Neowin.net - Google Launch Google Maps

Google Launch Google Maps

Posted by Mr magoo on 08 February 2005 - 22:57 · 47 comments & 3375 views

Online search giant Google have launched a new, "in-house" designed, map tool for web searchers called Google Maps.

Google described their efforts as an attempt to make "maps can be useful and fun" in an attempt to "simplify how to get from point A to point B. Say you're looking for "hotels near LAX." With Google Maps you'll see nearby hotels plotted right on a crisp new map (we use new rendering methods to make them easier to read). Click and drag the map to view the adjacent area dynamically - there's no wait for a new image to download. Or get step-by-step directions to where you're headed. If a particular intersection on the route looks tricky, click on that step in the directions to see a magnified view. Play with the keyboard shortcuts (arrow keys to pan or the +/- keys to zoom in and out) too."

Currently, Google offer links to Mapquest or Yahoo Maps for a location based query like this. It is not known when the new tool will, if ever, replace this setup. As well as offering A to Z style maps, the service also offers directions and various other functionality ([url=http://www.google.com/help/maps/tour/see here[/url]). Still in testing, the service is being offered to Internet Explorer and Firefox users; it lacks full support for Safari and Opera users at this time. Google Maps, like other popular Google services, makes use of clever JavaScript and DHTML tricks to make the site work efficiently and speedily.

The service is slightly quirky yet provides a good impression of how good it will be when finished. Like so many other Google offerings, its simple design and straight forward operation is a sure fire winner and provides more functionality to a search engine already at the top of the game. One can't but ask, what will next week bring, and from which search engine?

View: Google Maps | Discussion @ Neowin

Firstly, could you tell us about yourself, your history?

I've been into recreational mathematics most of my life, and worked in software startups for a while after dropping out of college before starting work on BitTorrent.

Tell us about BitTorrent- what was the inspiration? What were you trying to achieve with the protocol?

I had a lot of experience working on networking protocols, and was interested in exploring what I thought were the reasonable problems to work on. My main goal was to make it cheap to distribute large, popular files, which I of course succeeded in doing.

BitTorrent, it was recently suggested, was carrying as much as 30% of the webs traffic; how did you re-act to this news?!

I don't have any visceral concept of how much that bandwidth that really is, so it's mostly just surreal.

Moving onto BitTorrent uses at the moment - it'd be hard to ignore the arguably most common use of the protocol - piracy. How do you feel about this? Did you think about the potential for 'abuse' when you conceived the protocol?

Given the history of such tools, it's fairly obvious that the general public has a strong interest in piracy.

A group have created a new program called eXeem which appears to solve one of the problems BitTorrent has- that off tracking torrents. Have you seen the program, and if so, what do you think of it?

It's yet another napster/kazaa/edonkey/hotline/whatever. BitTorrent usage is doing quite well without it.

Moving on, the protocol has clearly many legitimate uses; have you seen any especially unique implementations?

They're all just pushing around bits, which is about all I care about.

How do you think companies are going to deal with bandwidth in years to come - do you think it will be something along the lines of bit torrent, or something radically different?

Peer to peer as an approach is here to stay.

What's cool technology wise in the Cohen house hold at the moment? What'd be your pick for the "next big thing"?

I've also been working on the Codeville version control system and designing twisty puzzles. I don't know what the next big thing is.

Finally, what does the future hold for yourself?! What are you working on at the moment?

I'm continuing to work on BitTorrent.

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(1 reply) #1 Posted by AV0X on 08 Feb 2005 - 22:59: Yeah, Google Maps is a great tool. I was just about to post this in the forums before the news was posted.

#2 Posted by Hankyone on 08 Feb 2005 - 23:00: lol i was just using it when i saw it been posted

#3 Posted by Cryptic_Night on 08 Feb 2005 - 23:00: I saw it this morning. A fun little tool I'd say.

#4 Posted by smashguy on 08 Feb 2005 - 23:03: Cool, Google Maps is a great tool...

#5 Posted by ThePDW on 08 Feb 2005 - 23:09: I'm digging it. Only problem is I can't directions between Texas and AK. Anyone able to do this?

(2 replies) #6 Posted by Zilos on 08 Feb 2005 - 23:18: I can't get directions in northern Canada, anywhere above vancouver doesn't seem to work.

(1 reply) #7 Posted by moeburn on 08 Feb 2005 - 23:20

It wouldn't suck so much if it didn't return this message:

QUOTE

Your browser is not supported by Google Maps just yet. We currently support the following browsers:
IE 5.5+ (download: Windows)
Firefox 0.8+ (download: Windows Mac Linu

Netscape 7.1+ (download: Windows Mac Linu

Mozilla 1.4+ (download: Windows Mac Linu

#7.1 Posted by qkslvr221 on 08 Feb 2005 - 23:26: Yeah, gives me crap with opera. Oh well, as long as i can use FF with it im happy.

#8 Posted by LastSamurai on 08 Feb 2005 - 23:29: very useful, should be added into Google toolbar.

(2 replies) #9 Posted by lexor on 08 Feb 2005 - 23:33: so for now US only, no Canada? does look awesome though!

