Remember that shiny new Maps web interface that Google started showing off at I/O back in May? It’s here!
Technically, the new Maps interface has actually been here for a while… assuming you signed up for an invite shortly after it was announced, and were able to make it through Google’s invite queue before they opened the floodgates. (I signed up a few hours after the announcement, and just got my invite a week or two ago.)
Need a refresher on what’s new? Here’s the bulk of it:
- A new, fullscreen interface
- Maps now uses vector data rather than graphical tiles for faster loading and handling
- You can now zoom way, way out. As in, out into space. They’ve built in a Google Earth-esque planetary view, assuming you’re on a beefy enough computer running a compatible browser (Chrome or Firefox)
- Quick comparison charts for public transport options, graphing the difference in stops/overall time
But wait! Don’t head straight over to maps.google.come and expect the new look, just yet. While they’ve ditched the invite queue and the whole having-to-wait bit, you’ll still need to opt in. To do so, just go to this page, scroll down to the bottom, and hit the “Try Now” button.
Developing…
