Maps are a real find
Google takes online locators to a new technological levelPublished: Tuesday, December 20, 2005 -- The Truth, D1Last updated: 12/19/2005 11:56:41 PMBy Aleks TapinshTruth Staff
By Aleks Tapinsh
Truth Staff
Have you ever tried to locate your bank's ATMs in another city?
Or perhaps, you want to know what drinks are on special in Chicago?
Google Maps can help.
In the early days of the Internet, virtual maps gave users an easy way to get directions to a destination.
Today online mapping is hot and used for much more than directions.
For example, want to know if any sex offenders live near you?
Using the Google application, Utah-based Orbizon Inc., created a site that maps out sex offenders in 42 states, including Indiana. Mapsexoffenders.com allows users to search for sex offenders by address, city or zip code. Users also can sign up for alerts "when sex offender moves near you." The map for Indiana, however, is incomplete.
Want to see your cousin's new car?
In highly populated areas, the Google Maps Web site provides high-resolution satellite images that allow a user to see things such as the make and model of cars and air conditioning units on the lawn. To move the map in any direction, just click your mouse.
The Google application lets developers use the technology on their sites to add overlays to the map (including markers and polylines) and display shadowed information windows just like onthe main Google Maps Web site, at maps.google.com.
The technology, known as API, which stands for Application Program Interface, provides building blocks for a programmer to put together a personal Web site using Google Maps.
What this means is that you can customize your own map marked with places important to you.
Because of the amount of images, Google Maps will take several minutes to load for users with dial-up connections.
Google Maps is used in academia as well. Matthew Kane, an Indiana University graduate student, used Google Maps to identify donors and the amounts given to candidates, and to the Republican and Democratic national committees during the 2004 presidential elections from publicly available sources.
Google Maps allows users to see their results sketched out on a satellite image of the Earth, along with traditional views seen on such Web sites as Mapquest and Yahoo! Maps.
Launched in February, Google Maps moved past MSN and RandMcNally.com this summer. It is now close to overtaking Yahoo Maps as the No. 2 destination for online maps, according to businessweek.com.
Contact Aleks Tapinsh at atapinsh@etruth.com
By Aleks Tapinsh
Truth Staff
Have you ever tried to locate your bank's ATMs in another city?
Or perhaps, you want to know what drinks are on special in Chicago?
Google Maps can help.
In the early days of the Internet, virtual maps gave users an easy way to get directions to a destination.
Today online mapping is hot and used for much more than directions.
For example, want to know if any sex offenders live near you?
Using the Google application, Utah-based Orbizon Inc., created a site that maps out sex offenders in 42 states, including Indiana. Mapsexoffenders.com allows users to search for sex offenders by address, city or zip code. Users also can sign up for alerts "when sex offender moves near you." The map for Indiana, however, is incomplete.
Want to see your cousin's new car?
In highly populated areas, the Google Maps Web site provides high-resolution satellite images that allow a user to see things such as the make and model of cars and air conditioning units on the lawn. To move the map in any direction, just click your mouse.
The Google application lets developers use the technology on their sites to add overlays to the map (including markers and polylines) and display shadowed information windows just like onthe main Google Maps Web site, at maps.google.com.
The technology, known as API, which stands for Application Program Interface, provides building blocks for a programmer to put together a personal Web site using Google Maps.
What this means is that you can customize your own map marked with places important to you.
Because of the amount of images, Google Maps will take several minutes to load for users with dial-up connections.
Google Maps is used in academia as well. Matthew Kane, an Indiana University graduate student, used Google Maps to identify donors and the amounts given to candidates, and to the Republican and Democratic national committees during the 2004 presidential elections from publicly available sources.
Google Maps allows users to see their results sketched out on a satellite image of the Earth, along with traditional views seen on such Web sites as Mapquest and Yahoo! Maps.
Launched in February, Google Maps moved past MSN and RandMcNally.com this summer. It is now close to overtaking Yahoo Maps as the No. 2 destination for online maps, according to businessweek.com.
Contact Aleks Tapinsh at atapinsh@etruth.com
posted by Richy at 12:31 PM
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