The official blog for Google Maps
Begin your quest with Google Maps 8-bit for NES
March 31, 2012
We're constantly making improvements to
Google Maps
in order to take advantage of better hardware and web standards. For example, last October we
launched MapsGL
to capitalize on the improved graphics capabilities offered by WebGL.
In our pursuit of new digital frontiers, we realized that we may have left behind a large number of users who couldn't access Google Maps on their classic hardware. Surprisingly, the
Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)
was unsupported, despite its tremendous popularity with over 60 million units sold worldwide.
Our engineering team in Japan understood the importance of maps on retro game systems. With the power of Google’s immense data centers, and support from
Nintendo
and
Square Enix
, we were able to overcome the technical and design hurdles of developing 8-bit maps. Today, we’re excited to announce the result: a version of Google Maps for NES, with beautiful low-res graphics, simple and intuitive controls, and a timeless soundtrack.
With Google Maps 8-bit, you can do all the things you already do on regular Google Maps. Search for famous landmarks and sites around the world. Take an epic journey with 8-bit Street View. Get detailed directions to avoid dangerous paths, and battle your way through a world of powerful monsters and mystic treasures.
Coming soon to the Google Store
As the first NES cartridge to be released in nearly 18 years, we’re working hard to make Google Maps 8-bit for NES available in the
Google Store
as soon as possible. A mobile version for Game Boy is also under development.
For those who are eager to try Google Maps 8-bit now, we’ve made a limited trial available on desktop: just click the "Quest" box in the top right corner of Google Maps to
get started
. Please be mindful of dragons while playing. We wish you a safe and happy quest.
Update April 1, 2012 9:45 PST:
Happy April Fools! While we don't really have a NES game coming we do hope you enjoyed exploring Google Maps 8-bit. Here's to many more adventures and quests!
Posted by Tatsuo Nomura, Software Engineer, Google Maps
A red pin to mark a dream: Competing in the National Geographic Bee
March 30, 2012
Editor’s Note:
Today’s guest author is
Luke Hellum
. Luke is an 9th grader who has been studying geography since he was in kindergarten, making it to Arizona's state geographic bee three times, placing in the National Geographic Bee finals last year, and returning to the National Geographic Bee this year as a youth correspondent. Google is excited to sponsor this year’s event and we wish all participants the best of luck.
Today, thousands of grade-school and middle-school students will compete in state-level
Geographic Bees
, thanks in part to Google’s sponsorship of the competitions. State and U.S. territory bee winners will advance to the national bee prelims in Washington, D.C. on May 22, and ten will be part of the final broadcast on the
National Geographic Channel
. Like many of these young “mapheads,” starting at the age of five, I dreamed of participating in the bee and one day making it to the finals.
As a sixth grader, I reached the Arizona state competition for the first time, finishing fourth. The following year, I placed second, and although it was an improvement, I was disappointed and committed to ramping up my preparation efforts in 2011 for my final year of eligibility. I began studying rigorously again in the summer, averaging about 20 hours a week.
During the fall, my mom went to Washington D.C. for an Online News Association conference and met Jesse Friedman, a Product Marketing Manager from Google. She shared with Jesse her appreciation for Google’s sponsorship of the bee, and told him that I’d been heartened by the fact that former bee competitors were now Google employees, demonstrating through their work on
Google Earth
and other projects that geography can have a place in my future career. I realized that the value of my knowledge wouldn’t end with the bee. Jesse wished me luck and gave my mom two stickers of the
Google Maps
red pin to pass along to me and my brother (who will be competing for the first time in this year’s Arizona bee).
One of my study resources was a 12’ x 6’ map that covered the wall of our office. When I got the iconic pin, I decided to put it on Washington, D.C., representing my goal to reach the national bee. At times, eagerness, anxiety and restlessness would plague my study efforts. Glancing across the room at that pin would help me press on, remind me why I was working so hard, and ultimately pushed me to study harder. After many months of preparation,
I won the state bee
, achieved my goal of getting to Washington D.C. and placed 7th in the finals. I even got to meet Brian McClendon, Engineering VP of Google Earth and Maps.
The red pin has remained a fixture on the map. It’s still on Washington D.C., as I will be returning to the bee this year as National Geographic’s youth correspondent for the bee broadcast. After that, I plan to move it around on the map as my goals shift to places I want to go in the future: New York City, where I’m moving in June and Palo Alto, where I hope to attend Stanford University someday before founding my own startup.
Wherever the red pin may end up, it will continue to symbolize the confluence of my passions: geography, technology, and discovering the world.
