Google Maps

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http://maps.google.com/

Google Maps is free-mapping technology service offered by Google. This service is not simply showing a map but also including business locations, contact information, and driving directions. Moreover, there are 4 different modes of displaying maps; street view, traffic, satellite, and Terrain. It helps users get desired locations with various images and integrated business information easily and quickly.

Google Maps is such a user-friendly technology so that almost anyone can use it without any difficulty. Private users will any individual, who are interesting in traveling, visiting, and shopping. Some organizations, companies or small business owners use Google Maps publically to post their address with business hours and contact information.

Advantages of this mapping technology are following:
-Get more and detailed information by just typing address of desired locations.
-Candidate or possible address will come up on screen if the address is wrong.
-An icon to print out a map.
-Detailed directions including approximately time to the targeted point from users point.
-Easy to control; Double left-click to zoom in, and double right-click to zoom out
-4 types of viewing maps;
1) Street view - View pictures of surroundings an area and navigate within street-level imagery
2) Traffic – View major high ways near the desired location
3) Satellite - View a satellite image (or a satellite image with superimposed map data)
4) Terrain - View physical features (ex: mountains and vegetation, with elevation shading)

Disadvantages of Google Maps are privacy issues, the printing function, and street view function. Since anyone can see any location, surroundings and directions, it might violate someone’s privacy. Some people do not feel comfortable to reveal one’s address. There is no specific regulation to protect it. The other disadvantage is that 4-display features are not available for printing; only the simplest map view is available. Street view function is problematic too. If the desired location is big, users might not get the specific view that they wanted. For example, if you type “1400 Washington Ave. NY”, which is State University of New York at Albany, the street view does NOT show the entrance but the small area right next to the main building. Users, who are unfamiliar with desired location, might get confused by this image when they actually get there.

Since Google Maps is powerful but easy to use, there is no special skill required. Just type address where you want to search and choose additional function to different views if needed. If you want to zoom, double left-click and double right click to zoom out. A scroll in the mouse is another way to zoom in and out. Drag and move the mouse will lead you to the desired direction on screen.

Affordances and technology attributes might enhance business and knowledge. It makes users to find locations with more detailed information such as contact and general information, images of surroundings, and link to homepages. There is a function to send the map to others so that it will help reduce time and cost (free to use it) for both users and others. This service is used most commonly fort raveling, shopping, and visiting to search desired locations and detailed directions.


Google Maps makes organizations and individuals more efficient and broadly in searching information. People can search places just typing address and click icons, no special skills required!! Google Maps is easy to use offering not only locations or directions but also organizational information, views, and easy ways to share information with others. Therefore, I will rate usefulness of Google Maps as 4.8 out of 5.

Citation
http://local.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=7060