Gmaps Pedometer
For those who want to make cool maps, know the distances between things and who don’t have mapping software or a GPS, the Gmaps Pedometer site can help. Using some fancy Javascript and a wrapper around Google Maps it allows you to double-click your way through recording your last run/ride/drive so you can see the mileage, etc. It even allows you to save the files to their server or download a GPX file (which can be read by many mapping programs). For a sample, see the article by Velochimp and the Running Details link at the bottom of the page.
I found the double-clicking to be a bit awkward at times, but it probably gets easier with practice. It didn’t always put a waypoint at the spot I double clicked on, but overall it is a pretty nice alternative to spending $100 on mapping software.
Still, the single biggest feature I would like to see in mapping capabilities is the “snap-to” feature (as I discussed in my TOPO! Review for OS X. Namely, I’m not so steady with my mouse, so I would like a “snap-to” feature that automatically adjusted my hand-drawn route to follow the nearest road/trail. Of course, this feature should be something you can turn on or off.