Are you similarly looking to be inspired by what you can do with geography? Watch the video below to see how individuals from a variety of fields use their geography education to pursue their passions.
Posted by Luke Hellum, 2011 Arizona National Geographic state bee champion and finalist in the 2011 National Geographic Bee
Why maps matter: Using digital cartography tools to change the world
March 30, 2012
People have created maps since early civilization, but only recently have digital mapping tools like
Google Earth
and
Maps
made it easy to build sophisticated and interactive maps that can be disseminated to hundreds of millions of people online. Non-profits have taken advantage of these tools to create maps that matter, and that are truly initiating change around the world. That’s why my team,
Google Earth Outreach
, exists: to help public benefit organizations use Google’s mapping tools for good.
Find out how non-profits are changing the world with maps.
There’s no better inspiration for creating your own map than the stories of accomplishment from organizations like the ones featured in the video above. We invite you to check out the new
Success Stories
section of the
Google Earth Outreach website
. Along with a completely new look and feel, our website now allows you to learn all about a variety of organizations that are using maps for good.
Get started by reading about how the
Amazonas Sustainable Foundation
partnered with Google to collect
Street View imagery for the Amazon
. It’s now possible to virtually float down the Rio Negro and its tributaries, see ground-level images of riverside communities, and trek down a trail into the Amazon rainforest, all without leaving the comfort of home. You’ll also learn about
Architecture for Humanity
, an organization using
Google SketchUp
to design architectural solutions for communities in need.
Collecting Street View imagery in the Amazon
Once you’ve read through the stories and have an idea of what you might like to create, you can browse through
our tutorials
or
request a software grant
for our enterprise-level products like Google Earth Pro. Or, if you’re interested in an overview of all the tools available to you from Google, feel free to check out our
Explore Tools page
, where you’ll find information about the many Google mapping tools (both free and Pro) that are available to non-profits.
If you’re looking for additional training beyond the tutorials, check out our new
Events page
, where you can see where Google Earth Outreach will be next and where we’ve been in the past, including rich resources from past workshops.
If you want to change the world, we hope these new tools help. Happy mapping!
Posted by Raleigh Seamster, Google Earth Outreach
Traffic and Transit Come to Google Maps in Malaysia
March 29, 2012
We originally launched
Google Maps
in Malaysia back in 2009, and since then, Malaysians have been avid users of the service on both their desktops and mobile devices. So today, we are happy to announce three new features for Malaysia that we hope will make the map even more useful — especially for a nation with a lot of commuters.
First up, we have implemented the Traffic layer, which provides data about real time road congestion right on the map. Users can quickly see whether roads are congested or flowing freely based on colour coding — red for choc-a-bloc, yellow for slow moving, and green for smooth flowing.
Traffic Layer in Kuala Lumpur
Second, Transit information is now available, meaning that Malaysian public transportation details can now be found on Google Maps. This means that train and bus stops are now listed on the map, but more importantly, when you go to the “Get Directions” tab, you will see a new option — designated with a bus icon — to plan your route via public transport. The results of your search will give you step-by-step public transportation directions on how to get from Place A to Place B via bus, LRT, monorail, and Komuter train.
Transit Information in Google Maps Mobile in Kuala Lumpur
Finally, Google Maps is now available in Bahasa Malaysia, giving Malay native speakers better accessibility and the option of interfacing and navigating with Google Maps. Since 60 percent of Malaysians use Bahasa Malaysia as their primary language with over 90 percent proficiency, this localisation should make it easier for Malaysians to get the most from Maps.
To plan your journey and and get ahead in your travels, go to
maps.google.com.my
.
To learn more about traffic in Google Maps you can watch this video tutorial:
Posted by Jing Lim, Software Engineer, Google Maps Malaysia
Find out your trip duration based on current traffic
March 29, 2012
Should I take public transit or a taxi to the airport? What’s the fastest way to get to my appointment on time: local streets or the expressway? Oftentimes, the answer to these questions depends on the current traffic conditions.
Now using both live and historic traffic data,
Google Maps
enables you to once again see the estimated length of time your journey might take. In areas where the information is available, this new and improved feature evaluates current traffic conditions and is constantly being refreshed to provide you with the most accurate, up-to-date estimate possible. To see this feature, simply access directions as you normally would on Google Maps. Below the time estimate for how long your trip might take without any traffic, you’ll see the adjusted estimate that factors in current traffic data.
For example, if I’m trying to get to
JFK Airport from Manhattan
I can see it is quicker to take the train versus a taxi during rush hour.
Comparing Driving Time vs. Transit Time
If the roads you’re traveling do not yet show the current traffic information, don’t despair. You can help your fellow drivers and improve traffic data about road conditions and speeds by turning on the
My Location feature on Google Maps for Android
.
