The official blog for Google Maps
Welcome customers into your business on Google
January 26, 2012
(
Cross-posted on the
Small Business Blog
.)
When we initially announced the
Business Photos pilot program
, we wanted to give business owners an easy way to get customers in the door online using interactive, high-quality, 360-degree images of places on Google Maps and on Google Search results. With thousands of businesses under our belt — from
salons
to
gift shops
— we’ve been hearing the same question again and again from both business owners and photographers alike: How can I participate?
Well, with the overwhelming success of the first pilot, we’ve decided to unveil a complementary initiative that will help us reach more interested business owners, more quickly: Trusted Photographers.
View Larger Map
Click and drag to view the inside of
Spice Market
, New York City.
It’s simple. Visit our
new website
and search for a Google Trusted Photographer in your area. Either email or call a photographer in your area to schedule a time and agree on a price that you will pay the photographer for a photoshoot of your business. This self-serve model makes for easier scheduling and quicker turnaround, while also supporting the local photographers in your community. During the hour it should take for the shoot, you can collaborate with the photographer about how best to display and capture your business. When finished, the photographer will upload the images to Google, and shortly thereafter, you’ll see 360-degree panoramic views of your business on Google.com, Google Maps and on your Google Places listing.
See how Business Photos has helped
Toy Joy
of Austin, Texas.
Trusted Photographers are available in 14 U.S. cities, as well as in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and France. Don’t see a photographer in your area?
Let us know
, as that will help us determine where more Trusted Photographers are needed.
Posted by Gadi Royz, Product Manager, Google Maps
Google Earth 6.2: It’s a beautiful world
January 26, 2012
(Cross-posted on the
Official Google
and
SketchUp
blogs)
We're taking bird's eye view to a whole new level with the latest version of
Google Earth
, released today. With
Google Earth 6.2
, we’re bringing you the most beautiful Google Earth yet, with more seamless imagery and a new search interface. Additionally, we’ve introduced a feature that enables you to share an image from within Google Earth, so you can now simply and easily share your virtual adventures with family and friends on
Google+
.
A seamless globe
The Google Earth globe is made from a mosaic of satellite and aerial photographs taken on different dates and under different lighting and weather conditions. Because of this variance, views of the Earth from high altitude can sometimes appear patchy.
Today, we’re introducing a new way of rendering imagery that smoothes out this quilt of images. The end result is a beautiful new Earth-viewing experience that preserves the unique textures of the world’s most defining geographic landscapes—without the quilt effect. This change is being made on both mobile and desktop versions of Google Earth. While this change will appear on all versions of Google Earth, the 6.2 release provides the best viewing experience for this new data.
Grand Canyon before and after
Sri Lanka before and after
Share your explorations with Google+
Google Earth is a great way to virtually explore the globe, whether revisiting old haunts or checking out a future vacation spot. With the
Google Earth 6.2 update
, we’ve added the option to
share a screenshot
of your current view in Google Earth through
Google+
. If you’ve already
upgraded to Google+
, you can share images of the places you’ve virtually traveled to with your
Circles
, such as family, friends or your local hiking club. To try this new feature, simply sign in to your Google Account in the upper right hand corner of Google Earth and click “Share.” Images of mountains, oceans, deserts, 3D cities, your favorite pizza shop on Street View—you can now experience all these amazing places around the world with people on Google+.
Search improvements
We’ve also made some updates to the search feature in Google Earth. Aside from streamlining the visual design of the search panel, we’ve enabled the same
Autocomplete feature
that’s available on Google Maps. We’ve also introduced search layers, which will show all the relevant search results (not just the top ten), so now, when looking for gelato in Milano, you can see all the tasty possibilities. Finally, we’ve added biking, transit and walking directions, so if you’re itching for a change of scenery or looking for a new route for your regular commute, you can now use Google Earth to generate and visualize all your options.
Biking directions in Google Earth
Download Google Earth 6.2
and start exploring and sharing today!
Posted by Peter Birch, Product Manager, Google Earth
New Biking Directions Legend
January 26, 2012
If you’re looking for new ways to get around for fun or to work, or might be trying to live a greener lifestyle in 2012, why not try biking? In March 2010 we
introduced biking directions
and since then
Google Maps
has been sharing biking directions with cyclists across the U.S and Canada.
