The official blog for Google Maps
The best of the blog
December 23, 2007
Posted by Carter Maslan, Director of Product Management, Google Maps
Since the
start of Google Lat Long
back in May, we've had fun keeping you updated on all the exciting new developments in the geo world -- from product launches and innovative user-created content to the evolution of the geoweb in general. As the year comes to a close, we thought we'd take a moment to look back at some of the greatest moments in news and notes by the Google Earth and Maps teams.
Street View
Since the launch of Street View in May,
our post introducing the service
remained one the top five most read posts consistently throughout the year. And "street view" was one the most common search keywords. So just as we did earlier this month in announcing
8 new Street View cities
, we'll be sure to keep you posted on new city rollouts.
Google Earth Outreach
We
heralded the arrival
of this exciting new program for non-profits with a post that pointed to
video footage of our kick-off event
at our New York office. The video featuring an appearance by Jane Goodall was viewed over 22,000 times.
My Maps and Disaster Relief
When the My Maps tab was added to Google Maps earlier this year, we were eagerly anticipating all the cool and creative custom maps folks would be coming up with. However, we were positively
floored
to find the incredible maps made to aid areas in need. From flood maps created by "
citizen journalists
" and by
BBC Berkshire
to the
San Diego fire maps
and the
Google Earth layer
of Southern California imagery, the astonishing number of views pointed to new ways to help.
Sky in Google Earth
Another top post of the year, our
note introducing the addition of a new Sky view
in Google Earth, caught the attention of many Lat Long readers. Google Earth aficionados are able to zoom in on distant galaxies and explore constellations and supernova explosions from the comfort of their computer screens. A
list of great tips
on how to use Sky in Google Earth for educational purposes followed, and you can expect more updates in the new year.
YouTube videos in Google Earth
Ever watched a funny, intriguing, or outrageous YouTube video and wondered where it came from? Well, we have too. That's why we were so excited to announce the addition of a
new YouTube layer in Google Earth
. Videos geotagged in YouTube are included in this browseable layer, making it easy to view clips associated with a location of your choice.
Maps Mania!
2007 saw the addition of a number of great new features in Google Maps, perhaps too numerous to count. Early on in the year, the
creation of the My Maps tab
and the addition of
countless Mapplets
enabled just about anyone to create their own mashups. Throughout the year, searching for accurate and helpful directions got a whole lot easier with the launch of
draggable directions
and the ability to
read and write user reviews of businesses
, as well as
edit address markers
. Finally, mapmakers enjoyed the addition of cool new Maps functionalities towards the end of the year, including the ability to both
collaborate on customized maps
and
embed them wherever you see fit
, as you might a YouTube video.
As you can see, this year's been a busy one. We're all looking forward to a few days of rest and holiday cheer. And with that, we must bid adieu -- happy holidays and a wonderful new year from all of us at Google Lat Long! Stay tuned for more geo news and notes in 2008, and don't forget to
track Santa
!
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