Google Maps Get Labs With 9 Cool New Features

 By 
Stan Schroeder
 on 
Google Maps Get Labs With 9 Cool New Features
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Right now, you can try out nine new features (all disabled by default):

Drag 'n' Zoom - lets you zoom in on a specific part of the map by drawing a box.

Aerial Imagery - gives you rotatable, high-resolution overhead imagery, but it's only available in certain areas. Google plans to add more over time, though.

Back to Beta - OK, this one is a little weird. It lets you have a beta tag on Maps (just like Gmail). Only for hardcore Google users.

Where in the World Game - test your geography knowledge by guessing the names of countries from satellite imagery. I lost days playing a similar game on Facebook, and I forgot everything I've learned. Sigh.

Rotatable Maps - north facing up is just one way to look at a map. Now you can rotate it any way you like.

What's Around Here? - adds a second search button that searches for "*", returning the top results in the current view. I've actually been waiting for this for a long time; it makes searching for certain POIs within some area a lot easier.

LatLng Tooltip - see the exact latitude and longitude next to your cursor.

LatLng Marker - drop a marker anywhere on the map, showing the latitude and longitude of that location.

Smart Zoom - stops you from zooming into an area if imagery is not available.

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