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Google Maps Search Gadget For Gmail Does Quick Address Lookups
7:30AM Adam Pash | Weblog ReadWriteWeb features five great Gmail Gadgets that add new functionality to Gmail through the “Add any gadget by URL” Labs feature, including one handy gadget that puts Google Maps inside Gmail for quick lookups. More »
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How To Navigate By The Night Sky
8:00AM Adam Pash | Video tutorial web site Tinkernut offers a quick introductory video to navigating by the stars. The video actually re-examines a step-by-step from previously mentioned QuietBay, but the video format packages the ideas nicely. The guide only covers the basics—like finding the North Star—but if you’re a novice to the stars, it’s a nice introduction. On the other hand, if you’re an old hand at navigating the night sky, let’s hear your more advanced tips in the comments. How To Navigate By the Stars [Tinkernut] More »
Schmap Offers iPhone-Friendly Travel Guides
6:45AM Kevin Purdy | Free travel guide site Schmap has crafted a pretty nifty interface for iPhone and iPod touch users looking for spots to hit while travelling. Navigate to the city you’re travelling through, pick a category like restaurants or banks, and scroll through the vertical list of results. Flip your iPhone/touch sideways, and points from the section of the list you were scrolling through are mapped out, and contact and directions info are provided when tapped. Pretty handy for finding notable spots nearby without having to cross over applications. Point your iPhone or iPod touch to the link below to access the web app (but regular browsers can head there as well). Schmap [via TechCrunch] More »
Google Maps Adds Street View to Turns
6:15AM Gina Trapani | Today Google Maps adds a helpful visual feature to their driving directions: Street View turns. Search for directions at Google Maps, and click on the small camera next to each turn step in the left column to view the photos of the intersection or off-ramp. [via] More »
Avoid Traffic Congestion with Windows Live Maps
4:00AM Adam Pash | US-centric: Windows Live Maps has added a new feature called Clearflow, which suggests routes based on traffic conditions with the intention of getting you where you need to go quickly and with a minimum of traffic congestion. Rather than suggesting routes based solely on real-time data, Clearflow also factors in time of day, weather, and even things like nearby sporting events likely to cause congestion. I’ve been testing it on some local routes, and while I’m not sure if its suggestions are accurate, I can say that it does drastically change its suggestions when I tick the “Choose route based on traffic” option. The Clearflow feature is available in 72 cities starting today, so if you give it a try, let’s hear what kind of results you’re seeing in the comments. Live Search Maps [via NYT] More »
HopStop Beams Directions to Your Cell Phone
5:00AM Adam Pash | US-centric: Send detailed directions for getting around the city from your browser directly to your cell phone with web site HopStop. This webapp has been around for a while (we even posted about it a few years back), but it continues to add more areas to its coverage of the urban landscape. Offering options like subway-only in conjunction with preferences like “More street walking/fewer transfers,” HopStop covers how to get from a-to-b whether you’re on foot, train, or bus. If you’re an experienced user (it’s not available in Los Angeles, so I’m not), let’s hear how it’s worked for you in the comments. More »
Find the Perfect Meet-Up Point with Mezzoman
3:00PM Adam Pash | US-centric: Google Maps mashup Mezzoman finds the perfect meet-up point for two addresses by establishing the midpoint and suggesting restaurants by cuisine nearby. Finding a good meet-up spot can be a bit difficult, and at one point or another you’ve probably felt you’re getting the short end of the stick by driving the lion’s share of the distance to the meet-up point. Mezzoman aims to rid you of that headache, and suggests places you could meet and eat (or bowl) near that midpoint. The only feature missing is pins marking the two addresses you’re starting from, but in all it’s a simple webapp that does just what it says. Mezzoman [via Gmapsmania] More »
Get Directions with Two Clicks with GDirections
9:30PM Kevin Purdy | Firefox only (Windows/Mac/Linux): Get directions to and from any address you see in your browser with GDirections, a Firefox extension that saves you the time of heading over to Google or Yahoo maps. After entering up to three pre-defined addresses in GDirections’ preferences (like your home and office), selecting and right-clicking an address will allow you to get directions to the spot from those places, as well as enter the address into any of the sites you’ve installed in your quick search box. For those who regularly wipe out their cookies and have to re-enter their address into either Yahoo or Google Maps, GDirections is a real time saver. GDirections is a free download and works wherever Firefox (1.0-2.0) does. GDirections [via Linux.com] More »
Google Maps Adds Terrains
7:00AM Adam Pash | Google Maps has added a saucy new terrain overlay to its already impressive view options. In addition to geographic terrain, this view also displays buildings in metropolitan areas à la Google Earth. You may also notice that the Hybrid view is now missing from the top row of buttons, but Hybrid view (which displays satellite imagery with street information overlaid) is now the default for Satellite view (though you can toggle the street information). Google Maps [via Google Operating System] More »
