Predecessors

While maps may be the obvious predecessor to Google Maps, there are numerous traditional forms of media from which it draws. It incorporates some features of TV news programs, phone books, and photography. By incorporating these features, Google Maps wields the power of each and new capabilities due to the merger. For instance, if you would like to find a five star restaurant among the convoluted streets of some foreign city, Google Maps can give you the addresses of all the five star restaurants in the area, the quickest way there, the exact distance of the trip, a view of the restaurant, and even a link to the restaurant's website. Though these features are fantastic, there are many of the limitations of earlier media. For instance, a company must be in Google's database to be located in the same way that companies must pay to be in the yellow pages.