Hasta La Gadget!

Are you a Google Nexus fan, who hasn’t found the smartphone and would love to find a location near to you that carries it? Put your worries aside, and point your browser to a specific Google Map URL. Enter your address in the store locator and find a location as close as 5 miles to your present location and as far as 50 miles from your location. The store locator can find both Nexus 4 and Nexus 7. At the moment, the store locator only points to T-Mobile stores, as they are the only retail store which has the Nexus phone. However, more stores will appear once they are added.

This seems to be a positive initiative from Google to come up with a store locator and hopefully as more places are added to the retail seller list, the store locator will provide more value. However here’s a word of caution as well. The store locator does not show any live-stock information of the stores it points out.  Do give the retailer a call before heading out so that you do not end up in a wild goose chase.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Nokia Rumored To Drop Samsung As Component Supplier, New HTC One Teaser Seems To Be Camera Related,

Google is trying to ramp up Maps in India by holding its first mapping competition in the country – Mapathon 2013. The mission? For users to add destinations and more to Maps via Google Map Maker. Those who participate could end up being awarded with one of a few different items, including an Android tablet, smartphone, gift voucher, or Google merchandise.

The Mapathon 2013 contest starts on February 12, and will end on March 25. Those who fall within the top 1000 mappers within the country will be eligible for the prizes. Registration is open now, and all users who want to take part must register. Once registered, users can head over to the Map Maker to start mapping locations they’re familiar with.

Map Maker is simple and straight forward to use, with a drop-down menu that allows one to choose between places, roads/rivers/railways, natural figures/political boundaries, and a tool for drawing outlines of structures. In addition, users can also edit existing places, structures, boundaries, and other markings made by other users who didn’t get it quite right.

Additions will then be verified, and as long as no changes need made, will be approved and made live for all to see. It’s only fitting that the tool is used in Google’s first-ever India mapping contest, since Map Maker itself was first thought up in India. Since then, the tool has been rolled out globally for anyone to help improve Maps.

[via Google India Blogspot]

Google announces Mapathon 2013 in India, offers prize incentives is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
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If you’ve ever been skiing or snowboarding, you likely know all too well the annoyance of carrying around a huge map of the resort — especially when you’re trying to refold the darn thing as you quickly approach the top of the lift. Fortunately, Google — which has been no stranger to the slopes the last two years — has a digital answer to this minor snow-centric dilemma, adding routes from 38 of the most popular resorts (a number that will continue to grow, as it should be noted) to its Maps. This means that Android and iOS-toting winter recreation enthusiasts can save a few trees and ditch the folding whilst enjoying the grand outdoors, provided you’re willing to take your glove off to move to a different part of the map. Head to the link below for a full listing of resorts that are currently supported.

Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Mobile, Apple, Google

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Source: Google Lat Long

If you live in the area where Taiwanese artist Shu-Chun Hsiao set up his latest project, then you might be wondering why various locations have real and physical Google’s Maps icons plastered prominently on their walls or doors.

Wait a while, smell the flowers, and watch the birds, and you’ll have your answer.

These Google Maps icons aren’t just pieces of pop art based on the search giant’s popular maps application. They’re actually birdhouses that I’m sure birds of the right size will find a pleasure to live in.

Hsiao explains: “The project is aiming to put numbers of birdhouses all over the city for bird to accommodate. The iconic symbol will become a navigating landmark for the flying birds. Birds, have the most real experience of Google map. Birds can fly through the city, through streets. A birdhouse becomes their destination as Google Map(s) does.”

I’d like to have one for my house, please and thank you very much.

What do you think about Hsiao’s project?

[via Freshome via Laughing Squid]

Google has just mapped the spectacular Grand Canyon, the steep-sided canyon carved by the great Colorado River. Today, Google is releasing panoramic imagery of the national monument. Beautiful and interactive images, covering more than 75 miles of trails and surrounding roads, were captured by Google’s very own Trekker. Google’s mapping team strapped on the Android-operated 40-pound backpack carrying the 15-lens camera system. They walked the rocky terrain on foot, endured the temperature swings, and suffered a few muscle cramps, just to capture more than 9,500 panoramas of this masterpiece of nature. (more…)

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