#10 Posted by webeagle12 on 08 Feb 2005 - 23:56: wow very nice

#11 Posted by Juguard on 08 Feb 2005 - 23:58: sweet, I love it. Very detailed and clear.

#12 Posted by doubledragonxz on 09 Feb 2005 - 00:02: Very impressed I must say. Great job Google.

(1 reply) #13 Posted by eXpired on 09 Feb 2005 - 00:07: In the last year, Google has launched one hell of a suite of powerful applications. All designed extremely well. Google Suggest is probably one of the coolest demonstrations of web data transfer that I have ever experienced, GMail's feature set is incredibly, Google News is the best way to get news, and now this. I just checked that out, zoomed into my street, searched for Pizza. Provided every known place around, with links to their websites. I hate to be a fanboy, or anything, but damn... Google is pretty incredible.

#14 Posted by Post-It Note on 09 Feb 2005 - 00:09: I can see my street in Vancouver, so it's accurate for the most part.

#15 Posted by Gowcra on 09 Feb 2005 - 00:23: no scotland?

#16 Posted by arstewart on 09 Feb 2005 - 00:30: Yeah, Google is taking over the world it seems like. But hey, its better than most mapping programs i've used recently. And its free. I don't mind, so long as they keep turning out great products.

#17 Posted by sundayx on 09 Feb 2005 - 00:39: wow. i just used this for a while and its so amazing. the smooth effects.

#18 Posted by Opio on 09 Feb 2005 - 00:50: I'm excited to see this materialize. Hopefully in the future it'll boast international support as well, among other things. Now the wait for Google Weather begins

#19 Posted by matthewf01 on 09 Feb 2005 - 01:21: Very slick, very impressive, very sharply done!

Cool sliding effects when you re-center or select an off-center location and it changes its focus...

These people are amazing! What's next out of them?

#20 Posted by Steve on 09 Feb 2005 - 01:52: Looks really cool, except it doesn't cover my country... = I would like to think UK will VERY high on the agenda though...

One thing I have notice, how come horizontally scrolling is inverted, but vertical isn't?! Seems weird to me...

#21 Posted by cooljerk_dv on 09 Feb 2005 - 02:12: no canada?, I hope they will implement that soon. Otherwise it looks really nice. Well no edmonton anyways

#22 Posted by quick on 09 Feb 2005 - 02:36: Nice... the single map service online that actually finds my address...!

Great job google.. thanks!

#23 Posted by koppit on 09 Feb 2005 - 02:46: holy crap it's friggin awesome! i love how it scrolls when you want to move around instead of refreshing

#24 Posted by DigeratiPrime on 09 Feb 2005 - 03:25: ok now how do i get Thunderbird to use this with the Address Book instead of that fugly mapquest?

(1 reply) #25 Posted by dj_alex_m on 09 Feb 2005 - 04:04: Is this what the people at Google do in their spare time when they are bored and don't want to actually work on the search engine?

#26 Posted by enzo on 09 Feb 2005 - 05:30: Google overthrows mapquest.

#27 Posted by Avenger on 09 Feb 2005 - 06:12: Interesting. I'd like to see MSN Maps & Directions develope something as good as this. I like it.

(1 reply) #28 Posted by divertom15 on 09 Feb 2005 - 06:43: No thanks ill stick with my 2cd microsoft mappoint 2004 north america it owns all + has gps connectivity

sorry google.

#29 Posted by Phillip on 09 Feb 2005 - 07:25: What bout here down under? Would be appreciated cause its a awesome tool. Loving Googles products and services

#30 Posted by sloppycode on 09 Feb 2005 - 10:26: it's funny the difference between the comments here and on slashdot. Needless to say they're slightly more mature on slashdot (no offense), but here is a great link that was given:

www.map24.com

#31 Posted by JustVince on 09 Feb 2005 - 15:02: I really like the layout and seems easy to use but the map they are using for my city is about 2 to 3 years outdated.

#32 Posted by chorpeac on 09 Feb 2005 - 15:23: amazing...cool!

#33 Posted by Galley on 09 Feb 2005 - 16:06: Until they make it compatible with Opera, I won't use it.

#34 Posted by alan8it on 09 Feb 2005 - 18:50: What an awesome function! A bit difficult to search (no separate fields for address, city, state, zip, etc, but once you get the parms correct, really cool!
Does suck that Opera doesn't work with it...has anyone tried it with the latest beta of opera?

#35 Posted by kitchenutensils on 09 Feb 2005 - 19:36: can't wait for UK mapping... no more Multimap or streetplan bollocks for me

#36 Posted by dolimite35 on 09 Feb 2005 - 20:11: I was going to say all map search sites is all the same doesnt matter...but this looks good. but still doesnt matter, using google wont make you any cooler you will still get from A to B (with problems with unlisted new streets and dead ends that look like a complete street)with any map search.

#37 Posted by GAM on 10 Feb 2005 - 03:08: They shouldn't make it so browser dependent. It does not work with Opera.

#38 Posted by slimy on 11 Feb 2005 - 00:32: yay

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