A big push for big ideas in Pakistan

Pakistan continues on a trajectory of exciting technology initiatives, sparked most recently by three consecutive Google Map Maker events in Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore in early June. Following on the heels of these successful MapUps, P@SHA (Pakistan Software Houses Association for IT & ITES), in collaboration with Google, launched a fund to drive social innovation in Pakistan.

Islamabad: Chairman Pakistan Telecommunication Authority Dr. Mohammed Yaseen inaugurating “Social Innovation Fund” by P@SHA at PTA headquarters. Dr. Khawar Siddique Khokhar, Ms. Jehan Ara, President of P@SHA, Mr. Badar Khushnood, Country Consultant for Google, MD PSEB Mr. Zia Imran are also pictured

The purpose of the P@SHA Social Innovation fund is to encourage big ideas by providing the Pakistani people with financial support and guidance for social innovation projects. Google has provided a seed grant of US$250,000, which will be allocated to 25 all-star proposals that incorporate technology as a means of addressing a specific social need, such as flood relief or disease prevention. The idea is not simply to fund the creation of software, but to fund ideas that use Information and Communication Technologies as a platform for delivery and as a means for empowerment.

Contributed by Outreach Guru, Rabia Garib of CIO Pakistan

In addition to offering funding, P@SHA has established an oversight committee, advisory board, and outreach gurus from the business IT community to guide the shortlisted proposals from inception to reality. The hope is to create a safe harbor for eager entrepreneurs to jump-start ideas without the fear of failure. P@SHA President Jehan Ara anticipates that many of these ideas will emerge from Pakistani youth. According to Jehan, one of Pakistan’s main strengths is that 60% of the population is below the age of 24, something the country can leverage. Jehan believes a large number of these individuals are passionate about making a difference in the communities in which they live--and, to some extent, are already doing so.

P@SHA launch in Karachi, Pakistan: Mr. Ashraf Kapadia, Chairman of P@SHA, Mr. Badar Khushnood, Google Pakistan Country Consultant, Ms. Jehan Ara, President of P@SHA, Mr. Amin Hashwani and Mr. Danish Lakhani, members of the P@SHA Fund Advisory Board

Google Map Maker has already witnessed several such innovations in Pakistan, such as Sindh Flood Maps, FloodMAPS of Dr. Sohaib Khan, and http://www.local.com.pk/, which implement the Google Maps API to assist in disaster relief management. Proposals are being accepted through August, and are not limited by age, gender, caste or creed. P@SHA requires only that applicants be Pakistanis who are based in Pakistan and ready to share their innovations with the world.



Amongst others, we anxiously await any future mapping projects that may be in store following P@SHA’s announcement of winners in the early fall, and encourage all our avid Pakistani mappers and brilliant innovators to submit their big idea!



Posted by Lori Savageau, Community Manager, Google Map Maker

Visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial with Google Maps

This past March, we announced Street View imagery of the Hiroshima Peace Memorial. Known as the “Atomic Bomb Dome,” the Memorial bears witness to the devastation of nuclear war. The once proud pre-war structure nearly destroyed by the bomb still stands unrestored -- a monument to those lost and a powerful symbol of peace.

Yesterday in Japan, we went one step further, making new imagery of the interior of the Memorial available via its Place page. While millions have visited the Memorial, you can only safely view it from the outside, standing behind a fence, because of the extent of the damage.


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However iconic the Dome may be, it’s difficult to comprehend the magnitude and scope of the devastation from the outside of the building. But with the support of the Hiroshima city government, we gathered hi-resolution imagery that actually enables you to “walk” through the building room by room, using the same technology we’ve used to photograph other historic monuments around the world. The difference here is that while you can wander the gardens of Versailles or streets of Rome in person, the only way you can access the interior of the structure is digitally.

We launched this imagery in Japan on August 5th, one day before the 66th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima. You can access this collection via the Memorial’s Place page, or start exploring via this link. As with all of our special collections, we hope this imagery helps people around the world virtually travel to places they’d never otherwise have a chance to see.

Posted by Wakaba Okura, Program Manager

The View from the Summit: Celebrating Geo Users Across North America

Across the globe, a steadily growing community of passionate users are blazing new trails in the world of online geographic content. With the help of products like Google Map Maker, Google SketchUp and Building Maker, and Panoramio, Geo enthusiasts are harnessing the ability to add and edit various aspects of geography across 180 countries and regions in Google Maps and Google Earth.

