Google Maps has been powerfully integrated into Google Wave. Like everything else in Wave, maps can be edited and manipulated in real time and all other members of the wave will be able to see your changes instantaneously. Thus, the Maps gadget in Wave is useful for, again, collaboration; this time, you can share locations, routes, and points of interests, all inside the beautiful Google Maps interface. Watch the video below for a brief, complete rundown of the Maps gadget.
Video
Transcript
Hi, my name is Ian and I’m a blogger at gwtips.com. Here, we’ll take a look at the Maps gadget in Google Wave and how to use it. We’ll also take a look at some of the more practical uses for Maps in Wave too.
First, create a new wave. To add the Maps gadget, click the “More Actions” icon, then select the Maps icon, which looks like a map marker. The Maps gadget has now been added to the wave.
We can interact with the gadget now. The first major tool in the Maps gadget is, obviously, the “Hand” tool. Use this to move around in Maps. I’m in Hilliard right now, but let’s go over to Downtown Columbus.
The second tool that we’ll look at is the “Line” tool. You can draw a line anywhere in Google Maps. So, let’s say you wanted to let your friends know about your favorite walk route through Downtown Columbus. Use the Line tool and draw!
Third, you can use the “Marker” tool to highlight points of interest to your friends. On the walk that I have mapped out, I go past the Columbus College for Arts and Design. Let’s put a marker on right now. In the second field, I can even add some comments here.
The “Polygon” tool is useful too. It allows anybody to highlight anything on the map. Again, just click and drag.
The last tool we’ll take a look at is Maps’ search feature. You can look up any location and easily place a marker on the map for the entire wave to see.
And that’s it! Happy mapping!
ok – took a stab at setting up a bicycle route using maps in wave – 1st, bike route overlay not available and this ride is a combo of bike pats and roads; 2nd ads cover 1/4 of the map which is not at all helpful.
So I cannot figure out how to make wave useful for the only collaboration project I have immediately at hand.