Posted by: Justin Chu, Places API Product Manager



Cross-post to the Official Enterprise Blog, where we've announced a new enterprise feature



Starting today, the Google Places API will feature Place Summaries, reliable reviews about points of interest. This allows your application to embed useful review information. For example, car manufacturers can use the API to provide drivers with detailed reviews of local establishments directly in their in-car system.





Place Summaries are curated expert reviews and ratings, based on user feedback, that provide information about a location’s key attributes such as decor, quality and service. The API also shows Zagat-recommended establishments. So whether your customer is looking for a local Chinese restaurant or a national park, the Google Places API help them make a quick, informed decision about where to go and what to do.



We’re continually improving the Google Places API to deliver accurate and comprehensive information about local businesses across the globe. For more information about the Google Places API, contact our sales team.

Since launching the the Google Places API Developer Challenge in August , developers around the world have been busy collaborating with major municipalities to create applications that address the most pressing needs in our communities. Based on feedback from developers, who want more time to create really impactful apps, we’ve decided to extend the deadline for the challenge through the end of November 2012.



The challenge invites developers to create apps that improve their communities or governments by using the Google Places API and its database of places and tools to create innovative applications.



With a global database of more than 95 million places powering Google Maps, the Google Places API enables you to search for information about a broad range of places around the world. We also provide links to more than 30,000 interesting data sets on the Google Places API Challenge site at http://developers.google.com/places/challenge .





Check out this video to learn more about the objectives of the challenge.



Submissions are pouring in and we look forward to seeing all of the great applications that are submitted by November 30, 2012. Public voting, as well as official judging by our panel of experts in civic innovation and application development, will begin in December 2012. Awards for both People’s Choice and Judge’s Choice will be announced in January 2013. Developers of the winning applications will enjoy an immersive VIP experience at Google I/O 2013, along with other prizes . We look forward to seeing what happens when the Google Places API meets inspired developers!


 Posted by Rob Gray, Global Marketing Manager, Google Maps and Earth (Enterprise)


 Rob Gray leads the marketing team for Google Maps and Earth Enterprise, which includes products such as the Google Maps API, Google Maps Engine, Google Maps Coordinate and Google Earth Pro. Rob has been working in the technology industry for over 15 years in a variety of roles across marketing sales and product management.

Earlier this month we announced the Google Places API Developer Challenge, a 10-week application development event designed to spur the creation of applications focused on civic needs. We’re excited to see how you can find solutions to critical needs in areas such as transit, community engagement, education and city management by combining publicly available data sets with the power of the Google Places API. The developers of the winning applications will receive a VIP experience at Google I/O 2013.



Application submissions begin now and will continue through the end of October. The winning applications will be announced in mid-December. The judging and selection of applications will be performed by a distinguished panel of luminaries with backgrounds in geospatial technology, application development, and civic innovation, and they include:

  • Bill Oates, Chief Information Officer, City of Boston

  • John Tolva, Chief Technology Officer, City of Chicago

  • Jay Nath, Chief Innovation Officer, City of San Francisco

  • Adel W. Ebeid, Chief Innovation Officer, City of Philadelphia

  • Mark Headd, Chief Data Officer, City of Philadelphia, and former Government Relations Director at Code for America

  • John Geraci, Founder of DIYcity.org and Outside.in

  • Adam DuVander, Executive Editor at ProgrammableWeb

  • Jeanne M. Holm, Chief Knowledge Architect at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab and Chair of NASA’s Knowledge Management Team

  • Laurenellen McCann, National Policy Manager, Sunlight Foundation

  • Ed Parsons, Geospatial Technologist for Google

  • Paul Rademacher, Creator of the First Google Maps API Mashup and Creator of Stratocam

  • Rob Gray, Global Marketing Manager, Google Earth and Maps

To hear more about the types of applications that cities need, check out the video above featuring Ed Parsons (Google’s Geospatial Technologist), Jay Nath, (CIO of San Francisco), John Tolva, (CTO of Chicago), Rachel Sterne (Chief Digital Officer of NYC), and Andrew Collinge (Intelligence Office of the Greater London Authority).



Developers have always impressed us with their innovative uses of the Google Places API, and we're excited to see that energy focused on helping our communities. If you have any questions or concerns about the API, please join our developer community on Stack Overflow. We look forward to seeing all of your great ideas and meeting the winners at Google I/O.



Posted by Justin Chu, Google Places API Product Manager

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