Use A Map: Google Maps with short URLs, comments

Use A Map is a nice simple Google Maps mash-up that bills itself as "TinyURL.com but for Maps," but it's much more than that. Its most apparent feature is that it lets you create a short URL for a location, in contrast to Google Maps' extremely long URLs. It lets you choose a "tag" for your URL, e.g. "santamonicapier," so you can send people to useamap.com/santamonicapier. It also lets you give your tag a description which will show up on the map page. More interestingly, people can leave comments on the map page, the utility of which escapes me just now but I thik it's cool anyhow. I can think of a number of features that would make Use A Map more useful, though. In particular, it lacks any kind of geocoding feature, so you can't type in a zip code or address to zoom to a particular location--you have to click and drag around until you find it by sight alone. Also, it would be great if Use A Map linked to Google Maps proper so one could skip over there for driving directions.

[Via Google Maps Mania]

Tags: google, google maps, GoogleMaps, mapping, maps, mashup, use a map, UseAMap