Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Google gave Andoid an arm extension to edit Maps

I wouldn't be surprised at all if Google is giving all of its attention and resources to build new apps for its one and only mobile child; Android.

But what really surprised me is, that this new My Maps Editor app for Android is created in just four months, using only of Brian Cornell's (the Google Software Engineer who made this app) 20% time and with a little help from the 20% time of his coworkers. This really demonstrating the ease and power of developing on Android, Brian says in Google Mobile blog.

With this app, Android users can edit Google Maps directly from their handsets such as T-Mobile's G1 or the upcoming Kogan Agora, and perhaps even Lenovo's OPhone as well.

My Maps Editor allows users to have full editing functionality like markers, lines, shapes, create, edit, share, and view personalized maps; plus the ability to mark your location using GPS or attach a photo directly from your phone. Your maps are automatically synchronized with your My Maps on the web.

Brian gives three examples of using his app creation for holidays, one example is for keep track of your travels. You can map out your travel plans and take them with you wherever you go. Add markers while you travel to mark interesting places, and take lots of pictures and attach them to the markers. Then when you get back, you can share the map with your friends and show everyone what your did on your vacation with a map and pictures to help them really visualize the trip.

My Maps Editor app is already available in Android Market, go get it tiger. Sources are from Google Mobile blog, via AndroidGuys.

And while on the desktop version, Google also has put in a new feature into Google Maps: YouTube videos add-on. According to Josh Lowensohn from Webware; by choosing the video layer from the "more" menu, which also houses photos and Wikipedia entries, users can now browse and watch YouTube videos that have been geotagged. The interface has also been slimmed down to exclude the video information and view count, letting the player fit in a smaller amount of space.

Now if just this YouTube add-on also for Android, the world seems like whole again... until we begin to want for more features. ~LOL~

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