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♪♫ Google Map's the only thing / To take you over the rainbow to the land where cartography is King. ♪♫
I love discovering new uses for Google Maps and I'm pretty sure that this is the very first rainbow predicator to feature on Google Maps Mania.
The map uses the regularly updated National Weather Service radar mosaic to find where rain is falling and combines that with current solar elevation and azimuth to show areas that have a high potential for rainbows. The areas that have a potential for rainbows are shown in red on the map.
You can quickly zoom into an area marked in red or you can use the search engine to look for rainbows near your current location. And who doesn't want to search for rainbows?
WhereMark WhereMark is another start-up trying to break into the Location Based Services market. Using the site's website, or the iPhone application, users can share and find find local points of interest. Essentially the site enables you to save and share your favourite locations with Google Maps.
To save a WhereMark you need to double click on the map. When you do so an information window opens that allows you to share information about the location. The information window for each saved location includes tabs to view a Street View and get driving directions. From the map sidebar you can choose to view all 'public' WhereMarks or only those submitted by you.
The site includes the option to connect with Facebook and share your WhereMarks with your Facebook friends.
Guifi.net Guifi.net is a free telecommunications network in Spain. The network is composed of peer-to-peer connections. Guifi.net have used Google Maps to show the extent of the network.The map shows all the nodes on the network and the connections between the nodes.
Yata! is a mobile based social network for sharing upcoming sporting events, shops with promotions, upcoming concerts or anything else you want to share. The application, for Vodafone, uses Google Maps to show the user submitted places around your current location.
A system of positive and negative votes is used to crowdsource the best user submitted locations. The home page of Yata! even includes a Google Map so you can explore the social network from your desktop.
Mapa Furgoperfecto Furgovw is a website catering to the needs of Volkswagen camper van owners looking for places that they can park overnight. The site is a collection of user submitted suggestions for great spots where you can pull up and sleep when your are out touring in your van.
The site uses Google Maps to show the locations of parking locations. The map is not restricted to Spain and covers most of Europe and even parts of north Africa.
Live Police Appeals Map UK website the Missing List has created a Google Map to display information about missing people in the UK. The data for the map comes from appeals made by the police for information about missing people.
If you click on a map marker you can view photos and a brief description. You can click through to read further details. You can also refine the results shown on the map by month and year.
The Missing List has also created a Police Appeals Google Map. The map displays appeals made by the police concerning recent criminal offences in the UK. Again you can refine the map by month and year. You can also refine the results by type of crime.
Google today announced the release of sponsored map icons in the United States. It is an extension of a pilot project that started in Australia earlier this year. Currently business icons appear in grey on Google Maps. Now business owners can add their own icons to Google Maps, replacing the grey icons with their company logos.
Google says that sponsored map icons are being offered as "a limited beta to companies in the U.S. with multiple locations and a well-known brand. Google also point out that participation in this beta does not affect visibility on the map. The new feature is only available to businesses that already appear on the map, and whose default icons can be swapped out for their logo."
The icons will also be visible on Google Maps for Mobile starting sometime later this week.
The state of California has partnered with Microsoft, Google and Programmable Web to run an apps contest. The state wants you to develop apps that will enhance the state government's transparency and services.
Back in July Google Maps Mania looked at some of the early entries that were using Google Maps. A number of other Google Maps mashups have since been entered.
Explore California Explore California uses Google Maps to help present demographic data for Californian counties.
If you click on any of the counties on the map you can view population, income, unemployment and other data trends for the county. The application shows the trends for the chosen datasets in graph form over a number of years.
It is possible to select any combination of data sets by clicking the check boxes under the graph. Selecting a combination of data sets allows the user to compare and contrast the patterns of growth and decline in various categories and the relationships between them. Social Map of California Schools and Universities This application shows online social activity around universities and colleges in California. The application uses Google Maps to show the locations of schools and universities and shows the number of check-ins around each campus.
ZonabiltySF This application shows San Francisco zoning ordinance information on Google Maps.
If you use the application to search for a San Francisco address you can view an interactive zoning map that provides information about the zoning code.
Just click on a shaded area on the map to get the zoning details for that block.
Europe by Eurostar Eurostar, the high speed rail link that connects the UK to mainland Europe, have created a new website to highlight some of the great cities that you can visit by train and to provide tips on what you can see and do when you get there.
The site's home page features a Google Map, which allows you to navigate to all of the featured cities. This works fine, as long as you know the location of your European cities. If you don't you can always zoom in. Some marker tool-tips however would greatly enhance navigation. It would be nice if you could just mouse-over a map marker to see which city it redirects to.
