source: http://www.switched.com/2008/05/29/google-maps-gets-enhanced/


Google Maps has well and truly established itself as the king of online mapping tools, and it's obvious its host, the king of search engines, isn't content to let the site rest on its laurels. The site has just added some new features, enabling you to view photos, videos, and Wikipedia entries of whatever location you're looking at. This is functionality they added to their Google Earth application last year, but that requires a desktop installation and isn't quite as quick to use as their web-based tool.

Now, by clicking the "More" button on Google Maps, you can select to look at photos (which includes videos), and Wikipedia entries as well. They appear as thumbnails or little 'W' logos on the map. A click brings up the photo or an excerpt from the Wiki right there in the page, with of course links outward to view the full image or article. Finding videos is somewhat hit-or-miss, since they just look like photos, but the pictures at least are very useful -- if only for finding what that hotel you booked for your trip actually looks like.