Google has added a new feature to Google Maps called Street View. As the name implies, you can see an area at the street level as opposed to up above with traditional satellite views.

Apple Store Fifth Avenue

These images of the street are also done in a QuickTime VR-type format so you can “pan-around” to see 360 degrees of the street. At the moment, Street View is only for Denver, Las Vegas, Miami, New York and San Francisco. Just drag the little guy to any street that is highlighted in red and the pictures appear.

Google Maps also has a new feature called maplets, which are like Google Gadgets placed on your map. You can choose from its directory which content you’d like to add to your map, from gas prices in your city to national weather stats. The mapplets are mini web pages that are served inside an IFrame within the Google map. Anything that can go into a normal webpage can go in this IFrame, meaning it supports HTML, Javascript and Flash. From those you’ve chosen, you can select which gadgets you’d like to display on the current map, and multiple gadgets can show at once.

Thanks to Trish Williams for the heads up!

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