Google Maps (Google maps). Google maps Google maps

Google maps (English) Google Maps) - a set of applications built on the basis of a free mapping service and technologies provided by Google.

World map from Google
(The map can be enlarged or reduced, moved with the mouse in different directions)

Service Google Maps represents interactive map world, which provides personalized maps and information about local businesses and companies, including information about the location of businesses, contact information, driving directions, etc. An application is also associated with the service Google Earth - Google planet earthI. Google Earth Maps also provides the ability to explore maps of any corner of the world.

To move around the map, zoom in and out of the map, change the image angle, use the navigation in the form of arrows and + and – signs at the top of the map. Also try to control the map by holding the right mouse button.

Enter the city name:

This is a separate program for Microsoft Windows, as well as GNU/Linux, Mac OS. So does Google Maps.
Program Google Earth allows you to view images of the earth's surface, zoom in and out, and build travel routes. Also, to view Google Maps, use one of the following methods:

• View a web page with an embedded Google map.
• View Google Maps on your mobile device.
• View personal card created using the solution Google Planet Earth

Google Street View

For example, in the window below you can make virtual walk around the city Moscow using Google Street View. Use the navigation arrows in the upper left corner of the image. You can change the viewing angle using the arrows on the keyboard. To move around the image, you can click in the image area. Arrows on city streets show routes. You can change your position on the city map by dragging the mouse yellow man in the lower right corner of the image:

Google Street View allows users Google Maps travel through a three-dimensional projection of the city or some of its streets without leaving your home. This functionality is achieved using circular photography of real terrain using special equipment in real time. As a result, a 3D photograph is created, which is a photographically accurate model of the city. And if you want to walk around such megacities as New York, Paris, London, Madrid, Rome, Barcelona and Prague without leaving your home, then be sure to check out our articles.

Next year, the Google Maps project will celebrate a milestone anniversary - a decade since its creation, and it has a lot to be proud of. Over the course of its decade, it has acquired all sorts of services, APIs, and has become commercially successful and popular all over the world.

Regarding mobile version for Android, it became available to users simultaneously with the official release of this operating system in 2008, and her work was demonstrated to journalists long before this event. Since then, the functionality of Maps has been constantly expanded, and the application itself has been continuously improved. New countries “obeyed” him, where dozens and hundreds of detailed city maps, street photographs, StreetView mode, satellite and aerial photography, routes using public transport and auto navigation appeared. We will focus on the latter function in our review, focusing mainly on its applicability in Russia.

Pricing and licensing policy

The application is free for the end user. Only the use of API maps for commercial purposes is paid (not in all cases). There are also traffic limits when using the API, and if you exceed them, you will be charged a fee.

System Requirements

There are versions for all Android operating systems, but OS versions 4.0 and later are recommended.

Functionality

Main functions of the application Google Maps 7.7.0 reflected in our traditional table:

* the function is declared and described in the help section, and was also present in previous versions of the application, but starting from 7.6.x it was not possible to find it and use it

Interface

The application interface is simple, beautiful and practical at the same time. In a sense, it can also be called spartan: there are a minimum of controls on the screen and a minimum of details on the map. Building outlines only appear on very large scales, and there is no clutter of POI icons when scrolling through the map.

Newfangled 3D is present, and many buildings have not only the appropriate height, but also full-fledged 3D models. To evaluate it, you need to tilt the map by swiping two fingers from bottom to top of the screen.

The main menu is also ascetic to the extreme.

And the settings section is almost empty.

It is also very nice that even on low-power single-core systems the application runs very quickly. Scrolling through the map is easy and virtually lag-free.

Brief summary

Liked: asceticism, simplicity, fast and smooth operation.

Didn't like: -

Search and work with the map

Who would doubt that apart from a universal search bar, the application does not provide anything else. It is simple and convenient, in addition, it has voice input implemented by built-in OS tools. But the latter is a little hard of hearing. Yandex's recognition is much better.

Of course, the search bar has a subscript that shows the most likely (or popular) options as you type a word or phrase. However, it often contains phrases of 8-10 words. It’s hard to say where they come from.

