Google recently launched a beta version of Google Maps:
“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.”
Includes features for viewing maps, local search within the displayed map area and driving directions. For example, I entered in my city/state and Google Maps quickly showed a map of the area. Then I searched on “hardware store” and the map was redrawn with icons and a list of locations to the right. Each results shows options for the web address, additional matches and directions to or from the location.
What’s really cool about Google Maps is that they’re dragable. You can use your mouse to literally move the map to see areas outside of the viewable window without having to do another search.
The search results on the right are limited to 10 and it would be nice if a link at the bottom of those results was added to see more.
There have been various search “enhancements” announced recently in the search industry but this one is the coolest local search tool I’ve seen. Nice.
More info on Google Maps