Since no bike path is the same, many users have requested an easier way to differentiate the different types of bike routes that are available. Starting today, a new legend feature can help you understand what the different colors on the bike maps symbolize.
Dark green is for dedicated trails and paths
Light green is for roads with dedicated lanes
Dotted green is for roads that are friendly for cyclists
Look for the biking legend in the upper right hand corner of the map
You can view this legend by clicking on the widget in upper right corner of Google Maps and selecting the Bicycling layer. You can also access biking directions on your Android device or by going to
maps.google.com
on your mobile browser.
Whether you want to drive, take transit, walk or even bike, Google Maps can help you get around. To see how it works on your Android phone take a tour
here
.
Posted by Dave Kim, Product Marketing Manager, Google Maps
Public Alerts now on Google Maps
January 25, 2012
(Cross posted from the
Google.org Blog
)
Today marks the launch of a new Google Crisis Response project:
Google Public Alerts
, a platform designed to bring you relevant emergency alerts when and where you’re searching for them.
If a major weather event is headed for your area, you might go online to search for the information you need: What’s happening? Where and when will it strike? How severe will it be? What resources are available to help?
The Google Crisis Response team works on providing critical emergency information during crises. Our goal is to surface emergency information through the online tools you use everyday, when that information is relevant and useful.
With today’s launch of Public Alerts on Google Maps, relevant weather, public safety, and earthquake alerts from
US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
,
the National Weather Service
, and the
US Geological Survey (USGS)
will be accessible when you search on
Google Maps
. For instance, at the time of this post, “Flood Indiana” triggers an alert for a Flood Warning in Northern Indiana.
If you click through to “more info” on this alert, you’ll find a page showing more details about the alert, with the full description from the alert publisher, in this case the National Weather Service, a link to their site and other useful information.
Whether you see an alert depends on which alerts are active at a given location, their severity, and your search query. If you’re interested in seeing all of the active alerts in one place, visit our homepage at
www.google.org/publicalerts
. This page also provides a link to more information on our new platform and gives instructions to interested organizations who want to make their emergency data available through this tool.
We’re learning as we go and we’re working hard to continuously improve the range and relevance of the content you see, so we’d really like your feedback. Please send feedback our way using the link at the far right of our Google Public Alerts
homepage
.
We hope Google Public Alerts provides you with information to make better decisions in times of crisis.
Posted by Steve Hakusa, Public Alerts Engineer
Take a tour of South Korea using Street View
January 24, 2012
Tourism to South Korea is on the rise, with neighbors from East Asia and beyond making trips to see the birthplace of Korean dramas and K-Pop, sample authentic kimchee, and find cutting-edge fashions in the capital’s Myeongdong shopping district. Today we’re introducing
Street View
imagery for the two biggest cities, Seoul and Busan, making it even easier for travelers to plan their next visit to South Korea using Google Maps.
For example, you can preview your vacation in Seoul by starting right in
Gwanghwamun square
. Viewing the surroundings and statue of naval commander Yi Sun-sin provides a sense of the city’s unique intersection of modern and traditional.
View Larger Map
For those who want to stretch their legs, we recommend walking in
Insadong
, a famous shopping area for art and antiques, and then taking in the beautiful autumn foliage at the
Stone Wall of Deoksugung
when it’s time for a rest. Fans of the universally-beloved Korean soap opera
Winter Sonata
may want to check out a few background sites from the show, including the hallowed gates of
Choongang High School
or the
Seoul Plaza Hotel
.
View Larger Map
In the southern seaside city of Busan, famous for its
film festival
, view the water from
Namhang Bridge
and then the woody romance of
Dalmaji Road
, famous as a spot for couples to view the moon at night.
We’re thrilled to release this new street-level imagery and hope it helps tourists — both real and virtual — better find their way to Korea’s great destinations. We also look forward to bringing more Street View coverage to Korea over the coming year.
Learn more about Street View
here
.
Posted by Sun-Gi Hong, Product Manager, South Korea
New 45° imagery available for 24 cities
January 23, 2012
The second 45° imagery update of 2012 includes new imagery for 17 U.S. and 7 international locations in
Google Maps
.
