When it comes to the availability of good mapping data, not all parts of the world are created equal. That’s why Google is taking a wiki approach to filling out the white spaces on its maps, particularly in developing nations. Back in June, it launched Map Maker for a small group of island nations where there isn’t great existing cartography data. But now it’s added India to the countries that can be modified on Google Maps. As Google gains more experience with this experiment, more countries may be added in the future. Although it is starting in regions that have poor map data, hopefully it will figure out a way to add this capability for every region of the world. (Even in the U.S., which is not yet editable in this fashion, Google Maps is not perfect).
Map Maker lets anyone add or edit roads, points of interests, and other features on Google Maps. You can mark tourist destinations (like the Taj Mahal), restaurants, factories, helipads, even shrubbery. There is a drop-down list of dozens of feature types to choose from for consistent tagging and easy searchability. Map Maker also lets you define particular regions and neighborhoods by drawing or tracing them using the satellite imagery as your guide. Unlike Google My Maps, any changes to Map Maker are automatically added to Google Maps for everyone to see (although Google reserves the right to moderate contributions).
Here is a video from Google India explaining the service and a list of the 57 countries that can now be edited in Map Maker (image below) .
WOW. this is very very interesting, I love google map.
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I’m glad to be apart of Google too…:-)
http://www.ShawnDrewry.com
Is there any way to add a country to that list?
we are an active and enthusiastic group of young programmers who would love to contribute to “G Maps” by improving the views of our country.
Now that this topic has come up..
HAs everyone noticed the new interface for google maps? They no longer have the three buttons for “get directions” “find businesses” etc. What is up with that?
Now it seems I have to type in “address, pizza” but it doesn’t even seem to work all that well. Anyone else have any complaints, or am I just a grumpy old man of 23?
Forget India, I’m still waiting for Google to get decent satellite coverage of the non-metropolitan areas of the U.S. — like in upstate New York.
They seem to be making no effort whatsoever. If you aren’t right in or near a city, forget it. Their satellite maps are worthless. They’re just a green blob. You’re just as well off with your old Rand-McNally road atlas.
How about finishing what you started google, beofre you tell us what a swell job you’re doing elsewhere.
BTW, the new webdesign looks nice. It’s much more readable. Or maybe that just adblock plus!
Google feels the heat from projects like OpenStreetMap, which by the way, are growing like crazy. In some areas, OpenStreetMap data is much better than Google’s. The question is whether Google will be able to build a passionate user user community around their Map Maker project. After all, Google’s data CAN NOT be used freely where OpenStreetMap puts no usage restrictions.
Anyhow, it is nice to see Google on the cutting edge.
Cheers,
Andrei
UMapper – http://www.umapper.com
Wow… i wonder how long it takes until someone drives into a lake because they followed some homemade map.
awesome….google brand is big in India, just wondering if anyone used GPS combined with google maps to reach desired destinations in India
Hi,
This is so sad and disappointing of Google, though in keeping with the history of a company that more often looks far more like Microsoft of olde.
What it is a rip-off the http://www.Peoplesmap.com and of the work of a very small UK company called http://www.Getmapping.com
Kind regards,
Shakir Razak
Peoplesmap.com looks very similar to OpenStreetMap project. Do you know if there is any crossover between the two?
Cheers
UMapper – http://www.umapper.com
Hi,
They’re not formally linked, just coincidentally competing against google at the same time from the same part of the world!
Kind regards,
Shakir Razak
Is this Google’s first step in becoming the global Yelp? I think so.
Polling this at tinycrunch.com
Unless moderated – this will create a mess – Subhash
Is this even news?
and again I feel left out. Aruba is not on the list, whereas half the names of streets are spelled incorrectly (by some automatic translator I guess).
This is awesome. It will be great to see this gain critical mass.
Yeah , the google maps needs a real makeover for Indian sub-continent. If you are going to tie up GPS with it , you are sure to get lost. Its just some mass of land on Google maps . For that fact , all mapping sites kind of seem to have the same green patch and some grey building structures
.
I’d be impressed if google started some kind of collaboration with openstreetmap, rather than emulating them and closing down the data – in theory they should be able to share user added data with OSM, and vice versa.
According to Google Maps some entire significant countries are apparently terra incognita. Note that the entire Korean peninsula appears devoid of human trace unless viewed in satellite mode. Anyone know why?