The official blog for Google Maps
Exploring the Grand Canyon on Google Maps
January 31, 2013
Whether you’re planning an upcoming hike, or want to learn more about the Earth’s geological history, Google Maps can help. Today, we’re releasing panoramic imagery of one of the world’s most spectacular national monuments: the Grand Canyon. These beautiful, interactive images cover more than 75 miles of trails and surrounding roads, making our map of this area even more comprehensive, accurate and easy to use than ever before.
Take a walk down the narrow trails and exposed paths of the Grand Canyon: hike down the famous
Bright Angel Trail
, gaze out at the
mighty Colorado River
, and explore
scenic overlooks
in full 360-degrees. You’ll be happy you’re virtually hiking once you get to the steep inclines of the
South Kaibab Trail
. A click of your mouse or tap of your finger can also transport you to the rim of nearby
Meteor Crater
, enabling you to preview this otherworldly site.
View Larger Map
The Colorado River, one of the many impressive scenes in the Grand Canyon
This breathtaking
imagery collection
was made possible with the
Trekker
. Our team strapped on the Android-operated 40-pound backpacks carrying the 15-lens camera system and wound along the rocky terrain on foot, enduring temperature swings and a few muscle cramps along the way. Together, more than 9,500 panoramas of this masterpiece of nature are now available on Google Maps.
View Larger Map
A breathtaking 360-degree view from the famous Bright Angel Trail
So no matter where you are, you don’t have to travel far or wait for warmer weather to explore Grand Canyon National Park. Check out some of our favorite views on our
World Wonders site
where you can find more information, facts and figures about the Grand Canyon, or in the updated
Street View gallery
, and happy (virtual) hiking!
Posted by Ryan Falor, Product Manager, Google Maps
Mapping creates jobs and drives global economic growth
January 30, 2013
(Cross posted to
Official Google Blog
)
Twenty years ago, we used paper maps and printed guides to help us navigate the world. Today, the most advanced digital mapping technologies—satellite imagery, GPS devices, location data and of course
Google Maps
—are much more accessible. This sea change in mapping technology is improving our lives and helping businesses realize untold efficiencies.
The transformation of the maps we use everyday is driven by a growing industry that creates jobs and economic growth globally. To present a clearer picture of the importance of the geo services industry, we commissioned studies from
Boston Consulting Group
(BCG) and
Oxera
. What we found is that maps make a big economic splash around the world.
In summary, the global geo services industry is valued at up to $270 billion per year and pays out $90 billion in wages. In the U.S., it employs more than 500,000 people and is worth $73 billion. The infographic below illustrates some examples of the many benefits of maps, whether it’s improving agriculture irrigation systems or helping emergency response teams save lives.
Click the image for a larger version
1.1 billion hours of travel time saved each year? That’s a lot of time. Also, consider
UPS
, which uses map technology to optimize delivery routes—saving 5.3 million miles and more than 650,000 gallons of fuel in 2011. And every eight seconds, a user hails a taxi with
Hailo
, which used maps and GPS to deliver more than 1 million journeys in London alone last year. Finally,
Zipcar
uses maps to connect more than 760,000 customers to a growing fleet of cars in locations around the world.
Because maps are such an integral part of how we live and do business, the list of examples goes on and on. That’s why it’s important we all understand the need to invest in the geo services industry so it continues to grow and drive the global economy. Investments can come from the public and private sectors in many forms—product innovation, support of open data policies, more geography education programs in schools and more.
We’re proud of the contributions that
Google Maps
and
Earth
, the
Google Maps APIs
and our
Enterprise solutions
have made to the geo services industry and to making maps more widely available, but there’s a long way to go. To learn more about the impact of the maps industry, see
the full reports
.
Posted by Brian McClendon, VP Google Geo
Publishing more detailed maps of North Korea
January 28, 2013
Update (1/28 6:14p PST): The map of North Korea is now live. Thank you for your patience.
