Google maps now give directions

dxg · Post by **dxg** » Mon May 30, 2005 11:59 pm

Just thought I'd share this meme as it seems to have slipped out without many people noticing...

But, did you know that Google Maps now offers route directions?

Just use "from:" and "to:" (e.g. "from: london to: edinburgh").

It works with postcodes, too. But "via:" doesn't work yet, so no inventories.

If you click on the number in the list of turnings on the right, you even get a little map of the junction.

Just thought I'd mention it...

Deek.

13twelve · Post by **13twelve** » Tue May 31, 2005 8:25 am

and its better than multimap

polopowah · Post by **polopowah** » Tue May 31, 2005 11:35 am

nice!
will definetly use it in the future, seems abit more precise than multimap too.
-Ben-

Steve_O · Post by **Steve_O** » Tue May 31, 2005 5:36 pm

Google do maps?!!

GroovyCarrot · Post by **GroovyCarrot** » Tue May 31, 2005 5:39 pm

http://www.theaa.com/travelwatch/planner_main.jsp

Far better than multimap, and less of a hassle than using a google beta.

Tahrey1043 · Post by **Tahrey1043** » Tue May 31, 2005 7:25 pm

only used the AA one for the first time recently and i must say i'm impressed by it's intelligence and accuracy. it offers the kind of functionality that Autoroute used to.... e.g. avoid motorways, not set up ludicrous endless loops between the M4 and the A34, that sort of thing*. Helped me plan an Mway free route from brum to bournemouth and back (for nailey) in a few seconds flat - quality.
will take a peek at the google one...

* i am talking the 2002 version vs about the 1991 version here, so more moderner ones might have got the mysteriously dropped "avoid road type" and "avoid particular road" functions back, that you currently have to emulate with multiple highly specific vias. Funny thing is that the old one ran at a decent speed on a 286 with similar detail to the modern type, just with less flashy graphics.

edit: wow, thats a pretty nice, yet simple interface. the post-iMac type graphical effects are good too... just, they could have done with changing the line colour from blue to yellow when they imported it from the states

good speed, but the size of the images slow it down a bit - 600kb takes a while even on broadband. Typing from: postcode to: another_postcode got instant, accurate recognition. Neither "via" nor "avoid" worked however.

re-edit: just clicked "scroll up" and found out why it took so long to reload after i zoomed... it loaded the entire map (for the route) at once, as it scrolled smoothly and instantly.

dxg · Post by **dxg** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 2:56 pm

If you thought that was good, take a look at what's coming soon from Google:
It will blow your socks off!

All we need now is nation-wide wifi service and everyone's satnav problems are solved.

Deek

polopowah · Post by **polopowah** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 3:25 pm

wow wow wow i typed in my postcode and it came up with an aerial view of my house and i was outside washing the car at that very moment in time!............................................................just kidding!

joking apart, that is amazing that you will be able to see the exact building that you are looking for (no more asking the local postie wtf this care home is! and if its anywhere remotely near where it says it is.....multimap lies alot)

-Ben-

DanW · Post by **DanW** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 3:49 pm

wow, if it's better than multimap I'll take it, I've never had a problem with multimap, but then again it's better to safe than sorry.

Tahrey1043 · Post by **Tahrey1043** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 2:42 am

good god, that's incredible. tom tom eat your heart out.

though for the time being, before it gets to the USA let alone the UK, you do realise Multimap does aerial views as well, with roadmap transparent overlays? (handy e.g. for finding my dad's old place which was a house out on it's own miles from anywhere, which was only on the most detailed of maps, and never captioned)