The democratisation of Google Maps
Good news for the Average Joe.
Apparently, Google is launching a new version of Google Maps, which will allow anyone with a website to embed the mapping functionality into their site.
Prior to this technological feat, you needed an API (that's application programming interface for you mere mortal readers).
Adding Google Maps will now be as easy as uploading a YouTube video---just a bit of Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V of some HTML code and you're in business.
The embedded maps provide a satellite view, map view or hybrid view, and users can click and drag the maps around.
The development is great news for the great unwashed, especially small businesses with limited technological savvy.
Now any business with a website will be able to include a map of their location (or locations), and allow users to get directions with a few keystrokes.
All hail the democratisation of technology.
Tricia Holly Davis, chief writer, Travolution
5 comments:
Hi Tricia,
This has always been fairly simple... see http://www.tourcms.com/company/ for a demo of how a Google map can be integrated into an "about us" page
The challenge, as with most 3rd party web content services, is to create a page where the primary load time isn't impacted by a slow interconnected web service. On our about page (link above) we have solved this by creating a new JavaScript thread to incorporate the map.... 2.5 seconds after the main page has finished loading....
I fear I am getting a bit techie here though....
Alex
How do Google make money from using thier maps?
I bet 2 things....
1. all the adertising on the Google search is supporting it
2. it will either start featuring adverts on the maps or will start charging for the service when established
Ed Whiting - eCommerce Director Comtec
I look forward to the google integration..... and hope it is as simple as a bit of copy and paste.
But will is be withour advertising? and will they allow the same enhancement as the existing Google local search listing?
Lets hope so.
Si
This is actually a great thing for travel blogs, to be able to embed a google map showing the destination right in your text.
Google have been a bit slow with this one.
The facility has already been available for quite a while with this site:
http://www.aardvarkmap.net
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