Moving from ArcGIS to Google Maps

Union County Community Mapper

Union County's Community Mapper application has been converted from ArcGIS Server to the Google Maps API.

Users of the map can select one or many parcels by either clicking the map or using a single search text box. Once parcels are selected a user can uncover lots of spatial data by clicking various tabs within the information window. Answers to questions like "What school district am I in?", "What flood zones are on my property?" and "Where are my closest parks, libraries and bus stops located?" are just a few mouse clicks away.

It is also possible to export parcels in kml, csv and xml formats.

Jason Sandford has also written about the reasons for moving over to the Google Maps API and some of the advantages and disadvantages of the update on his blog GeoJason.

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Google Maps Adds Buzz Layer

Google have added a Buzz layer to Google Maps. If you select 'Buzz' from the 'More' drop down menu in Google Maps you can now view the latest real time updates posted to Google's microblogging service.



The new layer lets you view the latest geo-tagged comments made to Buzz. The benefits of viewing near real-time comments on Google Maps may not always be apparent but the new layer should prove really interesting when locations are in the news.

For example, if you zoom into the Eyjafjallajokull Volcano in Iceland at the moment you should be able to pick up a few recent photographs of the volcanic eruption posted by users to Buzz.

Hat-tip: Mapperz & Google LatLong

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Tracking Objects with Google Maps

Tales of Things

The Tales of Things is a new project, currently in beta, that allows you to tag real world objects. Once tagged objects can be geo-located on Google Maps and be followed on Twitter.

A free iPhone app allows anyone with an iPhone to scan, comment and add locations to objects. The application lets you take a photo and add a QR code to any object, that can then be followed on the Tale of Things.



If you find an object with a Tale's of Things QR code attached to it you can scan and decode the object on the Tale of Things website and learn more about its history and movements.

Tale of Things is a collaborative project from Brunel University, Edinburgh College of Art, University College London, University of Dundee and University of Salford.

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Finding Concerts with Google Maps

Transmeet.Tv Music Map

Transmeet.Tv is a Google Maps application for finding concerts and festivals. At the moment the site seems most active in Croatia, Slovenia and Serbia, although events are also listed in other countries.

Upcoming musical events are displayed on the map using categorised map markers. The lettered map markers help identify the musical genre of each listed concert.

When you click on a map marker the map disappears behind a lightbox type window that displays information about the event and also gives you access to a whole host of rich media. It is possible to listen to music by the featured artists, browse photographs, view videos from YouTube and post about the event to Facebook and Twitter.

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On the Trail of a Rapist

Washington Post: Rapist's Trail
The Washington Post have produced an impressive interface to explore the story of a rapist believed to be responsible for 17 attacks in Maryland, Virginia, Connecticut and Rhode Island.

The story includes a large custom produced interactive map showing the locations of each of the attacks.



The application also makes effective use of a small Google Map for its details on each individual case.



Website Innovative Interactivity has an interesting interview with Kat Downs, Information Designer at The Washington Post, about her experience designing and building this impressive interface. The interview includes a brief explanation of some of the design issues of using Google Maps in the interface.

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Google Maps Navigation Now in the UK

Engadget are reporting that Google Maps Navigation for Android phones is now available in the UK.



Google Maps Navigation has everything you would expect to find in a GPS navigation system, like 3D views, turn-by-turn voice guidance and automatic rerouting. Until now the service had only been available in America but Engadget reports that it is now also available in the UK.

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Government Take Down Requests Map

Government Requests Map

Google have created a Google Map to show the requests they have received from government agencies around the world to remove content from Google services, or provide information about users of Google services and products. The map shows the number of requests received between July 1, 2009 and December 31, 2009.

The map shows Brazil, Germany, India and the USA leading the charge in asking for Google to remove content. However the map does show a big question mark over China as the Chinese government demand that take down requests also remain secret.

If you click on any of the countries on the map you can view a breakdown of the type of take down requests made by that government. The 'geo' requests are presumably requests to have map tiles removed from Google Maps and Google Earth.

Hat-tip: Mapperz

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