Google Map Maker USA Launches

Google Map Maker USA Launches

Start adding your local knowledge to the map.

• Add businesses and building outlines.
• Move place markers to the right locations.
• Build a detailed map of your school campus.

(note: Open Street Map does have a service with one major benefit over Google Map Maker - data you create (with many thousands of others) is available to everyone for free even if commercial organization.

Google Maps retains this information only limited places have MapMaker Downloads
http://www.google.com/support/mapmaker/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=156852

but read the terms... first.

8.1
You Must Be a Non-Profit Entity, a Government Agency, or an Individual. You must be a non-profit entity, a government agency, or an individual acting on a not-for-profit basis. For-profit entities and individuals acting on a for-profit basis are not permitted to use the Map Maker Source Data, but may be eligible to use Google's other geo-related products, such as the Google Maps APIs, according to the terms of service for those products.

8.2 Your Map Project Must Be Non-Commercial and Free of Charge to Users.

(a) Your Map Project must be for non-commercial uses only. You cannot use Your Map Project to either directly or indirectly generate revenue as part of a for-profit enterprise. For example, Your Map Project cannot be hosted on the website of a for-profit company. However, Your Map Project can be hosted on the website of a validly-registered non-profit or governmental entity (as determined by the applicable law of your jurisdiction).

(b) Your Map Project must be free of charge. You may require users to log in to Your Map Project but you cannot require users to pay a fee (unless you have entered into a separate written agreement with Google or obtained Google's written permission to do so).

8.3 Your Map Project Must Provide Google with Attribution. Unless otherwise agreed to by Google in a written amendment to these Terms, in every instance in which the Map Maker Source Data are used in Your Map Project, Your Map Project must include the following attribution notice in accordance with the requirements below:

(a) Text of Notice: "Map Data © 2009 Google - Improve with Google Map Maker".

Live (real-time) updates of edits to google map maker service - http://www.google.com/mapmaker/pulse




YouTube Video the USA MapMaker

source:
http://google-latlong.blogspot.com/2011/04/add-your-local-knowledge-to-map-with.html

New Google Maps domains in 29 African Countries

New Google Maps domains in 29 African Countries
Example Ghana Google Maps - http://maps.google.com.gh/ in Beta

Google Maps users can now find local businesses, towns, highways, or roads. This could be a burger place in Lagos, a garage in Kampala, a hairdresser in Accra or an airport shuttle in Dakar. Any business anywhere can add their own business listing for free via the Google Maps Local Business Centre.

South Africa gets its own mobile site - http://www.google.com/intl/en_za/mobile/

The active list so far: 18 of 29...

http://maps.google.co.ke/ Kenya
http://maps.google.com.na/ Nambia
http://maps.google.com.ng/ Nigeria
http://maps.google.com.et/ Ethiopia
http://maps.google.com.sl/ Sierra Leone
http://maps.google.cg/ Congo, Republic of,
http://maps.google.ci/Côte d'Ivoire
http://maps.google.dj/ Djibouti
http://maps.google.ga/ Gabon
http://maps.google.gm/ The Gambia
http://maps.google.com.gh/ Ghana
http://maps.google.mw/ Malawi
http://maps.google.sn/ Senegal
http://maps.google.co.mz/ Mozambique
http://maps.google.co.bw/ Botswana
http://maps.google.co.tz/ Tanzania
http://maps.google.co.zm/ Zambia
http://maps.google.co.zw/ Zimbabwe

Source:
http://google-africa.blogspot.com/2010/02/new-maps-domains-in-29-african.html

Google Maps API Geocoder now uses the Localised versions
Example Ghana (Major Roads, MapMaker Additions)
Please use the Google Spreadsheet for more countries covered.
http://gmaps-samples.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/mapcoverage_filtered.html

@Mapperz

Google Maps Map Maker [Vector Data]

Google Maps Map Maker [Vector Data]

update: more screen shots and discussion on Map Maker vs OpenStreetMap data
http://brainoff.com/weblog/2009/04/01/1391

***FOR NON COMMERCIAL USE***

Google are now allowing you to download the vector data (Kenya only so far) in either Keyhole Markup Language (KML) or in ESRI Shapefile format.

Google are now returning the favour of Map Makers who have contributed to Google Map Maker

The idea of Google using users to map areas of the World where the likes of TeleAtlas Data is limited or non existent has been rewarding to both Google (gaining mapping content) and NOW non-commercial-non-profit entities.


View Larger Map

Screenshot of the Vector Data in ArcMap - Same data as above just different style applied.

View this as a layered/attributed PDF [will request to download or view] -1mb

***FOR NON COMMERCIAL USE***

Mapperz had a speedy look at this.

and loaded the shapefiles into a Geodatabase (topology can be cleaned and edited in ArcMap).

Created a quick Cartographic Representation and did a very quick style.

The Result is quite different to the Google Maps Style of Mapping (on purpose). But the underlining data is the same.
(no editing was done to the downloaded data - only shapefile to file geodatabase was done.)

Future: Does this step on the toes to projects like OSM? yes and no - can see both working.
Analysis -
There are many aspects of this vector data that can be applied - buffering, spatial searches and geocoding for starters...


The Exported 'Styled' Data from ArcMap (MapDoc to KML export) in Google Earth
Note: There are better KML/KMZ exporters than the standard ArcMap one

http://mapperz.kml.googlepages.com/Google_MapMaker_Vector_Kenya.kmz
(best loaded into Google Earth - file too big for Google Maps/API)

The Data is available after accepting the terms here
https://services.google.com/fb/forms/mapmakerdatadownload/

Thanks to Mano Marks via Twitter

Mapperz