Latest News from Google Maps

As of May 6th the Gulf of Mexico oil spill covered at least 2,500 square miles of ocean surface. You can see the extent of the damage on the How Big is the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill map.

Using the Google Earth browser plugin you can even compare the size of the oil spill to major cities around the world. For example, in the image above you can see the oil spill laid over London. Incredibly the oil spill would stretch from Cambridge, in the north, to Brighton on the south coast.

Google's Crisis Response Team has created this Google Map to show the extent of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. The map includes a number of layers that can be selected to view on the map.

The layers include the images from NASA'a Modis and ESA's ENVISAT. You can also view an Oil Slick Overview from the U.S. Coast Guard, the current spill extent from the State of Louisiana, the observed spill from the State of Louisiana, fishing closures, locations of the booms and points of interest.

To discover the world with Google Maps, Gloe is a new application from HP Labs.

It lets you tag web content to specific geographic locations. The aim is to provide a platform for location-based discovery of information for mobile web users.

Using Gloe from a mobile you should be able to view a map that shows you webpages relevant to points of interest around you, local news and on-line reviews of local businesses.

The site includes a Google Maps interface that allows you to browse Gloe from your desktop browser. At the moment Gloe is pre-populated with articles from Wikipedia. However as Gloe develops and users start adding content to the map you should also be able to find geo-tagged news, local business reviews or anything on the web that has relevance to a specific location.

Users can add content from the web using the Gloe bookmarklet. Once you download the bookmarklet when you are on a web page that has content specific to a location you can click on the bookmarklet and add the page to Gloe.

References from:

http://googlemapsmania.blogspot.com/

By: Amber

Video for Google Map

There are some videos which can help you learn more about Google Map.

(Google Maps Introduction)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADbeCHQLUpk&feature=channel

(Street View on Google Maps)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0y-q-pI2pQ&feature=channel

(Report a Problem with Google Map)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNhVu2oeInc&feature=channel

The timetable of the development of the Google maps

• In April 2005, Google created Google Ride Finder using Google Maps.

