My digital earth: map search service (zt)

Author: Guo Hua

The application of electronic maps has become more and more widely: before traveling, we always need to make some preparations, such as the buildings and roads near where we are going, and how to get there, now we can always get the answer by viewing the online electronic map. However, if you do not know the location you want to search for, you may want to have a Google-like search engine interface, enter keywords, and obtain the relevant map information. The recently emerging map search service can cope with these situations. As long as we have a computer that can be connected to the Internet, we can have national or even global maps.
I have carefully selected four online map search services, including Google Maps and MSN maps, mapbar and sogou maps in China. Let's take a look at the features of these four maps. How Google and Microsoft MSN are getting stuck? What are the advantages and disadvantages of Chinese map compared with those of foreign countries.

Foreign articles

1 Google map search:
let's take a look at how Google's powerful search functions look like on electronic maps.
In http://maps.google.com, we found Google electronic map site interface, similar to MSN map search, are in English as the interface, the United States as the default starting point. The scale is scaled to 15 levels. Google's search interface is very intuitive and concise. Although Google does not currently support searching for Chinese maps, its unique search method is worth looking.
(Figure 1 Google map)
(Editor's note: the larger the scale, the higher the measurement accuracy. The smaller the scale, the measurement accuracy on the graph is lower .)
Google map supports three search methods:
1) address search. For example, enter "Chicago" or "Fifth Avenue New York" to view the map. It is scaled to the largest street chart in New York. Its details are like a city map of our staff.
(Figure 2 Google address search)
2). Commercial Buildings search. For example, if you enter "hotel" or "Pisa store", stores in a certain place will appear. Google will mark these stores with letters to facilitate our search.
(figure 3 Google building search, interesting tag)
3 ). for example, if you enter "JFK Airport to fifth Avenue New York", a well-designed line appears.
(Figure 4: Google path search, which is direct enough)
careful readers have found that the two pictures above are quite different from ordinary flat maps, this is a satellite map supported by Google, so that we can view the plateau and city in a real way. We can view satellite images in China, but they can only be similar to MSN maps. They can only be detailed at 1 cm: 5 km (6th-level scale ).
, the three search methods are rich and practical, and satellite images are truly beautiful. But the biggest pity is that the map of China is not detailed yet.

2. MSN map service:
You can find the MSN map service in the left-side Category column on the homepage of the MSN English website. This service is not available on the msnchinese website for the time being. I guess the reason is that the map of China provided by MSN is not yet available for Chinese users. An MSN map has an 11-level scale, which can reach a minimum of 1 cm: 500 km (10th), a bird's eye view of China or the United States is enough, and a maximum of 1 cm: 40 feet (0 ). It is a pity that China can only detail 5 km (Level 6th). Chinese people should be satisfied if they can find their own counties and cities on this map.

(Figure 6 MSN map)
Comments: some of China's maps are also relatively rough, but it is said that MSN is also in the testing stage. To attract 1/4 of users in the world, MSN should not give up a map of China, which is detailed in Beijing YingHuo hutong.
8 direction keys are used to move the MSN map. You can click these direction keys to perform 8-direction translation. However, you cannot drag the map. However, I still feel that it is more convenient to drag the map. Keep following the next direction, and circle around the Earth, we can verify that the earth is round :) although for Chinese people, MSN map is so crude and not refined, it can only be like a globe. However, in the map area of the United States, the MSN map is very meticulous: with the enlargement of the scale, the streets gradually enter the author's field of view and become more and more detailed. In particular, I was quite impressed by the fact that, when the scale is relatively small, the streets with the same fine stripes can be seen in the MSN map.

(Figure 7 MSN detailed map)
Minor evaluation: MSN claims to be a "Virtual Earth", from which it does cover the whole earth, to the degree of realism when the map is scaled.
MSN's search function is also very useful. The search results are stored in the list. Click "Get Map" and a map marked with a location appears, unfortunately, Chinese people still cannot use this function, because "China" does not appear in menus that people can search.

