A little over three years ago, Google introduced “Map Maker” to allow people to make updates to Google Maps and Google Earth. You could mark businesses as being closed, move their pins around, edit information, add roads, etc. It’s quite a useful tool.
Now Google has updated Map Maker to make it even more powerful and easy to use.
Not only will your updates appear on Google Maps and Google Earth (after they’re approved by a Google staff member), but they’ll also appear on Google Maps Mobile — and that’s very important. With the growing popularity of Google Navigation on Android, accurate maps are a necessity. This also shows why Google Navigation is so wildly popular; rather than getting yearly updates (for $99) like a Garmin device, you get access to maps that are updated daily for free!
Here’s a quick video showing everything you can do with it:
I’ve made quite a few small contributions on Google Map Maker, and you’re encouraged to do the same. Hopefully the new changes to Map Maker will help make your task even easier.
Have you added anything to Map Maker in the past? Do you plan to now?
(via Google Lat Long Blog)
About Mickey Mellen
Mickey has been using Google Earth since it was released in 2005, and has created a variety of geo-related sites including Google Earth Hacks. He runs a web design firm in Marietta, GA, where he lives with his wife and two kids.
I don’t understand why they haven’t enabled this around the world. I see plenty of roads in the New Zealand data that I could correct for them but Map Maker tells me it isn’t active in NZ yet :/
Thailand is not updated for years in Google Earth, for instance, Nakhon Ratchasima, the JoHo-area. The satelite pictures there is over 10 years old, if Google needs us users to update roads and stuff, they should first get NEW satelite photos first. This is not new, I have been nagging about this for 3-4 years now but nothing happens. I think GE don’t give a damn about what users think.
No Europe? Meh. I will stay with openstreetmap.org
I started using Waze juli 2011. It is fun and free. Why pay for maps with errors you had marked two times every year the last five years? Navteq and TomTom, do you listen?
i really appreciate your support, who really approve a place, how long does it take to aprove it ?
why a place could be denied??