Google Street View, Google Maps, and Microsoft Virtual Earth mash-up launched...

[paulavery]

Hi,
Can I get feed back on something we've been working on?
Best to show you first:
http://www.pillowsandpancakes.com/3pane.htm?bnb_id=107948
http://www.pillowsandpancakes.com/3pane.htm?bnb_id=701324
http://www.pillowsandpancakes.com/3pane.htm?bnb_id=107892
http://www.pillowsandpancakes.com/3pane.htm?bnb_id=701897
http://www.pillowsandpancakes.com/3pane.htm?bnb_id=1004041
http://www.pillowsandpancakes.com/3pane.htm?bnb_id=1004078
This has been rolled out on our entire site, although not all locations will have the street view or the aerial view from Microsoft Virtual Earth.
If you are listed with us you can find a link to this "NEW Map" underneath the map. Please see this screen shot:

This is what it looks like

Would love to hear that you think.
Thanks!
Paul

 

[swirt]

Wow Paul. That is very clever and impressive!
I'm not sure it is one of those features that would make the differnce in closing the deal with a potential guest, but the wow factor is pretty high.
"New Map" as a name is not very meaningfull unless it's value is that it is new. I'd name it something more meaningful Like "Arial Street Map"
On the little balloon with the photo, I would include the name of the place as a link that would return you to that inn's page just in case someone closes their other window and all they have is the map.

 

[user 26]

omy! i was stunned to see my place. it's so out at the end of things. too bad the pics were from off season. no sign, no flowers, etc.
by the way, i no longer have the email addy active that i signed up with and need to change the pictures on your site? how can i do this since requesting a password won't work/ thank you.

 

[EmptyNest]

Yes it is very impressive however I was disappointed there was no street view for my friends' inns in our town. So how do we alter that situation?
Agree the NEW MAP doesn't really let people know what this is and why it is a wow!

 

[swirt]

Yes it is very impressive however I was disappointed there was no street view for my friends' inns in our town. So how do we alter that situation?
Agree the NEW MAP doesn't really let people know what this is and why it is a wow!.

Street view is up to Google...they have employees who drive around with special equipment and capture all the images for streetview. It mainly starts in the major cities and then works its way out from there. Not much you can do about streets that are not recorded yet.

 

[paulavery]

Thanks for the feedback - I've changed the link too:
NEW - Street View and Arial Street Map
Paul

 

[Copperhead]

OMG - I checked out my listing and the arial view shows one of my neighbor's property...and if it had to be pointed to a property other than my own, why that one? It points to the only redneck trailer in the area, dirt drive, no landscape...
Paul I know it isn't your fault ...but can you help me fix this! Then you should make sure all your listings check out their view. As it currently is for my B&B, this will definitely help drive them to a B&B -but far far away from mine

!

 

[Morticia]

Paul- 'arial' is a font type...you want the map to be an 'aerial' view...
The map is close for me as well, but not quite on. Possibly because the zip code + 4 is wrong. As I never signed up, I'm assuming whoever listed my inn the first time got the info typed in wrong.

 

[paulavery]

'arial'

changed....
Also, Bree & Copperhead - we have a function to get it exact. I'll post that tomorrow.
Seashanty - if you private message me the e-mail address for your B&B I will edit your listing.
Thanks all.

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

Aerial

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

HEY!!!!!
Maybe this is why the lady marched out of here a year ago ticked off to no end because she said we are supposed to have views from the rooms!!! We do not EVER say we have views from our rooms, and in fact RIGHT NOW when it is brrrr we have views from the PORCH ONLY as the leaves are all gone on the trees. We do not ever say we have views from our rooms.
Well I went to P&P
Number of Rooms: 4 View Rooms
Breakfast Service:

 

[swirt]

Aerial.

LOL That was my fault, I mis-spelled it originally in the example I gave.... I was just happy when I caught it the first time through when I typed Ariel and had to back up and change it to Arial ..... Didn't catch the missing "e"

 

[EmptyNest]

HEY!!!!!
Maybe this is why the lady marched out of here a year ago ticked off to no end because she said we are supposed to have views from the rooms!!! We do not EVER say we have views from our rooms, and in fact RIGHT NOW when it is brrrr we have views from the PORCH ONLY as the leaves are all gone on the trees. We do not ever say we have views from our rooms.
Well I went to P&P
Number of Rooms: 4 View Rooms
Breakfast Service: .