The city pages each come with their own Google Map. The maps feature colour-coded map markers to show points of interest in the city. The categories include Art & Culture, Food & Drink, Music & Nightlife, Fashion & Beauty and Events.
Some cities at the moment are a little lacking in points of interest. Eurostar do say that they would love you to tell them about your own discoveries, so I'm guessing that they are planning to populate the maps with user generated tips and advice.
The British Geological Survey have a number of examples of Google Maps created with OpenGeoscience. OpenGeoscience is data that the society has made available free-of-charge for non-commercial private study, research and educational activities.
Google Maps with WMS This Google Map is an example of how to use a simple overlay of the society's geological Web Map Service. The map uses 1:625 000 scale data.
Bracknell District Caving Club This Google Map combines BGS geology with cave information in the Mendips area. It is possible to view the location of caves on the map and select from a number of BGS overlays to show the make-up of the bedrock and deposits.
Web 2.0 Summuit: Points of Control A special one off Gorgeous Map of the Week Award has to go to this map produced for the Web 2.0 Summit. The map was produced following discussions between Tim O'Reilly and John Battele about the efforts being taken by the major "Internet companies to stake out points of control that will give them competitive advantage in the years to come".
John Battelle has provided a great description of what the map represents.
The map itself uses custom map tiles, custom map controls and custom map markers. All three have been beautifully realised and create a really effective overall design for the map.
The map also includes a great comment system. Users can click on the map and contribute to the discussion by using their Twitter log-ins. This is great way to effectively organise comment discussions spatially around particular areas of 'points of control'.
SnapGoods Soon there will be two kinds of people: those who use towels, and those who use iTowels. However forking out $299 on the latest GPS & Wi-Fi enabled iTowel may not be the life-changing moisture absorbing experience that it promises to be.
If like me you are always suckered in to buying the latest gadgets only to mostly end up disappointed and suffering from consumer fatigue then you should give SnapGoods a try. SnapGoods lets you borrow gadgets and gear from other SnapGoods members. It is a great way to try out a product for a small price before forking out half your annual salary on something that a few days later is consigned to the cupboard of broken promises and dreams.
SnapGoods is a website that facilitates the sharing and renting of stuff from SnapGoods members and local businesses. At the moment the site seems to be only operating in New York but has plans to take over the world expand to other areas.
SnapGoods uses Google Maps to show the location of stuff that is available to borrow. The map does all it needs to do; it displays goods for rent and it allows you to search for stuff by location. If you like the look of something on the map you can click through to get further details and to arrange a transaction.
Note: The iTowel and the 'Cupboard of Broken Promises and Dreams' are both trademarks of Google Maps Mania.
Bay Area Life Expectancy Map If you live in Walnut Creek in Oakland you are likely to live 16 years longer than if you live in Sobrante Park. This glaring disparity is highlighted by the Oakland Tribune in its series of articles, and accompanying Google Map, looking at the life expectancy of people living in the Bay Area.
The map allows you to view life expectancy in Oakland and also view the neighborhoods' different cancer death rates, heart disease death rates and child asthma hospitalization. The red shaded areas on the map are the areas with the lowest life expectancy.
The map also includes links to articles and videos by the Oakland Tribune about people who live in the different Oakland neighborhoods.
NYC's Worst Landlords Watchlist I wish this Google Map had been around when I was still renting. It is one of the best examples of open data I have seen, allowing New Yorkers to check if a landlord has housing code violations before renting.
New York's Public Advocate Bill de Blasio has launched a campaign, called Watchlist, to identify, track, and hold accountable New York City’s most irresponsible landlords. The campaign includes a searchable database and a Google Map of landlords' outstanding housing code violations identified by the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development.
Users can search the map by landlord name or by borough. Users can also use the map to report additional violations by a landlord or to report the resolving of a violation.
Third World America The Huffington Post have created a Google Map to record the experiences of Americans hit by the current economic downturn. The map is obviously also being used as a bit of a marketing tool for Arianna Huffington's new book, 'Third World America'.
The map shows the areas hardest hit by home foreclosure, unemployment and bankruptcy. Users can also submit their own stories, pictures or video of how they have personally been affected by the financial crisis.
The map itself is a very simple My Map, which I can't help feeling is a bit of a shame. The map contains really important stories that need and deserve to be told. I just wish that the Huffington Post had taken a little more time and care with the presentation of these stories.
However I guess if anyone wanted to present this in a more elegant way they could just use the georss or the KML of the My Map.
Nearby Friends Nearby Friends is a Google Maps based Facebook application that utilises the new Facebook Places check-in facility. The application allows you to view all your friends check-ins on one Google Map.
