Check it out for yourself at www.historyofinformation.com/maps-simple/ or learn more about it over on Google Maps Mania.

The post Explore “from cave paintings to the internet” on Google Maps appeared first on Digital Earth Blog.

“IE mobile still did not offer a good maps experience with no ability to pan or zoom and perform basic map functionality. As a result, we chose to continue to redirect IE mobile users to Google.com where they could at least make local searches. The Firefox mobile browser did offer a somewhat better user experience and that’s why there is no redirect for those users.”

While they still have no plans to build a native Maps app for Windows Phone, this block is expected to be lifted soon to at least give those users access to it via the browser.

More details on this story are available over on TechCrunch.

The post Google Maps coming back to Windows Phone “soon” appeared first on Digital Earth Blog.

• Looked at the excellent 3D campus at the University of Alberta.
• Showed you some ways to track the Transit of Venus.
• Told you about Google’s upcoming “Next Dimension of Google Maps” event.
• Discussed all of the great new things unveiled at the event, including a whole new way to generate 3D buildings and terrain.
• Showed you the innovative ways that G Element is using Street View to validate their 3D models.

You can read more over at GEarthBlog.com.

The post The week in Google Earth news appeared first on Digital Earth Blog.

Over the past few years Apple has purchased companies such as Placebase, C3 Technologies and Poly9, and it’s thought that they’ve successfully combined those technologies in a way that works quite well on the iPhone.  The new 3D mode is thought to be coming straight from C3 Technologies, which has a pretty nice system.  Here is a mock-up from 9to5Mac that shows the potential difference between the old and new system:

The result of this would be quite interesting.  There is certainly a lot of potential for them to do some great things, and losing the Google Maps integration is likely step when you consider the competition between Android and Apple.

iOS 6 is expected to be unveiled at Apple’s WWDC in June, so we’ll find out for sure then!

The post iOS 6 dropping Google Maps for an in-house solution? appeared first on Digital Earth Blog.

Google Offers

You can find special deals near you from Google Offers.  Here’s how it works in the new Maps app:

Indoor Walking Directions

Indoor maps have been around for a few months now, but Google Maps wouldn’t direct you through the store.  Now it will!

Google Business Photos

You can explore 3D panoramas inside of select businesses, giving you an easy way to see what the store looks like.

Go grab the update now from Google Play!

The post Google Maps for Android updated to version 6.7; includes indoor walking directions and Google Offers appeared first on Digital Earth Blog.

Wallit allows you to create a virtual “wall” anywhere on earth that you’d like, which others can then come write on.

The twist is that you need to be physically near the wall in order to write on it, which means you need the iPhone application in order to make much use of it.  You can browse walls on their website, but can only interact with them if you’re mobile.  Other mobile applications are coming “soon”, for what that’s worth.

You can learn more at wallitapp.com.

(via Google Maps Mania / Street View Funny)

The post A social network in Street View appeared first on Digital Earth Blog.

After teasing it months ago, Google has finally released the “Maps Cube” game, and it’s pretty slick.  You roll a ball through various city streets to reach various goals, and you’re timed for your effort.  It’s fairly simple, and the interface is very slick.

The game requires that you use Google Chrome, but our stats show that most of you are already.

You can play the game at PlayMapsCube.com.  Have fun!

(via Google Maps Mania)

The post The Google “Maps Cube” game is released appeared first on Digital Earth Blog.

To try them for yourself, check out a famous site such as Trevi Fountain or St. Mark’s Basilica.  To learn more about how these tours were created you can read this entry on the Google Lat Long Blog.

The post Amazing new photo tours in Google Maps appeared first on Digital Earth Blog.

Could the next step be textured buildings?  It seems unlikely at this point, but with the rate they’re adding features to MapsGL, anything is possible.

(via Google Lat Long Blog)

The post New 3D buildings in Google MapsGL appeared first on Digital Earth Blog.

More Cities get “Aerial View” in Google Maps — Portland, OR and Sacramento and Oakland, CA all have new “bird’s eye” imagery from Google.

National Geographic launches iPhone app — It allows a variety of mapping sources, styles and other cool stuff.

Micello Launches “Google Maps for the Indoors” — This thing could be very cool if they can expand their coverage.  They have “over 250″ maps so far, but none on the eastern half of the US.

The post More aerial views; National Geographic app; Google Maps for the indoors appeared first on Digital Earth Blog.