Google Maps With Many Online Features

Google Maps is a free mapping application found online at www.maps.google.com. Web users can plot out street maps for walking, biking, driving or taking public transit. They can also search local businesses or international businesses based on location in a certain city or proximity to a current location.

Using Google Earth overlays, users can also view the globe like never before, and using satellite maps and real-time successive photos allows users to see popular city streets exactly as they are, as viewed through a camera lens.

The "My Map" mashups are like the social networking community of online mapping. Here you can create free customized maps, search in between two destinations, check out weather information, find your way around natural disasters or search through a number of useful utilities.

One cool Google Maps mashup is the useful "Search In-Between" widget. Once you add this function to your maps, type in exactly what you are looking for, for example "gas," "food" or "restroom," add the start and end locations, then enjoy your map of all the gas stations, restaurants or rest-stops along your route!

Road trippers just love this feature when navigating new places. Similarly, the "Places of Interest" mashup shows you the bars, ATMs, eateries, churches and more along your route.

As of 2006, Google Maps became accessible on mobile phones, which was obviously a huge breakthrough for the online mapping community. Now they are viable competitors with GPS devices, paper street maps, 4-1-1 service, the Yellowpages and other cell phone application creators.

The "My Location" feature turns your cell phone into a global tracking device so you can automatically use your position as a way-point, even if you do not know the exact address.

So far, the Android, iPhone, Windows Mobile, Nokia/Symbian, BlackBerry and Java platform phones and Palm Pilots can all access a Google map, although every new phone will likely have the capability in the future.

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Google Earth Map As A Guide To Your Destination

Google Earth map can be used to scout for locations prior to your next trip. You may want to view your location before you arrive, to look out for specific structures, to confirm you are at your desired destination.

When you are visiting Google Earth, you can zoom in on your desired destination and see if there is allocated parking and locate the tourist structures. For example, you may want to visit the Grand Canyon and you want to view the best way to get there and view the tourist structures. You may want to know what has changed since the last time you visited there as a child.

You will be armed with a lot of information before you leave for your trip. I always use my navman to guide me to my tourist spot, so that I am not lost on the way. I make a lot of trips, as part of my work and I need to ensure I am at the location on time and do not waste time searching for the location.

I find the location on my tourist maps and then view the location on Google Earth map. I then set up my navman in my car to guide me to my location. Using this system has helped get to the location on time and plenty of time to set up my photographic gear to do a photographic shoot.

The secret to my success is preparation with Google Earth map.

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Satellite Photos To See The Earth From Above

Satellite photos can be used to determine the weather, to locate buildings in your area and for determining terrain in certain locations. Satellite photos have been used to plan military tactics to win wars.

When you look at online satellite photos, these images may not be the most recent photo of the location, showing the most recent constructions in the area. But, if you are looking for a tourist location and you want to know where the nearest restaurant and any other tourist hot spots nearby, looking through satellite photos may help you find the best locations.

You can access satellite photos online. When you go to the weather bureau, the photo you see of clouds over the continent taken from above the earth, these are all satellite photos. They can help with determining weather patterns and what is happening around the world.

Some online satellite photos can be zoomed in and you can see your whole neighborhood including buildings, roads and more. The only problem, some of these photos may have been taken years ago, so you cannot see any roads or new buildings constructed after the photo was taken.

So when you look at satellite photos, keep in mind, the images may not show the most recent snapshot of an area.

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