To celebrate the valuable contributions of our users, particularly in light of Map Maker’s United States launch in April, we felt it was time to connect with our amazing U.S. Geo Community in person. From July 20th-22nd, the Google Geo team welcomed avid mappers, 3D modelers and Panoramio photo contributors from throughout North America to our Mountain View campus for the first ever United States Geo User Summit.

Brian McClendon addresses a rapt audience of Geo users

The summit was an opportunity for our most active contributing users to come together to learn, teach and share best practices with one another. A Map Maker workshop brought everyone up to speed on solid mapping practices and ways to add that next level of comprehensiveness to the map. Google reviewers also made the trip to Mountain View, CA to connect directly with users and give them the inside scoop on what goes into reviewing an incredible number of mapping edits each day, while offering insight to both new and experienced mappers. The user-generated unconference sessions also gave everyone a chance to troubleshoot, voice ideas, and brainstorm potential new product features with Googlers. There was also plenty of playtime, including an RC Car Scavenger Hunt, which had teams of summit attendees chasing remote controlled toy cars to points of interest across the Google campus. Ultimately, however, the event served as a forum for users to share their amazing and inspiring stories with fellow members of the Geo community.

Geo users mark their place on the map

Hearing their stories and perspectives was definitely the highlight of the summit. For example, Sophia Sallas-Brookwell, an undergraduate at the University of Chicago, introduced her plan to implement Map Maker as a means of addressing the inequitable distribution of healthy food options in Chicago’s South Side. Educator Jon Walker described his extensive use of mapping and 3D modeling in his Gresham, Oregon classroom, and how he encourages his high school students to leave a thoughtful footprint in the world. Many other users also shared their tips, tricks, and motivations, igniting a noticeable enthusiasm among attendees.

Googlers and Geo users join forces on Google’s Mountain View Crittenden Campus

If you weren’t among the crowd at this summer’s U.S. Geo User Summit, feel free to visit the event website, where you can browse photos of featured speakers, brainstorming sessions, and RC toy cars escaping into the sunset. Extensive session notes and presentations are also available. If you’re interested in attending future events, please see the Map Maker Events Calendar, 3D Events Calendar and Panoramio Events Calendar. This summit was just the beginning of an ongoing celebration of the passionate mappers, modelers, and photo contributors around the world.

Posted by Lori Savageau, Community Manager, Google Map Maker

Explore “land art” with Google Earth

Whether you’re an art lover or a Google Earth explorer (or both!), you’ll appreciate a new tour that highlights pieces from what’s known to be the largest contemporary land art undertaking in the world.

The Rhythms of Life project, by internationally renowned Australian sculptor Andrew Rogers, comprises 47 structures built over 13 years. The installations are found in 13 countries and were created with the help of 6,700 local people. Known as geoglyphs, these structures are built in exotic disparate locations including deserts, fjords, gorges, national parks and altiplano, with local materials by local people. They are so large they can be easily observed in Google Earth’s satellite imagery.

Andrew’s inspiration for this project was the interconnectedness of community and the environment, citing that the connected drawings on the surface of the Earth refer to the physical building blocks of history and civilization. He aims to establish communal structures for the purpose of ceremony and historical reflection with the local people.

The video below will take you on a tour of this project. You will discover land art in Sri Lanka, China, Bolivia, and Iceland. Andrew has also built sculptures more recently in Antarctica, Kenya, and Turkey and these pieces will be added to the tour in the future.

Tour video is also available at andrewrogers.org.

To view this tour in Google Earth, please download the KML file.

We hope you enjoy virtually visiting these art sculptures and are inspired by the beauty of the land and culture across the globe.

Posted by Karin Tuxen-Bettman, Google Earth Outreach

New 45° imagery available for 35 cities

This week we are expanding 45° imagery available in Google Maps to include many US cities, as well as some new international locales, such as Córdoba, Spain.

In Córdoba, the third largest town in the Spanish region of Andalucia, you can now explore in highly resolved images from four directions. Check out the world famous Mezquita-Catedral, a former mosque from the times when that part of Spain was ruled by the Moors, now a Roman Catholic Cathedral. Its construction as a mosque began around 800 and it was turned into a church after 1200.


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A major update in the U.S. comprises Houston, the largest city of Texas and fourth largest of the United States. Take a look at the Houston Ship Channel with all its refineries and oil tanks alongside, erected for one Million Dollars in 1902 when oil was first discovered in the area.


