French Elections on Google Maps

 
Today the French voted in the final and decisive round of the Parliament elections.

You can view the results live, as they are announced this evening, on this Google Map, Google Politique et Elections. The map is color-coded, so it is easy to tell at a glance how each political party has performed.

Users can click on individual electoral areas on the map to view the results in that region. It is also possible to click on the political party names in the map sidebar to view how that party has performed throughout the country. 

Nature Spotting with Google Maps

 
iSpot is a website aimed at helping anyone identify anything in nature.

Users can add observations of animals or plants they have spotted to the iSpot website and if necessary request help in identification. Observations added to iSpot can include a photograph and/or a description of the observation.

The iSpot Observations Map allows users to browse the submitted observations by location, taxonomy and by habitat.

Make a Roadtrip Mixtape with Google Maps

 
Roadtrip Mixtape is a great way to create a play list for a road-trip containing only music by artists that are from the area you are traveling through. Drive through Boston and you might hear Aerosmith or Donna Summer. Drive through New Orleans and you might hear Lil Wayne or Dr. John.

To use the application you just need  to add the starting point of your journey and your destination. Your journey is then displayed on a Google Map. Each leg of the journey is represented on the map by a green marker.

If you click on a marker you can view a list of local artists from that stage of the journey. If you select 'Play this leg' you can listen to the music for that leg of the journey. If you are a Rdio subscriber you will hear the full songs, if not, you can listen to 30 second samples. 

The World of Warcraft Google Map

 
The World of Mapcraft is a Google Map of the game world used in World of Warcraft. The map includes the new zones added as part of the Cataclysm expansion.

A lot of work has obviously gone into World of Mapcraft and it includes maps of not only Azeroth, Outland, Vash'jir and Deepholm but Battleground maps, Dungeon maps and Raid maps.

If you are interested in how the map was created there is a very detailed explanation here. You can alos view the source code on Github. 

Park a Jeep with Google Street View

 
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have a Jeep parked on your front drive? Thanks to Google Maps Street View and Jeep - The Ultimate Search Engine you can create a virtual snapshot of your house with a Jeep Grand Cherokee parked outside.

To create your own virtual snapshot just enter your address into the Jeep - Ultimate Search Engine. You can then view an animation of a Jeep falling through the sky (using Google Maps satellite view) onto your street.

After the Street View of your house loads you can drag and position the Jeep anywhere in the Street View image. You can rotate the Jeep in 3d, adjust its scale and even choose what color of Jeep you desire.

If you are Australian you could even win a Jeep Grand Cherokee. Every photo created with the application, between 16th May 2012 and 4th July 2012, will be entered into a draw to win a Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo.

The London Bloggers Tube Map

 
The London Bloggers website is a directory of blogs written in and around London. The site includes a clever Google Maps interface to access the listed blogs by location.

The map uses the Google Maps API with the iconic London Underground map. If you click on any of the stations on the map you can view a list of bloggers who are based nearby. It is also possible to browse the over 4,000 blogs listed by individual underground line. 

Drilling Water Wells with Google Maps

 
Charity: water has created a Google Map that is tracking in real-time a Yellow Thunder Drilling Rig as it drills water wells in Ethiopia.

The Drilling Rig was funded by users of charity: water and the map allows those donors to visualise the results of their generosity actually in action on the ground. As well as the live Google Map the Yellow Thunder Drilling Rig page includes videos of the drilling rig drilling a water well and links to the rig's own Twitter stream.

A Trip Planner with Weather Forecasts

 
If you are planning on taking a long road-trip this summer then the Weather Channel's new Hit the Road Google Map is the perfect application to help you plan your trip. Hit the Road not only tells you how to get from A to B but also tells you what what the weather will be like at A, at B, and at all points in between.

If the application shows that there is likely to be rain along your route you can simply drag the route line around the rain and see if the weather is predicted to be better elsewhere. Alternatively you can try adjusting the dates and see if the weather will be better if you start your trip a little later or earlier. 

It is also possible to click on the route at any point to add a stop to your journey. If you add a planned stop then suggestions for places to eat and visit (from Yelp) appear below the map. You can select any of the Yelp recommendations to add them to your journey itinerary.

Hawaii on Street View

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Big Island

Google Maps has extended its Street View coverage in Hawaii.

A good place to start exploring the best Street View images on Hawaii’s six major islands is in the Scenic Hawaii collection in the Street View gallery.

