuing evolution of the Google Maps API, it became clear that we needed more than just code documentation to convey what’s possible with the Google Maps API. Thus, developers.google.com/maps was born.

In addition to having all the same developer content that was previously available on code.google.com, the site is designed to highlight and illustrate new features of the Google Maps API through fun and interactive demos. Our goal with developers.google.com/maps is to inspire the next wave of innovation on the Google Maps API, and to connect developers and decision makers with the tools and services that can make their products better.


One of the features of the Google Developers site we’re most excited about is the 3rd party developer showcase, which allows us to celebrate a selection of innovative sites in the Google Maps API ecosystem. Showcase content is carefully curated by the Google Maps API team.

In order to help users discover relevant apps and topics in the showcase, we’ve devised a tagging system that allows you to filter examples both by theme, and by Google Maps API features used.



We hope that the showcase and the interactive examples on the new Google Maps API Developers capture your imagination and inspire you with what’s possible using the platform. The imagination of Google Maps API developers has always been what makes the product great and we’re looking forward to seeing what you come up with next.

Posted by Carlos Cuesta, Product Marketing Manager, Google Maps Developer

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Start a love affair with Google Map Maker; now available in France and Monaco

Spring is in the air, carrying with it that special kind of love one feels when taking a romantic stroll along the Seine, visiting a countryside chateau, or finding an exotic garden by the sea. What better way to celebrate the season than by adding the places you love to Google Maps for the whole world to discover.

With Google Map Maker for France and Monaco, you can add your favorite places to the map. Start with your local bakeries, cinemas, parks, and museums. Once approved your contributions will appear on Google Maps, Google Earth and Google Maps for mobile for all the world to see. Now the French map can embody the rich culture and spirit unique to France, reflecting the heart of your neighborhood as you add details to the map.

Claude Monet’s house and studio, where he painted his water lilies, brought to life in Google Maps with Google Map Maker.
Parts of your neighborhood may already be mapped on Google Maps. If your favorite park is on the map, why not add the lake, football pitch and market to add that joie de vivre. Mark the best bicycle route through and edit road attributions so visitors can find their way around town. Join with other local mappers by bringing your local expertise to review their contributions to the map.

Google Map Maker proudly welcomes France to join citizen cartographers from across the globe as they create a more complete map of the world around us. To learn more, subscribe to the Map Maker YouTube Channel, and get started mapping. C’est génial!

Posted by Lakshminath Bhuvanagiri, Software Engineer

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Get Traffic Conditions in Norway, New Zealand, and Hong Kong

We have expanded our live traffic coverage to Norway, New Zealand, and Hong Kong. Traffic in Google Maps was introduced in 2008, and since then our team has been working hard to bring this popular feature to more and more countries. Today, you can now get traffic conditions for major cities and highways in Norway, New Zealand, and Hong Kong.

Desktop View: Traffic conditions in Oslo, Norway

To do so, simply go to maps.google.com and click on the traffic layer in the widget you can find on the upper right hand side of the screen. This useful traffic information is also available on Google Maps for Mobile devices and Google Maps Navigation.

Mobile View: Traffic in Auckland, New Zealand and Hong Kong

If the roads you are traveling do not yet show traffic information, don’t despair. You can help your fellow drivers and improve traffic data by using Google Navigation or Google Maps for Mobile while traveling.

Posted by Håvard Kvålen, Software Engineer, Google Maps

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Hoop fans rejoice... the tournament is back!

Are you ready sports fans? College basketball nirvana has returned and the anticipation is building on campuses across the country. To celebrate this most wondrous time of the sporting year I've produced my fifth edition college basketball tournament map. Whether you're using Google Maps or Google Earth, we've got you covered. To kick things off, I’ve created a Custom Map to serve as an easy reference for the home bases of all participating teams.

View 2012 College Basketball Tournament in a larger map

Next, watch the video below for a bird’s eye peek at the home stadiums in 3D across the country, as seen in Google Earth.

Want to explore a little deeper? Download this KMZ file to view all home cities and stadiums as an overlay directly in Google Earth. With 3D models of many of the 14 tournament venues, you can get a sense for what it’d be like to visit the stadiums without ever leaving your dorm room, living room, or office.

While creating this year’s map, I also came across the following bits of trivia you can use to flaunt your hoops knowledge and amaze your friends:

• This year’s field is resplendent with color: Orangemen, Crimson, Bluejays, Blue Devils, Golden Bears, and Golden Eagles
• As usual, the field contains a cast of characters: Billikens, Commodores, Mountaineers, 49ers, Aztecs, Cavaliers, Hilltoppers, Hoosiers, Runnin’ Rebels, Musketeers, and Titans
• Finally, the traditional adversaries of dogs and cats are well represented: Bulldogs, Greyhounds, Lobos, Huskies, Hoyas, and the Wolfpack versus Bearcats, Bobcats, Wildcats, Tigers, Catamounts, and Cougars

For even more tournament tools, visit College Hoops 2012 -- Google’s one-stop-shop providing basketball fans with everything they need to follow their favorite teams and connect with other fans. For our tournament picks, we looked back at search trends to see how Google would have fared if we used search volume to fill out our brackets. You’ll also find details on Google+ hangouts with teams around the country, a Zagat dining guide for recommendations on where to watch the game, and search tips for finding scores for the most recent buzzer beaters.

