3D Buildings - Google Maps Expands Coverage

3D Buildings - Google Maps Expands Coverage

Only 2.5D on the Google Maps sites (transparency induced)

But becomes true 3D on the Mobile device:


3D London and Paris on the Google Maps Mobile - gives users a more realistic sense of location and bearing.

Now, 3D buildings are available in London, Paris, Barcelona, Stockholm, Singapore, Lisbon, Boulder, and 11 major cities in South Africa. These buildings will appear in both Google Maps and Google Maps for mobile.

Sources:
http://googlemapsmania.blogspot.com/2011/07/building-outlines-in-more-cities.html
More Info:
http://google-latlong.blogspot.com/2011/07/building-outlines-now-appearing-in.html

Google Android Navigation Expands

Google Android Navigation Expands

Google Maps Navigation version 4.2 is now available in Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and Switzerland
*for Android devices 1.6+

Google Navigation Coverage Map



Google first added free turn-by-turn voice guidance to its smartphone operating system in October last year. The move has had some lasting effects on the navigation sector. For example, Nokia followed in Google's footsteps and announced free turn-by-turn voice guidance for Ovi Maps in January.

Sources:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/198376/googles_turnbyturn_navigation_comes_to_more_countries.html

http://googlemapsmania.blogspot.com/2010/06/google-maps-navigation-going-global.html
Official Post:
http://googlemobile.blogspot.com/2010/06/fun-on-autobahn-google-maps-navigation.html

Google MapMaker Coverage Expands (but..)

Google MapMaker Coverage Expands

Google want 'users' to add content to areas that have poor or limited digital mapping coverage.

Please remember the content you generate will become Google's however they will not take responsiblity to any errors.

The concept is great - but OpenStreetMap have been doing this for years, there data is downloadable and very useable in GIS (Global Mapper reads it directly) as other mapping packages can.
Google seem to be stepping on OpenStreetMaps toes this time, with the new areas including, The Isle of Man where OSM have superior data.

So if you want to get your hands on the data for use afterwards your best bet is to help create data and pump it into OpenStreetMap. Now with 50,000 registered users and 5,000 active monthly users.
http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/index.php/Beginners%27_Guide

Anyone noticed Georgia wasn't on the expanded list...?

See OpenStreetMap data in a mapping package directly...
http://mapperz.blogspot.com/2008/04/openstreetmap-data-in-globalmapper-fast.html