Santa Claus is coming to town... find out where with Google and NORAD

(Cross-posted on the Official Google blog)It’s that time of year again! The stockings are hung by the chimney with care and Google and NORAD are ready to answer the question of “where?”NORAD’s tradition of tracking Santa on Christmas Eve started in 1955, when a Sears and Roebuck ad promoting the Talk-to-Santa hotline inadvertently sent callers to CONAD (NORAD’s predecessor) commander-in-chief’s operations hotline. After recovering from the surprise...

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New 45° imagery for Detroit and 4 other cities

Earlier this month we highlighted 21 new cities with updated 45° imagery on Google Maps. In our last 45° imagery update of the year, we have 5 new cities from the Midwestern and Southern regions of the US.Detroit, Michigan is one of those cities I’m particularly excited to share with you. Growing up nearby this great international city, I’ve gotten to know its beauty, character and deep history. Recently Detroit has attracted much international attention for its auto sector and changing urban landscape. With this 45° imagery update, and also...

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Imagery Update: Week of December 12th

The Google Earth and Maps Imagery Team has done it again, delivering another collection of updated aerial and satellite imagery from around the globe, just in time for the holidays. Below we’ll show several new high-resolution aerial imagery examples of important locations and landmarks of where large groups of people congregate. Our first example is known the world over and houses one of the most impressive art collections ever assembled: the Louvre...

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Mapping made easier with the new Google Map Maker

With 2012 approaching, we're getting a head start on our New Year's resolution to shed some excess weight and improve our overall appearance. You may have seen our ongoing efforts to improve the look, feel, and user experience across many other Google products to date. And with Google Map Maker available in the United States, Canada, and more than 180 other regions, it's time for another makeover. Today, we’re revealing a new version of Google Map...

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Experience the tsunami-affected areas of Japan through Street View

(Cross posted on Official Google Blog) Back in July, we announced our initiative to digitally archive the areas of Northeastern Japan affected by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. Today, we’re making good on that promise—after driving more than 44,000 kilometers through the affected regions, 360-degree panoramic imagery of those areas is now available through the Street View feature in Google Maps. The images can also be viewed via a special website called “Memories for the Future,” where you can easily compare before and after shots of the...

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New 45° imagery available for 21 cities

Viewing 45° imagery can make the map much more fun and informative by enabling you to see a tilted aerial perspective of some of your favorite spots. In this month’s 45° imagery update in Google Maps, I highlight one of my favorite towns in Colorado.Boulder, Colorado is a mecca for outdoor hiking, cycling, and climbing excursions and 45° imagery can help users plan their adventures. Located at the base of the Rocky Mountains, Boulder is at an elevation of 5,430 feet (1,655m) above sea level which makes for fun terrain to look at from a bird’s eye...

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A new view of Google Earth on 48 screens

Back in 2009, Google developed the first Liquid Galaxy, an entirely new way to display Google Earth on eight screens - which creates an immersive experience of virtually flying around the globe. Since then, we’ve built dozens of Liquid Galaxies all over the world and open sourced the code so anyone can build their own.Late last year, the Paris Center for Architecture and Urbanism: Le Pavillon de l’Arsenal, approached us asking if they could use Google...

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New Cities in 3D - Rome, Seville, Las Vegas, and more.

Google Maps continuously works to bring you real-life 3D representations of your favorite cities from around the world. Google Maps in 3D combines a functional map with stunning visuals. You can tour an increasing number of cities in 3D and experience the streets and sights right from your computer or Android device.Since embarking on our 3D mapping efforts, we have amassed a collection of cities that allows you to feel like a jet-setter. We have recently expanded and improved this collection to include more cities in Europe and the US, to name...

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Updating the Maps of the United Kingdom, Germany, Finland and Sweden

As always, our team continues to work hard to provide up-to-date and accurate base map data for places around the world. Today, we are happy to announce updated maps for the UK, Germany, Finland and Sweden. You may notice many improvements to Google Maps in these countries, such as improved water bodies and more comprehensive local park coverage. Many of these and other changes are the result of us working directly with a variety of organizations, agencies and data providers. For example, Germany's Federal Agency for Cartography and Geodesy (Bundesamt...

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Exploring ancient ruins in 3D with Google Earth

(Cross-posted on the Inside Search Blog)Searches can become stories. Some inspire us, others change the way we see the world or just make us smile. This is the latest in a series of videos about people who have used Google to discover or do something extraordinary. The field of archaeology has changed much over the years. New modes of transportation have made even the most remote sites accessible, while cameras simplify how a historical record is created and shared with the world. Spurred on by these innovations, researchers are also embracing...

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Looking for stores in a shopping mall or doctors in a hospital?

As the holiday shopping season kicks into high gear, being a well-informed and efficient shopper is more important than ever. That’s why we’re excited to introduce a new feature in Google Maps that can help you find places that are located within or are part of larger buildings, such as malls, office buildings, and hospitals. When appropriate, the name of the overarching location will be added to the listings that appear in Google Maps, just beneath...

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Pedal to find your dream home with Google Maps

The features available in Google Maps are equally functional and fun. You can tour distant cities with Street View or map out a trip with multiple destinations using Custom Maps. Not only is Google Maps a great tool for everyday personal use, but it’s can also be used as a practical business tool. Such is the case for Matt Kolb, owner of Pedal to Properties. Matt is an avid cyclist and a realtor based in Boulder, Colorado. In 2006, Matt decided to blend his hobby and career by founding his own real estate agency called Pedal to Properties. His...

