"Explore This Area" in Google MapsReto Meier | Friday, April 4, 2008 16 years ago • 5,368 views |
Google Maps have just rolled out another feature that let's you "Explore This Area". It automatically integrates geotagged photos, Youtube videos, and community maps based on the area you're searching. Neat!
http://blog.radioactiveyak.com/2008/04/explore-this-area-with-google-maps.html
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Reto Meier | 16 years ago # |
Here's what it looks like: http://picasaweb.google.com/reto.meier/ForumLinks/photo#5185310194499306866 |
Philipp Lenssen | 16 years ago # |
I can't seem to see it yet, do you have an example search? (Or should it show right away?) |
Colin Colehour | 16 years ago # |
Philipp, his screenshot looks like he was viewing Perth, Australia. http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Perth,+WA,+Australia&ie=UTF8&ll=-31.944005,115.857697&spn=0.056664,0.097332&z=13
But that doesn't seem to generate anything new for me. |
TOMHTML | 16 years ago # |
It doesn't work for me too. But I have noticied a new button (an arrow) between the textarea and the button "search". You get a drop-down menu with saved addresses. |
Reto Meier | 16 years ago # |
Sneaky! It only seems to work when searching from the Australian version at the moment:
http://maps.google.com.au/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Perth,+WA,+Australia&ie=UTF8&ll=-31.944005,115.857697&spn=0.056664,0.097332&z=13
That said, once you're at .com.au you can search anywhere in the world to see the 'explore' results:
http://maps.google.com.au/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=London&ie=UTF8&ll=51.500001,-0.126418&spn=0.004775,0.009978&t=h&z=17&iwloc=addr |
Colin Colehour | 16 years ago # |
I thought of that too when I was trying to get the feature here in the US. I changed my domain to Maps Australia and I still don't see it here. So maybe its IP based at the moment? |
Reto Meier | 16 years ago # |
Colin: Unlikely. I'm in the UK and the company I work for relays my data to the US :)
Did you try following the last link I posted – does that not work? |
Tony Ruscoe | 16 years ago # |
I'm trying Google Maps Australia in the UK and I'm not seeing it either... |
Colin Colehour | 16 years ago # |
Reto, Both links I tried look just like the normal Google Maps site. :( |
Reto Meier | 16 years ago # |
Wow. I never get things first :)
Must be rolling it out slowly. Tony – do you see the drop down box after the search text box? |
TOMHTML | 16 years ago # |
Reto, can you give us the IP of the data center you use? (enter the command: "nslookup google.com.au"); Thanks in advance. |
Tony Ruscoe | 16 years ago # |
> Tony – do you see the drop down box after the search text box?
Yep. I'm logged in, so it shows my saved locations. |
Reto Meier | 16 years ago # |
TOMHTML: Sorry, my workplace environment is... restrictive. So I can't do an nslookup from here. Know any other way to figure it out? |
Reto Meier | 16 years ago # |
I seems it's definitely data center based, but also restricted to the .com.au domain. I still see the new features after logging out, but only if I point to the Australian version. |
TOMHTML | 16 years ago # |
Tell us if it works by replacing "google.com.au" by one of these URLs: Address: 64.233.167.104 Address: 72.14.235.104 Address: 72.14.207.104
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Reto Meier | 16 years ago # |
TOM: Aha! Doing that makes it go away.
Aside: They're definitely still rolling this out, the number of 'photos' that are available for any given location seems to be growing exponentially. If I turn it on in London you'd be lucky to see a building under all the thumbnails :). Updates and thumbnail drawing is very, very fast too.
Also, all the photos seem to be coming from Panaramio as opposed to some kind of clever Picasaweb integration. |
Colin Colehour | 16 years ago # |
Does everyone see this on Google maps:
Can't find what you're looking for? Add a place to the map New!
I was surprised to see that the link is available when doing searches outside the US. |
Keir | 16 years ago # |
Some one e-mailed me screen-shots of a new button called 'more' next to the 'map and 'satellite' buttons that had two layers 'photos' & 'Wikipedia'.
I couldn't reproduce that either. It seems it only worked when the e-mailer was logged in with a Google account. That feature then disappeared for him as well. |