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Google Maps Thoughts

Like your map mate!

This is a bit of fun, we have a great team of developers in Sydney who work of the Maps API amongst other things and yesterday launched for the worlds enjoyment a bunch of Labs features to Google Maps which basically allow you to do cool stuff.

One tool allows you to flip you map, making any of the four cardinal map directions top of the map, so here is the Aussie view of Southern England with South at the top.

We are used to maps orientated to the direction of travel within SatNavs, usually in a perspective projection, but a simple reorientation of a small scale map like this still “just does not look right” to me.

Amazing the power of convention when looking at maps. For the geeks amongst you, you will also recognise that this is also a visible manifestation of a new way to render maps..

Check them out by clicking on the green lab flask icon next time you use Google Maps..

Written and submitted from Zurich Airport  (47.460N, 8.554E)

One reply on “Like your map mate!”

Thanks Ed, I love this! At last I have a custom version of that downunder wall map I bought when I lived in Australia all those years ago!

Thierry

P.S. Have you noticed how London looks like the eye in a cartoon character where East Anglia is the nose and Cornwall a big tuft of hair flying in the wind?

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