Google Maps is now in public beta. I’ve been using Google for the last year or so to punch in addresses, then I usually hit the Yahoo Maps link that google spits out, but I really like the interface for the new Google Maps much better. Sorry Yahoo!

The graphics for Google Maps really look sharp compared to the other mapping services that are currently available, and I really like that the map dynamically resizes as your browser window’s dimensions change. There is a slider for zooming in and out that is really easy to use and is very fast on the map redraw.

I think that the best feature of Google Maps is that you can use the arrow keys on your keyboard to move the map around, and as you navigate with the arrow keys, it continuously redraws the map area. If you want to zoom in/out, you can hit the +/- keys and zoom on the fly with your keyboard. Bravo!

One major problem so far is that there seem to be chunks of the map missing when using Firefox. Here is an example:

Check it out:
Google Maps