Update (1/28): Sorry for the delay. The map of North Korea will be available soon. We'll update this post again when it is live.
The goal of
Google Maps
is to provide people with the most comprehensive, accurate, and easy-to-use modern map of the world. As part of this mission, we’re constantly working to add more detailed map data in areas that traditionally have been mostly blank. For a long time, one of the largest places with limited map data has been North Korea. But today we are changing that with the addition of more detailed maps of North Korea in Google Maps.
To build this map, a community of citizen cartographers came together in
Google Map Maker
to make their contributions such as adding road names and points of interest. This effort has been active in Map Maker for a few years and today the new map of North Korea is ready and now available on Google Maps. As a result, the world can access maps of North Korea that offer much more information and detail than before.
We know this map is not perfect — one of the exciting things about maps is that the world is a constantly changing place. We encourage people from around the world to continue helping us improve the quality of these maps for everyone with Google Map Maker. From this point forward, any further approved updates to the North Korean maps in Google Map Maker will also appear on Google Maps.
Here are some pictures that highlight the details Map Maker contributors have already added to Google Maps for this country:
Pyongyang (
평양)
Before
Pyongyang (
평양)
After
Since 2008,
Google Map Maker
has enabled anyone with an interest in cartography to update the maps of the areas they know, and improve their level of detail and accuracy. And because no map is perfect and in some parts of the world, map data is very limited, Map Maker is an increasingly important part of how we will build the modern map.
Creating maps is a crucial first step towards helping people access more information about parts of the world that are unfamiliar to them. While many people around the globe are fascinated with North Korea, these maps are especially important for the citizens of South Korea who have ancestral connections or still have family living there.
We thank all the Map Maker contributors who continue to create helpful maps for people around the world. If you want to see the global community’s hard work in real time, visit
Map Maker Pulse
. While we have published the North Korean maps today, we encourage mappers to continue improving the maps of this country — and of course, the
more than 200 other regions
of the world on
Google Map Maker
.
Posted by Jayanth Mysore, Senior Product Manager, Google Map Maker
Google + Audi: Enhancing Navigation
January 22, 2013
(Cross posted from the
Google Enterprise Blog
)
Editors Note: Our guest blogger is Anupam (Pom) Malhotra, Senior Manager, Connected Vehicle, Audi of America. With a company-wide focus on the latest in-car technologies, Pom talks about teaming up with Google to help drivers enhance the driving experience with Audi connect™.
"Progress through technology" is at the core of every Audi vehicle. For a driver, in-car technology brings several benefits, including safety, access to local map content and more efficient ways to reach a destination. When developing Audi connect™, we wanted to present our drivers with something that was functional, yet elegant. We were able to deliver this by enhancing our navigation system
with Google Maps and Google Earth
.
By integrating Google features, we are creating a familiar user experience for our drivers, who already use
Google Maps
on their computers, smartphones and tablets. As a result, Audi connect makes it easy for drivers to search for a local point of interest or verify a route from
Google Earth
or
Street View
. With real-life images, combined with Google local search and voice search, Audi connect allows drivers and their passengers to safely explore and discover local destinations.
The main thing drivers want to do, of course, is get to their destination. But with Audi connect
now enhanced by Google Maps and Earth features
, we think our drivers will enjoy the journey a whole lot more.
Posted by Anupam (Pom) Malhotra, Senior Manager, Connected Vehicle, Audi of America
Responding to the severe flooding in Jakarta, Indonesia
January 17, 2013
(
Cross-posted on the
Official Google Blog
and the
Google.org Blog
.)
The Google Crisis Response team has assembled a
resource page
to help track affected areas and provide updated emergency information for the millions affected by flooding in Jakarta. We also have a
mobile page
with emergency contact numbers and lists of shelters, and
enhanced search results on google.co.id
to provide information directly when people search. We’ve also included this information in our
FreeZone
service to reach affected users on feature phones.
