Recently I’ve changed Geocoding provider for address search on the main page. I began to use Yahoo! Geocoding API implemented in my Geo!Suggest application.
I like Geocoding results from Yahoo much better than results from Geocoder.us or Geocoder.ca.
According to http://www.mapbuilder.net statistic at least 40 mashups are created every day using http://www.mapbuilder.net service. People tag more than 200 locations per day. It’s really neat that MapBuilder audience is growing since site launch date on July 2005.
This is really cool reference. Link to Geo!Suggest and MapBuilder.net has been added to
Yahoo! Maps Web Services -
To see it scroll to “Even More Maps Applications” section and look for “Geo!Suggest” title.
Here’s the quote:
Geo!Suggest
Andrew Bidochko features several tools he’s made to make using Yahoo! Maps APIs easier on his site. His Geo!Suggest, an AJAX interface for the Yahoo! MapsGeocoding API showcases how flexibile the Yahoo! GeocodingAPI is in working with limited input, and that it provide useful results even with just city name as input, rather than requiring city, state and zipcode. He’s also made the source code of GeoSuggest available for public use. He’s also done a new tool to generate source code to build a Yahoo! Map via the AJAX API: see the demo and the source code.
This really neat how easy is to add support of new API provider -
Right now I see a huge benefit for
source code demo, map preview.
Happy mapping!
More and more real estate and property companies use MapBuilder.net to plot theirs listings. Here’s examples:
BECK Property Company, Inc.
Bob Taylor Properties, Inc.
WeBuy05.com
I’ve noticed that link to MapBuilder.net was posted on the API Profile: Google Maps page in the “Related Links” section (scroll bottom to see it).
Details available here.
Finally FAQ section has been added to Mapbuilder.
I gave answers for some questions in that document. I’m trying to keep MapBuilder simple but I’m willing to answer more questions. If you have any do not hesitate to drop me email.
The most wanted geo service is live - Yahoo released Geocoding API. IMHO the major benefit of Yahoo Geocoding API is floating precision level in the API response. For example Yahoo returns number of geocoded results for “Sunnyvale” if we do not specify state or zip. See http://api.local.yahoo.com/MapsService/V1/geocode?appid=abid&location=Sunnyvale
I’ve found this feature very useful and created simple AJAX interface for geocoding and working with multiple results received from Yahoo Geocoder. It’s called Geo!Suggest
I’ll appreciate any comments or suggestions.
New Yahoo! Maps Beta
http://maps.yahoo.com/beta
vs
Google Maps
http://maps.google.com/
Frankly speaking I think my personal project http://www.MapBuilder.net will only win utilizing better Google and Yahoo web services and their’s new APIs.
PS: Tonight Yahoo has been updated their map and added new Geocoder API
which probably will kill all known geocoders.*
Monsters coming!
The Yahoo! Maps team rocks after releasing new version of Yahoo! Maps and adding new APIs! The new set of services is really what I need and what I expected to have for the MapBuilder.net and other mapping project development.
I did not check out yet but think that Yahoo! Geocoding API will beat all existing Geocoders.* or force them to create better service. But as far as most of Geocoders.* have been created without proven business model, it will be tough time for them to compete with Yahoo! Geocoding API.
I’m looking forward to play with new Yahoo!Map API features and implement something new and cool in the http://www.mapbuilder.net/ - service with mapping user interface which allows users to build custom maps without any knowledge of any existing map APIs.