Google has released its latest Beta Product, Google Maps.

Give it a look; even in its early form it is very easy to use, very fast.

Google Maps is an online service that allows users in the U.S. to find location information, navigate through maps, and get directions quickly and easily. Google Maps has several unique features:

Draggable maps – you can click and drag Google maps to view adjacent sections; no more long waits while new areas download.

Integrated Local search results – Google Maps integrates local search results from Google Local. So to find a pizza place, simply type in "pizza in San Jose", and pizza places appear at various locations on your map, with phone numbers for each location on the right side of the page.

Turn-by-turn directions – Type in an address and Google Maps plots the route for you, displaying it visually on the map itself, together with step-by-step directions for getting there (or back from there). When you click on one of these steps (say, "turn left"), you see a floating bubble with a magnified view of the area mentioned in the directions.

Keyboard shortcuts – You can use arrow keys to pan left, right, up and down. The Page Up, Page Down, Home and End keys let you pan out even wider. And you can zoom in with the plus (+) key and zoom out with the minus (-) key.

To learn more about these and other cool features, try the Google Maps tour.

Posted by Michael at February 9, 2005 12:34 AM