Roundup Friday: Maps!

Betsey Blanche — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 19:30:00 GMT

Two things are going on. My multi-tasking is spiraling out of control (which is why I have 13 tabs open in my browser) and I've become very interested in maps and map applications lately. So, I am going to act like a serious blogger and do my own Friday Roundup all on maps. Here are some cool and useful things to be aware of.

Google Maps Labs is "a testing ground for experimental features that aren't quite ready for primetime." Currently Lab items include "What's Around Here?" which places a pinpoint on all the nearby business. It can be a little overwhelming but serves as a nice overview of an area. The Lab also includes, just to name a few, a service which can tell you the latitude and longitude of a location, a way to measure the straight-line distance between two locations, and a geography game called "Where in the World." [note to self: work on my geography].

When I'm not blogging I someimes (read: rarely) spend time jogging. I have found however that I am terrible at going out the door and setting off without having a plan in mind. I like to know the distance and route I'm going to take before I even put on my sneakers. And guess what. There's an app for that (sorry). Gmaps Pedometer, created by Open Street Map Project, uses Google Maps and the OSM data to help you create walking/running routes for yourself. Of course, if you're more adventurous than I am - and you probably are - you can use the service to calculate mileage after the walk.

Find nearby garage sales without skimming the paper with Garage Sales Tracker. The service provides a list of nearby sales with time, location, general information and a handy map (provided by, of course, Google Maps). Also a good tool for finding flea markets and consignment shops.

Interested in looking at some cool, historical maps? Check out our Historic Map Works database or the Texas Digital Sanborn Maps database both available on the Round Rock Public Library databases and websites page!

Enjoy the holiday weekend!

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Roundup Friday: Maps!