Bing Maps Revamp - Draggable Routes

Bing Maps Revamp - Draggable Routes


Routes can be picked up and moved around the current map - distances are shown on the fly.


Information on private roads and gated roads is much clearer now.

New Functions

• Draggable Routes – Bing Maps now allows you to generate a route, then you can change the route, you can simply grab any part of it and drag it to where you want the route to actually go. To use draggable routes, click the directions link in the welcome pane or the car icon near the bottom of the welcome pane. Enter a start and end, generate a route, then grab anywhere on the route to move the route line. The route will regenerate for you.
• Zoom Bar – No longer just a zoom in and zoom out button, the zoom bar allows you to jump to specific zoom levels within predefined settings.

View Larger Map
Get Directions
View Bird's Eye

• Embeddable Map Cutomizer (EMC) – You can now take a map view right from Bing Maps and embed it into your site. To do this, you’ll want to click the Share button once your map is where you want it to be. You can copy the embed code from there; or, you can click the Customize View link which will take you to the embeddable map customizer (EMC). The EMC allows you to set a map to the map height and width (small, medium, large or custom); the map type (static or draggable); the map styles (road, aerial, aerial w/ labels); and, add links to Bing Maps for Viewing a Larger Map or Getting Directions. Once you’ve set everything the way you want it, click Generate Code and there is your code. You copy it, then paste it into your web page and you’ll have the map you wanted.
  

Backend:
Dynamic Compute – We’ve moved the processing power closer to the user. Using Microsoft’s ECN, we now have Bing Maps running in data centers in 7 locations around the world. This means wherever you are around the world, you will access Bing Maps from the closest geographic node to where you are physically located.

Front End
New Navigation – We also added a subset of features to a button bar along the bottom of the welcome pane. Each button loads features on Bing Maps. Welcome loads the welcome pane; the car loads the route planner; the star loads My Places, formerly called Collections; the envelop loads the ability to share the map with someone via email, copying a URL or embedding the map into a web page (more on that below); the printer icon is for printing; and, stoplight will load a traffic overlay with flow and incident information.

Faster Cold Start:
Diet Bing Maps - The default Bing Maps home page dropped from 678kb to 484kb. It zips through the pipes much faster now.

source:
http://www.bing.com/community/blogs/maps/archive/2009/11/10/bing-maps-gets-an-overhaul-and-some-new-features.aspx

Google Maps API Adsense (Revamp) - May 2009

Google Maps API Adsense (Revamp) - May 2009

"a new feature that will enable geo developers to generate advertising revenue from their Google Maps API mashups"

Note: Google AdSense for Content account required to obtain a publisher ID


Live Example (few tweaks required)
http://mapperz.googlepages.com/Mapperz_Testing_Adsense_May2009.html

Sources: (and helped solved the issues)
http://groups.google.com/group/Google-Maps-API/browse_thread/thread/79da87885e4b879d#

Official Blog Post:
http://googlegeodevelopers.blogspot.com/2009/05/earn-revenue-from-your-mashup-with-maps_20.html

Via Michelin Revamp (Maps, Routes & Photo's)

Via Michelin Revamp (Maps, Routes & Photo's)


Lot of new content availble in Via Michelin Maps - Speed Cameras, Traffic Incidents, Parking and Weather available across Europe.


Full routing (Directions) right across Europe - France to Turkey in this case.


GPS users can send themselves routes (directions) six different types are supported.
Note the good selection of alternative routes - sightseeing, economical quickest, shortest, pedestrian and bike.
Different types of automobiles (with caravan etc) and fuel cost calculator.
Display Hotels, Restaurant and Tourist site on-route.

Very impressive revamp from Via Michelin - the more you look the more there is with this site.


PhotoExplorer is currently in Labs (beta) with Via Michelin but looks familiar to the panorama layer google maps has (but it is Via Michelin own content).
more labs products:
http://labs.viamichelin.com/


Via Michelin is available in many more languages (Click the Flag Icon at anytime)
Native is French - http://www.viamichelin.fr/viamichelin/fra/tpl/hme/MaHomePage.htm

New BBC Weather Maps Website (Revamp)

New BBC Weather Maps Website

[8.30am currently this has not 'switched over' - probably because of 'snow' on the internet]


New, Faster and more Interactive Maps from the BBC
(now supports tabs and is updated much more often)


Today the BBC have launched the biggest re-vamp for the Weather Pages of the BBC site.
Huge improvements across the board.

"The BBC Weather site has been redesigned and from Monday 2nd February accessible to all users."

Compasion legend made more accessible for users.
The Beta version of the new site has been live since September 2008 to give you a preview of the new look and a chance to try the new site slowly the BBC have been adding new features and content and fine-tuning it based on users feedback.

"The new site is designed to give you all the information you need for your local area, from a detailed forecast for the next 24 hours and 5 day outlook to maps, video and any other relevant information we have."

Technology has also developed since the Weather site was first created and we have been able to take advantage of this to improve your experience of our site.

The Changes:
Indication of confidence frequency with which the forecasts are recieved from the Met Office.

All forecasts have a margin for error. BBC Weather developing a new feature that will allow our forecasters to publish an ongoing discussion of confidence in the forecast.

Detailed Forecasts
Today's forecast for UK locations on the main weather site will no longer be illustrated by one summary symbol.

A three-hourly breakdowns to show more clearly how the weather will change over the 24 hours to come.

Local Forecasts:
The design of the new site is based on giving you all you need for your local area - BBC has been creating a 'one-stop shop' for each location.

Forecast Videos
Embedded forecast videos on each local forecast.

For UK locations, you will be able to watch your latest regional TV weather forecast, as broadcast on TV, during the week in addition to our UK and World Summaries.

Easy access to all forecast data - page modules so that you can 'close' content you don't use so often.
(These settings will be stored so each time you come back, the page will be as you left it. The content won't disappear from the page so you know you can always get it if you need it).

Better navigation
The site is now much 'flatter' which means that it is easier to navigate.

All forecast information for a location on one page this means that once you've searched for your location you won't need to go looking for other content that relates to it.

The search is also being improved to accommodate spelling mistakes and identify the nearest forecast for a location you are looking for even if the Met Office don't provide an exact forecast.

Personalisation
You will be able to save up to 6 favourite locations in the 'My Weather' module so you can access these forecasts quickly.

More interactive elements
Each module is interactive - you can open and close them depending on whether you are interested in the forecast info or not.

The map presenter will also be more interactive and you will be able to view maps for surrounding areas without leaving the page.

"Although on the 2nd February the main content will be available in the new look and feel, some content will still only be available on the old site. We will continue to move information from the old to new site over the next few months as well as develop new features on the site."

View the new Website
http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/
(users can access the new site by clicking the 'new site arriving' image)