Many of our Maps Of The Week are based on Twitter+Google Maps mashups. Twitter’s power coupled with geolocalization opportunities enable unlimited number of combinations, which was proved once again by Vodafone that has just launched its new website.

This map enables us to geolocalize next holidays in England. How does it work ? Based on Twiter, inexhaustible source of micro messages, Vodafone takes out and maps the most popular holiday destinations.

Funny but not really useful in everyday life, this TweetMap still illustrates that mashups with Twitter are really in vogue.

Source via Twitter

The WDPA (The World Database of Protected Areas) has recently published a Google Map based map to localize database of different marine protected areas.

At the world level, this map enables us to browse by continent in order to see coastline protection solutions.

In addition to this nice map the WDPA offers pertinent database to keep visitors informed of present situation. For instance, you will know that only 0.7% of the world’s oceans are being protected, however there are more than 5000 marine protected areas, which are mainly initiated by the governments (10% only are initiated at the international level).

We can still see the percentage of marine areas protected by each government. The part of the USA is almost 30%, whereas Ireland made 0.14% only.

Source via Twitter

This morning I have discovered this nice Google Maps mashup that enables you to test your dependence on a car by giving an address or a district.
There are two approaches on this website : first, you enter your address and the website displays all the shops, supermarkets, cultural landmarks, leisure centres and restaurants in the neighbourhood of your address, but which can be reached without a car. The website will give you one walk score from 100, which will enable you to have your judgement.

Once the list of renowned addresses is entered, you can see for example that walk score for Time Square in New York is 100/100, so you can live in this district without a car. Whereas there is nothing in the neighbourhood of the ex President Bush’s ranch, the walk score is 0 and you will need to take your car if your want to buy a ridiculous hat :)

The second approach is based on global view of the city, so that to have a visual view (Google Maps + density layer) with colour code (red = great car dependence, green = walkable neighborhoods)

For the time being the website functions in the USA and in Canada only, but similar initiative could be welcomed in the European capitals!!!

Source via Twitter

We won’t talk about Google Maps today, this time it’s a Yahoo mapping tool, direct competitor of the hegemonic Google tool.
We are thus obliged to talk about it on our blog!
So what is TweetLocation ?

You don’t need to master the Shakespeare’s language to see that this tool enables you to geolocalize your tweets on the map. Being simple, effective, clean, the tool is based on information given in your tweets, and finds the locations you talked about on the map on which you could see where on the earth your tweets applied.

Funny, but there is no option to embed the map or at least a permalink enabling to send it (on Twitter ?) to your contacts. It’s a pity!!!

Source via

Twitter makes rain and fine weather happen. That is what this original mashup perfectly illustrates. By combining Google Maps, Twitter and Météo, 20 design have produced a simple application that enables users to tweet the weather forecast.

Is it raining at your place now? Tweet it and you will contribute to the development of the first collaborative weather mashup. Even if the application is purely entertaining and basically the outcome conditions on subscription of Twitter community, this tool demonstrates however new opportunities for 2009 given by the power of several services.

By the way, #weather_me Ajaccio, sunny, sunny, sunny.

Source via Twitter

Where 2.0 Conference in San José is indeed an ideal place to announce the latest geosphere news. After Google that launched yesterday its Maps Ad Unit, now it’s Nokia that publishes an improved version of its Ovi Maps, with API meant for developers.

So what is Ovi Maps? For several years since acquisition of NavTeq for almost 6 billion dollars, Nokia has become highly active in the field of mapping. Thus Ovi Maps it’s a Google Maps equivalent in flash, but with more specific functionalities (2D/3D, buildings modelling in 3D and plenty of other nice little things).

API enables us to use the mapping system from third application. Today only the Lonely Planet website should be ready to get to Ovi Maps.

Wait and see the future of this innovation (and probably its integration of mobile solution). Maybe Ovi could be able to take place next to Google Maps. Who knows!

Source via Twitter

Integration of this functionality has been expected for a long time, and now Google takes advantage of "Where 2.0" to launch a monetizing map functionality based on Google Maps.

Specifically, Maps Ad Unit is a new advertising option within Google Ad Sense, which displays commercial ads on the map. These ads are focused on your geographical location and updated according to your movements.

Google Bar, which we have integrated in our Map Of The Week, is a really good news to all who wish to make some money with their Google Maps mashup.

Source via Google

Because of A (H1N1) flu this subject has become a very discussed topic, still epedemic risks are plentiful and various in the world.

The map is aimed at localizing these risks on the world level, providing considerable database of pandemic news issued from the first-rate medical information sources worlwide.

The map is available in several languages (FR/RU/EN/ES/CN) and offers a timeline that enables browsing in time in addition to geographical browsing. Plenty of selections and a simple colour code make this map a good reference to be added to your bookmarks...

Source via Twitter

We have already discussed here the opportunity to track the flights on the relevant Google Maps maps, and now it became possible to track the satellites with GoogleSatTrack !!!

The map is very simple but it enables real-time track of different satellites evolution, like ISS or Hubble (repair mission was recently launched).
Although the functionalities are quite restricted, we still can view in full screen, watch the night fall everywhere on our planet (useful if you need to call up someone who lives at the other end of the world), and some other nice functionalities.
Here is a nice small map that arouses dresire to take a plane...

Source via Twitter

Do you know Travellr ? If no, this ignorance has to be immediately removed.

Travellr, it’s a kind of mix of Yahoo Answers and Lonely Planet but geolocalized. The simple and easy-to-use service connects travelers with like-minded locas, offering interesting functionalities to visitors willing to answer the questions concerning thier next journey.
Since it’s the main Travellr’s direction, the service is principally turned on questions and answers on the common subject : travelling.

Coupled with Twitter and the main social websites, this website is really funny and very useful to those who is searching for an interesting location for next holiday.

After having subscribed, you could enter locations where you have lived, that you have visited or where you are living now, which lets Travellr propose you to answer pricisely the questions that you are supposed to answer.
Thanks a lot to the Travellr’s team for this nice and well thought out website, inspiring us to spread the world:)


Source via Twitter