MyMaps: Google Map Mashups for Everyone

Google added a new feature called MyMaps which enables users to create personalized Google Maps mashups without any skill or technical knowledge. Users can start annotating the Google Map by dropping placemarks, lines, shapes and embedding text, photos or videos from any video sharing site. Once you’ve create your mashup, you can share the public URL with your friends and family. You can also choose to publish the maps publicly and get into included in the search results of Google Maps & Earth or make get it unlisted.

Users can view user generated maps from Google Earth by downloading the appropriate KML file provided on Google Maps. Google ran an internal contest to create the best maps. Googlers fought against each other to build the best maps and take away the Nintendo Wii. Here’s the outcome:

• America’s Highway: Oral Histories of Route 66: A glimpse into life on the legendary (and now-decommissioned) highway, and what drivers will find there today
• Around Japan in 28 Days: Catalogs a trip across Japan that can be done in 3 weeks
• 2004 Presidential Election: Red states, blue states, and election stats for each
• The World of Hello World: A map of programming languages and rough locations in the world where they were created
• Olympic Host Cities: Cities that have hosted the Olympic Games with links to related Wikipedia information
• The Googleplex: A photo essay on life at the Google headquarters in Mountain View
• Monster Sightings: Locations of monster sightings across the globe

Great, but by doing so, Google threw startups like Geojoey and Platial out of business. I think MyMaps could be improved by adding some social elements like comments along with an option to build the maps collaboratively.

From: Google Blog