It also looks like Google has added a lot more Street View imagery in the Czech Republic.

The Philippines Flood Hazard Map

 
Project Noah is a new Google Maps based flood hazard warning map from the Philippines' National Operational Assessment of Hazards and Risks (NOAH).

The map includes a number of weather layers. It is possible to view an animated radar layer from MTSAT. It is also possible to get the latest stream and rain gauge readings from across the country. If you want to know the current weather in the Philippines you can also select to view the Weather Outlook layer on the map.

Google Maps Gets More Traffic

 
Google Maps has added live traffic conditions in Belarus, Estonia, Latvia, Mexico, Peru, Romania and South Africa.

As well as introducing traffic conditions in these 7 new countries Google has also improved and expanded coverage to more roads in 19 countries and regions, where traffic data is already available; the countries include: Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, and the UK.

The Transat Québec Saint-Malo Tracking Map

 
The Transat Québec Saint-Malo is an international high-level sailing transoceanic race taking place every four years, from Quebec city, Canada, to Saint-Malo, France.

This year you can watch the race live on Google Maps. The live race map will track each of the multihull and monohull entrants for the duration of the race, which begins on July 22nd. Until the race begins next month the map allows you to replay the 2008 race.

As well as the real-time tracking map of the race there is also an official mobile application. The mobile app will include the live tracking map and also give users access to information layers to better follow and understand the skippers’ moves during the race.

Not only will the mapping application allow users to follow the race, but it will give access to information on all the activities held in Québec City and Saint-Malo before and after the race. It will show where and when program events are taking place and show the locations of the nearest restaurants, bars, hotels, parking lots and ATMs.

Fly Down Your Street with Street View

 
In the UK British Airways are running a TV advertising campaign, 'London Calling' (YouTube link), in which a plane drives through the streets of London, passing a number of iconic landmarks on its way. The tag-line of the campaign is 'Don't Fly - Support GB'.

British Airways has also created a clever Facebook application in which users can personalise the advert by including scenes involving their own homes. To create your own advert you just need to enter a UK address (non UK residents try the postcode 'RH10 5LS').

After you enter an address the advert includes some additional scenes in which the plane travels down your street and your house can be seen through the plane's window. 

When Zombies Attack on Street View

 
Here is yet another promotional Street View animation campaign - this time involving zombies.

Confused.com, the UK's most popular price comparison service, has launched a new video creation application called Home Sweet Zombie.

If you enter your address into Home Sweet Zombie then the application creates an animated video that shows zombies taking over your street using Google Maps Street View. Once you have created your own personalised video you can share it with friends via Twitter and Facebook.

Geographic Micro-Blogging with Google Maps

 
SpoonerSpot is a new Google Maps based social network.

SpoonerSpot allows users to map the important places in their life or, as SpoonerSpot say, practice 'geographic micro-blogging'. Using the application users can virtually place short stories, called Spots, around the world and other users, who follow them, see those Spots on an interactive world map when they log in.

Adding a Spot to the map is very easy. Just right click on the map where you want to add a Spot, add your comment or story, add a picture (if you want), and you’re done. You can choose to follow any other users and you can browse the map by location, by people you follow or by Spots most recently added.

If you connect your SpoonerSpot account with a Facebook account your added Spots will also appear in your Facebook time-line. 

Some Apple Maps Friday Fun

The Joy of Tech comic this week took an interesting look at Apple's dumping of Google Maps.

Those who have seen the beta version of Apple Maps so far have been largely unimpressed. Here is a sneak peek of an Apple Map from Jokideo.

 

Adam Smith has applied some magic to Google Maps that manages to blur the pixels in the map tiles to create Blurry Maps. When you zoom in on a location you can watch the normal Google Maps tiles turn into a pointillist version of the mapped location.

Languages at Risk on Google Maps

 
The Endangered Languages Project is a new website from Google looking to foster an exchange of information related to languages around the world threatened with extinction.

There are currently around 7,000 languages surviving in the world but it is estimated that at least half of them will disappear entirely before the end of this century. The Endangered Languages Project uses Google Maps to show the locations where languages are at risk throughout the world.

If you click on a language listed on the map you can get further details about the language including YouTube samples of the language being spoken, references to the language in texts from Google Books and details about how many of the language's speakers survive and an assessment of the language's current vitality.

Carousels & Ferris Wheels on Google Maps

 
The Carousels Locations Map brings all the fun of the fair to Google Maps.