Ulm is a university town in southern Germany, located at the Danube river. One of the most famous buildings in this town is the Ulm Minster in Gothic style which measures more than 160 meters in height. Climbing the 768 steps to the top platform, visitors will see a breathtaking panoramic view of the Alps on clear days.
View Larger Map
Cleveland, Ohio is an important hub at the southern rim of Lake Erie. Many banks, insurance companies, and healthcare firms are headquartered here; this is also the home of the famous Rock’n’Roll Hall of Fame:
View Larger Map
In the southern hemisphere, we’ve published imagery of Porto Alegre in the very south of Brazil. It has more than one million inhabitants. The many parks in Porto Alegre makes this city one of the most beautiful in all of Latin America.
View Larger Map
Have fun exploring the new sites!
Here is a list of updated cities:
US:
Boise/Caldwell, ID; Buffalo, NY; Chattanooga, TN; Cleveland, OH; Denver, CO; Greenville, SC; Houston/Pasadena, TX; Kansas City/Gladstone, MS; Knoxville/Louisville, TN; Memphis/Bartlett, TN; Mobile, AL; Nashville, TN; Pensacola, FL; Racine, WI; Santa Monica, CA; Sarasota/Englewood, FL; Stockton, CA
Europe:
Baiona, Spain; Basel, Switzerland; Friedberg, Germany; Mannheim, Germany; Santander, Spain; Ulm, Germany
South America:
Porto Alegre, Brazil
Posted by Bernd Steinert, Geo Data Specialist
Biodiversity on the move
January 19, 2012
Editor’s Note:
Today’s guest author is
Ari Daniel Shapiro
from
Atlantic Public Media
(APM), a non-profit public media organization in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. APM was the recipient of a
Google Earth Outreach Developer Grant
, funded through the Google Inc. Charitable Giving Fund at the
Tides Foundation
. We’re excited to showcase how Atlantic Public Media has weaved Google Earth and KML tours into engaging stories about the diversity of life.
Life gets around. Tiny
Arctic Terns
soar from the Arctic to the Antarctic, and back, in a single year. A kind of sea algae known as
“sea grapes”
roam from Australia to the Mediterranean as stowaways, and then promptly conquer their new home.
As a radio producer, I’m used to telling these kinds of stories with audio, weaving together interview tape, ambient sound, and narration. For the last two years, I’ve worked with
Atlantic Public Media
and the
Encyclopedia of Life
(EOL) to produce an audio series entitled
One Species at a Time
. Each episode pays homage to a different organism that gallops or creeps or pulses on our planet. We collaborate on these stories with Marie Studer, the EOL's Learning and Education Director, who has championed our podcast as way to make the natural world come alive and generate excitement amongst people who want to learn about it and explore.
While our podcast and public radio programming brought these tales of the natural world to listeners all over the planet, we always look for ways to tell these stories better and share them more widely. Eduardo Garcia Milagros, a biologist and KML developer in Spain, approached us last year with the idea to use
Google Earth
as a platform for these mini-documentaries. Brimming with enthusiasm, he shared “When I first opened Google Earth, I went to see my hometown. Once I started exploring KML capabilities, I realized that Google Earth can be an amazing educational tool, especially when you have a good story.” Inspired by his excitement, we decided to identify species whose stories could really be best illustrated through a map, such as the Arctic Tern’s annual migration.
Our tour on Arctic terns can be
viewed on YouTube
or
downloaded
and explored in Google Earth.
Incorporating Google Earth into our narratives proved to be an interesting challenge for me and Jay Allison, my editor on the project and the Executive Director of APM. We wanted to make the most of the map as a medium to bring to life the tale of the Arctic Tern and other species for viewers. By integrating geographic animation and imagery from all over the world with the audio and images from contributing scientists, we were able to support and enhance the story. For example, in the sea algae tour below, we circle the globe to the Amazon rainforest to illustrate a phenomenon in the ecology of the Mediterranean.
Our sea algae tour can also be
found on YouTube
or
downloaded
for viewing in Google Earth.
These tours combine voice, sound, images, video, and data-driven animations to explain how two creatures have been able to travel so much of our planet. Coming from a public radio documentary background, we tend to approach things from a purely narrative or poetic angle, but Google Earth tours allow for audio/visual dialogue as well. The movement isn't purely in the story. The map can become part of a “conversation,” and we're just beginning to explore the possibilities.
