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A clearer view of the seafloor in Google Earth

MrGoogle — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 20:00:00 +0000

More than two-thirds of Earth is covered by oceans. If you drained all of that water away, you’d see huge basins that have never been explored, an undiscovered planet in our own backyard.

Today is the three year anniversary of an explorable ocean seafloor in Google Earth. We just released a major update to our global underwater terrain dataset, called bathymetry, from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, in partnership with NOAA, the US Navy, NGA, and GEBCO (with major contributions from JAMSTEC, IFREMER and IBCAO).

The update covers ocean topography from…

Welcome customers into your business on Google

MrGoogle — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 22:18:00 +0000

(Cross-posted on the Small Business Blog.)

When we initially announced the Business Photos pilot program, we wanted to give business owners an easy way to get customers in the door online using interactive, high-quality, 360-degree images of places on Google Maps and on Google Search results. With thousands of businesses under our belt — from salons to gift shops — we’ve been hearing the same question again and again from both business owners and photographers alike: How can I participate?

Well, with the overwhelming success of the first pilot, we’ve decided to…

Google Earth 6.2: It’s a beautiful world

MrGoogle — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 18:25:00 +0000

(Cross-posted on the Official Google and SketchUp blogs)

We’re taking bird’s eye view to a whole new level with the latest version of Google Earth, released today. With Google Earth 6.2, we’re bringing you the most beautiful Google Earth yet, with more seamless imagery and a new search interface. Additionally, we’ve introduced a feature that enables you to share an image from within Google Earth, so you can now simply and easily share your virtual adventures with family and friends on Google+.

A seamless globe

The Google Earth globe is made from a mosaic of…

New Biking Directions Legend

MrGoogle — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:31:00 +0000

If you’re looking for new ways to get around for fun or to work, or might be trying to live a greener lifestyle in 2012, why not try biking? In March 2010 we introduced biking directions and since then Google Maps has been sharing biking directions with cyclists across the U.S and Canada.

Since no bike path is the same, many users have requested an easier way to differentiate the different types of bike routes that are available. Starting today, a new legend feature can help you understand what the different colors on the bike maps symbolize.

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Public Alerts now on Google Maps

MrGoogle — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:07:00 +0000

(Cross posted from the Google.org Blog)

Today marks the launch of a new Google Crisis Response project: Google Public Alerts, a platform designed to bring you relevant emergency alerts when and where you’re searching for them.

If a major weather event is headed for your area, you might go online to search for the information you need: What’s happening? Where and when will it strike? How severe will it be? What resources are available to help?

The Google Crisis Response team works on providing critical emergency information during crises. Our goal is to surface emergency information through…

Take a tour of South Korea using Street View

MrGoogle — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 15:48:00 +0000

Tourism to South Korea is on the rise, with neighbors from East Asia and beyond making trips to see the birthplace of Korean dramas and K-Pop, sample authentic kimchee, and find cutting-edge fashions in the capital’s Myeongdong shopping district. Today we’re introducing Street View imagery for the two biggest cities, Seoul and Busan, making it even easier for travelers to plan their next visit to South Korea using Google Maps.

For example, you can preview your vacation in Seoul by starting right in Gwanghwamun square. Viewing the surroundings and statue of naval commander Yi Sun-sin provides a sense…

New 45° imagery available for 24 cities

MrGoogle — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 01:31:00 +0000

The second 45° imagery update of 2012 includes new imagery for 17 U.S. and 7 international locations in Google Earth and Google Maps.

Ulm is a university town in southern Germany, located at the Danube river. One of the most famous buildings in this town is the Ulm Minster in Gothic style which measures more than 160 meters in height. Climbing the 768 steps to the top platform, visitors will see a breathtaking panoramic view of the Alps on clear days.

View Larger Map

In the southern hemisphere, we’ve published imagery of Porto Alegre in the very south…

Biodiversity on the move

MrGoogle — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 20:00:00 +0000

Editor’s Note: Today’s guest author is Ari Daniel Shapiro from Atlantic Public Media (APM), a non-profit public media organization in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. APM was the recipient of a Google Earth Outreach Developer Grant, funded through the Google Inc. Charitable Giving Fund at the Tides Foundation. We’re excited to showcase how Atlantic Public Media has weaved Google Earth and KML tours into engaging stories about the diversity of life.

Life gets around. Tiny Arctic Terns soar from the Arctic to the Antarctic, and back, in a single year. A kind of sea algae known…

World Bank and Google join forces to empower mapping communities around the world

MrGoogle — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 16:34:00 +0000

Today the World Bank and Google announced a collaborative agreement aimed at improving disaster preparedness and development efforts in countries around the world.