Domestic articles

3 mapbar diagram first service
Mapbar is a simple website. The home page of mapbar is similar to that of Baidu. It does not seem to have any special features. However, in the future, I found my intuition wrong. When the mapbar search result appears, the floating window of the search result makes the author shine:

(Figure 8 mapbar search)
Minor evaluation: search is taken as the entrance to bring the map to the user's eyes.
If you access the city map from the mapbar, you can see that the left side of the functional buttons in addition to zoom in and out, there are also drag, annotation, start point, end point, and so on. The tag function allows you to customize the location name, description information, and other information on the map, and then send it to friends and family, whether it is to tell them the travel schedule or the starting position of a certain line, even your home address is not interesting.

(Figure 9. mapbar labeling email)
Minor comments: mapbar emails are sent quickly, but only a few seconds after users send emails to their mailboxes.
It is commendable that mapbar allows you to quickly browse and open a map. The zoom speed is faster. When you drag and drop the side bar, the zoom and zoom of the map changes quite smoothly, it almost makes the author feel that the service is running locally, rather than remote access.
Minor evaluation: speed is efficiency, which is more or less related to mapbar's Chinese origin: compared with foreign servers, the speed is indeed a major advantage.
The map details of mapbar are also surprising, with a maximum scale of 1 cm: 10 meters and a minimum of 1 cm: 350 km. In the case of large scales, large buildings such as streets and malls are clearly visible. In addition to the provincial capitals, city maps that can be searched include many other cities, most of which are tourist cities, such as Kaifeng, Henan. Mapbar provides detailed maps for cities that can be directly searched, while for small and medium-sized cities that cannot be directly searched, users can first narrow down the scale and then roam on the map to find the target, zoom in again. It is reported that many small and medium-sized cities will be available one after another. I will also wait and see. In addition, the popular recommendations of mapbar tell us a lot of good places, even if they are near, but never know.

(Figure 10 mapbar City)
Comments: roaming to cities that cannot be searched directly. This is the technical support of mapbar (image first). I replied via e-mail. mapbar has satisfactory functions and its service attitude is also commendable. The mapbar framework consists of mobile phone maps, map searches, bus queries, driving routes, city maps, thematic maps, and my maps, I feel that this map service system is sufficient to cope with various demanding requirements.

4 sogou map (sogou map search ):
As a map search website of Chinese people, sogou uses the familiar "Rooster" as the initial graphic interface. I believe this makes every Chinese people feel cordial. Similar to mapbar, sogou map search can only search for Chinese information, which is sufficient for Chinese people. It supports 24 provinces and municipalities.

(Figure 11 sogou map)
Minor evaluation: the number of cities covered is a little small, and it seems regrettable.
It is the detailed map page after "Guangzhou City" is selected. The left side provides query functions such as unit search and bus transfer, and a toolbar is provided on the top side to achieve scaling, Distance Test, and range search.

(Figure 12 sogou map of Guangzhou)
"Pull box search" and "circle search" are special features of sogou. It allows us to select a range on the map and specify conditions for query. In the vicinity of Guangzhou Tianhe park, the "pull box search" page displays all bus times, enterprises and institutions, real estate, and other information in the selected range.

(Figure 13 sogou search box)
Minor evaluation: sogou's map operation interface is convenient, and its map information and query options are rich. Its "location" query features are full of personality. However, the scale classification is only five levels, which seems less than other online map services.

5. written at the end:
Mapbar maps and sogou maps are domestic map services only for Chinese citizens. They are technically mature and well-developed, with complete functions and distinctive features. marbar's city coverage is comprehensive, sogou's "location" Search reflects the current most popular region of interest (region of iterrest) ideas. They make the author very proud of the domestic map service.
MSN maps and Google Maps are opposite to each other since the test phase. They are even somewhat similar on the interface, the argument about who imitates who is always a constant topic. MSN maps are highly precise, while Google's satellite maps seem domineering. Both cover the whole earth, and on the map of China, they do not make Chinese people feel so satisfied.
I believe that compared with overseas map services such as MSN and Google, the domestic mapbar and sogou do not seem weak, and many other highlights are not even available in foreign map. For various reasons, the map of China in foreign countries can actually come in handy. It may take some time, but the domestic map service should seize this rare opportunity to develop itself. In a wealthy Xinxing village in Henan province, the Chinese map service is used to study hotels and scenic spots in New Zealand to make travel arrangements. In the Chinese area of San Francisco, the Chinese map service is used, I plan my home visit with my friends. This is my hope for the future online map service. I believe this day will not be far away.