New Google Maps stuff

[mmcirvin]

Google Maps shows the little camera icon indicating street-level views for Boston and Providence, but there don't actually seem to be any supported streets (yet). Curious.

The street-level views are kind of a gimmick, but some of the stuff they've added lately impresses me. I like the integration of SmarTraveler-ish traffic data for some American cities, and the new Terrain view (a physical map with subtle relief shading and more natural features labeled) is elegant.

I get the impression that they're putting more effort into bringing things into the Maps interface than into developing Google Earth, which is probably the right emphasis. Google Earth is an impressive toy but it's inherently kind of tricksy to use. Google Maps is actually useful.

Comments

[kerri9494.livejournal.com]

I think of Google Earth more as a platform than a tool that's useful by itself -- you can really build cool things into it, rather than the more simple layery things that you can do with GMaps. It's like a really cool bucket. We've done some building of 3D structures, for example, to represent stuff related to various geographic locations, and there are more information/data layers available, too. And I love flying through interactive routes.

But Google Maps seems to me to be more of a tool that gives you content that you need or want when you need or want it. I think I'm doing a poor job explaining my perceived differences. :-)

[brooksmoses]

I actually did use the street-level view last week. I was trying to remember the address of the new house we're moving into, and I wasn't entirely sure that I was recalling it correctly, so I used the street-level view to confirm it by reading the number off the side of the house.