Digital Lifestyles Reference Guide

10 Google Maps Hacks

Last updated Feb 3, 2006.

When Google released the mapping API for Google Maps in 2005, I'm not sure they realized how many creative ways industrious map hackers would find to extend the experience. With two books dedicated to Google Maps and hundreds of clever extensions of the mapping data, finding geo-specific information keeps improving all the time. This list represents 10 of my favorite hacks listed alphabetically.

Census Maps

The combined forces of AnalyGIS mapping services and SRC market analysis tools mash up 2000 U.S. Census data with Google Maps to provide reasonably accurate demographic information about 1 mile, 3 mile and 5 mile radii of any address in the country. This is probably the hack with the least practical use on my list, but it's fun to look at the data anyway.

Find the Landmark

Maps don't necessarily need to point you to a destination to be useful. Find the Landmark combines Google Maps with a clever search game aimed at teaching geography by providing locations to landmarks both known and obscure. Hotter and Colder hinting is available if you have trouble locating a particular landmark. If any landmark is too complicated or you simply give up, the solution is also provided in the game menu.

GMaps Flight Tracker

I live outside the five airport destinations currently served by GMaps Flight Tracker, but the option to track a flight, on a map, with reasonable accuracy is something anyone waiting to pickup a friend or relative shouldn't be without. This hack combines the FBOWeb.com flight tracking service with the user-friendly visualization of Google Maps for a clear picture of just where in progress a flight might be. From running late to the airport to flight delays, knowing whether a flight is on the ground or still in route can help you decide whether you need to sign off your computer and head for the airport or kick back for a few more hours of World of Warcraft before fighting the cross-town traffic.

HousingMaps

When I originally moved to Seattle, I didn't know much about any of the neighborhoods or where streets sat in proximity to loud noises I might want to avoid or other urban disturbances. Google hadn't released a map with an API yet, so I didn't get the benefit of HousingMaps. While the map coverage is limited to urban areas served by craigslist, HousingMaps might be the most useful of all the Google Maps hacks listed here. Choose a city and a rental price range to automatically get a visual filter of everything currently available on craigslist. Zoom in on street level to see whether you might have a creepy neighbor or some possible obstructions nearby. Embedded thumbnails give you an at-a-glance look at available housing options too.

Media Center Edition Plugin

An industrious Media Center hacker put together a plugin for the Windows Media Center interface to make browsing Google Maps a couch surfers dream come true. Sure you can record television and browse your music and photos via remote, but Google Maps on your TV is totally cool, especially in high definition. Simply follow the directions on the site to install the plugin and your set to browse Google Maps with a remote control in one hand and your favorite beverage in the other.

Personal Weather Station Google Maps

Part of the Weather Underground monitoring community (not to be confused with the 60's activist group), with over 60,000 locations tracked. The map pinpoints all the weather gathering stations in each community, with detailed weather data broken down by location. Choosing an individual location on the map offers exact latitude and longitude of the location, temperature, dew point, humidity, wind speed, air pressure and current state of precipitation. A six-day forecast is provided on a second tab. In my opinion, this is better than the information provided by Weather.com.

The Ultimate Comic Shop Map

Comic Book stores might not seem like a part of the Digital Lifestyle at first blush, but they certainly feed us many of the ideas ending up on HD screens these days. From the surreal story of misfit girls in Ghost World to the world saving super heroics of X-Men and The Fantastic Four, I know my DVD player would be empty more often without adaptations of every pimple-faced kid's heroes. Population density seems to be proportional to the number of cool comic stores in any given urban area, if the map is any guide. If a store also has a Web presence, there's a link connected to the dot on the map. Don't see your favorite shop listed? Ping the creators to make an addition.

Winerybound

As someone who spent over 30 years in the state of Iowa, I had an appreciation for wine without having any good wineries nearby to learn more about the process of making wine. Now that I live in a wine producing state, I'm discovering just how many wineries exist around the United States. Winerybound provides an amazing list of wineries, linking their locations to Google Maps where it's easy to search by state or region and find a winery with something for virtually any palate. Driving directions are available in most cases, making this a perfect tool for planning a visit to a winery as part of any travel plans to wine producing regions.

World Map of Video Blogs

Want to find a maker of short films somewhere on the planet? The World Map of Video Blogs is a good place to start. From any number of points around the globe, find local video bloggers, with links to both the video blogger's Web site and RSS feed as well as a cursory description of what the video blog is about. While this may not be a comprehensive list of everyone making movies on the planet, it gives you a good sense of the global potential for short-form video communication. An alternate variation provides geo-tagged video blogs.

Zero Bars

Anyone who ever visits my house knows how hard it is to get a cellular signal. If I want acceptable reception, I'm forced to stand on the front porch. My house is what you might call a cell phone dead zone. If you've ever found an area that consistently drops calls or simply won't connect, it belongs on Zero Bars. The service is a relatively new Google Maps hack, built on the recently launched Ning platform, so the data needs more contributors to be helpful, but the concept is certainly valid.