Text search also has its own “hearing loss”. Although there are no special problems with the buildings, buildings and letters of houses (but sometimes misfires still happen, so you are always waiting for a catch), the system is already confused with possessions. For example, you won’t be able to find “Bulatnikovskaya possession 2” on a map in Moscow, where the Lukoil gas station is located, even if you write “Bulatnikovskaya vl2d” in the line, as it appears in the signature on the map itself, or “Bulatnikovskaya, 2 - D”, as this is indicated in the information about the gas station on the map, or “Bulatnikovskaya, possession 2D”, as it is written in the information about the building, if you just click on it on the map. Confused? Google is also confused. It’s hard for him in Russia. But further - more. If you type “Bulatnikovskaya 4 k2” in the search, the application will begin to suggest to you “Bolotnikovskaya” street, located in another district of Moscow, where there are houses with similar numbers:

A similar problem occurs when searching for some other streets.

There is also a problem with POI. Do you need to find an OBI store near the Teply Stan metro station? According to Google, he moved to the city of Vidnoye:

Of course, we specifically gave out a selection of crazy things (not all, we save your time). Therefore, we will add that in general the search is not as bad as we described it, but it is also not as good and convenient as that of Yandex.Navigator. When searching for POIs in Google Maps, you come across a lot of garbage, errors, and sometimes there is no information about large shopping stores and centers. But it also has a big plus: user ratings and reviews tied to POI objects. And also photographs.

Of course, you can also leave your review, rating or photo if you want.

Another positive point is that by pointing to any place on the map, you can get the necessary information on it (telephone, website, etc.), including the above-mentioned photographs, reviews and ratings.

Also via viewing additional information You can switch to the Streetview mode.

If you notice an error on the map, you can report it to the developers in a couple of clicks.

And I would like to wish this approach to everyone. True, we still haven’t received any response to our couple of significant comments a week later.

Brief summary

Liked: the presence of a universal search bar, reviews and ratings, the Streetview function, the ability to report an error.

Didn't like: from the search you always expect misinformation, average job speech recognition functions, errors and garbage in the POI database, unmoderated reviews and lack of a word filter, crooked interlinear.

Relevance of maps

Traditionally, we make an assessment at this point by studying those places on the map that have recently changed and are well known to the author of this article. And this is the second time in our practice, after a detailed study of the six most popular navigation applications for Android, when we see a map of Moscow in a relatively neglected state. Many new roads and junctions are either completely absent or drawn incorrectly. For example, the interchange between Podolskiy cadets street and the Moscow Ring Road contains only a turning overpass over the Moscow Ring Road, which in fact does not exist. That is, who and from what hangover drew this denouement is a mystery. Just in case, here is a screenshot of this disgrace in comparison with Yandex.Navigator:

But this outcome is most clearly depicted on Yandex.Maps:

Similar problems were noticed on Profsoyuznaya, Yaroslavka and other highways.

The situation is aggravated by the fact that the multi-level interchanges are not displayed in accordance with which road surface is higher (which, logically, should be drawn on top), but is sometimes chaotic and unpredictable.

There is also a problem with addresses. Some of the new buildings that were put into operation 4-5 years ago are not on the map at all. The other part is present in the form of flat contours without addresses.

In general, this is all strange.

Routes and navigation

The application immediately informs you that the auto navigation function is in beta.

And we completely agree with this. The developers still have some work to do here, although, in general, everything functions relatively well. But let's take things in order.

I was very pleased that several routes were built at once, and the user was then given a choice, which indicated the distance and time of travel for each of them, taking into account road congestion. All routes can be simultaneously displayed on the map and compared visually.

Of course, more than one route will only be built when it makes sense.

The routes themselves are quite adequate, and there are no particular complaints about them. At the time of construction, you can set three parameters, the most relevant of which is the exclusion of toll roads.

The navigation process is quite typical. The application shows the distance to the nearest maneuver and its direction, and promptly warns about all this by voice. The route itself is easy to read on the map, and all maneuvers on it are displayed with white arrows, which is very convenient. Also, traffic jams are visible on the route line when viewing it.

When leaving the route, the application uses the “detour” logic and does not play on your nerves with continuous requests to turn around at the first opportunity.

But this is where the “honey” ends and the “fly in the ointment” begins. Firstly, there is no display or warning about cameras, as well as about speed limits on the current section of the route. And although the vast majority of drivers have already trained not to exceed the speed by more than 20 km/h, it still happens that they think or miss a sign, and a navigator would be a good helper here.

