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Google has a slick, new mapping site.

What is Google Maps, and how does it compare with other services?

Google Maps is a Google service offering powerful, user-friendly mapping technology–including business locations, contact information, and driving directions–to anyone searching for results in the United States and Canada (more locations coming soon). With Google Maps, you’ll enjoy the following unique features:

* Draggable maps – Click and drag maps to view adjacent sections immediately (no long waits for new areas to download).
* Satellite imagery – View an aerial image of your desired location that you can zoom and pan.
* Integrated search results – Find business locations and contact information all in one location. For example, if you search for [pizza in San Jose], locations of relevant listings appear on your map, and their phone numbers appear alongside.
* Detailed directions – Enter an address and let Google Maps plot the location and/or driving directions for you. Click any part of the driving directions to see a magnified map or satellite image of that part of the route.
* Keyboard shortcuts – Pan left, right, up and down with the arrow keys. Pan wider with the Page Up, Page Down, Home and End keys. Zoom in and out with the plus ( ) key and minus (-) keys.

http://maps.google.com/

Google also allows you to see your location on a satellite photo.

With Google Maps, you can view a map of your driving directions or a specific location. But you can also access a satellite image of this same location if you’d like. You can zoom in on this image for a closer look at the terrain, zoom out for a grander perspective, or pan in any direction. This interactive satellite view gives you a chance to explore and evaluate your locations in far greater detail. (Plus it’s just really cool.)

To access this view, click “Satellite” at the top right corner of the Google Maps page. Your mapped locations will now appear as satellite images until you click “Map” to toggle the view back. (You can also click the start or end points on your driving directions map, then click “Satellite” in the window that appears to view an image of that part of the route.)

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