2015 Google code the road
https://codetheroad.developers.google.com/
Google Code The Road
An event promoting the google maps APIs
https://developers.google.com/maps/
Google Maps Web Services API’s
https://developers.google.com/maps/web-services/
Access HTTP interfaces, providing geographic data such as geocoding, directions, elevation, place and time zone information.
Google Maps Geocoding API
Convert between addresses and geographic coordinates.
Google Places API Web Service
Implement autocomplete and add up-to-date information about millions of locations to your site or app.
Google Maps Elevation API
Elevation data for any point in the world.
Google Maps Directions API
Calculate directions among multiple locations.
Google Maps Roads API
Enable snap-to-road functionality to accurately trace GPS breadcrumbs.
Google Maps Time Zone API
Provide time zone data for anywhere in the world.
Google Maps Geolocation API
Find a location based on information from cell towers and WiFi nodes.
Google Maps Distance Matrix API
Estimate travel time and distance for multiple destinations.
Google Maps APIs for Web
https://developers.google.com/maps/web/
Google Maps JavaScript API
Customize maps with your own content and imagery. Robust feature support.
Google Maps Embed API
Add a Google Map to your site without writing code or quota limits.
Google Street View Image API
Real-world imagery and panoramas.
Google Places API Javascript Library
Up-to-date information about millions of locations.
Along with Google maps SDK and Google Places API for ios and android.
Best Practice, Accessibility, UX and Tips
Using autocomplete, as part of the Places API allows people to find things faster as they can immediately see mistakes
Using Location as a starting point for an application search saves the user time.
Right move show relevant things to the users search on the map such as local schools, shops and stations.
They also allow users to draw on the map to limit their search to specific areas
Best practice is to use the Street view API built into your app to help users get an idea of the place - don't make them go somewhere else (bad ux)
Use the Distance Matrix API to calculate which of an array of items is the nearest to the users current position.
Calculate journey prices, petrol etc, using the Directions API
When using the API’s use a key so you can track your usage and not be overcharged for your use.
You can also be contacted about updates to the API’s you use.
Don't poll every 00 minute randomise the second on the minute to be more reliable.
Alternatively use GitHub libraries to handle retries and encapsulate best practise
Pin your environment to the version number of the current release
Experimental api is pushed every week - cutting edge
Release - use this in production pushed once every three months should update the version every few months
Frozen - shortly no longer available will default to the latest release version
Best places for support: Stack overflow and Google maps API issue tracker
Predictive traffic API “Tell me distance to a - z next Tuesday at 8am”
Tiles, rendered on the server is the fastest way to display data on maps
Geolocation API calculates the location based on cell towers and wifi nodes when GPS is unavailable or for higher accuracy in densely populated areas or indoors. If you have a ‘dumb devices’ this means you can then calculate the location on the server.
If your developing for android to debug you can use:
Wifi nodes: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=edu.smu.wispy&hl=en_GB
Cell Towers: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=aws.apps.networkInfoIi&hl=en_GB
https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/geolocation/intro?hl=en
Geometry library
Using the spherical functions ensures all of the results radius fits on the map.
Indoor Street View
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/streetview/publish/
You can create yourself or hire someone for about £3-500. The images need to be geotagged.
You will need to upload blueprints of the building which you then populate with the photos by
upload onto Google maps. The photos are stitched together using geotags.
There is a 2 day limit before updating the maps.
This indoor streetview can be included/loaded into any application. Street view site for examples
You can combine with ibeacons for indoor shopping centres directions.
All street views are public but you can create your own private ones using API’s and overlapped onto public info.
Appyparking
An app to help people find parking spaces. They are currently working on making parking restrictions easier to understand.
They have a series of API’s that take data from councils and simplify it so that the app can tell you whether you can park there or not, the long term goal being to replace traffic wardens.
They are working with councils to make traffic management orders easier to understand and are piloting parking bay sensors along with payment systems to help with traffic flow so you only pay for the minutes you stayed.
They are also looking at letting people rent out their driveways - useful for match days and other events.
Created on: 11th June, 2015
Last updated: 12th October, 2022
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