Secondly, there is no way to install DPOI - at least, we have not been able to figure out how this can be done. However, DPOIs installed in the Waze app, which Google recently acquired, are also displayed on Google Maps (not in all regions), evidence of which can be seen on maps in other countries.

There are also DPOIs where there is no note that they were placed by Waze users. In general, we do not yet have a normal answer to this question.

Traffic jams in Moscow are also not all smooth sailing. After several days of driving, I got the impression that Yandex has much more up-to-date information, although it is also not without fault.

Brief summary

Liked: adequate routes, convenient choice of route options.

Didn't like: no camera warnings, no display of speed limits, no DPOI, not entirely adequate traffic data.

All sorts of goodies

Historically, in terms of navigation, the application was more focused on walking, traveling by public transport, and searching for various POIs. And this is his strength. It will not only build a route, but also guide you along it. The bus will tell you in advance which stop you should get off at and where to go to transfer to another type of transport, if necessary. Not forgotten commuter trains, and routes are built taking into account their schedule.

The situation with walking routes is a little worse. Google doesn't have enough data on pedestrian crossings above railways and highways.

And if navigation on public transport in Moscow works quite well and, by the way, also offers several route options, which is very convenient, then the diagrams public places for Russia (stations, airports, shopping centers, etc.) - still exotic. There are about three dozen of them in Moscow and St. Petersburg. It is difficult to find them in popular foreign countries, but, as they say, the worst is the beginning.

Testing

Installation

Installation problems will arise for devices that have a regional connection to China. For them in Google Play"Maps" are not displayed at all. Trying to find a distribution kit on the Internet may take some time, because different platforms and OS versions and distributions are different. But if your device is not a “purebred Chinese”, then, most likely, “Maps” are already pre-installed in it.

Route planning time

Since routing also happens on a remote server, a lot will depend on the speed of your current connection. With good communication, the typical time for constructing two or three route options of any distance takes 1-3 seconds.

Recycling system resources

On single core systems entry level The application loads in 2-4 seconds. During the route guidance, the utilization of the SoC computing core fluctuates at the level of 50-70%. When scrolling the map and changing the scale, it tends to the 90% mark, but all actions occur quite smoothly. On the one hand, it’s not bad, but on the other, it could be better, since the graphics are very simple, and the detail of the map is extremely low up to the largest scales.

The space in the internal memory is used very sparingly. After a week of travel, studying maps of Moscow and the region, some cities in Russia, as well as some other countries, the map cache took up approximately 65 MB. And it is located here: /mnt/sdcard/Android/data/com.google.android.apps.maps/cache/.

Network traffic volume per trip

During Moscow traffic jams, 5-6 MB/hour accumulates if the map cache was empty before, and you used the search and scrolling of the map at different scales along the route.

Conclusions

Currently using Google apps Maps as a car navigator in Russia looks like a somewhat dubious idea. Here is a lately updated map with a capricious and demanding system for entering addresses, a littered POI database with errors and unmoderated comments, and a lack of warnings about cameras and speed limits. (By the way, Yandex.Navigator also does not inform about the speed limit, but warns about cameras when it has already “spotted” you.) And all sorts of other minor flaws. As a result, if you choose the lesser of two free “evils”, then it is Yandex. Although there will probably be individual regions, where some section of the Google map will be drawn better, and here everyone decides for themselves.

Well, what's good? Google Maps? They will definitely be useful for foreign trips. Also, many should appreciate the construction of routes using public transport and guidance along them. Let's add reviews and ratings of POIs and street panoramas here! So Google Maps, of course, will not be superfluous.

Even before Google Maps officially rolled out a feature that saved map sections for offline use, with a WiFi connection, you could scale the map in detail along your route, the data was saved in a cache and was accessible without the Internet. This way you could forever forget about buying offline maps for your travels. But the useful features of Google maps are not limited to this. We'll tell you which ones will come in handy while traveling and even at home.

Feature: offline cards

Use: for navigation without an Internet connection

With this feature, you can do without the tricks of zooming the desired areas and saving them to the cache. Open the left menu (sandwich button in the search bar), select “Offline maps”. In the tab you will see all your saved maps and the “Other map” option. Click on it, select the desired area and save it to your phone. Now you will have access to navigation even in a remote village.