We hope to produce more of these
Biodiversity on the Move
tours in the future; we’d like to hear what you think of them and what we can improve next time. Drop us a line on the
Encyclopedia of Life blog
.
Posted by Ari Daniel Shapiro, Atlantic Public Media and the Encyclopedia of Life
World Bank and Google join forces to empower mapping communities around the world
January 16, 2012
Today the
World Bank
and Google announced a collaborative agreement aimed at improving disaster preparedness and development efforts in countries around the world.
Under this agreement, the World Bank will act as a conduit to make
Google Map Maker
source data more widely and easily available to government organizations in the event of major disasters, and also for improved planning, management, and monitoring of public services provision.
The free, web-based mapping tool called Google Map Maker enables citizens to directly participate in the creation of maps by contributing their local knowledge. Once approved, those additions are then reflected on
Google Maps
and
Google Earth
for others around the world to see.
The Google Map Maker data includes detailed maps of more than
150 countries and regions
, and identifies locations like schools, hospitals, roads, settlements and water points that are critical for relief workers to know about in times of crisis. The data will also be useful for planning purposes, as governments and their development partners can use the information to monitor public services, infrastructure and development projects; make them more transparent for NGOs, researchers, and individual citizens; and more effectively identify areas that might be in need of assistance before a disaster strikes.
Community mapper in Kampala, Uganda
World Bank partner organizations, which include government and United Nations agencies, will be able to contact World Bank offices for possible access to the Google Map Maker data for their various projects. World Bank country offices in Kenya, South Sudan, Tanzania, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Zambia, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo, Moldova, Mozambique, Nepal, and Haiti plan to pilot the Map Maker agreement.
The
World Bank Institute (WBI)
and the
Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR)
will manage the World Bank’s involvement in the collaboration, building on previous joint mapping efforts. For example in April 2011, members of the Southern Sudanese Diaspora participated in a
series of community mapping events
organized by World Bank and Google to create comprehensive maps of schools, hospitals and other social infrastructure in this new country via Map Maker technology.
Google has enjoyed a strong relationship with World Bank for many years. As indicated by the World Bank Vice President for the Africa Region Obiageli Ezekwesili, “Today’s technology can empower civil society, including the diaspora, to collaborate and support the development process. This collaboration is about shifting the emphasis from organizations to people, and empowering them to solve their own problems and develop their own solutions using maps.”
France Lamy, Program Manager, Google.org
Imagery Update: Week of January 9th
January 13, 2012
Update (January 23, 2012):
Some imagery was not included in the last update as expected. The following countries received updated imagery: Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Cuba, Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Greenland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Lebanon, Libya, Madagascar, Mali, Mexico, Moldova, Morocco, Nepal, New Zealand, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Slovakia, South Africa, Svalbard, Syria, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Uganda, United States, Wake Island, Yemen
It’s a new year and what better way to usher it in than with new aerial and satellite imagery published by the
Google Earth
and
Maps
Imagery Team! In this post, we’ll explore several international features captured in this latest update.
Our first example is part of an aerial image acquired last August of the central park grounds, fountain, and wasserturm (water tower) of
Mannheim, Germany
. Mannheim is the city where Karl Benz built and tested the world’s first automobile.
Mannheim Water Tower, Mannheim, Germany
Our next aerial example, also acquired last August, shows the water parks of
Linz, Austria
, adjacent to the Danube River. The park makes up part of the "Kulturmeile" ("culture mile") that includes museums and concert halls.
Sun and water bathers, Linz, Austria
The satellite image below shows the medieval grounds and structures of one of the oldest castles in the world, the
Citadel of Aleppo
in Syria. The citadel sits on a large hill that has been in use since the 3rd millenium BC, and is outlined by perimeter walls and a foundation that reaches 50 meters in height.
Citadel of Aleppo, Syria
This next satellite image highlights a section of the Great Wall of China in Badaling, Yanqing County, China. This site is the most visited section of the wall, and hosted U.S. President Nixon and Vice Premier Li Xiannian during Nixon’s historic visit to China.
Section of the Great Wall of China in Badaling, Yanqing County, China
Lastly, shown below is a satellite image of the
National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center
, in Dong, Taiwan. Shown at bottom center is the partially built circular Taiwan Photon Source facility, due to be completed in 2013.
