Google Qualified Developer Badge for me :) #googlemaps

I am pleased to announce that I recently earned a new badge from Google - "Google Qualified JavaScript Maps Developer". My name has now been added to Google's new Qualified Developers directory which is a part of Google's new Qualified Developer program.

To get qualified one has to show proof of community participation, references, mashup projects worked on and finally appear for a online exam.

My Google Mapping journey started with Hurricane Katrina, way back in late 2005. My first mashup was showing where businesses were opening up in the New Orleans area once Hurricane Katrina was gone. Check out the blog post on my 1st mashup at GoogleMapsMania. (Note: The link (weshallrise.org) in the blog post no longer exists as I cancelled it after couple of years.) Since then I have created numerous mashups which you can check out at this site.

Happy Holidays!! #googlemaps #christmas #santa

As another year draws to a close, I wish everyone a safe and Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. On this note I would like to share a Google Maps Mashup which I had created couple of years ago. This mashup shows the locations of towns and cities in United States which are named "Christmas" or Holiday season names like

• Santa in Benewah County, Idaho
• Santa Claus in Mohave County, Arizona
• Santa Claus in Toombs County, Georgia
• Santa Claus in Spencer County, Indiana

Tiger Woods Tweets #tigerwoods #googlemaps

Tiger Woods and his women are in the news a whole lot these days. There is also tons of tweets related to the Tiger Woods Saga. So where are these tweets coming in from. Its not just the US, but also Europe, India and elsewhere. I have created a Google Maps View of these tweets coming in from Eastern/Western US, Europe and India. Click on the radio buttons on the left of the map to view the tweets from different regions. The map animates through all the latest tweets which mention "Tiger Woods". (Thanks to Keir from GoogleMapsMania for mentioning this mashup)

Time Person of the Year (2009). Who will it be?

So who should be Time's Person of the Year? I put together this quick Google Maps Mashup based on list of possible candidates published by TIME magazine.

The sidebar on the map lets you vote for the candidate. The map then will sort the markers and sidebar entries based on candidate vote totals. (Thanks to Google Maps Mania for mentioning this mashup).

If you click on the map marker of a candidate there is a link to more information about them on the Time magazine website.

Augmented Reality Twitter Application for iPhone

First there was "Layar" a Mobile Augmented Reality Browser and now comes a new Augmented Reality App for iPhone - "Twitter 360" - which helps you to visualize your Twitter Friends. Cool.. (via GoogleMapsMania)

When you look through your iPhone camera with Twitter 360 you can view information windows superimposed on the screen showing the direction and distance away of your Twitter friends. Twitter 360 also shows arrows on the screen that, as you move around, uses the iPhone's in built compass to point you in the direction of a chosen Twitter friend.

Download Twitter 360 from iTunes Store

Check out this video about this cool new Application: