The official blog for Google Maps
Through the tunnel and onto the field...see inside the Indianapolis Colts stadium on Google Maps
February 15, 2013
The Super Bowl is over, the lockers are cleared out and the players have gone home, but passionate football fans across the U.S. are already counting the days (202 to be exact!) until the 2013 kickoff of the National Football League (NFL). What will we do with our Sundays for the next 6 months?!
To fill the football void, you can turn to
Google Maps
. Where, starting today, you can take a VIP, 360-degree interactive photo tour of
Lucas Oil Stadium
, home of the Indianapolis Colts. This is the first imagery of inside an NFL stadium in Google Maps, and another example of how we’re working hard (and having fun!) building the most comprehensive, accurate and usable map of the world -- complete with imagery from inside your favorite sporting venues.
View Larger Map
The large Colts helmet at mid-field is a key focal point for all Colts fans
With this new interactive, 360 degree imagery, you can
march out of the tunnel and down the field towards the end zone
, just like Andrew Luck did all season. Or check out the
Colts’ locker room
where
Head Coach Chuck Pagano gave his memorable post-game locker room speech
on November 4, after an inspirational win against the Miami Dolphins. You can also explore the stadium’s three concourses and suites, including the
Quarterback Suite
, a Field Level Suite and
Loge-Level Suite
.
View Larger Map
The official locker room of the Indianapolis Colts
Together with the Colts and Lucas Oil Stadium, we’re thrilled to give you, the fans, a behind-the-scenes look at the home of the Colts, and enable anyone to “visit” the stadium from wherever they may be.
Check out the stadium images by searching for “Lucas Oil Stadium” or “Colts Stadium” in Google Maps on your browser,
Android
or
iPhone app
or visit the
Street View Gallery
. And be sure to check out
Colts.com
for more details.
Posted by Evan Rapoport, Product Manager, Google Maps
Ski Resorts now on Google Maps
February 6, 2013
You just stepped out of the gondola into a strong wind at the peak. It’s cold and you’re weighing whether to drop into that powdery black diamond chute you’ve always dreamt of...or sliding down the nearest blue for hot cider at the base.
With
38 new run and lift maps
for some of the most popular mountains across the US and Canada, Google Maps is your “go to” mountain guide. Whether you’re shredding
Squaw Valley
,
Big Sky
, or
Okemo
, Google Maps are a comprehensive, accurate and easy way to find the best route down the hill.
Power up Google Maps on your
Android
device or
iPhone
, and the mountain information you need is right there. Blue, green and black runs are shown as solid colored lines and ski lifts are red dotted lines.
Lake Louise Resort
on Android and
Whistler Blackcomb Resort
on iPhone
Ski resorts in Google Maps can also be helpful when you’re gearing up for a trip. You can check out the maps on your laptop browser to plot your course, and even get a
Street View preview of a few select slopes
before you head up the mountain.
Map of
Squaw Valley
near Lake Tahoe in California
The growing list of mountain maps now available in Google Maps is here:
Alpine Meadows
- CA
Alyeska Resort
- AK
Aspen Highlands
- CO
Aspen Mountain
- CO
Attitash Mountain Resort
- NH
Big Sky Resort
- MT
Big White Ski Resort
- BC
Breckenridge Ski Resort
- CO
Brighton
- UT
Buttermilk
- CO
Copper Mountain
- CO
Crested Butte Mountain Resort
- CO
Deer Valley Resort
- UT
Granite Gorge
- NH
Heavenly Mountain Resort
- CA
Jackson Hole Mountain Resort
- WY
Lake Louise Ski Area
- AB
Mammoth Mountain
- CA
Mount Bachelor
- OR
Mount Shasta
- CA
Okemo Mountain
Resort
- VT
Panorama Mountain Village
- BC
Park City Mountain Resort
- UT
Revelstoke Mountain Resort
- BC
Schweitzer Mountain Resort
- ID
Sierra-at-Tahoe Resort
- CA
Snowbasin
- UT
Snowmass
- CO
Squaw Valley
- CA
Steamboat Ski Resort
- CO
Stowe Mountain Resort
- VT
Sugar Bowl Resort
- CA
Sun Valley Resort
- ID
Telluride Ski Resort
- CO
Vail Mountain
- CO
Whistler Blackcomb
- BC
Wildcat Mountain
- NH
Winter Park Resort
- CO
We hope you’ll use these maps to discover new trails and find your way around the mountain more quickly and easily. We’ve got more ski resort maps on the way, so be sure to check Google Maps before your next trip. See you out there!
Posted by Ryan Poscharsky, Strategic Partner Manager, 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
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