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Here comes Santa Claus

Whether you know him as Père Noël, Weihnachtsmann, Babbo Natale, Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas or Santa Claus, there’s a chance you’re anticipating a visit from the jolly old man this December 24. Although he goes by many different names, the magic he brings to the holidays is felt by children and adults celebrating Christmas all over the world. Growing up in Lawrence, Kansas, I have fond memories of racing to the tree Christmas morning to see what Santa left during his stop in my town. Sometimes it took a lot of work to stay on the right side...

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Imagery Update: Week of November 28th

The winter and holiday seasons are quickly approaching but that hasn’t stopped the Google Earth and Maps Imagery Team from updating aerial and satellite imagery throughout the globe. Today, we’d like to share several interesting features identified in this latest release.The first example shown below is part of an aerial image acquired this past September of the ski slopes in Breckenridge, Colorado. The slopes have already accumulated several inches...

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A new frontier for Google Maps: mapping the indoors

(Cross-posted on the Official Google Blog)“Where am I?” and “What’s around me?” are two questions that cartographers, and Google Maps, strive to answer. With Google Maps’ “My Location” feature, which shows your location as a blue dot, you can see where you are on the map to avoid walking the wrong direction on city streets, or to get your bearings if you’re hiking an unfamiliar trail. Google Maps also displays additional details, such as places,...

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Visualizing water and energy solutions in a warming world

Editor’s Note: Today’s guest author is Zachary Hurwitz from International Rivers, an environmental and human rights organization with staff in four continents, who has worked to protect rivers and the rights of communities that depend on them for over 25 years. International Rivers was the recipient of a Google Earth Outreach Developer Grant, funded through the Google Inc. Charitable Giving Fund at the Tides Foundation. We are excited to showcase...

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Street View comes to beautiful Belgium

Belgium may be a small country but it’s big on culture with more than 300 castles, 40 UNESCO World Heritage sites, 200 museums, 500 types of beer and 2000 chocolate shops. Today we are opening up our beautiful sites to users all over the world as we launch the country at the centre of Europe on Street View.In the heart of the capital, Brussels, you can now take a virtual stroll around the famous Grand Place which houses the town hall, markets, cafes, museums and the magnificent flower carpet.View Larger MapGrand Place, BrusselsBelgium was one of...

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Street View special collections: ski and snow edition

(Cross posted on the Official Google Blog)From the streets to the slopes, Street View in Google Maps recently updated its special collections to include a number of new ski resorts, so you can tour some of the world’s most beautiful ski terrain right from your browser. Whether you’re planning your annual trip to your favorite resort or hunting for an exciting new adventure, Street View can transport you to your desired destination. Tour a few of our favorite ski resorts below.First stop off the ski lift is the world famous Squaw Valley, in northern...

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Finding the perfect home with Google Fusion Tables

Editor’s Note: This is a true story, but some of the details have been changed for privacy purposes.My husband and I were recently in the market for a new home. We worked with a realtor for a few months, looking at several houses every weekend. As we checked out each house, we tracked our thoughts about it in a Google spreadsheet, which included columns for the address, our pros and cons, individual ratings and the combined rating of the house.One...

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Follow robotic wave gliders on a record setting Pacific crossing in Google Earth

Join a journey of discovery virtually in Google Earth, as Liquid Robotics launches four wave-powered robotic gliders to cross the Pacific ocean in their Pacific Crossing (PacX) Challenge Expedition. The wave gliders are attempting to set a new world record for the longest distance ever attempted by an unmanned vehicle and will be collecting data about the Pacific ocean for use by scientists and students back on dry land. These R2D2s of the sea will...

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See your rated places and discover new ones directly on the map

(Cross-posted on the Google Places Blog)Since the My Places tab was released earlier this summer, you’ve been able to view all the places you’ve rated in one manageable list. This list is now being used to personalize your view of Google Maps, enabling you to visualize all the various places you’ve visited, loved, loathed, and might want to check out right on the map.Starting today, business labels for locations you’ve rated with Google Places will...

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Map your military service for Veterans Day

Today is Veterans Day in the U.S., and we’re honoring this community by sharing relevant Google tools for veterans and families all over the world--you can learn more on the Google for Veterans and Families site. I specifically wanted to highlight a couple of these tools that enable people to map and tell their stories using Google Earth and Google Maps.Explore veteran tours in Google EarthFor Veterans Day we’re featuring several stories created...

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Announcing the 2012 Google Model Your Town Competition

[Cross-posted from the SketchUp blog]Following the success of last year’s Google Model Your Town competition, today we're launching the second Google Model Your Town Competition. Model Your Town is about geo-modeling – making photo-textured models of real-life buildings that appear in Google Earth. The Model Your Town Competition is also a chance to celebrate your town by adding it to the 3D map. Of course, the USD$25,000 for a local school/district...

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Getting to know you

Every week, we try to share a fun little something about Google Maps and Google Earth on our social channels to help you stay tuned in to the latest product announcements and provide tips on how to get the most out of your Maps and Earth experiences.But to make sure our posts are interesting and valuable to you, our readers, we thought it’d be useful to ask what you’d like to read, watch and share. Whether you're a user, developer or journalist, we want to know more about who you are and what you’d like to see from us. To collect your feedback,...

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