Feature: departure time

Use: to calculate travel time to the train station/airport

When you are in an unfamiliar city, you can now quickly figure out the amount of travel time. Useful if you want to know what time you need to leave for the airport or how many minutes it will take for a transfer. Enter the route into the maps, select the public transport icon. The line “Departure to...” will appear below it. Here you can specify the time and see which transport will take you to your destination in what time. In “Parameters” you can specify the type of transport and priorities, such as “less walking/transfers”. When constructing a route based on time, the road load at that time of day is taken into account, which means that traffic jams and traffic are also taken into account.

Feature: local transport

Use: to plan routes around the city

The same function can be used to plan movements around the city. You will be shown all the necessary routes and transfers. Keep in mind that this works well in cities, for example, in Europe, and will not work in countries where public transport does not care about its schedule.

Feature: Near

Use: when you check into your Airbnb and look for a grocery store in the area

Google works well with the near command. If you are in an unfamiliar area and are urgently looking for a coffee shop or grocery store, enter, for example, “coffee shop near Alexanderplatz”, and all nearby establishments will be displayed on the map.

Feature: Share Directions

Use: to tell a friend where to find your hostel

Tip: book a taxi

Use: to get to places you have no idea about

You can call a taxi directly from Google Maps. The service supports integration with Uber, Lyft, and many local services. Price offers are visible right in the application, payment data will be automatically pulled from your account in the application, say, Uber. The function is working, tested on myself in Berlin. From a conversation with a taxi driver, it turned out that the cost from the card was lower than a direct order from the service.

Feature: Custom Map

Use: for short visits and routes around the city

If you have very little time in the city, a customized map will help you get everything done. At home, you make a route from the obligatory places, and then use it to quickly navigate on the spot. If you are a control freak, you can plan every day of your trip like this. The trick only works from the desktop, because there is a lot of functionality that you can’t fit into a phone. Come in here and start creating your map. You can share it with friends and organize quests around cities.

Feature: navigation in buildings

Use: when trying not to get lost at the airport

A new map feature that is not yet available everywhere. The map shows the layout of particularly large and complex buildings (eg Charles de Gaulle Airport). Convenient if you are trying to find your gate or exit from a complicated mall. Check if your next airport is already there.

Feature: navigation for motorists

Use: for comfortable car travel

Everyone already knows that Google Maps builds quite convenient and detailed routes for cars. In addition, they learned to take into account road load. In the top right menu, you can instruct the system to guide you past toll roads or highways. You can add stops to your city route, say, for coffee. This is done using the top right menu, the “Add stop” option.

And good news for all Android owners. In 25 test cities, a parking overview is now available. Maps will show you where parking is difficult, and can also remind you where you left your car. This feature is currently not available for iOS.

Bonus.

Features you can enjoy from home

Feature: Local Guide

Use: Help others to earn more space on Google Drive

The service is designed to help travelers navigate cafes and attractions in a new city. You can become a local expert and update maps in your area. Google thanks you for this with invitations to its events and additional disk space.

Feature: chronology

Use: to feel nostalgic and/or scared

Feature: Google Maps - Travel

Use: to get sticky

The recently launched service has 23 locations. These are world landmarks photographed in the coolest 360° quality. You can virtually wander through them and see places that you yourself may not get to soon: Ankgor Wat, Fuji and the Great Barrier Reef are waiting for you.

Look for more chips , and share the most interesting ones in the comments.

Photo - Unsplash

Satellite maps from Google are popular. This is a convenient and practical tool that allows you to view the planet at any scale. The satellite image reveals details: small streets and alleys near the house, cities, countries and continents. This became possible thanks to satellite imagery.
Earlier to receive pictures from space filming was used with a television camera with a signal transmitted to the station or filming with a special photographic camera, the images of which were displayed on film. Today, modern space technologies make it possible to look at the planet thanks to the scanning mechanism built into satellites.

Satellite Map: Applications and Purposes

Currently, real-time satellite world map is used in many fields: analyzing the state of agricultural fields, forests, oceans and identifying the location of friends using a smartphone. Google satellite map is used for these resources.
Main purpose of use satellite images the world navigation remains from Google. The website features a world diagram showing continents, states, cities, streets and highways. This helps you navigate the area, appreciate its landscape, and simply travel around the Earth without leaving your home.

