Updated on 17.7.13 The new project to renew Google Maps has come to an end and Google now allows everyone to use its new web application to view maps and maps of the world interactively .
Google Maps has been completely redesigned with more space for images, with a modern design that you can now try in preview, before it is made available to everyone.
The new Google Maps has three goals: creating custom maps, creating immersive maps and changing the interface around maps.
The new Google Maps site has been lightened of all unnecessary elements, without side bars, buttons, search results boxes, leaving all the space to the maps.
The entire map is now interactive and full screen, therefore by clicking on any point of the map, an information card will appear on what is around, on how to get there and you will be able to see the way clicked in the 360 degree photos of Street View.
The indications are easier to use because they integrate different modes of transport in order to find the best way and the search results are displayed directly on the map with icons and short descriptions.
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The new interface is powered by WebGL and brings Google Earth images to the browser without having to use plugins. The new Google Maps has essentially merged the 3D view of Google Earth and the images of Street View, making it possible to see any place in the world without having to click more than once.
It also becomes easy to find shops, restaurants, hotels and everything you want by reading, for each place, the reviews (taken from Google+) in an interactive box made of personalized suggestions, where you can also take action.
In this video, a first look at what can be done.
The new Google Maps web application is available to everyone on the main maps.google.com site.
Opening the new Google Maps, you can immediately see the world map in full screen, with a series of small thumbnails at the bottom.
To do research you have to use a small widget at the top left of the screen.
The last three searches made are shown automatically (if you are registered with a Google account) and, as before, you can type the name of a specific or generic place (for example "Chinese restaurants") in the search box.
The results are displayed as points of interest on the screen, on the map itself.
For example, you can see that there is a Chinese restaurant close to home or close to where you are.
The map also highlights the restaurants reviewed by friends on Google+ and the best rated restaurants in general.
By clicking on a point on the map you can see the roads and directions to get there.
When you click on a shop or business, the Google Local tab opens with address, telephone number and other info.
On the right, there is the navigation icon for directions, a star icon for saving the store location and website.
There is also a Street-View icon and the ability to search for multiple images of the place.
Google Maps also learns from your search history and shows personalized recommendations based on your interests.
Clicking on the satellite icon on the bottom of the map opens the Google Earth view of a particular area.
You can choose to navigate in Street View for most areas and for some places you can also enter the buildings, inside them and see them in the pan-harmonic photos .
At the bottom of the page, for a given location, Google offers a scrolling menu of images that is the same as that of Google Earth for Android that make a real photo tour.
The images are those that Google has taken but also public images uploaded to Google+ and Picasa by users, as well as Photo Sphere which are precisely the 360-degree photos of the inside of a building taken by those who use Android smartphones.
Maps offers directions by car, public transport, on foot, by bicycle and by plane, which are displayed both in the search box and on the map itself (the online Google flight search service is also integrated).
The "best" route is shown on the map by default and also takes into account the current traffic level.
Google Maps will also be renewed in the applications for Samsung smartphones, Android phones and iPhones and will increasingly become the best GPS navigator that there can be.
Finally, in this video, how Google maps were reimagined.