Under this agreement, the World Bank will act as a conduit to make Google Map Maker source data more widely and easily available to government organizations in the event of major disasters, and also for improved planning, management, and monitoring of public services provision.

The free, web-based mapping tool called Google Map Maker enables citizens to directly participate in the creation of maps by contributing their local knowledge. Once approved, those additions are then reflected…

Imagery Update: Week of January 9th

MrGoogle — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 23:15:00 +0000

It’s a new year and what better way to usher it in than with new aerial and satellite imagery published by the Google Earth and Maps Imagery Team! In this post, we’ll explore several international features captured in this latest update.

Our first example is part of an aerial image acquired last August of the central park grounds, fountain, and wasserturm (water tower) of Mannheim, Germany. Mannheim is the city where Karl Benz built and tested the world’s first automobile.

Mannheim Water Tower, Mannheim, Germany

Our next aerial example, also acquired last August, shows…

Explore your world, start here.

MrGoogle — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 14:40:00 +0000

Google has always been on a mission to help organize the world’s information, and our Google Maps and Google Earth teams constantly work to apply this to place and space. A quick retrospective look at 2011 shows a number of improvements to help our users discover and experience new places around the world, both digitally and in person.

To start, we’ve continued to add new satellite and 45 degree imagery on Google Maps and Google Earth, which reached 1B downloads last year, as well as expand our imagery coverage of Street View to Belgium,

Street View: your friendly campus tour guide

MrGoogle — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

For many, the start of a new year is also the start of a new semester. Whether you’re a current student trying to familiarize yourself with campus, an applicant assessing your options or an alumnus feeling nostalgic, the Street View feature in Google Maps can be your tour guide without the backward walking. We recently added imagery of more university campuses to the existing special collections already available via Street View through our Partner Program. Let’s take a quick tour of some of the many beautiful campuses around the world.

In Tokyo’s Shinjuku ward, you can find…

Get indoor maps of Las Vegas Casinos, the Convention Center and more

MrGoogle — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 17:05:00 +0000

At the 2012 Consumer Electronic Show (CES) in Las Vegas, NV, attendees will now be able to use Google Maps on their Android devices to help them find their way in the sea of exhibitors and attractions throughout the Las Vegas Convention Center, select resorts and casinos along the Las Vegas strip, as well as the Las Vegas McCarran International Airport.

Las Vegas Convention Center with CES Exhibitors

Since November of last year, you’ve been able to use Google Maps in select places to get detailed floor plans and indoor location information within…

The Great Migration Game: Sea Turtle Tracking in Bonaire

MrGoogle — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 12:30:00 +0000

Over the years we’ve shared a variety of Google Earth tracking opportunities, including oceanic expeditions, hurricanes, and even Santa’s annual flight around the world on Christmas Eve. Recently, the Google Earth Outreach team has been following another type of long distance journey: Jklynn, the female Hawksbill sea turtle, on her annual migration.

Jklynn’s travels are available to all — thanks to the efforts of WIDECAST, the Wider Caribbean Sea Turtle Conservation Network, a recipient of a Google Earth Outreach Developer Grant. Using the Google Maps API, they’ve developed the “Great Migration…

Santa Claus is coming to town… find out where with Google and NORAD

MrGoogle — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 14:00:00 +0000

(Cross-posted on the Official Google blog)

It’s that time of year again! The stockings are hung by the chimney with care and Google and NORAD are ready to answer the question of “where?”

NORAD’s tradition of tracking Santa on Christmas Eve started in 1955, when a Sears and Roebuck ad promoting the Talk-to-Santa hotline inadvertently sent callers to CONAD (NORAD’s predecessor) commander-in-chief’s operations hotline. After recovering from the surprise that the call was not from the Pentagon or the White House but instead a little boy inquiring if the commander was Santa Claus, Colonel Harry Shoup asked…

New 45° imagery for Detroit and 4 other cities

MrGoogle — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 16:21:00 +0000

Earlier this month we highlighted 21 new cities with updated 45° imagery on Google Maps. In our last 45° imagery update of the year, we have 5 new cities from the Midwestern and Southern regions of the US.

Detroit, Michigan is one of those cities I’m particularly excited to share with you. Growing up nearby this great international city, I’ve gotten to know its beauty, character and deep history. Recently Detroit has attracted much international attention for its auto sector and changing urban landscape.

With this 45° imagery update, and also using the Street View…

Imagery Update: Week of December 12th

MrGoogle — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 20:00:00 +0000

The Google Earth and Maps Imagery Team has done it again, delivering another collection of updated aerial and satellite imagery from around the globe, just in time for the holidays. Below we’ll show several new high-resolution aerial imagery examples of important locations and landmarks of where large groups of people congregate.