Quality of online world map images from satellite

The highest resolution images are available for the largest cities in Ukraine, America, Russia, Belarus, Asia, Europe and Oceania with a population of more than a million people. For settlements With fewer residents, images are available in limited quantities and of poorer quality.
Despite this, everyone can take a detailed look at the territory of their home, nearby streets, and look at photos of the planet from almost any point. The pictures reveal the placement:

• cities, towns, villages,
• streets, alleys
• rivers, seas, lakes, forest zones, deserts, etc.

Good quality cartographic images allow you to examine the landscape of the selected area in detail.

Google map capabilities from satellite:

Google satellite maps help you see things in detail that are difficult to assess on regular charts. Satellite images preserve the natural shape of an object, its size and colors. Regular, classic cards Before printing and circulation, they undergo editorial elaboration to match the scale, as a result of which the natural colors of the area and the shapes of objects are lost. The cartographic images retain their naturalness.
In addition, you can quickly find the city of interest in any country on the map. The diagram has a column in which you can indicate the country, city, and even house number in Russian. In a second, the diagram will zoom in and display the location of the given object and those located next to it.

Satellite world map mode

Satellite images have the ability to switch to world map mode. It helps to view the territory on the surface of the planet, get as close as possible to the selected object, and consider the layout of the location. This mode allows you to quickly and conveniently plan your trip route, move around the city, find attractions, etc.
By specifying the house number, the diagram will display its location relative to the city center in a second. It is also possible to plot a route from the initially specified object. To do this, click on the appropriate button and enter the address.

Map of the earth from satellite to website

the site allows users to use satellite map in real time completely free. For convenience, the map is divided into countries. To search for a specific city or get acquainted with the area of ​​the state, click on the one you are interested in and begin your “travel”. The service is constantly improving, work is underway to place satellite images in high resolution small settlements.
Good quality of online satellite cartographic images posted on our website helps you quickly find necessary object, examine the landscape, estimate the distances between cities, find out the location of forests, rivers, seas and oceans. With Voweb, traveling around the world has become even more accessible.

What are Google Maps? This is a service that consists of several applications provided for free, and includes the mapping site Google Maps and a route planning program (Google Transit). Google Maps offers a satellite view of many cities on the planet and includes a detailed layout of streets, houses, and travel routes. public transport or a car, a guide to various objects, etc.

Features of work

Google Maps is displayed in two variations:

• an ordinary traditional map (analogous to Mercator maps)

• and satellite images (not online, but taken a certain time ago).

The scale of the maps is also based on the Mercator projection, that is, it is constant and changes from the poles to the equator downwards.

Another separate project of the corporation is closely related to Google Maps - Google Planet, which corresponds to a globe on which the regions of the Earth's poles are clearly visible.

For which places are they offered? satellite images? Not for everyone, but only for large cities in Russia, England, America, Canada and others.

Not all governments have approved such placement and use of images (since the placement of some objects that are clearly visible on maps can be used by terrorists to plan and carry out attacks).

That is why many objects on maps are shaded. Such “classified” objects include, for example, the White House or the Capitol.

Different places on satellite images are shown in different resolutions - the less populated the area, the less detailed it is. Also, some places in the pictures may be hidden due to cloud shadows.

Google Maps online

• switch to satellite mode- lower left corner;
• zoom in/out- lower right corner.

As soon as the company introduced the new service, a wave of interest in satellite images swept across the world.

The creation of sites began on which free access satellite images began to be posted interesting places, unusual architectural landmarks, stadiums, man-made formations.

Since 2008, the US Weather Service began using Google Maps to prepare its forecasts.

It should be noted that not all images were taken from a satellite - most of the images were obtained through aerial photography from a height of 300 meters.

Google Maps online maps make fairly extensive use of JavaScript. As the user moves around the map by dragging it, new areas are downloaded from the server and displayed on the page.

If the user is looking for specific objects, the search result is inserted into the sidebar, and the page itself does not require a reload. The location on the map is displayed dynamically through a red marker icon.

• In 2006 year the first version for mobile phones, and in 2007 a second version appeared. A service similar to GPS is used to determine the location of the phone.

• In 2008 year Google Maps could be used for Android, Windows Mobile, Symbian, BlackBerry, Java (from 2+), IOS (Apple), Palm OS (Centro+).

• In 2011 In 2018, the corporation announced that it provides mapping services to more than 150 million customers.

To allow owners of third-party sites to use Maps, Google announced a free service in 2005 API Maps(Application Programming Interface).

The map can be placed on any website using this technology for interaction software. Today there are more than 350 thousand such sites around the world.