maps

To the end of the (Google) world

Google Street View has ways of getting places. There are its fleet of cars, its tricycles for places without roads, SCUBA divers for the ocean, and even user-generated content.

Nevertheless, there's always, inevitably, an end to the road. Naturally, sometimes this is because the land just plumb runs out. But there are a number of other reasons Google's cameras have not been able to proceed, from the natural to the man-made. The Atlantic's Alan Taylor took a pictorial look at the reasons why. See them in our gallery below. … Read more

As Apple reorients its Maps, Google forges ahead

Apple blew it big-time last year with the botched launch of its own Maps. At its Worldwide Developers Conference on Monday, the company tried to show that it knows which direction to take Apple Maps.

We won't how know how well it works until the fall. But Google -- the leader in online maps -- isn't waiting around.

Google's purchase of Waze -- a deal that Google confirms Tuesday but won't elaborate on -- will, if nothing else, keep a rival from snapping up the hot Israeli startup.

Google reportedly spent more than a literal ton of cash … Read more

Why Waze matters for Android

Yes, folks. Google has just bought Waze, a social mapping and navigation platform and app that could have some big implications for Android users down the road.

Waze has been a hot-ticket item that Facebook had also considered snapping up, and with good reason, too. The platform has evolved from its early days to offer robust real-time driving alerts with a social side, and its popularity has spiked.

While pieces of Waze folded into Google Maps will benefit all users across Google's sprawl of properties and products, Waze can bring a special level of utility to mobilized commuters on … Read more

Google Earth brings improved imaging to ocean viewing

Google has started to bring a bit more clarity to underwater viewing in its Earth and Maps platforms. The Web giant rolled out a sneak preview over the weekend of improvements that armchair explorers of the briny deep can expect to find when investigating the world's oceans.

Not only is the resolution of the photos in Google Earth and Google Maps going to be far superior to imaging in the past but also more details about the seascape will be provided, such as ocean charts and depth. To get this data and information, Google has been working with NOAA'… Read more

Apple's Maps makes its way to OS X Mavericks

Apple has updated its Maps application to work on the Mac, the company announced Monday at the Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco.

The company's platform will be built into Apple's new operating system, OS X Mavericks. Information from the Mac's Maps can be sent to an iPhone for access on that device. Developers also can bundle the software's features, thanks to a software development kit, into their own OS X apps.

Apple launched Maps last year with iOS 6. The application was designed to replace Google Maps as Apple's built-in mapping application. Soon after … Read more

The next big cat isn't a cat at all

SAN FRANCISCO -- Apple announced the next version of Mac OS X today at the keynote for WWDC 2013. Named Mavericks, Mac OS X 10.9 brings more iOS features into the fold along with other tweaks including iBooks, Apple Maps, Finder Tabs, and a number of other time-saving enhancements.

Finder Tabs The new Finder Tabs work much in the same way they do in Safari. A plus sign button on the right lets you open a new tab, and you can drag and drop tabs just like in a Web browser. You could have one tab for AirDrop and … Read more

Apple to unveil iOS revamp, iRadio, Siri update -- analyst

Apple will unveil a new paint job for iOS and introduce its new iRadio music service at its Worldwide Developers Conference on Monday, forecasts Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster.

In an investors note out today, the analyst offered his predictions on what to expect from Apple as WWDC kicks off. Several reports have already pointed to a redesign for Apple's mobile OS with iOS 7, and Munster sees that as 90 percent likely.

Catch CNET's live coverage of Apple's WWDC 2013 keynote, Monday at 10 a.m. PT

iOS 7 will mark the first change to iOS … Read more

Google reportedly close to $1.3B acquisition of map app Waze

After months of speculation on who would snap up Waze, Google is reportedly close to acquiring the mobile mapping and navigation company.

The search giant will soon close a $1.3 billion deal for the Israeli startup, according to a report Sunday by the Globes business newspaper in Waze's home country. The acquisition could help the Web giant improve its own mapping services, as well as help prevent encroachment by Facebook, which was reportedly courting Waze last month.

A Google spokesperson declined to comment on the report. CNET has also contacted Waze for comment and will update this report … Read more

Review: Mappr for Instagram Photo Map tags locations

Mappr provides a useful, but at times redundant service to tag your photos with location markers before they are uploaded to Instagram. While the core OS on any iPad or iPhone will do the same, the location settings on Instagram are not integrated with a map, so Mappr allows you to see where all of your photos were taken in real-time visualization. It's effective, but ultimately limited in features.

When you open the app, you can choose to take a new photo or add one from your photo library. It is then automatically posted on the map if location … Read more

Google debuts Maps Engine API for customized, cloud-based maps

Google has introduced a new API for its Maps Engine, touted as a way to let developers build "endless kinds of applications" hosted in the Internet giant's cloud.

To recall, the Maps Engine is essentially the reincarnation of Google Earth Builder, which lets developers use Google's cloud infrastructure for storing and managing their own geospatial data and maps.

Users can also use the service to share their custom Google Maps with other employees, clients, and the public at large.

Touted to be supported by "any platform" (Web, Android, iOS, and so on), the new … Read more