June 29, 2005

Yahoo! Local to offer free Yahoo! Maps API

from Glenn's blog... Here's a timely one.. on the heels of the Google Earth news, Yahoo! is poised for some cool news themselves regarding the availability of Yahoo! Maps API
Yahoo! Local makes available an extension of the Yahoo! Search API offering with the availability of Yahoo! Maps API. According to Yahoo! reps, it's free, stable, backward compatible, fully supported and documented.
More details from Yahoo!... Yahoo! Maps API gives developers of all levels free public access to Yahoo!’s SmartView Technology – enabling them to see their own geographical data on Yahoo! Maps. Developers can now create customized maps by overlaying a variety of content onto an existing Yahoo! Map including weather reports, school district boundaries, open houses, garage sales, vacation photos, and more.
The API was designed to meet the following developer needs:
· It’s Easy to Use: Yahoo! Maps API can be used by developers of all levels. Yahoo! does the geocoding for you – there’s no need to deal with confusing latitude and longitude coordinates. You can get a customized map up and running within one hour!
· Open Standard: Yahoo! Maps API open standard makes it available for use by any developer. Yahoo! builds upon RSS standards, specifically GEO RSS.
· It’s Stable: Yahoo! Maps API is an official, stable tool with a dedicated engineering team that’s committed to continued development and innovation.
· It’s Free: Yahoo! Maps API is free for any user.
Yahoo! also provides space on the page for partner branding and links to go back to the referral page. Yahoo! is committed to supporting the API via group forum at yws-maps. The Yahoo! Maps open API is based on geoRSS, RSS 2.0 and w3c geo extension.
An example use of the API is seen below. It shows an application locating Bay Area traffic cameras. Click on the map to be taken to the actual application.

See http://developer.yahoo.net/maps/

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