Speech-friendly textual directions from Google Maps

Posted by T.V. Raman, Research Scientist

From time to time, our own T.V. Raman shares his tips on how to use Google from his perspective as a technologist who cannot see -- tips that sighted people, among others, may also find useful. - Ed.

Google Maps and its associated local search is a quick and easy means of locating businesses and obtaining directions. Most people who use it already seem to enjoy the graphical interface with its extremely reactive GUI. But when using spoken output, this visual richness can get in the way of quickly listening to the results of a maps query.

As an alternative, Google Maps also provides a simple to use a textual interface that serves up directions very efficiently when working with a screenreader or a Braille display. This alternative view into Google Maps is here, at the Textual Maps UI (http://maps.google.com/?output=html). It's extremely useful for blind and visually impaired users, as well as an effective solution for those times when you're at a non-graphical display and need to quickly look up a location.

Just type a simple English query of the form start address to end address and quickly get the information you're looking for. Though we added this option to enhance the accessibility of Google Maps for blind and low-vision users, perhaps others will find this alternative view a useful addition to their maps arsenal.

KARLA CASOS

Le dicen la Angelina Jolie peruana pero la verdad es que al margen del parecido, Karla Casós tiene un no sé qué que ella sí sabe qué es. La espigada joven acaba de lanzar un calendario que trae dos desnudos integrales, no frontales y sí de muy buen gusto.

Happy Christmas from Beautiful Newsmakers!

Happy Christmas my dear readers! This cute girl is Japanese Gravure Idol Kana Tsugihara! I'll post more about her in days to come!

Hope this beautiful Japanese babe will make your festive season a cheerful one.

Lydia - Sarunrat Visutthithada

Sarunrat Visutthithada

Lydia - Sarunrat Visutthithada

Lydia - Sarunrat Visutthithada

Lydia - Sarunrat Visutthithada

Lydia - Sarunrat Visutthithada

Lydia - Sarunrat Visutthithada

Lydia - Sarunrat Visutthithada

Lydia - Sarunrat Visutthithada

Lydia - Sarunrat Visutthithada

Lydia - Sarunrat Visutthithada

BRITNEY SPEARS

Britney lo hizo otra vez. Y no parece importarle, de acuerdo con el fotógrafo de celebridades que inmortalizó a la Princesa del Pop sin ropa interior. “Yo no la vi ni siquiera intentar taparse”, dijo Edwin Merino. Ver fotos sin ropa interior

Where on Earth is Santa?

Posted by Melissa Crounse, Chief Elf

As you know, every Christmas Eve Santa Claus gets busy on his tricked-out sleigh, soaring around the globe to deliver presents to (presumably deserving) children the world over. This year, even if you don't have a reindeer team of your own, you can use the Google Earth Santa Tracker (That's earth.google.com/santa.) Follow along on every step of Santa's travels with Donner, Blitzen, and of course Rudolph, in all their 3-D satellite glory. And to all a good flight -- er, night!

Weekend Babe: Sexy Thai Bibee Assavayutthakal

Whoah! Second last weekend of 2006! Our weekend babe is Bibee Assavayutthakal (whew!). This sexy Thai beauty is the Top 24 Miss Maxim of 2006.

Have a good long weekend guys!