• In June 2005, Google released the Google Maps API.
• In July 2005, Google began Google Maps and Google Local services for Japan, including road maps.
• On July 22, 2005, Google released "Hybrid View". Together with this change, the satellite image data was converted from plate carrée to Mercator projection, which makes for a less distorted image in the temperate climes latitudes.
• In July 2005, in honor of the thirty-sixth anniversary of the Apollo Moon landing, Google Moon was launched.
• In September 2005, in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Google Maps quickly updated its satellite imagery of New Orleans to allow users to view the extent of the flooding in various parts of that city. (Oddly, in March 2007, imagery showing hurricane damage was replaced with images from before the storm; this replacement was not made on Google Earth, which still uses post-Katrina imagery).
• As of January 2, 2006, Google Maps featured road maps for the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan, and certain cities in the Republic of Ireland. Coverage of the area around Turin was added in time for the 2006 Winter Olympics.
• On January 23, 2006, Google Maps was updated to use the same satellite image database as Google Earth.
Google Maps promotional livery on New York City subway cars, November 2008
• On March 12, 2006, Google Mars was launched, which features a draggable map and satellite imagery of the planet Mars.
• In April 2006, Google Local was merged into the main Google Maps site.
• On April 3, 2006, version 2 of the Maps API was released.
• On June 11, 2006, Google added geocoding capabilities to the API, satisfying what it called the most requested feature for this service.
• On June 14, 2006, Google Maps for Enterprise was officially launched. As a commercial service, it features intranet and advertisement-free implementations.
• In July 2006 Google started including Google Maps business listings in the form of Local OneBoxes in the main Google search results.
• On December 9 Google integrates the PlusBox in the main search results.
• On December 19 Google added a feature that lets you add multiple destinations to your driving directions.
• Beginning in February 2007, buildings and subway stops are displayed in Google Maps "map view" for parts of New York City, Washington, D.C., London, San Francisco, and some other cities.
• On January 29, 2007 upgrades Local Universal results and includes more data in the main Google results page
• On February 28, 2007, Google Traffic info was officially launched to automatically include real-time traffic flow conditions to the maps of 30 major cities of the United States.
• On March 8, 2007, the Local Business Center is upgraded.
• On May 16, 2007 Google rolls out Universal search results including more Map information on the main Google results page.
• On May 18, 2007 Google adds neighborhood search capability.
• On May 29, 2007, Google driving directions support was added to the Google Maps API.
• On May 29, 2007, Street View was added. It gives ground level 360 degree view of streets in some major cities in United States.
• On June 19, 2007, allows reviews to be added directly to businesses on Google Maps
• On June 28, 2007, draggable driving directions were introduced.
• On July 31, 2007, support for the hCard microformat was announced; Google Maps search results will now output the hCard microformat; unfortunately, the implementation is broken.
• On August 21, 2007, Google announces a simple way to embed Google Maps onto other websites
• On September 13, 2007 54 new countries are added to Google Maps in Latin America and Asia.
• On October 3, 2007 Google Transit was integrated into Google Maps making public transportation routing possible on Google Maps.
• On October 27, 2007, Google Maps starts mapping the geoweb and showing the results in Google Maps.
• On October 27, 2007 Google Maps adds a searchable interface for coupons in the business listings.
• On November 27, 2007, "Terrain" view showing basic topographic features was added. The button for "Hybrid" view was removed, and replaced with a "Show labels" checkbox under the "Satellite" button to switch between "Hybrid" and "Satellite" views.
• On January 22, 2008 Google expands the Local Onebox from 3 business listings to 10.
• On February 20, 2008, Google Maps allows searches to be refined by User Rating & neighborhoods.
• On March 18, 2008, Google allows end users to edit business listings and add new places.
• On March 19, 2008, Google adds unlimited category options in the Local Business Center.
• On April 2, 2008, Google adds contour lines to the Terrain view.
• In April 2008, a button to view recent Saved Locations was added to the right of the search field (must be signed in).
• In May 2008, a "More" button was added alongside the "Map", "Satellite", and "Terrain" buttons, permitting access to geographically-related photos on Panoramio and articles on Wikipedia.
• On May 15, 2008, ported to Flash and ActionScript 3 as a foundation for richer internet applications.
• On July 15, 2008, walking directions were added.
• On August 4, 2008, Street View launched in Japan and Australia.
• On August 15, 2008, the user interface was redesigned.
• On August 29, 2008, Google signed a deal under which GeoEye will supply the search giant with imagery from a satellite, and introduced the Map Maker tool for creation of map data.
• On September 9, 2008, a reverse business lookup feature was added.
• On September 23, 2008, information for the New York City Metropolitan Transit Authority was added.
• On October 7, 2008, GeoEye-1 took its first image, a bird's-eye view of Kutztown University in Pennsylvania.
• On October 26, 2008, reverse geocoding was added to the Maps API.
• On November 11, 2008, Street View in Spain, Italy, and France was introduced.
• On November 23, 2008, AIR support for the Maps API for Flash was added.
• On November 25, 2008, a new user interface for Street View was introduced.
• On November 27, 2008, maps, local business information, and local trends for China were introduced.
• On December 9, 2008, 2x Street View coverage was introduced.
• In May, 2009, a new Google Maps logo was introduced.
• In early October 2009, Google replaces TeleAtlas as their primary supplier of geospatial data in the U.S. version of Maps and use their own data."Google Replaces Tele Atlas Data in US with Google StreetView Data". blumenthals.com. 2009-10-12. http://blumenthals.com/blog/2009/10/12/google-replaces-tele-atlas-data-in-us-with-google-data/.
• In October 2009, the railroads were redone, featuring a slightly new look and updated, removing older lines. Also in the same month, maps in several areas were changed to include paper streets and other odd roads that don't exist, as well as lot lines showing up on the map interface.
• On February 11, 2010, Google Maps Labs was added.
• On March 11, 2010, Street View in the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Macau, and more locations in Japan were launched.
Reference:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Maps

By: Julie

How Google Maps Works-Satellite map (Google Earth)

Instead of the Euclidean vector map, the Google map also provides the satellite map which is taken by the satellite on the universe. By using the satellite map, people can directly see whole world even the small houses or the people on the beach on the map. However, the satellite map was taken in a few years ago. Therefore, the map maybe is not so accurate. People should only do consultation on the map.
It is the whole earth on the satellite map. On the satellite map, people can also see the terrain on the map. People can see the mountains in Europe, ice in the South Pole, plain in Brazil, and forest in Congo.

The satellite map provides lots of information for drivers, too.

People can see small cars and small people on the map.

By: David

What Google does to reduce privacy concerns

According to Google it states that when photographs are taken they use the following measures:

1. Use of blurring technology for example on faces of individuals, licence plates and etc.
2. User can request image to be taken down by clicking on "report a problem".
3. Images used aren't real-time and takes several months before appearing on Google maps.

Images:

Image 1
An image of Japan at a undisclosed place and time taken.

Image 2

An image of Google map street view.

Image 3

An example of the use of blurring technology.

Image 4

There is report a problem link in the image below in the red circle that will take you to a page that is called re this report inappropriate street view and you must fill in why this image is a problem then press submit.