Using the map you can find your nearest carousel, amusement and theme park or even your nearest playground. Actually the name of this map is a little bit of a misnomer as there are many, many non-carousel related categories that you can add to this map.

If you look through the two drop-down menus, 'name brands and chain stores' and 'places of interest' you can find everything from McDonald's fast food restaurants to America's best hot dog stands.

Lower Prices for the Google Maps API

Google today released some good news for developers by slashing the charges that apply to the use of the Google Maps API.

The API charges only apply to the top 0.35% of sites regularly exceeding the published limits of 25,000 map loads every day for 90 consecutive days. These charges have now been lowered from $4 per 1,000 map loads to 50¢ per 1,000 map loads.

Google has also eliminated the previous distinction between Styled Maps and regular unstyled maps. The same usage limits and pricing now apply to applications using Styled Maps and the default Google Maps style.

The Google Maps API charges will still not apply to the vast majority of Google Maps API users. If your map does take off and starts to exceed the free 25,000 map loads a day Google will contact you to discuss your options. Your map will not stop working due to a sudden surge in popularity.

Non-profit organisations also remain unaffected by the Maps API usage limits and can apply for a free Maps API for Business license through the Google Earth Outreach grants program.

The Tour de France on Google Maps

 
The Tour de France starts next Saturday and Cycling the Alps has put together maps for each of the 20 stages of the race.

The route for each stage can be viewed on a Google Map. Once you select a route you can also choose to view the route's elevation profile and a 3d tour of the route using the Google Earth plugin. The 3d tour allows you to get a first person view of each stage, which is particularly impressive in those precipitous mountain stages of the race.

University of Florida Live Bus Tracking

 
Transloc has created a number of real-time bus tracking maps for universities in the U.S.. The University of Florida Transit map is good example of how Transloc use Google Maps to show the position of buses in and around a university campus.

The map shows the real-time location of buses with color-coded markers. The color of the marker indicates the route of the bus and the arrows show the buses current direction. Users can click on the bus markers to view the bus' destination.

 It is also possible to select a bus route from the map sidebar to view the route on the map and the current position of all buses currently on that route.

The Google Maps of the Week

This week saw a trio of promotional campaigns that use Google Maps Street View to allow users to create short personalised videos involving images of their own homes.

 
Confused.com's Home Sweet Zombie, British Airway's London Calling and Jeep - The Ultimate Search Engine are the latest in a growing trend of company campaigns using Street View to provide a more personalised promotional campaign.

Jeep - The Ultimate Challenge is probably the most effective of the three as it uses Street View to allow the user to actually see what a Jeep Cherokee would like parked outside their home.

 
The World of Mapcraft was probably the most viral of this week's Google Maps.  This World of Warcraft map seems to have really struck a chord with players of the popular MMORPG.

 
The idea behind Roadtrip Mixtape is really inspired.

Roadtrip Mixtape allows you to create a play list for a road-trip containing only music by artists that are from the area you are traveling through. Drive through Boston and you might hear Aerosmith or Donna Summer. Drive through New Orleans and you might hear Lil Wayne or Dr. John.

Google Maps for those Ready to Rock

 
The European Festival Map is a Google Map of all the summer's musical festivals throughout Europe.

You can use the map to find your nearest festivals. When you click on a festival's marker you can find out the dates of the festival and click through and get details about tickets and the festival line-up from ChooseFest.

 
Festival Searcher is another Google Maps based guide to all of the music festivals taking place this summer.

The map markers are colour-coded by month so that you can get a quick overview of what festival is taking place when. I assume the size of the markers relates to the size of the festival displayed.

 
Télérama has produced a Google Maps guide to festivals taking place in France this summer. As well as being able to view the locations of all the festivals on Google Maps there is a comprehensive guide with detailed previews.

It is possible to search the map by location, type of music and by date. It is also possible to get driving directions to any of the festivals and to view Street Views of locations.

A Travel Journal with Google Maps

 
Everlater is an application that allows you to create your own travel journal and travel blog.

As you add entries to your everlater travel blog they are also added to a Google Map of your journey. The map includes markers for each journal entry and all the markers are connected by polylines to show the progression of your trip. 

Everlater has an iPhone app which allows you to update your travel blog whilst you are on your travels. Your travel blog can include photos of your trip and you can also connect your everlater account to a Facebook account so that all your entries are also posted to your Facebook wall.