
312 GOOGLE APPS HACKS
MapQuest’s beta site
Ask’s maps, available at http://maps.ask.com and shown in Figure 11-48, are organized in ways quite
similar to what Google provides. You can search on top or pull down a recent locations box (if you
previously searched for something, that is). The map is moved via drag and drop, and zooming can
be done by the use of the lefthand slider (or, alternatively, the “+” and “–” keys on your keyboard, or
your mouse’s scroll wheel). You can also use your keyboard’s arrow keys to move about the map.
One interesting feature is Auto-Drive, as Ask calls it. For instance, enter “mountainview, ca to san
francisco, ca”, without the quotes, and hit Get Map or press Return/Enter. You will now get both
driving and walking directions (use the lefthand tab buttons to switch between the two). Plus, you
can now press the green arrow below the zoom bar to “play” the route, meaning the marker will
automagically move for you, with explanatory speech bubbles popping up on top (like “Turn Left on
Ocean View Blvd”).
Ask Maps