Google launches MyMaps feature, mashup newbies go crazy

Filed under: Fun, Internet, Web services, Google

Google launches MyMaps feature, mashup newbies go crazy

by Chris Gilmer Apr 5th 2007

Google launched a little feature called MyMaps secretly last night that is going to change the world of mashups forever.

The new Google MyMaps feature gives users the ability to create either public or private maps from the Google Maps site. Essentially, Google is giving power to users to create mashups with no knowledge of Javascript.

The toolset that Google gives users is extremely simple and easy to use. Users can add lines, shapes and placemarks to certain areas and mark them with HTML, images and videos. Photos can be added in from PicasaWeb, and videos dropped in markers from Google Video or YouTube with the embed codes that they both provide. Imagine making a travel map with images and video of your trip mapped out to share with family along the way, or a map of pinpointed cafe's where you can access free wifi, and the areas the signal covers.

To start creating maps, make sure you are logged into your Google Account, and click on the My Maps tab to get going. When maps are completed, they can be shared and syndicated through KML files or direct links. All of your maps will be saved under your MyMaps tab for further refinements or references. To share maps, go to the saved map and click on the Link to this page in the top right, this will provide the direct URL link that you can share by copying and pasting to friends.

Get ready for a whole new world of easy map mashups! Thanks Google!

Tags: direction, google, map, maps, plot

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Chris Gilmer said 1:00PM on 4-05-2007

You're telling me Chris! I have been playing with this for hours this morning, and already have a few road trips all planned out!

Dont forget that you can change the icon on the pinpoint under the edit mode, there are some pretty cool pre built ones available!

Chris Moroz said 1:41PM on 4-05-2007

When you really think about it, it seems kinda odd it took them so long to launch this. I'm grateful they finally did though, and road trips just got a WHOLE lot more fun.

dave said 2:49PM on 4-05-2007

i can't believe with all this i still can't create my own route (unless i'm missing something) what i mean is that when i get directions from point a to point b, google decides the route. i want to be able to click on streets that i take, construct a route, and get a distance and time based on those inputs. is there some way to alter a route that i'm missing?

Sergio Gandrus said 5:10AM on 4-06-2007

Simply fantastic!
I remember that a similar function exists in GoogleEarth.

Mysterius said 12:17PM on 4-06-2007

@dave: Try putting in multiple destination points?
(In case you didn't know, Google Maps allows you to put in multiple destinations, like going from your home, to the supermarket, to the office, all in one set of directions.)

Featured Time Waster

Civiballs is a beautiful, soothing physics puzzle Time Waster

I have an absolute weakness for physics games, and while Civiballs isn't the strongest physics-based game, what it lacks in the physics department it makes up for a few times over in style and fun.

In Civiballs, you are presented with a few colored balls, and your goal is to get those balls into the same-colored urn on the level. The "civi" part of Civiballs is that there are 3 sets of levels to play, each representing a different civilization. While the civilization doesn't affect gameplay, the artwork for each level is beautifully themed to it's appropriate era.

To play the game, you are given only one tool - a sword with which to cut the chains that are holding the balls. The puzzle part of the game is in figuring out what order, and with what timing to cut each chain. Do it right, and all the right balls end up in the right urns, with no stray balls entering an urn (a no-no). Do it wrong, and you get to start over again.

Civiballs is not terribly deep on gameplay; the entire game can be completed in about 15 minutes. But if you enjoy this type of game, it will be a very enjoyable 15 minutes.

View more Time Wasters