There is a video from Google it explains how Google map Street view work.

Reference

1. Google Privacy, viewed online 6 May 2010, <http://www.google.com/press/streetview/privacy/>

2. Image 1 Bradley.T, "Google Street View Raises Privacy Concerns...Again", Pc World, 26 February 2010, viewed online 6 May 2010, <http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/190279/google_street_view_raises_privacy_concernsagain.html>

3. Image 2 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Street_View>

4. Image 3 <http://www.google.com/intl/en_us/help/maps/streetview/privacy.html>

5. Image 4 <http://www.google.com/help/maps/streetview/gallery/#world-landmarks>

6. Google video <http://www.google.com/intl/en_us/help/maps/streetview/behind-the-scenes.html>

By: Vanessa

Privacy concerns for Google map

Privacy concerns for Google map
There a number of privacy concerns for Google map and they consist of:

• potentially embarrassing or compromising scenes
• women from abusive relationship their where abouts is known by their abusive partner
• stalkers can know the where abouts of the person of interest
• burglars can view the victim's home before going their
• divorces can result from an image of their partner
• contains images that can be of national security such as the Osan Air Force base at South Korea

Google map can capture images of individuals that can be potentially embarrassing or compromising scenes that can lead to women who have left their abusive partner. That their abusive partner can potentially use Google map to locate their location in places such as women's shelter and the results can be very bad. Stalkers and burglars can use it to look at the victims home then make plans how to get into the home. Divorces can result as the Google map images may contains images of their partner leaving someone's home which can be identified as that individual is having an affair. Lastly certain images should not be online for everyone to access such as Osan Air Force base at South Korea and many places that are considered as national security meaning these places are very important to the country's government.
Images:

This image is an example of how clear the image using Google map.

This image is an example of a individual, see how clear the image is and that individual could be identified.

This image is of someones home and stalkers, abusive partners and burglars

This image is of Osan Air Force base at South Korea

References:

1. MSNBC, "Google hits streets, rasies privacy concerns", viewed on 5 May 2010, <http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18987058/>.
2. The Daily Mail, "I'd like privacy, Mr Facebook ...not a stalker in my kitchen", 3 May 2010, viewed on 5 May 2010, <http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/columnists/article-1270303/LIZ-JONES-Id-like-privacy-Mr-Facebook--stalker-kitchen.html?ito=feeds-newsxml>.
3. Bates.C, "Google map reveals Britain is third in the world for 'Big Brother' requests about its citizens", The Daily Mail, 22 April 2010, viewed on 5 May 2010, <http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1267687/Googles-new-government-requests-censorship-map-tool-unveiled.html>.
4. Image from Google website <http://maps.google.com/support/bin/static.py?page=guide.cs&guide=21670&topic=21676&printable=1>
5. Image of someones home using Google map <http://maps.google.com.au/maps?hl=en&q=sydney+australia&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Sydney+New+South+Wales&ll=-33.92434,151.250997&spn=0,0.00283&z=19&layer=c&cbll=-33.924902,151.251018&panoid=SOqKiXwhZVvYaSVYwSY-hg&cbp=12,281.93,,0,-7.6>
6. Bryant.C, Layton.J, Strickland.J, "How Google Earth Works", How stuff works, viewed online 5 May 2010, <http://computer.howstuffworks.com/internet/basics/google-earth10.htm>.

By: Vanessa

The interesting things about Google map

The Google Map has shown many interesting features while users are checking out the various places on the internet. Plenty of wired or funny pictures were found and uploaded. Many people are arguing that if the phenomena were naturally formed or human beings designed. It seems that some of the interesting locations are just occasionally created by the geographic reasons, such as the crustal movement underneath the earth, the wind blowing as well as the rains, snows.

Let’s enjoy some premium interesting pictures found by using Google Map.

This is called the Indian Guy with IPod. Its location is in America. The IPod wire happens to be a highway. Therefore, it is almost 100% naturally formed.

As one of the most well-known females, Opera, her picture was transferred onto the wheat field by the beloved American people. Therefore, it is just a human designed Map.

The so-called Sexy Lips could be search by Google Earth in the area of Sudan. The several kilometers long canyons and rocks seems to be like Angelina Julie’s lips. Again, it is naturally formed.

The Firefox is actually a company logo, which is used to advertising the Firefox browser. It is located in Oregon, America. Now it is just an amusement you can find on the Google Earth.

The humanoid artificial lake is located in Brazil, Boerbolei.

It is believed that most people could realize the picture as soon as you look at it. It is an artificial Palm Island in Dubai. The special design has become worldwide famous.