National Synchrotron Radiation Center, Dong, Taiwan
If you’d like to receive an email notification when the Google Earth and Maps Imagery team updates your favorite site(s), we’ve got just the tool: The
Follow Your World
application!
These are only a few examples of the types of features that can be seen and discovered in our latest batch of published imagery. Happy exploring!
High resolution aerial updates:
USA: Baton Rouge, LA; Brady, TX; Downieville, CA; East Bay, CA; El Paso, TX; Greenwood, MS; Greenwood, SC; Kingman AZ; Level Land, TX; Long View, TX; Lufkin, TX; Ozona, TX; Quincy, CA; Radium Springs, NM; San Angelo, TX
Austria: Innsbruck, Linz,
Germany: Augsburg, Mannheim
Countries/regions receiving high resolution satellite updates:
Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belarus, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Finland, France, French Polynesia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Greenland, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lesotho, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Marshall Islands, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, New Zealand, Niger, Nigeria, North Korea, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Svalbard, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, West Bank, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
These updates are now available in both Google Maps and Google Earth. For a complete picture of where we updated imagery, download
this KML
for viewing in
Google Earth
.
Posted by Eric Kolb, Geo Data Strategist
Explore your world, start here.
January 12, 2012
Google has always been on a mission to help organize the world’s information, and our Google Maps and Google Earth teams constantly work to apply this to place and space. A quick retrospective look at 2011 shows a number of improvements to help our users discover and experience new places around the world, both digitally and in person.
To start, we’ve continued to add new
satellite
and
45 degree imagery
on Google Maps and Google Earth, which reached
1B downloads
last year, as well as expand our imagery coverage of
Street View
to
Belgium
,
business interiors
, partner locations like
parks
and even museums with
the Art Project
. If you want to follow these imagery updates, we expanded Follow Your World so you can get notifications about locations that interest you.
You may have also noticed improvements to the look and feel of our maps, especially with 3D buildings across the world (e.g.
Rome, Italy
) and smoother transitions with the introduction of
Google MapsGL
. Using WebGL technology your maps experience is much better with 3D buildings, smoother transitions between imagery and the ability to instantly “swoop” into Street View without a plugin.
Providing the latest map data has also been an important goal, which is why we introduced
Google Map Maker in the U.S.
and
Canada
to reach a total of 188 countries where users have an
easier way
to contribute local knowledge. Up-to-date maps can also enable other organizations be more effective, such as relief and aid organizations who were able to access imagery after the
earthquake and tsunami hit northern Japan
, and organizations that use
Google Earth Builder
to build on top of our APIs.
Before and after the earthquake and tsunami.
And of course, your mobile device enables you to take Google Maps with you wherever you go. We recently made
indoor maps
available with a more accurate blue dot to help you orient yourself, as well as
offline maps
so you can still see a map area when you’re not connected. The video below shows some of the ways Google Maps can help through all parts of your journey.
In 2012, our goal is to continue making knowledge of the physical world more accessible and tailored to your needs. We want Google Maps and Google Earth to be your sidekick; making travel and exploration smarter and more efficient. Whether you want to map your excursion from point A to point B, find interesting detours along your way, or see new and foreign places, Google Maps can help you explore your world.
To learn more about some Google Maps features, check out our interactive tour at
maps.google.com/starthere
Posted by Brian McClendon, VP of Engineering, Google Earth and Maps
Street View: your friendly campus tour guide
January 11, 2012
(Cross posted to
Official Google Blog
)
For many, the start of a new year is also the start of a new semester. Whether you’re a current student trying to familiarize yourself with campus, an applicant assessing your options or an alumnus feeling nostalgic, the
Street View
feature in
Google Maps
can be your tour guide without the backward walking. We recently added imagery of more university campuses to the existing special collections already available via Street View through our
Partner Program
. Let’s take a quick tour of some of the many beautiful campuses around the world.
In Tokyo’s Shinjuku ward, you can find
Waseda University
. Founded in 1882, it is known for producing some of the top Japanese politicians and business leaders in recent history. Check out the statue of
Ōkuma Shigenobu
, who founded the university.
