GeekSugar

See Locations on a Map Without Leaving the Page

GeekSugar — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 09:05:12 -0700

My new favorite online tool comes from Bookmaplet and it has revolutionized my life (OK, maybe not to that extreme, but it brings a smile to my face every time I use it!). I love to travel, and hate not knowing exactly where a place is when it's mentioned on a website. All you have to do is drag and drop Map That Address into your toolbar, and then whenever you're on a site that names a city name, an address, or even a country, just highlight it (like I did with Reading, PA, in the pic below) and click "Map That Address." You'll instantly see a Google map pop up on the right-hand side of the page with the location!

Google Maps, Oh How I Love Thee

GeekSugar — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 06:00:10 -0700

Sure, Google Maps is great for getting directions, travel times, and checking traffic conditions, but what else can you do with this freakishly easy-to-use site? Let me count the ways . . .

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Mapquest Gets an Upgrade

GeekSugar — Sun, 14 Oct 2007 09:03:00 -0700

I remember when I first started using MapQuest years ago. Being able to type in an origin and destination and receive directions always amazed me. I especially loved not having to configure my own route on a traditional paper map. Then came the release of Google Maps, a much more advanced web mapping service application than MapQuest. According to The Boy Genius Report, MapQuest has just unveiled a new beta version of their mapping software to compete with Google Maps. The beta version now comes with a saved and recent searches window, an option to add multiple stops, expanding side bars and more. Sorry, no cool street view fun.

Geek Tip: Call Dial Dir-ect-ions For Help

GeekSugar — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 14:00:52 -0700

If you don't have time to text google for address help you can always call the free cell phone service Dial DIR-ECT-IONS (347-328-4667) for maps and directions.

Our friends at Switched wrote about the company last week and after learning that Dial Dir-ect-ions sends driving directions to your phone via SMS, I decided to test it out. All you have to do is call the number and step through the voice-activated menus, by telling it your starting and destination points.

Right now the service only works in nine cities, but more are on the way. It's a lot easier than pulling over at the gas station.

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Find the Distance Between Two Points With a Google Mashup

GeekSugar — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 09:05:26 -0800

When you use Google Maps, the distance you're getting from point A to B is in driving, walking, or public transportation terms. But, if you just need to find the distance between two points on a map, then check out this cool Google Map mashup: Distance From To. It works just like Google Maps where you put in your starting and ending point, and gives you exact distance in kilometers and miles, but leaves out all that messy info like turn-by-turn directions and traffic. Besides, who needs traffic anyway?

Website of the Day: HousingMaps

GeekSugar — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 13:26:27 -0700

If you're house hunting, Craigslist can be a great resource for finding a sweet rental property. But once you're inside Craigslist, you usually have to click around Google Maps to find the whereabouts of online listings. Not anymore! Because a site called HousingMaps is a mashup of Craigslist and Google Maps - showing you listings on the right side (which you can click on for the actual posting) with locations on a map on the left. You can also narrow down searches by price and bedrooms. And if your city isn't on the list, you can also check out MapsKrieg, which works the same way and includes many more cities but doesn't list the listings like HousingMaps.

Have a great website you want to share with geeksugar readers? Share it when you read more.

I know that this long list looks scary, but trust me, once you get the hang of it, it'll be a snap the second time around.

First of all, join the Website of the Day group.
Click the pink "Share" menu on the top left side of the page.
Choose "Blog" and "Regular Post."
Give your story a "Title."
Fill in the "Body" with a link to your favorite website and the reasons why you love it.
Click "Next."
Choose the audience for your story to "Website of the Day" in the dropdown menu.
Add keyword(s) (for example mine for this photo was "Website of the Day").
Change channel to "Technology and Gadgets."
Fill in tag field with relevant tags.
Click "I’m done" to submit content.

So join the Website of the Day group and share information about all your favorite sites! Yours just might end up on the geeksugar homepage!

New Google Maps Tricks and Tips

GeekSugar — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 10:10:36 -0700

Oh Google Maps, how would I ever get on without you? Just in case you missed my last roundup of mind-blowing things you can achieve with Google Maps, here it is for you to check out. And now I've got my latest installment of fun features, useful mashups and other great ways to incorporate Google Maps into your day-to-day life.

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Scope Out Your Facebook Friends' Locations on Google Maps

GeekSugar — Thu, 07 May 2009 14:30:41 -0700

It's not every day a Facebook app catches my eye, but because I have friends from all over the world, I knew Map Motive would be something I might find useful. I saw this app on Digital Inspiration, and what's great about it is that if you're planning on doing some traveling and you're wondering if you're going to know anyone at your destination, Map Motive will instantly show you on a Google Map who is currently located in that city or town. But keep in mind, if any of your Facebook friends have their info set to private, you won't be able to see where they are on the map.

Geek Tip: Find Your Way on Public Transit With Google Maps

GeekSugar — Fri, 02 May 2008 13:03:09 -0700

I use public transit every day and rarely drive, unless I'm going out of town. And as much as I love my city, their trip planners are not as helpful as they could be. So where do you go for some bus- and train-hopping advice? You head on over to Google Maps, of course!

GoogleMaps has an awesome public-transportation database that tells you which bus to get. Enter your start and end addresses (or zip codes), select which mode you want (here in SF, you can take Muni, Bart, or Caltrain to get around), and the Google guru will do the rest. Plus it seems pretty reliable, as I've tried it twice for places I've never been before and happily arrived within 10 minutes of the ETA that Google Maps provided. And since Google is racking up the cities that they can map out for you, you should always be able to find your way - and be a bit more earth friendly to boot!

Site Combines Google Maps And Craigslist

GeekSugar — Thu, 10 May 2007 10:00:31 -0700

If you, or anyone you know is looking for a new place to live, you'd better check out MapsKrieg.com, a mashup of Google Maps and Craigslist.org that will help you find apartments, houses for rent, sublets or whatever living arrangement you are looking. (Well, it won't help you figure out how to move in with Justin of Justin.tv, but I'll keep scoping out tips for all you interested ladies.)

MapsKrieg.com allows you to pick your city from a pull-down list - not every city is available, but most major metropolitan areas are represented at this point. The usual Google Map will pop up for the city with the reddish balloon markers indicating Craiglist's ad for apartments and houses at that location. When you click on the balloon you get a white bubble with a snipit from the Craiglist ad and a link to the real post. It may not be the most complete way to search for a new crib, but it takes the pain out of weeding through the usual Craigslist search results and skipping all the shady streets.

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