Nearby Places doesn't just show your friends' latest check-ins it also allows you to visualise their entire check-in history. If you click on any of your friends' thumbnail pictures displayed on the Google Map you can choose an option to view their 'Check-in History'.
When you select to view the check-in history of a friend you are presented with a Google Map showing all their check-ins. Each check-in is represented by a profile picture. The larger the picture the more recent the check-in. Each individual check-in is also connected to the next check-in with a polyline. Therefore you can click on the largest profile picture and track your friend's check-ins backwards all the way to the womb (well maybe not that far).
The Wilderness Downtown This impressive Google Chrome experiment combines video, Google Maps and Google Street View and choreographed multiple windows to help demonstrate what is possible with HTML5. The experiment is an interactive interpretation of Arcade Fire's song "We Used To Wait" and was built entirely with the latest open web technologies, including HTML5 video, audio, and canvas.
The Google Map tiles used in the experiment are rendered, zoomed, and rotated in a scripted 3D environment. Animated sprites are composited directly over Google Maps satellite and Street Views. The animated sprites include flocking birds and animated trees.
The Google Maps API is also used for fetching dynamic routes to user chosen destinations and checking Street View content at points along the route. With so much going on the experiment is very processor intensive. It took about ten minutes to load on my desktop but the wait was definitely worth it.
MurderMap The Murder Map project aims to create the first ever comprehensive picture of homicide in London. On its completion, the developers say it will contain details of every murder and manslaughter committed in London from the crimes of Jack the Ripper to the present day.
At the moment the map seems to show murders in the UK capital just for 2010. You can filter the results shown on the Google Map of homicides by murder weapon.
All Murders Washington DC 2005-2009 Burgersub.org have a number of Google Maps that visualise murders in Washington DC and Baltimore. The maps include this Google Map of all Washington DC murders from 2005 and 2009.
Baltimore Sun - Baltimore Homicides The Baltimore Sun has a Homicides Map that allows you to view all murders in Baltimore since 2007. The map allows you to refine the results by date, location, gender, race and cause of death.
LA Times Homicide Report The LA Times uses Google Maps to show murders in Los Angeles. You can search the map by year, address or by name.
New York Times Homicide Map The New York Times Homicide Map show murders in the Big Apple by year. The map includes a number of search options to refine the data by race, age, sex, murder weapon and locality.
TBD.com: Map of WMATA Problems TBD.com have used the Ushahidi Google Maps reporting system to create a map of Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority problems. The map allows TBD.com's readers to see at a glance where there are current problems on Washiongton's transit system.
Using Ushahidi's reporting system allows TBD.com to crowdsource current problems on the WMATA. Users are able to report problems by directly submitting a report, tweeting an alert with hashtag #tbdwmata or by emailing an alert.
Submitted problems on WMATA will automatically appear on the Google Map. The reports are also listed under the map in chronological order.
The next time someone phones you and tells you that they are lost and they don't know how to get to you then just point them to this Android application. The application allows users to simultaneously open and work on the same Google Map. It is a great tool for two or more people to share directions in real-time.
To collaborate on a Google Map a user just has to start their own map room and send a link to whomever they want to work with. Once two or more people are logged into the room users can use 'whiteboard' tools to draw on the map or add text. Whenever one of the room members interacts with the map all the other users will see the action in real time on their phone screens.
The application comes with built in camera support so it is possible to video conference your map sharing as well. If you haven't got an Android mobile phone don't worry as the application is also available from your desktop. If you haven't got any friends you also don't have to worry as you can test the application by just opening it up in two separate browser windows.
Five years ago New Orleans was devastated by floods caused by Hurricane Katrina. It was one of America's worst ever natural disasters.
Whilst some areas, such as the French Quarter have recovered and other areas are being rebuilt, some areas, like the New Orleans East area are still almost completely abandoned. The New Orleans East area used to have a population of more than 100,000 it now has a population of around 7,000.
Back in 2005 Nova created a New Orleans Flood Map that allows you to view an overlay of the flood over your home town. The map now looks very basic but it is still an effective way to visualise the sheer scope of the floods.
If you zoom in on your part of the U.S. you can see the overlay superimposed on your home. The blue overlay only shows flooding in New Orleans proper. Additional flooding occurred in other suburbs.
New Orleans Repopulation Map 162,115 households received mail in June 2010, in New Orleans, compared to 203,457 in June 2005. The U.S. Census Bureau's methods for estimating population can't keep up with the extraordinary situation post-Katrina so looking at residential addresses actively receiving mail is one way that population can be estimated.
This map from the Greater New Orleans Community Data Center shows residential addresses actively receiving mail by census block in New Orleans. The mailing list data represents the number of residential addresses per block where the mailman knows someone picks up the mail.