View Larger Map
Halfway around the world, we can visit the
University of Glasgow
in Scotland. Founded in 1451, this university is one of the
oldest in the world
, and the fourth oldest in the English speaking world. Take a tour of the magnificent campus starting at the West Quadrangle of the Main Building.
View Larger Map
Hop the Atlantic and cross the U.S. to
Stanford University
, which was founded in 1891 in Palo Alto, Calif. Located near Google’s headquarters in Mountain View, both of our founders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, attended Stanford for their graduate studies. Explore the campus starting at the palm-lined main quad with a view of Hoover Tower.
View Larger Map
Students, take note: Even though your campus is now available in your browser, you still need to go to class! To view other imagery collections of popular universities around the world see a complete
list of the campuses
or visit a few more highlights in the
Street View gallery
.
Posted by Chris Fiock, Program Manager for Street View
Get indoor maps of Las Vegas Casinos, the Convention Center and more
January 10, 2012
At the
2012 Consumer Electronic Show (CES)
in Las Vegas, NV, attendees will now be able to use
Google Maps
on their Android devices to help them find their way in the sea of exhibitors and attractions throughout the
Las Vegas Convention Center
, select resorts and casinos along the Las Vegas strip, as well as the
Las Vegas McCarran International Airport
.
Las Vegas Convention Center with CES Exhibitors
Since November of last year
, you’ve been able to use Google Maps in select places to get detailed floor plans and indoor location information within a few meters, as well as an accurate floor level location. Today, we’ve expanded the list of places with indoor maps by partnering with MGM Resorts International, Caesars Entertainment and others, to provide indoor maps for Caesars Palace, Bellagio, The Venetian, The Palazzo, MGM Grand and many more.
We hope that these indoor maps will come in handy when finding your way through the slots and to the shops. And for those of you who catch gadget-fever with CES in town, we've also partnered with a number of Best Buy stores in the Las Vegas area. For more detailed list of indoor maps partners, go to our
help center
or to see a demo,
start here
.
Left: MGM Grand Hotel and Casino, Right: Caesars Palace
Starting today, we’re also releasing some of the first floor plans in Google Maps that were uploaded through the
Google Maps Floor Plans
tool. From malls to convention centers, museums and educational institutions from California to New York you will now be able to see these floor plans in
Google Maps for Android
.
So the next time you are looking for the perfect table to win the jackpot or can’t find the nearest restroom, simply open Google Maps on your Android device and let indoor maps show you the way. If you’re attending CES, please come by the the Google Maps booth to learn more and preview our
upcoming Google Maps game
!
Posted by Brian McClendon, VP of Engineering, Google Earth and Maps
The Great Migration Game: Sea Turtle Tracking in Bonaire
January 9, 2012
Over the years we’ve shared a variety of Google Earth tracking opportunities, including
oceanic expeditions
,
hurricanes
, and even
Santa's annual flight
around the world on Christmas Eve. Recently, the
Google Earth Outreach
team has been following another type of long distance journey: Jklynn, the female
Hawksbill sea turtle
, on her annual migration.
Jklynn’s travels are available to all -- thanks to the efforts of
WIDECAST
, the Wider Caribbean Sea Turtle Conservation Network, a recipient of a
Google Earth Outreach Developer Grant
. Using the
Google Maps API
, they’ve developed the “
Great Migration Game
” to follow the movements of Jklynn and make the task of tracking her journey interactive for students in Bonaire. Middle and high school students can predict where the sea turtle will end up after the nesting season for the chance to win prizes.
The migration began in October 2011, when Jklynn was outfitted with a satellite transmitter by
Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire
. The study aims to improve our understanding of the migration routes and nesting areas of Hawksbill turtles. Jklynn has nested and laid eggs multiple times off of
Klein Bonaire
, with 86 students eagerly watching her progress. Now, she’s now well on her way again and keeping the students guessing every step of the way!
Follow Jklynn’s migration in Google Earth
Jklynn’s satellite transmitter sends regular updates of her position to the
map
, developed by
Ojingo Labs
. Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire was also on hand to film Jklynn’s first hatchlings emerge from their nest on Klein Bonaire.
Jklynn’s first nest hatches!
As her trek continues, you can also follow Jklynn on
Twitter
or on Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire’s
Facebook
page. Enjoy the rest of the journey!
Posted by Tanya Birch, Google Earth Outreach
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