Don't think it has been online that long..though not sure. I have been checking folks I know in VA and there are not pics of theirs yet. Yours says no photo available.
Ones I have seen are so far off, I wouldn't use them. I think this technology..though cool..is not perfected yet and don't think I would make a big deal about it unless yours is there and a good photo shot.

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

Number of Rooms: 4 View Rooms

Hi JunieBJoness - well, I didn't see that coming. The "view rooms" is a link for the surfer to go and view the rooms, it does not mean they are rooms with a view.
I'll change that. I think I'll just remove the 'view.'
Paul

You know - well I was going to say something witty about some guests being morons, but I won't. As this woman and her husband left I stood there like a cartoon character with those stars spinning over my head - in fact I was on the forum upset about it.
Example of typical stupidity at B&B's - many of us have electric kettles for those tea drinkers, hot cocoa drinkers etc. You know what they look like BIG METAL KETTLES plugged into an outlet. How many innkeepers can attest that guests think that is the MILK/CREAMER for coffee? Yeah half gallon of creamer warmed and coming right up!
I think that caught my eye because we actually have SIX ROOMS so when I saw 4 view rooms I cringed. People are weird. People are dangerous.

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

Number of Rooms: 4 View Rooms

Hi JunieBJoness - well, I didn't see that coming. The "view rooms" is a link for the surfer to go and view the rooms, it does not mean they are rooms with a view.

PS I like Joness it has a catch to it.

 

[paulavery]

HEY!!!!!
Maybe this is why the lady marched out of here a year ago ticked off to no end because she said we are supposed to have views from the rooms!!! We do not EVER say we have views from our rooms, and in fact RIGHT NOW when it is brrrr we have views from the PORCH ONLY as the leaves are all gone on the trees. We do not ever say we have views from our rooms.
Well I went to P&P
Number of Rooms: 4 View Rooms
Breakfast Service: .

Number of Rooms: 4 View Rooms

Hi JunieBJones - well, I didn't see that coming. The "view rooms" is a link for the surfer to go and view the rooms, it does not mean they are rooms with a view.
I'll change that. I think I'll just remove the 'view.'
Paul

 

[Copperhead]

'arial'

changed....
Also, Bree & Copperhead - we have a function to get it exact. I'll post that tomorrow.
Seashanty - if you private message me the e-mail address for your B&B I will edit your listing.
Thanks all..

Paul the view I am having a problem with is Microsoft Virtual Earth view that appears with my listing. Google Maps have us dead on. Just wanted to be clear which was causing me to freak...

 

[briarrosebb]

Paul, just FYI your proximity calc on the Boulder page cannot be right. Golden is not 30 miles from Boulder. It seems like it's got to be a logic problem because I don't think any place in Boulder is 30 miles from any place in Golden.

 

[swirt]

Paul, just FYI your proximity calc on the Boulder page cannot be right. Golden is not 30 miles from Boulder. It seems like it's got to be a logic problem because I don't think any place in Boulder is 30 miles from any place in Golden..

Aren't they only 20 miles apart?
I think the calculation that Pillowsandpancakes uses is "as a crow flies." They show towns across the lake from us and list them as only 5 miles away, but its a 40 mile drive to get to them because there is no ferry or bridge across the lake.

 

[briarrosebb]

Paul, just FYI your proximity calc on the Boulder page cannot be right. Golden is not 30 miles from Boulder. It seems like it's got to be a logic problem because I don't think any place in Boulder is 30 miles from any place in Golden..

Aren't they only 20 miles apart?
I think the calculation that Pillowsandpancakes uses is "as a crow flies." They show towns across the lake from us and list them as only 5 miles away, but its a 40 mile drive to get to them because there is no ferry or bridge across the lake.
.

hi, steve ...
It's about 20 miles. i'm guessing he's doing it in-house on latitude and longtitude. The proximity calc is pretty complex... lots of flashbacks to high school trigonometry... so I said this thinking he's got an error.
regards,
brendan