16 Incredible Uses of Google Maps

You Should See and Try

By Briallyn Smith

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maps-see-try/

Google Maps is an incredible tool on its own.

But innovators have harnessed its power. They have created games, tools, and visuals that take
Google Maps to the next level.

Google Maps makes a certain amount of its platform available to third-party developers, and the
results of these collaborations go far beyond navigation tools.

If you have an afternoon to spare, take some time to play some great Google Maps games,
investigate the history of your local area or far-off destinations, appreciate literature in a whole
new way, or explore the world from your living room.

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Google Maps for Gaming
Google Maps may not seem an ideal platform for games. But it can be. Whether youre fighting
zombies in your hometown or trying to figure out your location based on context alone, these
games are a great way to spend a few hours

1. PokCrew
2016 will forever be remembered as the year of Pokmon Go, so it seems only fitting that it has a
dedicated Google Maps tool.

Use this site to see exactly where different Pokmon are spotted by other users and add your
own sightings to help other users figure out where theyre most likely to capture rare Pokmon.
Users can search by location and type of Pokmon, setting PokCrew apart from other similar
tools.

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2. Streetview Zombie Apocalypse
Have you ever wondered what would happen if zombies invaded your neighborhood? Wonder no
more. Street view Zombie Apocalypse populates your neighborhood with zombies and your goal
is to run away from them as fast as you can using Google Streetview. How long can you stay
ahead of the undead

3. Pursued
In the game Pursued you find yourself the unfortunate victim of a kidnapping that lands you in
an unknown city on Google Maps. You get a five-minute head start on your captors, and must
successfully identify the city you are in to your friend before time runs out.

There are only 20 levels to this game, which is fewer than other similar games, but its nice to
have both a backstory to your situation and levels that you know are solvable. For example,
there is no chance youll be ending up in the middle of the Sahara Desert!

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4. GeoGuesser
GeoGuesser is similar to Pursued, but with more locations. You receive a certain number of
points based on how close your guess is to your actual location on the map. With a free account
you can choose to play a challenge version of this game against your friends.

5.MapsTD
Maps TD is a strategy game that can be generated on a map anywhere in the world. The system
will automatically generate an area that you need to defend against invaders using towers and
upgrades.

You can choose to play the game using Google Maps classic imagery, or a watercolor setting
as seen below. While the game may seem simple, its surprisingly addicting especially when
youre protecting key cultural centers or your home town!

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Google Maps forHistory
Google Maps focuses on presenting you with up-to-the-second information on traffic and road
conditions, but its also a great tool for looking back in time.

6. What Was There

One of the best known tools for historical information on Google Maps is a website called What
Was There. Using this site, you can see still photos from different cities over the past century.
Then, overlay them over the citys modern street view.

Images are uploaded by individual users, so some areas are more populated than others.
No matter how many images are available, this site is a great way to really feel connected with
a citys past and to gain appreciation for its history.

7. Old Maps Online

This website merges old maps with new technology in a fascinating way. First, enter the
location that youre interested in to see any existing maps of the area. Then, choose three
control points on both the old map and the new map to help the system to line up the two
images.

Once you have chosen your control points, you are able to overlay the two maps giving you a
whole new perspective on the area and its history.

8. Back in Time With Street View

If your interest in history is more recent than ancient, Google Maps has recently opened up
access to their historical Street View data. This means that you can watch how neighborhoods
change over time, how natural disasters have influenced an area, or if weird Google Street View
finds have stood the test of time.

To access this feature, enter Street View at your location of choice. Then, select the clock button
in the top left corner of your screen (as seen below) to see all previous versions of Street View at
this location.

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Google Maps for Literature
When you think about maps, literature probably isnt the first thing that comes to mind. These
tools help you see both maps and their relationship to reading in a totally new way.

9. We Tell Stories
We Tell Stories is a fantastic initiative by Penguin Books. This 2008 initiative focused on
modern authors re-imagining six classic stories in a digital format.

Author Charles Cumming writes The 21 Steps (inspired by The 39 Steps by John Buchan) entirely
using reference points on Google Maps. Follow his protagonist around London through the
storys 21 chapters, taking time to explore Street View and totally immersing yourself in the
action.

10. Google Lit Trips

Google Lit Trips is one of the many ways Google is integratedinto the modern classroom. Each Lit
Trip features key locations featured throughout a book, and allows readers to better understand
a books settings.

To use this program, you will need to download Google Earth to your computer, and open a free
account. Then, you can request different Lit Trips through e-mail.

Many of these Lit Trips correspond with required reading lists, and are organized by grade level.
If a book you are looking for is not already featured, it may be a great idea for a class project!

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11. Poetry Atlas
Poems are commonly written as odes to different locations worldwide. Poetry Atlas is a website
that is dedicated to featuring each of these locations using a pushpin or feather quill for any
location that a poem has been written about.

You can browse poems by location or by searching poet, title, or first line. If one of your favorite
poems is missing, send a suggestion via the sites posted e-mail address.

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Google Maps for Exploring
Of course, maps are best for exploring and Google Maps offers endless opportunities to do
just that. These programs give you the chance to explore all parts of the world from different
perspectives.

12.Google Cultural Institute

Its impossible to write an article about Googles hidden gems and not include a link to Google
Arts and Culture.

This website is a fantastic resource for scholars of any age or level. Explore museums, world
heritage sites, artifacts and more. No third-party developer can challenge the incredible
resources that this website offers.

13. Verne
Have you ever wanted to explore the Himalayas? What about exploring the Himalayas with a
yeti?

If you have an Android phone, you can download Verne. The app gives you the chance to explore
the Himalayan mountains in 3-D using Google Maps data. This app is the perfect blend
between whimsy (meeting virtual yaks), beauty (the breathtaking views of the mountain range),
and learning.

Watch on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPk3gxVWV_I

14. Panoramio
Google Maps is amazing, but it can also feel a bit impersonal. Panoramio challenges this feeling
by including photos of landscapes from users all over the globe overlaid on Google Maps. You
can add your own photos (of both indoor and outdoor locations) after registering for a free
account.

Photos range in styles and subjects. But they help to showcase the diversity of our world and
the many colors to it.

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15. Plane Finder
Wonder what route a certain plane takes to get from point A to point B? Tracking a relatives
movements as they fly across the globe? Plane Finder uses flight information to track planes in
real time as they complete their journeys.

You can search for a flight by its airline, flight number, or departure/arrival destinations, and
receive information on its flight path, anticipated arrival time, and airplane model. Its also
pretty crazy just to see the sheer number of planes in the air at any given time. See below for an
example!

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16. Google Sheep View
Chances are, if youre using Google Street View for any length of time, you are going to come
across a sheep or two. If you do, consider submitting a screenshot of your flock to the creators
of Tumblr blog Google Sheep View. This is a project dedicated to collecting Google Maps
images of sheep from across the world.

!
Image Credit: Nosik via Shutterstock

This project has been underway for well over a year now. The creators continue to update the
blog regularly with new flocks as sheep deserves its time in the spotlight.

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More Than aNavigation Tool
This list barely scratches the surface of all the Google Maps innovations that are available for
use. Tools like these are just in their infancy. So, theres no telling where technological
developments in this area will take us next!

Are there any Google Maps tools that you cant believe I left off this list? Please let me know
about them in the comments! If not what kind of tool would you love to see next?
Image Credits: BEGUN/Shutterstock

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