We hope being able to plan your travels based on current traffic information saves you time, and perhaps even prevents some road frustration. Happy driving!
To learn more about directions and navigation on your Android phone, start
here
.
Posted by Szabolcs Payrits, Software Engineer, Google Maps
New 45° imagery available for 15 cities
March 28, 2012
Just in time for spring break, we're updating the 45° imagery coverage in
Google Maps
for several spots around the world. This time the new imagery includes 13 U.S. cities and 2 international locations.
Atlanta is a cultural and economic center the Southeastern United States. Growing from a settlement at the beginning of a railroad line, it's now the headquarters of global brands like Coca Cola, CNN and Delta Airlines. It's also a major transportation hub. Atlanta's international airport, Hartsfield-Jackson, is the world's busiest airport by passenger traffic, serving 89 million passengers per year.
View Larger Map
Founded 540 years ago, Córdoba, Argentina, is the second oldest Spanish colonial capital within Argentina. In 1613, the order of the Jesuits established Argentina’s first university here. At the end of the 19th Century, a European immigration wave – mainly from Spain and Italy – contributed significantly to the city's industrialization. These days, due to the many churches, Córdoba is often referred to as la ciudad de las campanas, or “City of the Bells.” The link below features the Córdoba Cathedral of the Jesuit Order.
View Larger Map
San Luis Obispo, California, developed as a city from the fifth mission of the Catholic Church, founded by Spanish Franciscan Junipero Serra in 1772. With the start of mass mobility, it became a popular stop on U.S. Route 101 and California State Route 1. Some even say San Luis Obispo is the happiest city in the country. The link below will direct you to the historic mission buildings.
View Larger Map
Have fun exploring the new sites!
Below is the full list of updated cities:
US:
Atlanta, GA; Canyon Lake, TX; Charleston, SC; Dallas, TX; Houston, TX; Lakeland, FL; Lubbock, TX; Orlando, FL; Port Charlotte, FL; Roanoke, TX; San Luis Obispo, CA; Smyrna, TN; Walker, LA
International:
Adelaide, Australia; Cordoba, Argentina
Posted by Bernd Steinert, Geo Data Specialist
Crossing the 50 billion km mark & giving Google Maps for Android a fresh look
March 28, 2012
(Cross-posted on the
Official Google Blog
)
Every day, millions of people turn to
Google Maps for Android
for free,
voice-guided GPS navigation
to guide them to their destination. So far, Navigation on Google Maps for Android has provided 50 billion kilometers of turn-by-turn directions, the equivalent of 130,000 trips to the moon, 334 trips to the sun, 10 trips to Neptune or 0.005 light years! When getting to your destination matters most, Google Maps for Android will get you there:
A new look for Navigation on Android 4.0+ phones
In today’s release of
Google Maps 6.5 for Android
we’ve redesigned the Navigation home screen in
Android 4.0+
to make it easier to enter a new destination or select from recent and favorite locations by swiping left or right.
Left: New Navigation home screen Right: Navigation in Google Maps for Android
Crisper, faster maps for high pixel density devices
If your device has a high pixel density screen, such as those on Galaxy Nexus, Galaxy S II, Droid Razr and others, you’ll now get higher resolution map tiles that take better advantage of the pixels-per-inch on your screen. The result is a crisper, less cluttered map that is easier to read:
Left: Previous style Right:New style in Google Maps 6.5 for Android
Compare our new map on the right to the previous map on the left. The road network is easier to see, less obstructed by labels, and has more color contrast. At more zoomed-in levels, you’ll notice a more controlled amount of maps labels to avoid cluttering the map and blocking out street names. The new style also helps maps react faster to panning, zooming, and twisting.
You'll start seeing the new style as you navigate around new areas on the map; however, you can see these changes immediately by clearing your cache from the Maps settings.
Pick your preferred public transit mode and route option
Google Maps 6.5 for Android
now lets you choose to prioritize a particular transit mode (such as the bus or subway) and route option (like taking the recommended route, one with fewer transfers or one with less walking). Whether you just need to get somewhere as fast as possible, or you want to avoid the risk of a missed connection or you prefer not to tire your legs, you can get the transit directions that best suit you. Transit directions and schedules are available for
475 cities around the world
.
To start using
Google Maps 6.5 for Android
, download the update from
Google Play
. Learn more about how to use other great features of Google Maps for Android on the redesigned
Google Maps YouTube channel
that has 12 new videos available today.
Posted by Harlan Hile, Software Engineer
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