On both the page and map, which are available in
English
and
Bahasa Indonesia
, you'll see an update on flood locations and related data such as traffic conditions in areas affected by the flooding.
To share the page or embed these maps on your own site, click "Share" at the top of the page.
We’ll update the content as more information becomes available.
Posted by Alice Bonhomme-Biais, Software Engineer, Google Crisis Response
Discover Israel on Google Maps
January 16, 2013
Last April
we released panoramic imagery of sites and streets in Jerusalem, Haifa and Tel Aviv-Jaffa via the
Street View
feature of Google Maps. Since then, people from all over the world have explored historical and cultural sites such as the
Western Wall
in Jerusalem’s Old City, the
Baha’i Gardens
in Haifa and the
beaches
of Tel Aviv-Jaffa.
Today, as part of our ongoing effort to make Google Maps even more comprehensive and accurate, we’re publishing street-level imagery of hundreds more cities, towns, villages, heritage sites and tourist attractions across Israel.
You can now virtually tour the picturesque city of
Safed
in the North, the coral reef in
Eilat
in the South, visit the lowest point on earth at the
Dead Sea
, and wander around the narrow passageways of the old city of
Acre
.
Visit
Tiberias
, one of Judaism’s four holy cities; the
Sea of Galilee
where, according to the Gospels, Jesus walked on water; and stop off at
Capernaum
, the ancient fishing village believed to be the home of St. Peter, or the ancient battle site of
Tel Meggido
, better known as Armageddon.
View Larger Map
Capernaum, on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee
The ancient Nabataean cities of
Mamshit
and
Shivta
, both of them UNESCO world heritage sites, can also now be seen directly in Google Maps. Tour around the
Bet She’an National Park
, one of the world’s largest archaeological sites; the Crusader fortress overlooking the excavations at
Tzippori
; or the sandstone and copper-rich nature reserve at
Timna
. Enjoy the colorful Druze market town of Daliyat El Carmel, the Bedouin town of Rahat, or take a ride down the ‘Burma Road’, a makeshift bypass road to Jerusalem built in 1948.
View Larger Map
The 'Mushroom' red sandstone rock formation at Timna
Sports fans can even go inside
Ramat Gan Stadium
or
Bloomfield
. And museum lovers can take in Haifa’s
National Museum of Science, Technology & Space
, the Holocaust Museum at
Kibbutz Yad Mordechai
, the Ghetto Fighters Museum at
Kibbutz Lochamei Ha’getaot
, the
Museum of Bedouin Culture
in the Negev desert, or take a tour around the
Egged Bus Museum
.
We’ve added imagery from cities, towns and villages including Ashdod, Ashkelon, Be’er Sheva, Bnei Brak, Eilat, Isfyia, Kfar Qasem, Kiryat Gat, Nazareth, Netanya, Ofakim, Petah Tikva, Rishon LeTsiyon, Sderot, Tira, and many, many more. And stay tuned - we hope to expand coverage to still more of the region’s sites, streets, cities and towns in the future.
Posted by Ulf Spitzer, Street View Program Manager
Never ass-ume
January 16, 2013
Over the last 24-hours concerned members of the public and the media have been speculating on the fate of a donkey pictured in Street View in the Kweneng region of Botswana.
Because of the way our 360-degree imagery is put together, it
looked to some
that our car had been involved in an unseemly hit and run, leaving the humble beast stranded in the road.
As our imagery below shows, the donkey was lying in the path -
perhaps enjoying a dust bath
- before moving safely aside as our car drove past. I’m pleased to confirm the donkey is alive and well.
Images 1 & 2: our car, driving on the left hand side, approaches the donkey lying down in the road.
Image 3: the donkey gets up and moves aside.
Image 4: a shot taken from the back of our car shows the curious animal back on its feet.
I hope you continue to enjoy some of the
spectacular images
of Botswana and its wildlife, big and small.
Posted by Kei Kawai, Group Product Manager, Google Maps
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