Our first example is known the world over and houses one of the most impressive art collections ever assembled: the Louvre in Paris, France. The right half of the aerial image below shows the entire museum grounds, and the left center section is the garden and…

Mapping made easier with the new Google Map Maker

MrGoogle — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 15:00:00 +0000

With 2012 approaching, we’re getting a head start on our New Year’s resolution to shed some excess weight and improve our overall appearance. You may have seen our ongoing efforts to improve the look, feel, and user experience across many other Google products to date. And with Google Map Maker available in the United States, Canada, and more than 180 other regions, it’s time for another makeover. Today, we’re revealing a new version of Google Map Maker to help users map the places they know best and make their hometowns sparkle on Google Maps.…

Experience the tsunami-affected areas of Japan through Street View

MrGoogle — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 02:00:00 +0000

Back in July, we announced our initiative to digitally archive the areas of Northeastern Japan affected by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. Today, we’re making good on that promise—after driving more than 44,000 kilometers through the affected regions, 360-degree panoramic imagery of those areas is now available through the Street View feature in Google Maps. The images can also be viewed via a special website called “Build the Memory,” where you can easily compare before and after shots of the towns changed by these events.

A virtual tour via Street View profoundly illustrates how much…

New 45° imagery available for 21 cities

MrGoogle — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 22:00:00 +0000

Viewing 45° imagery can make the map much more fun and informative by enabling you to see a tilted aerial perspective of some of your favorite spots. In this month’s 45° imagery update in Google Maps, I highlight one of my favorite towns in Colorado.

Boulder, Colorado is a mecca for outdoor hiking, cycling, and climbing excursions and 45° imagery can help users plan their adventures. Located at the base of the Rocky Mountains, Boulder is at an elevation of 5,430 feet (1,655m) above sea level which makes for fun terrain to look at from a bird’s eye…

A new view of Google Earth on 48 screens

MrGoogle — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 18:15:00 +0000

Back in 2009, Google developed the first Liquid Galaxy, an entirely new way to display Google Earth on eight screens – which creates an immersive experience of virtually flying around the globe. Since then, we’ve built dozens of Liquid Galaxies all over the world and open sourced the code so anyone can build their own.

Late last year, the Paris Center for Architecture and Urbanism: Le Pavillon de l’Arsenal, approached us asking if they could use Google Earth to power a new interactive display highlighting the Paris metropolitan area in 2020 with upcoming buildings in 3D.…

New Cities in 3D – Rome, Seville, Las Vegas, and more.

MrGoogle — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 17:00:00 +0000

Google Maps continuously works to bring you real-life 3D representations of your favorite cities from around the world. Google Maps in 3D combines a functional map with stunning visuals. You can tour an increasing number of cities in 3D and experience the streets and sights right from your computer or Android device.

Since embarking on our 3D mapping efforts, we have amassed a collection of cities that allows you to feel like a jet-setter. We have recently expanded and improved this collection to include more cities in Japan, Europe and the US, to name a few. You can experience…

Updating the Maps of the United Kingdom, Germany, Finland and Sweden

MrGoogle — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 23:56:00 +0000

As always, our team continues to work hard to provide up-to-date and accurate base map data for places around the world. Today, we are happy to announce updated maps for the UK, Germany, Finland and Sweden.

You may notice many improvements to Google Maps in these countries, such as improved water bodies and more comprehensive local park coverage. Many of these and other changes are the result of us working directly with a variety of organizations, agencies and data providers. For example, Germany’s Federal Agency for Cartography and Geodesy (Bundesamt für Kartographie und Geodäsie) supplied us harmonized…

Exploring ancient ruins in 3D with Google Earth

MrGoogle — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 21:00:00 +0000

(Cross-posted on the Inside Search Blog)

Searches can become stories. Some inspire us, others change the way we see the world or just make us smile. This is the latest in a series of videos about people who have used Google to discover or do something extraordinary.

The field of archaeology has changed much over the years. New modes of transportation have made even the most remote sites accessible, while cameras simplify how a historical record is created and shared with the world.

Spurred on by these innovations, researchers are also embracing technology as a creative…

Looking for stores in a shopping mall or doctors in a hospital?

MrGoogle — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 15:00:00 +0000

As the holiday shopping season kicks into high gear, being a well-informed and efficient shopper is more important than ever. That’s why we’re excited to introduce a new feature in Google Maps that can help you find places that are located within or are part of larger buildings, such as malls, office buildings, and hospitals.

When appropriate, the name of the overarching location will be added to the listings that appear in Google Maps, just beneath a place’s address. For example, you can now easily tell that the Disney Store near you isn’t a standalone store, but rather,…