by Marc Phillippe Babineau

Created on: August 18, 2008   Last Updated: November 15, 2008

Forget about On-Star, expensive GPS automotive devices, and asking for directions at gas stations! Using Google Maps just keeps on getting easier, and it provides more and more information! It seems that every time I log on to look up a place that I am writing about, or to get the quickest route for my planned journey to either a fishing spot or a campground, there are new, improved and unique additions to the site. As part of the complete Google search engine, the maps portion of Google has many options that the other online mapping systems do not offer, which can make any map truly unique, and feature the exact information that you want to know about.

A rather unique feature with Google Maps is the "Set Default Location" option, with which the user can set their home address, for example, as their default location. Google Maps will always start up with that location as the starting point! It may seem similar to the "my maps" features provided by other mapping websites, but this is vastly more efficient and a real time-saver.

Google Maps offers the user a plethora of map styles, including the Street View option, Traffic, Map, Satellite and Terrain, as well as More. Under the More' option, location specific pictures that people have inputted into the Google Maps system are shown. This gives a more personal feel to the site, and shows pictures that tourist bureaus may not wish to show. Under the More' option, you also have the Wikipedia option, which will look up any information on the area you are looking into. Under the Traffic option, the busy streets at the time you are checking the site are highlighted, or the user can select a previous day and/or time, and the busy streets for that time are shown, giving the user an idea of which streets to avoid at which times. This option is a major time saver for the traveller with time restraints. The satellite and terrain options show the map either from the sky, or with the landscape details shown, respectively.

Google Maps has one-upped the competition with this new release. There is a "Browse Popular Maps" section, where the user can see the locations of earthquakes, by date and by size (Richter Scale size) all over the world. A map showing all of the popular theme parks in the USA is also available, as well as many other features that can be added to your map to make it truly unique. My favourite addition is the "Earth Digger", where you find out what is on the exact opposite end of the World to where you have chosen,

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