Google Maps: Pokemon Challenge

Keep in mind tomorrow's date.

(Tipped by JMG reader Elroy)

Google Launches Ocean View

Clip description:

Google Maps strives to provide people around the globe with the most comprehensive, accurate and usable map of the world - including the underwater world. This ocean collection includes six of the world's most incredible underwater spots, including coral reefs (and their inhabitants) in Australia, the Philippines and Hawaii. This imagery is available to millions of people through the Street View feature of Google Maps and in our Street View Gallery.

Top comment at YouTube: "There are iOS6 Maps users down there looking for their houses."

Google Launches Subway Alert App

Launched yesterday by Google Maps:

Have you ever arrived at a subway platform only to find that the train you intended to take is skipping stops, rerouted on another line, or isn't running at all due to scheduled maintenance? Now when you click on any of the 468 New York City subway stations labeled on Google Maps, you’ll see whether any planned service changes are expected to affect that station at the time. In addition, the relevant alerts will be included in the step-by-step transit directions pointing you wherever you’re going.

Google Map: Santas Vs Zombies

This is a project by semi-serious scientists:

Mark Graham and the team at the Oxford Internet Institute (who've mapped zombies, every geotagged picture on Flickr and languages used on Wikipedia) looked at key words geotagged on Google map as part of their research into the state of the internet. Graham, who also runs the blogs floatingsheep.org and zerogeography.net worked with Monica Stephens, Taylor Shelton, and Matt Zook to look at the amount of content indexed by Google Maps at each location containing the term "Santa" and then comparing it. To zombies and Satan.

More maps at the link. (Tipped by JMG reader Joe)

Google Maps Celebrates NY Marriage

Gothamist reports something cool over at Google Maps.

While there are a few grumpy groups protesting today, the vast majority of New Yorkers seem united in celebrating and appreciating the first day of legal same-sex marriage in the state today. And here's a little Easter egg for you: Google Maps has joined in the celebrating too. If you use Google Maps to view anywhere in NYC today, try dragging the Peg Man onto a location on the map...and you'll see he's holding a little rainbow flag in his hand!

"Great Hideout, Would Use Again"

Google Maps users are having some fun reviewing Osama Bin Laden's Pakistan compound.

Arcade Fire - We Used To Wait

An interesting gimmick.

Arcade Fire’s “We Used To Wait” video uses Google maps and satellite images to personalize the HTML5 video’s imagery, adding an extra tinge to the song’s bittersweet nostalgia. But there are plenty of other surprises (and other browser windows), that makes it less of a video and more of a interaction between you and your childhood. Grab your old childhood address and visit http://www.thewildernessdowntown.net/ to play it (and play with it). Google Chrome works best. The video was directed by Chris Milk.