Google Maps is a free mapping application found online at www.maps.google.com. Web users can plot out street maps for walking, biking, driving or taking public transit. They can also search local businesses or international businesses based on location in a certain city or proximity to a current location. Using Google Earth overlays, users can also view the globe like never before, and using satellite maps and real-time successive photos allows users to see popular city streets exactly as they are, as viewed through a camera lens.

Say hello to Mapping 2.0! The best elements of social networking have teamed up with Google Maps to give web users what they demand: consumer reviews, shared photos and videos and personalized, customizable maps they can share with friends and family! For example, using Google Maps, you can save all your favorite destinations with your own markers, descriptions, photos and/or videos, creating your own map of “favorite local bars” or “favorite restaurants” for quick reference. You can also search for maps that other people have created for your area.

“Mashup” maps are created by users of Google Maps that appeal to a specific need or interest, and to access these maps, you can click on “My Maps.” One great mashup is “Gas Buddy,” which provides the gas prices and locations based on the city, state or zipcode you type in. The “Places of Interest” mashup will let you know which bars, ATMs, food or churches are on your way. “Outdoor Tracks” is the ideal mashup for the outdoor kind of folks, as you can view geocaching locations or adventure spot locales, as well as hiking, biking and jogging trails. If searching for real estate, then try www.housingmaps.com, which will show you Craigslist house listings across the country, which you can filter by city, price, type, listing with pictures or other keywords. If you are walking to lose weight, then you can use “Gmaps Pedometer,” which will calculate your burnt calories based on elevation, speed and distance. The best part is that all these useful maps are free!

The year 2007 was noteworthy for the Google Maps enterprise. In February, they launched “Google Traffic” for maps of 30 major cities and displayed subway stops and buildings for major cities like New York City, Washington DC and London. In May, the innovative “Street View” function was added, which gives 360-degree views of city streets in places like Venice Beach and Times Square. In June, drag-and-drop driving directions were introduced and November saw the introduction of a “terrain” topographical view. In 2008, new buttons were added for logged-in users, including “saved locations” and “more,” which lets users look at street maps, satellite maps, terrain maps, photos from Panoramio and Wikipedia articles. They have also signed a deal with satellite giant GeoEye to allow superior satellite imagery. It is no surprise that Google is a leader in the world of online mapping.