Google Maps

GarageBand: The iPad's killer demo

Every great Apple product needs an app that shows off its unique features

The 1984 Macintosh had MacPaint. The 2007 iPhone had visual voicemail and Google Maps. The iPhone 4 had FaceTime.

Steve Jobs offered two tent-pole demos last week when he introduced the iPad 2. iMovie was cool, but GarageBand for the iPad is Apple's (AAPL) new must-have app.

According to a press release issued Thursday, the $4.99 program will be available MORE

New Google Maps 5.0 previewed on Nexus S

The multi-touch Maps application that Andy Rubin demoed last week will be on the Nexus S for official launch.

The Maps application that was loaded on that Motorola(MOT) tablet that Andy Rubin demonstrated last week at the Dive into Mobile event isn't just for prototype tablets.  It appears that it will be joining the Nexus S for its release according to a video posted on the Nexus S YouTube account.

Of particular interest is MORE

Andy Rubin: Google activates 300,000 phones every day

Google may now be the biggest smartphone vendor on earth.

Andy Rubin just Tweeted that Google (GOOG) is activating 300,000 phones a day.  That passes Apple's (AAPL) iOS, that passes Blackberry (RIMM).  That even matches any figures that Symbian has ever put up (though Canalys says Nokia might be at 325,000/day).

Google is closing in on an astounding 10 million phones per month.  Recall that Apple just had its biggest quarter MORE

Not an Onion headline: Nicaragua Raids Costa Rica, Blames Google Maps

An error on Google Maps has caused an international conflict in Central America.

Search Engine Land was the first to report that a Nicaraguan commander who has been using Google maps, led his troops into neighboring Costa Rica.

La Nacion -- the largest newspaper in Costa Rica -- says the Nicaraguan commander, Eden Pastora, used Google Maps to "justify" the incursion even though the official maps used by both countries indicate the territory belongs to MORE

Google reveals how it will make money on Maps

Whether you use an iPhone, Blackberry or Android you may be earning Google some revenue when you use their Maps applications and APIs.

You didn't think Google (GOOG) was offering up all of those maps that you see all over the Web as just a goodwill gesture, did you?  Now developers who use Google's Maps UI including Apple (AAPL), with their Maps.app on iPhone, will be supporting Google's advertising efforts.

Google will be MORE

GM teams with Google for maps and apps

The mystery company helping GM's OnStar isn't a mystery anymore.

Google I/O is turning out to be a pretty interesting conference this year with GM now acknowledging the speculation that they are working with Google.

(I'll be dropping in at Google I/O and dropping posts on location tomorrow and Thursday).

Today, GM announced that they'd be showing up at Google I/O to demonstrate the new Android app that will accompany the Chevy Volt and MORE

Google Maps join the A-Team for movie promotion

Fancy driving the A-Team van around San Francisco?  There's a Google Map app for that.

Fox and Google teamed up to create a YouTube microsite application to get people excited about the upcoming A-Team movie. According to the (unofficial) Google Maps blog, Planet in Action was contracted along with Google engineers to build the application, which incidentally is quite fun.

Using the 3D renderings of cities like San Francisco and New York  you MORE

Google maps Gulf oil spill

Google's Crisis Response team has developed a map tool to help locals understand how the Gulf spill will affect them.

The tool, revealed yesterday, has 11 different layers using imagery from a variety of sources over the past few days.  The map shows the spill has touched land in a few locations but is mostly still out at sea.

Google also offers the MODIS satellite images as a KML files that MORE

10 Apple vs. Google battles to watch for

Silicon Alley Insider peers into the future and sees nothing but conflict

Google and Apple have already butted heads, first in mobile phones with Google's (GOOG) release of the Nexus One, then in online advertising with Apple's (AAPL) announcement of the iAd platform.

But those conflicts are just a prelude to bigger brawls to come, says Silicon Alley Insider's Jay Yarow. In a slideshow posted Wednesday, he ticks off what he sees MORE

Earth to Google [video]