The map shows the population density in June 2010, the darker the shade the higher the density. If you zoom in on a block you can see the June 2005 households compared to the most recent figures.
New Orleans Redevelopment Authority The New Orleans Redevelopment Authority are using Google Maps to help show the condition of properties in New Orleans.
The Authority's Project Search lets you search for projects and current Requests for Proposals in its database. If you search for a New Orleans neighborhood you are presented with a list of properties. If you click on the 'more details' link next to a property you can view photographs of the property and view its location on a static Google Map.
Iconomical is a web design company that specialises in data visualisation. The company have produced two excellent Google Maps to help visualise UK Government data.
Research Funding Explorer The UK's Department for Business Innovation and Skill has produced a great Google Maps time-line to show research funding in the country over the last ten years.
If you press play on the time-line (below the map) you can view an animated visualisation of where in the UK investment has been made. As the animation plays a heat map is generated on the Google Map and a bar chart besides the map is also animated.
London Gazette - Pollution Prevention & Control The London Gazette is the UK's official newspaper of record for recording and disseminating official, regulatory and legal information. Iconomical have produced a data visualisation tool that lets users browse the paper's Pollution Prevention & Control notices.
The visualisation shows all notices for 2008 and 2009. The papers are shown stacked in a time-line beside a Google Map. When you select a paper from the stack you can view the same notice on a Google Map to help find the location of applicants and where notices were issued.
Vitra The Swiss furniture manufacturer Vitra has a global dealer network so it is important that customers around the world can quickly find the dealer that is best for them. Vitra has therefore used Google Maps to create a store locator service to enable customers to find their local Vitra dealer.
It is possible to search the map for a Vitra dealer by entering a street, city or zip code. It is also possible to refine the results displayed on the map by type of Vitra dealer. If you click on a dealer's map marker you can get the dealer's full address, a breakdown of Vitra products offered and driving directions.
The Vitra Google Map was developed with the Weisso Pinpoint location finder.
Meldsysteem Bewegwijzering Fietsroutenetwerken This Google Maps Mashup wins the Longest Name of the Year Award. Luckily it also qualifies for the award for most useful Google Maps Mashup for Dutch Cyclists.
Meldsysteem Bewegwijzering Fietsroutenetwerken is a Google Maps based system for reporting problems on bicycle routes in the Netherlands. The map uses shape files from the Landelijk Fietsplaform (National Bicycle Platform) to automatically determine where a report should be sent. When a user makes a report the right maintenance authority will get the report. The authority can also use the system to report when/if the reported problem will be fixed.
It is possible for any website or blog to embed the system using an embeddable widget.
The reporting system was created using GeoStart a product of SWIS.
Mural Locator The Mural Locator helps people locate murals around the world. The site contains a growing database of locations, photos, and documentation about murals and provides a handy Google Map so that you can quickly and easily find murals near your location.
The map uses marker clustering so you can tell at a glance how many murals are listed at a particular location. As you zoom in on the map individual murals are indicated with their own individual markers.
If you click on a map marker you can view a photograph of the mural and click through to get further details, such as the address and a description of the mural. If you know of a mural that isn't already listed you can submit its location by completing a short form.
The Big Property List Google Maps offers the option to search for real estate in a number of countries now. The data for properties shown on Google Maps actually comes from Google Base. This of course means that anyone can set up their own website to also access these real estate listings using the Google Base API. That is exactly what The Big Property List have done.
One of the major criticisms of Google Maps' real estate option is that users actually want to view property listings in a list format. The Big Property List have tackled this criticism head-on by creating a familiar portal style listings interface for real estate in the UK.
The home page of the site includes a map so that users can quickly click on the region that they want to search. The properties for that region are then shown in a familiar list style. It is possible to refine the search by type of property, price range and number of bedrooms.
When you click on a property you are then taken to a dedicated page containing the full property details and a Google Map showing the location of the property.
Wish You Were Here Megan Scheminske is an artist based in Portland, OR. Megan has produced two series of minimalist paintings, 'Wish You Were Here' and 'You Are Here', that are inspired by Google Maps. Megan even has a Google Map with photographs of the paintings in the 'You Are Here' series showing the locations they depict.
The 'Wish You Were Here' project is six 12" x 12" paintings on canvas depicting compositions culled from Google Maps. Each "location" lies somewhere within the five boroughs of New York City. The locations for the paintings were chosen solely on the basis of their abstract aesthetics.
Also See
The Virtual Paintout The Virtual Paintout is a blog that is encouraging the use of Google Street View as a resource for virtually travelling the world to find interesting locations and subjects to paint.
Each month a new city is chosen and artists can then use Google Street View to find a subject to paint.
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