Google Maps: Collaboration welcome!

Published by in geography, travel, web 2.0 on March 4th, 2008

Ever since I heard and watched David Jakes present on Google Maps as well as Google Earth at TechForum Southwest in Austin this past November, I’ve been itching for an excuse/reason to play more with Google Maps. Last week’s visit to Seattle for NCCE 2008 provided me with just the opportunity I was looking for! I used Google Maps this evening to create a linked, customized map of our favorite restaurants we visited on our recent trip:


View Larger Map

I was thrilled to notice, after I created this map, that Google Maps now permits COLLABORATION between multiple people. How cool, as well as powerful! Unlike Google Documents, which (as far as I know) only permits collaboration with individuals you specify, Google Maps permits editing and collaboration with ANYONE:

Google Maps - Collaboration Welcome

Ah, the possibilities, the possibilities! In true web 2.0 style, visitors to a shared Google Map can “rate” it as well as leave comments. Look for more Google Maps coming soon from Washington D.C., as I journey there next week (accompanied by technical assistant, my 4th grade son) for the COSN conference! :-)

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10 Comments »
  • http://mystro2b.edublogs.org/ Ken Pendergrass

    Wes-

    Good to see my 2 favorites on your map: Palomino and Cheesecake Factory.
    Thanks again for the visit at Palomino while you were in Seattle…I wish I could have had a video running when I walked into the restaurant scanning the place looking for NCCE folks I had never met, and seeing 4 XO laptops sitting atop a crowed lounge table. That would have been a great opening shot for the next OLPC campaign.

  • http://trinityweblog.org/wkjellstrom/ Willy

    Wes,

    I enjoy reading your posts. Great stuff.

    Thought I would share a Google Maps lesson that I am teaching tomorrow. The lesson uses Google Maps to review the mathematical concept of area and the reasons why it is important to find the area of location/objects. Perhaps it might be useful for others.

    Here is the Google Map: http://tinyurl.com/yodclx
    Here is the lesson plan, worksheet, handouts, and tutorial movie:
    http://tinyurl.com/2geeer

  • lhuff

    Wow–Google Maps does look incredible. Wouldn’t it be cool for my English 11 students to map the setting in a novel or short story! Imagine mapping Amir’s (main character in The Kite Runner)journies. I wonder if they could create a travel narrative with Google Maps? I’m off to play with it myself. Thanks for sharing.

    My Blog: JustRead!

  • http://www.stager.org Gary Stager

    What? I’m not even credited for my restaurant recommendation?

    Shouldn’t my only reason for going to Seattle be shared with the blogosphere?

  • http://www.wesfryer.com Wesley Fryer

    Gary, for the record, I didn’t give anyone attribution credit in the Google Map… yet. But I am certainly glad to! We dined last week at The Icon Grill in Seattle at the suggestion of Gary Stager– and as predicted, the deep fried macaroni and cheese appetizers were delicious! :-)

    Although we enjoyed the Icon Grill, my favorite restaurants in Seattle were Cutters Bayhouse just north of Pike Street Market (half price appetizers and drinks from 3:30 – 6:30 are hard to beat) and Piroshky Piroshky. I think my wife’s favorite was 4 Swallows in Bainbridge, but that was more for the atmosphere and bread pudding dessert rather than the entrees.

    Attribution for these restaurant selections includes:

    1. A high ranking pharmaceutical exec who I sat next to on the flight into Seattle, who recommended Cutters.
    2. The friendly lady selling coffee on the main street of Bainbridge Island who recommended 4 Swallows and called to make us a reservation there.

    No one recommended Piroshky Piroshky, we just saw it as we walked the storefronts by Pike Market. It’s just south of the original Starbucks coffeeshop in Seattle.

  • http://www.stager.org Gary Stager

    I was joking :-)

    The Icon Grill is the best thing I can say for Seattle.

  • http://www.wesfryer.com Wesley Fryer

    Jokes are welcome here as comments. :-)

    It was a great restaurant. I wish I had a budget to eat out at places like these more often! ;-)

  • http://www.stager.org Gary Stager

    Don’t you make all that Money 2.0?

  • http://www.wesfryer.com Wesley Fryer

    Not yet. I think I need to write a book. I want to give it away online as a free PDF tho, in addition to selling it in paperback. I don’t think that will make me rich, but it may provide some extra funds for eating out. :-)

  • http://www.stager.org Gary Stager

    Good luck! Writing an education book won’t pay for many meals.

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