A major update to Yahoo! Maps has just been released in public beta, with an all-new interface, more dynamic navigation, multi-point driving directions, and better local/traffic integration. I haven’t had a chance to dive into this too deeply, but the buzz seems to be pretty positive so far.
The real power should come from the new developer interfaces. The previous maps interface (now called the “Simple API”), was handy for showing semi-custom maps with your own data, but on Yahoo’s site. The new APIs also let you embed maps on your site or application, so the range of possibilities is huge. Read the Maps developer page for all the details:
- Yahoo! Maps Simple API — Lets you easily overlay your map data using the Yahoo! Maps web site to display your maps. No programming is necessary.
- Yahoo! Maps Flash APIs — Embed maps in your web site or application using the free Macromedia Flash player for a rich user experience. Interfaces to ActionScript, JavaScript, and Macromedia Flex are all available.
- Yahoo! Maps AJAX API — Use the power of DHTML and JavaScript to host your own maps. We provide the JavaScript functions to make map-making a breeze.
Check out the Maps Applications page for several cool examples that demonstrate the new interfaces, including the Local Events Browser shown below.
