Metro Music Maps / / No Comments Over a decade ago, Alexander Chen’s iconic MTA.me turned Massimo Vignelli’s 1972 New York subway map into a live, plucking string instrument. On this map every time an MTA train crosses the track of another line, it twangs like a musical string, transforming the frantic energy of New York’s transit grid into a delicate, real-time composition.The itch to turn transit data into music has recently Maps Mania… more → Posted in: Interactive Maps Tagged with: maps, Metro, Music
Dual Maps Goes 3D / / No Comments Dual Maps, an old Maps Mania favorite, has undergone a bit of a makeover this week. As you may have heard, Google recently removed its classic 45° bird’s-eye aerial imagery from the Maps JavaScript API. This oblique aerial perspective was one of the core synchronized views offered by Dual Maps. The removal of the bird’s-eye view has therefore prompted Map Channels to undertake a ground-up revamp Maps Mania… more → Posted in: Interactive Maps Tagged with: Dual, goes, maps
Keyboard Free Maps / / No Comments Map Gesture ControlsAlexFor most of us interactive maps are controlled with a mouse, a trackpad or touch gestures. However, some developers are exploring alternative ways to navigate maps without ever touching a keyboard or screen.Non-keyboard controls could prove especially useful for accessibility, allowing people with limited mobility to interact with maps more easily. Two recent Maps Mania… more → Posted in: Interactive Maps Tagged with: free, Keyboard, maps
Using Google Static Maps in Your Print View / / No Comments This is just a quick thought experiment really. Yesterday I was working on a demo that made use of Google’s Static Map API. I’ve blogged about this API for probably over a decade now and I rarely see people use it, but it’s a lightweight, image only "API" for when you need simple map images without interactivity. Honestly, I see a lot of sites using the full JavaScript maps library when a simpler image would be fine. It’s also an excellent way to use maps in presentations or emails as well. It occurred to me that the static map image could be a great way use of print media queries in CSS and I thought I’d build a quick demo to show this. Media queries and... more → Posted in: JavaScript Tagged with: Google, maps, print, Static, using, View
New York Mayoral Election Maps / / No Comments A number of elections took place yesterday, but by far the most talked-about was the race for New York City mayor – where Zohran Mamdani emerged victorious, securing over 50% of the vote.According to The New York Times’ interactive map, The Most Detailed Map of the N.Y.C. Mayoral Election (paywalled), Mamdani dominated in much of the city, outpacing former Governor Andrew Cuomo in a wide Maps Mania… more → Posted in: Interactive Maps Tagged with: election, maps, Mayoral, York
How Google Maps Works / / No Comments Google Maps Explained is an awesome walkthrough that breaks down how Google Maps figures out the best route when you ask for directions. The star of the show is Geo, a cute little green guide who walks you through the behind-the-scenes magic that makes Google Maps so smart. At the heart of Google Directions is some seriously clever tech – powerful pathfinding algorithms. These are Maps Mania… more → Posted in: Interactive Maps Tagged with: Google, maps, works
The Google Maps Platform Awards Winners / / No Comments Google has announced the winners of the very first Google Maps Platform Awards. The awards were launched to mark the 20th anniversary of the release of the Google Maps API and were open to anyone who has used the Google Maps Platform over the past two decades.As one of the judges for the competition, I can attest to the overall quality of the maps submitted. Winners were named in 10 Maps Mania… more → Posted in: Interactive Maps Tagged with: Awards, Google, maps, Platform, Winners
Using AI to Search Maps / / No Comments The magnificent David Rumsey Map Collection now has an AI Search Assistant that can help you find maps, learn more about individual maps, and even query specific elements within maps.The David Rumsey Map Collection is one of the largest online collections of maps, and its new AI Search Assistant is a fantastic resource. It not only helps you search and discover maps in the collection Maps Mania… more → Posted in: Interactive Maps Tagged with: maps, search, using