Support François Hollande on Google Maps

The official website, TousHollande, of François Hollande, the Socialist nomination for the French presidential elections, is using Google Maps on its homepage to show user submitted messages of support.

Supporters of Hollande can add their support to the map by filling in a short form (or use Facebook Connect to sign-in) and see their own messages appear on the map. The map itself animates through the support messages already added to the map.

The map does an impressive job in creating the image of a candidate with nationwide support. It is also a very effective method for building a database of enthusiastic supporters. To add your support to the map you have to agree that you support the candidacy of Francois Hollande and wish to be informed about news of the campaign.

It would be very interesting to know whether this proves a more effective way of building a mailing list of supporters than the more traditional methods used in previous campaigns.

Laser Firing UFO Caught on Google Maps

I don't know how the governments of the world managed to hush this one up. Here Google Maps provides further proof that aliens already walk among us. In 'fact' this satellite view shows the Dutch town of Breda whilst actually under attack from a multi-laser firing UFO.

More proof of little green men found on Google Maps can be seen here.

I Am a Name, Not a Number

Fans of the original cult 1960's TV show The Prisoner will be delighted to hear that the village of Portmeirion in Wales now has Street View. Much of the success of the show was due to it being shot in this wonderfully unique Welsh village.

The village was designed and built by Sir Clough Williams-Ellis between 1925 and 1975 in the style of an Italian village and really is a beautiful place to visit. If you can't get to Portmeirion in person you can now at least take a virtual stroll around the village in Google Maps.

A Penny-Farthing Towing a Platypus

One of my life's ambitions was to be the first man to tow a platypus, behind a penny-farthing, around the town of Cottesloe in Australia. I'm sad to have to report that someone has beaten me to it.

Asterix on a Mountain

Street View has captured Asterix sitting on a mountain in France (although it is probably a menhir and not a mountain). You probably won't be surprised to hear that this Street View image comes from an Asterix theme park, Parc Asterix, just north of Paris.

Fore - Lookout It's the Ultimate Golf Guide

The Golf Guide is a Google Map showing the location of thousands of golf courses throughout the world.

Many of the golf courses displayed on the map include Google Earth tours. The green map markers show which courses have the Google Earth tours available. When you click on a green marker an information window will open displaying the course with the Google Earth browser plugin.

The Google Earth tours take you on a 3d flyover of the course. You can interrupt the tour at any time and use the links to fly to a particular hole. The tour also informs the user of the par and length of each hole.

Skyrim Appears on Google Maps

You find amongst your possessions an ancient chart of Skyrim extracted from the Elder Scrolls. Now you will never get lost in your journeys through the nine provinces of Tamriel.

Your Skyrim Map includes a magical key that will guide you on your journey. Whether you search for a Dragonlair or an Imperial Camp the map will determine your adventure and light up your true path.

Legend tells that the map was created when the magical Fusion Tables were forged in the fires of the Google Maps API. This legend was imparted to me by the High Elves of Street View Funny.

Using GWT with the Google Maps API V3

The Google Web Toolkit is an open source set of tools that allows web developers to create and maintain complex JavaScript front-end applications in Java. Unfortunately the current GWT bindings are only compatible with the Google Maps v2 API and are not yet compatible with v3 of the API.

Luckily Brandon Donnelson has decided to build the GWT bindings for the Maps API V3. If you want to see what you can build with the bindings wrapper you can jump straight to the demo page. The examples provided include Google Maps with the Elevation Requests, Directions, Street View, Custom Street View, Custom Controls, the Drawing Libray and more.


If you want to see Donnelson's GWT bindings in the wild then visit the impressive Cycling the Alps website, which has been completely rebuilt using the bindings.

Interactive Bus Stops on Google Maps

Bus-Tops is a very exciting interactive art project launching in London today. Thirty red and black LED screens have been installed on the roofs of bus shelters around London. Absolutely anyone in the world can create artwork and hopefully get a chance to see their work displayed on one of the screens.

If you want to view the submitted artwork then you will need the Bus-Tops Screen Locations Map. It allows Londoner's to find their nearest Bus-Tops screen. The map also uses the Google Maps Styled Maps feature to give the map an appropriate red and blank design.

Mapping the Bells of the World

The Guild of Carillonneurs Map is a map of carillons in North America. A carillon consists of a series of at least 23 tuned bells which can be played from a keyboard.

The map shows the location of 179 traditional carillons throughout North America. The map also includes a link to view another Google Map showing carillons throughout the world. The Guild has also created a map for tower bells of all types.

Finally TowerBells.org has a very similar map showing the locations of tubular bells of all types around the world.