Move Your House with Google

The first time I drove alone to our house in Bend, it was dark and I'd been driving for twelve hours in a snowstorm. I was using the GPS to help, since I'd only been to the house once before when we were looking to buy. I was driving a cargo van with no chains and at the last last turn in the directions the GPS suddenly says, "You have arrived at your destination."

No, I haven't! My house wasn't on a corner. I turned around and drove the other way while the GPS chided me, "Recalculating." Then it steered me right back to the corner. It was time to ignore the GPS, so I made the turn I thought I needed and just barely made out the driveway.

For some reason, Google and my Garmin GPS and just about every mapping service I've tried claims that my house is a half a block farther west than it actually is. I'm surprised UPS and FedEx are able to find me.

But now Google can move your house.

Okay, not the house itself. But Google Maps does have a new feature that I've been waiting for. If you're logged into your Google account, you can click the Edit link on the pushpin window and move the pushpin. If you try to move it more than 200 meters it will need to be approved, and it's not available for all locations. But it's progress!

(via the Google Operating System blog)

Oh, and you can also change the directions when getting directions from Google maps.


Posted by Dave    Blog Tag: News