The official blog for Google Maps
Introducing Google Maps Engine Pro: Helping businesses create, visualize and share their data on a map
October 21, 2013
(Cross-posted on the
Google Enterpise Blog
)
Maps are a part of our daily lives—from finding the best local Italian restaurant to planning a trip abroad. Maps are also a valuable tool in the workplace. Businesses use maps to help customers easily find their
store locations
or help
travelers
get to their final destination.
Today we’re announcing a new professional mapping tool,
Google Maps Engine Pro
, which lets businesses visualize their data on a map. By importing data like addresses, names, office locations and sales leads from various file formats onto a map, businesses can edit, analyze and share their information in a simple format. Google Maps Engine Pro can be as easy to use as creating a document and it gives businesses an added productivity tool to help make decisions, organize information, and plan operations using Google Maps.
With the ability to collect business information, visualize it on a map and share it across multiple devices, organizations can make better sense of data in relation to real-world surroundings. For example,
Pure Fix Cycles
, a distributor of custom, fixed gear bikes, uses Maps Engine Pro to identify sales opportunities across target markets, helping to expand their business throughout the U.S. and around the world.
Google Maps Engine Pro was built as an application on top of the
Google Maps Engine platform
, which provides businesses with cloud based technology to help them organize large datasets and create more
complex maps
. Today, in addition to introducing Maps Engine Pro, we’re also announcing several new features to Google Maps Engine:
Mobile App
: The new mobile app allows individuals to access their maps created in Google Maps Engine, Maps Engine Pro and Maps Engine Lite. Once a map has been shared, users can access their data on-the-go and from any Android device.
Connector Tools
: It’s now easy to migrate data from legacy systems, such as SAP, into Maps Engine using a connector tool that can be downloaded for free. There are more than 300+ business and geospatial
applications
available through the connector. To make data migration even easier, the Maps Engine now features an ESRI Toolbar that lets you transfer your ArcGIS maps to Maps Engine.
Introductory Account
: Want to test out Google Maps Engine for your business? The introductory
account
is an easy way to introduce Maps Engine to your organization’s geospatial infrastructure. The free account supports the product’s full platform capabilities, including API access, but limits the number of map queries per day.
By providing better ways to easily integrate maps into your organization’s operations, businesses now have the ability to use powerful mapping technologies that were once only available to the mapping experts. With the launch of Google Maps Engine Pro and the new Google Maps Engine platform features, now every enterprise and business professional can visualize their data on a map.
Posted by Brian McClendon
A long way home with help from Google Earth
October 15, 2013
[Cross posted from the
Official Google Blog
]
In 1986, a five-year-old boy named Saroo Munshi Khan accidentally fell asleep on a stationary train in India. He woke up hours later, alone and in an unfamiliar place. This fateful train ride ripped Saroo away from his home and family. For more than a quarter century, he searched for them before finding his way back home with the help of
Google Earth
.
This incredible true story spans decades, miles and continents. If it weren’t for hope, determination and technology, Saroo would have remained forever lost.
On that day 27 years ago, Saroo and his 14-year-old brother, Guddu, were searching a train station for change to help support their family. Guddu wandered beyond the station and Saroo fell asleep on a stationary train waiting for his brother’s return. When he woke up, the train had left the station, separating Saroo from his home and family.
The train Saroo boarded was in
Berhanpur, India
, and he ended up 1,500 kilometers away, in Calcutta. For weeks, he survived on the streets. Eventually, he was taken into an orphanage, where he was adopted by the Brierleys, an Australian family. He moved across an ocean to the town of
Hobart
in Tasmania. At six years old, Saroo had a new family, home, country and name. Though Saroo Munshi Khan couldn’t find his home, Saroo Brierley never gave up the search.
In 2011, using vague memories and Google Earth imagery, Saroo identified his home town. Using the ruler feature in Google Earth, he mapped out a search radius by making an educated guess about how far he traveled by train. After countless hours of scouring this area of Google Earth imagery, he came upon a proverbial needle in a haystack. Saroo spotted one vague landmark that led him to the next, helping him unlock a five-year-old child’s memories. He eventually spotted a neighborhood, street and tin roof that looked familiar.
In Saroo's words, "It was just like being Superman. You are able to go over and take a photo mentally and ask, 'Does this match?' And when you say, 'No,' you keep on going and going and going."
In 2012, Saroo embarked on a trip from Australia back to Khandwa, India. Once he arrived, he shared his story with locals, who helped him find his way back home to his mother and surviving brother and sister. Twenty-six years after accidentally leaving home, he finally found his way back.
The Google Earth imagery that brought Saroo home.
Maps can affect our lives in many ways, big and small—but hopefully they always help us find our way. You can now read Saroo’s book, “
A Long Way Home
,” for a detailed account of his journey of survival and triumph against incredible odds. It celebrates the importance of never letting go of what drives the human spirit—hope.
Posted by Peter Birch, Google Earth Product Manager
Hit the road with the New Google Maps preview
October 9, 2013
Though summer has come to an end – at least in the Northern Hemisphere – your feedback on the
new Google Maps
preview these past three months has been a great help in our continuing quest to build a better map,
more tailored to you
. Based on your input, we’re pleased to announce one of your most requested features – directions for multiple destinations – will begin rolling out today. And with two new tools to help manage your reservations and discover upcoming events, it's never too early to plan your next road trip or adventure.
Directions for multiple destinations
Whether you’re running weekend errands or planning a cross-country tour, you can plot multiple destinations for your trip with ease – now available for driving, walking and biking directions. Once you’ve chosen a starting point, click '+' and add stops to your route by typing in the search box or clicking on the map.
Plan your next road trip with directions for multiple destinations
When you’re exploring a new city, find the best way to museums, historic squares, and other attractions by dragging and dropping your destinations in the order that works for you. And if you’re curious before you go, the Views carousel, located in the bottom right corner, is a great way to preview Street View, Photo Tours, and other imagery.
Re-order your route by dragging and dropping one destination above or below another
See your flight, hotel, and restaurant reservations
Similar to
Google Search
, find your flight, hotel, and restaurant reservations faster right in Maps. Just search for your departing airport or dining destination, and we’ll instantly show your upcoming plans. Having all your stuff in one place makes it easier to manage your appointment details and plan your commute. This info is available when you're signed into Google, and only you can see it.
Then, when you're ready to go, you can quickly access your recent search history on the Google Maps app for your iPhone or Android device and hit the road
This feature is currently rolling out to Maps users in the U.S. and is available in English only.
When signed into Google, locate your destination on desktop
and access
search history on mobile to quickly navigate there
Upcoming Events
Search for
Radio City Music Hall
, the
O2 Arena
, or your favorite local performance venues, and click
on the Upcoming Events card to see a schedule of concerts, sports matches, and other events happening near you. Or if you’re new to an area, start with "
music venues
."
See a schedule of performances and sports matches with the Upcoming Events card
It's been a busy summer for the Maps team, and we wanted to share a few things we've been working on, but there's a lot more coming soon. Keep sending us your feedback using the "Help & Feedback" menu in the upper right corner of the screen.
Posted by Florian Goerisch, Product Manager, Google Maps
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