Google released their Google Maps service today — one look shows yet again that interface design is one of their serious strengths. The maps are just plain pretty, the drop-shadows keep you from confusing map & overlay and they’ve even managed to glide to new positions rather than blank the screen and reload when you recenter. The link to directions even includes the zoom level and where you were centered on the screen. It’s also fast, and apparently the client-side stuff is all done in Javascript — I’m impressed.
If I were any of the other mapping services I’d be scrambling to catch up right about now…