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If you like sports you’ll be interested in the Rice University’s athletics stadium west of downtown or the Toyota Center, used by the Houston Rockets basketball and the Houston Aeros hockey teams.

Or take a look at William P. Hobby Airport just southeast of the city center which was the former main hub even for international flights. Nearby the largest American flag can be seen on top of a building.


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Full list of updated cities:

Augsburg, Germany. Barstow, CA. Bartlett, TX. Big Bear, CA. Blackstone, VA. Catalina Foothills, AZ. Córdoba, Spain. Delano, CA. Desert Hot Springs, CA. Richmond, VA. Elgin, TX. Healdsburg, CA. Helendale, CA. Hemet, CA. Houston, TX. Mendoza, Argentina. Midlothian, VA. Napa Valley, CA. New Braunfels, TX. Ojai, CA. Ottawa, Canada. Pensacola, FL. Porterville, CA. Plant City, FL. Rancho Del Lago, AZ. Rosario, Argentina. Santa Clarita, CA. Sarasota, FL. Taylor, TX. Temecula, CA. Treasure Island, CA. Troy, IL. Twentynine Palms, CA. Wakefield, VA. Yucca Valley, CA.

Posted by Bernd Steinert, Geo Data Specialist

Catch the London Underground with Google Maps

(Cross-posted from the Official Google Blog)

Starting today, you can get public transport directions for London within Google Maps. One of Europe’s largest metropolitan areas, London is a major destination for both business travelers and tourists. More than 1 billion passengers are serviced by Transport for London (TfL) every year across over 18,000 bus stops and over 250 Underground stations.

Let’s say you’re at Trafalgar Square, and you want to visit Madame Tussauds. With a simple directions search, you’ll see all the possible public transport connections. In Maps, click “Get directions” in the left-hand panel, and then the train icon to see public transport directions. Enter your departure location next to A, and your destination next to B. These can be either street addresses or names of popular places, businesses or restaurants. When you’re done, click the “Get directions” button and suggestions for your trip will appear below.

Public transport directions are available on both Google Maps and Google Maps for mobile, so you always have access to a trip planner. When you’re on mobile, Maps even uses your current location to determine the best trip to your destination. Just search for your destination location, select it on the map and choose the “Directions” option. The suggested trips will be based on your location by default, and provide you multiple alternatives whenever possible.

If you’re using an Android-powered device, you can also get public transport directions with Transit Navigation (Beta) in Google Maps. With this new feature, which we launched earlier this month, you’ll get alerts when it’s time to get off the bus or train at your destination or to make a transfer. Transit Navigation is available in all regions where public transport directions are available, including London.


TfL is among the first agencies in a major European city to make its timetable information publicly available through the London Datastore. We’re strong supporters of open data and bringing information out into the open, and believe that making information publicly accessible can be an enormous engine of economic growth and innovation. ITO World has been a great partner in this launch by ensuring TfL’s data was adapted correctly and ready for our use.

Public transport directions are available for all Underground, bus, tram and Docklands Light Railway (DLR) lines, and we’ll include more public transport information as soon as it’s available. Whether you use public transport every day or infrequently, as a commuter, on a business trip or as a tourist, we hope that public transport directions in London make planning your trips more convenient!

Posted by Thijs van As, Associate Product Manager, Transit Directions

Congratulations Russia, the National Geographic World Champions

(Cross posted on the Official Google and Google Student blogs)

This island has a population of about 57,000 people, with the most settlements concentrated on the west coast. Very little of this island is suitable for agriculture.

After eight rounds of questions from none other than quiz king Alex Trebek himself, the team from Russia was crowned the National Geographic World Champions today at our Mountain View, Calif. headquarters after answering this final question correctly.

(By the way, the answer is Greenland.)

The National Geographic World Champions from Russia (photo courtesy of National Geographic)

Students from 17 regions around the world competed in the 2011 National Geographic World Championship. Today’s final round included answering a series of challenging questions like the one above. The students also interpreted maps and museum artifacts from the University of California Berkeley and fielded questions about live animals from the San Francisco Zoo during the earlier rounds of the competition.

Congratulations to the Russian team and to all of the students who participated. We look forward to seeing where your explorations and knowledge take you.

Posted by Brian McClendon, VP of Google Maps and Earth