Google Maps gets (awesome) directions upgrade
Google Maps just got a jaw-droppingly impressive upgrade to its directions functionality. Just watch the YouTube video already:
You have to play with it to believe it. And it works in Europe too, across countries:
And it handles ferries seamlessly:
I have no idea how the algorithm for finding routes does its work so fast, or how address labels get to be displayed on the fly as you drag a destination around, but this bit of AJAX programming is simultaneously technically stunning, useful, and easy to use.
Permalink |
Del.icio.us
|
Connotea
Comments
Between Calais and Folkestone there is more than ferries, there is a tunnel ;-)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Channel_Tunnel
Posted by: TOMHTML at 8:51 UTC, June 29, 2007
As far as I can tell, this is the first time an online map is easier to use than the desktop mapping applications from 13 years ago. I think it is an important turning point.
Posted by: Frank San Miguel at 12:05 UTC, June 29, 2007
I used it last night to plan a trip via ferry to Ireland. Very swanky, although I did like the placeholder functionality G-Maps used to have before they linked to ferries: 'now swim for 150 miles'
Pondering the question of how they do it I wonder if they calculate and save all possible routes on a view? Zooming out and changing the route onto a road not in the first view there is a small delay, but really the whole thing is unbelievably fast. They are very, very clever people :)
Rich
Posted by: Richard at 8:56 UTC, July 02, 2007
Post a comment
Blogs linking in
NeoGeo Jobs
Ogle Earth: Recent posts
Ogle Earth's links
Archives
Movable Type 3.2