Enjoy the games and best of luck to all the competing teams!

Posted by Adam Hughes, Google Play Developer Support and college hoops fan

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Access custom Google Earth content on your mobile device

Update (March 20, 2012): Google Earth 6.2 for iOS is now available in the Apple App Store.

One of the most powerful features of Google Earth is the ability to view custom maps or overlays, which are also commonly known as KML files. Ever since we introduced Google Earth on mobile devices, users have requested support for custom content. Today, we are proud to announce Google Earth 6.2 for Android and iOS, which includes support for KMLs. Now anywhere you find a “Google Earth file” (KML file) while you’re browsing the mobile web, just click on the link and the Google Earth app will automatically launch and load the custom map.

With this release, the Google Earth Gallery is also now available in the mobile app, enabling you to easily explore some of the best maps from around the web directly within Google Earth. For example, not sure if that was an earthquake? Go to the Earth Gallery and click on the USGS’ real-time earthquake map to see recent earthquakes from around the world.

Maybe you’re interested in finding hiking trails on your next vacation. Check out Everytrail to find a hike wherever you might be.

If you’re a basketball fan, be sure to check out the new College Basketball Tournament map, which takes you on a virtual trip to the school and stadiums of this year’s competing teams.

For Google Earth for Android users, we’ve also added a new “Share” feature, which allows you to share a screenshot of your current view with people in your Google+ circles, via Gmail, or on other applications. Now you can share your favorite places with friends and family from your desktop computer, mobile phone or tablet. And, if you follow the Google Earth +Page, you can see what others are sharing and discover new locations around the world.

The 6.2 release of Google Earth for Android and iOS also includes improvements in navigation, which make it even easier to fly to your favorite spots on the globe.

To check out the latest version of Google Earth for Android phones and tablets, download it now from Google Play. For iOS users, look for the latest version of Google Earth in the iTunes App Store soon!

Posted by Peter Birch, Google Earth Product Manager

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Google and Historypin launch online gallery to celebrate The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee

(Cross posted to Official Google Blog)

This year marks the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, celebrating Her Majesty’s 60 years on the throne. To commemorate this special occasion, we’re teaming up with Historypin to launch an interactive online gallery filled with memories of her time as Queen.

The Pinning The Queen’s History project will be made up of photographic images, videos and audio clips pinned directly onto a Google Map on the dedicated Historypin site. This will let you see historical images in modern context within Google Maps.

Throughout her six decades on the throne, The Queen has undertaken hundreds of visits around the United Kingdom and 261 official overseas visits to 116 different countries. History pin is inviting people from around the world to submit photos, videos and other memories of The Queen during these visits.

Using Google Maps and Street View, the Historypin platform enables you to pinpoint the exact location of where the imagery was captured. They’ll be overlaid onto Street View, so you can compare glimpses of the Queen’s 60-year reign with how they look today.

The collection has been boosted by the provision of images from The Queen’s overseas visits taken by press photographers, and by photographs of items from the Buckingham Palace’s Royal Archives. Items from the Royal Archives include the sitar presented to The Queen during her visit to India in 1997, an earthenware vase presented to the Queen by the Prime Minister of Japan and a map showing the air routes around South Australia during the 1954 Commonwealth Tour.

The interactive gallery is an opportunity for anyone to contribute to and celebrate The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee on one global platform. We’re honoured that Google Maps can form the foundation of this official gallery.

Submit your memories of The Queen at www.historypin.com/DiamondJubilee/.

Posted by Ed Parsons, Geospatial Technologist, London

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New Satellite Imagery of Japan’s Disaster Areas

On the one year anniversary of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami, we have updated Google Maps with the latest satellite imagery of the affected areas.

As you can see in the photo below, the new imagery covers the Northeastern coast from Hachinohe in Aomori Prefecture down to Hitachi City in Ibaraki Prefecture. This high-resolution imagery from GeoEye was taken in February and March and provides a telling view of what the affected areas look like a year into recovery.

To access the satellite imagery in Google Maps, search for the locations to bring up the areas in the Maps viewport, and then click on the “Satellite” icon in the upper right corner. The updated imagery is also available in Google Earth.

Since the earthquake and tsunami last March 11th, we have been updating satellite and aerial imagery of the area to show the effects of the disaster as well as the pace of rebuilding. The new imagery shows that the road to full recovery is still long. There are, however, signs of progress — from large trucks on the streets to newly repaired bridges and bustling ports.

Bridge of Minami Sanriku Town, Miyagi

Shiogama Port, Miyagi

 

For those who live in the area or anyone interested in following the recovery efforts, we encourage you to sign up for the Follow Your World tool to automatically receive notifications whenever we refresh imagery of the Tohoku area.  

Posted by Kei Kawai, Senior Product Manager, on behalf of the International Crisis Response team

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