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Google Maps has unveiled yet another feature, Google Mapplets, which are a mashup of mashups. Mapplets are a bit like Google gadgets applied to Maps. For now the feature is limited to a [developer preview][3], where you'll notice a new tab next to the MyMaps tab.
The Google Maps [API documentation][2] describes the new Mapplets feature:
>Mapplets are mini-webpages that are served inside an IFrame within the Google Maps site. You can put anything inside this mini-webpage that you can put into a normal webpage, including HTML, Javascript, and Flash. Google provides a Javascript API that gives the Mapplet access to services such as manipulating the map, fetching remote content, and storing user preferences.
Essentially Mapplets are a mashup of existing mashups. Rather than tracking down various Google Mashups like [Chicago Crime][4], you can now pull that data directly into Google Maps and access it along with all the normal Google Maps features.
To get started you can choose from any of the thirty mashups currently in the [Mapplets directory][1].
You could, for example, do a real estate search powered by Google Base and then combine it with crime statistics and earthquake information and more to discover where you really want or don't want to live, depending on your temperament.
Because you can activate numerous Mapplets at the same time, you can see information like movie show-times, nearby restaurants and even measure the distance between the two all in a single view.
Behind the scenes, the new features rely on KML and Atom languages and Google has proposed some format changes for both that would allow attribution and URLs for the content providers.
Since the main reason many people don't use these various mashups is that they're spread all over the web the new centralized page should be helpful for developers looking to gain a wider audience.
Combine that with the attribution and back-link proposals and some of the companies whose whole business model revolves around Maps don't seem so crazy after all.
Google has also released video of Thai Tran, Product Manager at Google Maps, demonstrating the new features:
[3]: http://maps.google.com/preview "Maps Preview"
[1]: http://maps.google.com/ig/directory?synd=mpl&pid=mpl&features=sharedmap "Google Mapplets"
[2]: http://www.google.com/apis/maps/documentation/mapplets/index.html#What_are_Mapplets "What Are Mapplets"
[4]: http://www.chicagocrime.org/map/ "Chicago Crime Map"
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