Google Maps: View, Create.. Mash up!

Google Maps + My Maps + Mapplets = Google Maps Mashups 2.0


(YouTube Video Link)

The evolution of Google Maps and the Google Maps mashup continues with another MAJOR new Google Maps feature that puts you more in control of the map you view, create, and today.. mash up for yourself! A simple new viewing feature will let you view a mashup from within Google Maps, as well as layer multiple mashups for an expanded view previously only possible by opening each mashup's website individually!

Not long ago you might remember my post about Google Mapplets. Mapplets are compact versions of Google Maps mashups that are viewable from directly within the Google Maps site itself. Since May 31st, numerous Google Maps geo-developers have been hard at work creating Mapplet versions of their mashups accessible, until today, through a special preview website. Today Google is making these Mapplets available to you and the public on Google Maps to view, interact with, and mash up with other Mapplets for a totally customizable Google Maps viewing experience.

To get started all you need to do is visit Google Maps and select the My Maps tab. To add Mapplets to your view, just click on the "Add Content" link and explore or search the directory for Mapplets that appeal to you. You might have already gotten in and played around with the easy maps creation tool called My Maps that was launched back on Apr.5/07? Perhaps you've created your own Google Map with points, photos or videos? You can now layer these My Maps creations among other third party Mapplets, then save the resulting view you've compiled as its own mashup in your My Maps tab for later viewing! Google Maps users in following countries will be able to make use of this new feature: US, the UK, Canada, Australia, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Netherlands, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden and Russia; Also available in the following languages: English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Dutch, Danish, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish, Russian and Chinese (TW).



Here are some cool Mapplets to get you started:

• Webcams Worldwide
• Wikimapia Layer
• YouTube videos
• Leisure activities - Sanoodi
• Flickrvision clone
• Ski Reports and Conditions
• Weather Bonk Live Conditions Map
• WeatherBonk Typical Weather
• Altitude Resolving Tool
• Wikipedia Mapplet
• UK potholes and hazards
• Gas Prices from GasBuddy.com
• Webcams Belgium
• Vinyard Hunter Australia
• Gainesville Regional Transit System
• US Address Lookup
• Flickr Photo Mapplet
  

I've been blogging about Google Maps mashups and tools created by people all over the world since April of 2005 and nothing throughout the course of the maps mashup phenomenon has come close to the power and implications of this new tool. It harnesses the collective mass of Google Maps mashups, user generated content and incredibly simple aggregation ability to make for an impressive mapping tool. Today is indeed an important day in the history of the Google Maps mashup.. a day when the reigns get turned over to the Google Maps user to make their own mashup from those already created.. It's just the beginning too!

If you're a Google Maps geo-developer and you haven't yet ported your mashup to a Mapplet, don't get left out.. Get Started Here!

[Via Google Lat-Long Blog]

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