Google Maps Geocoding No Longer Free? - javascript

It's been a while since I've played around with geocoding, but going through their documentation it seems to me that Google now charges $0.005 for each geocoding call. Do they no longer allow the 2,500 free requests/day? I'm in Canada if that makes a difference (the documentation listed the prices for Canada, Brazil, and India... not sure if its different in the states)... or am I missing something? I have a list of about 4,500 addresses that I need to geocode to put on a map. I'm also using PHP to make the calls to the javascript API.

Google Maps APIs are no longer available without API keys. Additionally, you must supply credit card information before you can access their API at all. Judging by your usage, you may be able to fall within their new free $200 credit per month.
You can visit the Google Maps API pricing to view pricing information and see if it will still work for you. If not, or you would just like to switch, another option may be OpenStreetMap.

Related

Google Maps/Place Geocoding

Currently I am using Google Maps for both Autocomplete as well as Geocoding function.
However, I realized that Google Maps geocoding is rather inaccurate for most cases and also chanced upon a few links suggesting to use Google Places API.
As the Google Maps method which I have implemented is based on Javascript approach and it does not require any API key. Therefore, it does not have much restriction since it is based on client side limit.
However for Google Places, it seems that it requires an API key and have a different set of usage limit.
Before I convert and explore on Google Places API:
May I know is there any better free alternative for geocoding solution which is good/accurate?
Is it possible to configure Google Places geocoding in a way similar to Google Maps so that the usage limitation is held at client level?
Or is there a strategy that I can try/consider. Example, create a few Google Places account/API key, and develop some logic e.g. (if apikey1 exceed limits, switch to api2 etc..)? Before that, is it able to track or detect the current limit via portal or coding level respectively?
May I know is there any better free alternative for geocoding solution which is good/accurate?
I think Google Maps offers the most accurate among free geocoding services. Reading from this SO thread, if you're really concerened about precision, then consider using paid services.
Is it possible to configure Google Places geocoding in a way similar to Google Maps so that the usage limitation is held at client level?
Here's a statement from Google about Usage Limits
The Google Places API Web Service enforces a default limit of 1 000
requests per 24 hour period, which you can increase free of charge. If
your app exceeds the limit, the app will start failing. Verify your
identity to get up to 150 000 requests per 24 hour period, by enabling
billing on the Google API Console. A credit card is required for
verification. We ask for your credit card purely to validate your
identity. Your card will not be charged for use of the Google Places
API Web Service.
The limit for free usage is 150 000 requests per 24 hour period. If
your app exceeds the limit, the app will start failing again. Purchase
a Google Maps APIs Premium Plan license to get more than 150 000
requests per 24 hour period.
Please take steps to increase your limit early if you expect to exceed
the default number of requests allowed.
Is there a strategy that I can try/consider. Example, create a few Google Places account/API key, and develop some logic e.g. (if apikey1 exceed limits, switch to api2 etc..)?
It seems there is no such feature. If you want to exceed the free quota, consider
payment.
You're right, there are many restrictions on the Google APIs. In fact, in the terms of use, the Google Maps API requires that you use the geocode information with a map presentation—you can't just print the numbers.
And yes, the Google Maps API guesses an approximate location based on the address input. For instance, if you give it a complete address that is not a real place, it will try to give you somewhere in between the real places that would probably be next to it. This is one of the reasons you will often get inaccurate geocode information from them. Overall, the API is great for what it is designed to do.
As someone who works in this industry, I'm not actually aware of any completely free geocoding and autocompleting service. Most products have a free tier though (up to so many uses per week or per month, etc).
(Full disclosure: I'm a developer at SmartyStreets where I work on the US Autocomplete API as well as the US Street Address API, which provides geocoding.)

Issue in google maps embed API with time

I trying to implement search for places at particular time with transit mode in google maps with print option. So i used google maps EMBED API. What i achieved is i can search for places with origin and destination parameters in transit mode. What i cannot be able to do is search with specific time. There is no parameter in official documentation given regarding time . For reference https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/embed/start
I have used JS Fiddle http://jsfiddle.net/pravinkumar/t5kg4gc2/ to replicate this problem. Please someone help me find a solution.
I think both Embed API and Static Maps API does not provide that function.
You can either use the server side Google Directions API, which has a similar format, to get that info, in additional to your embed api,
https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/directions/json?origin=Brooklyn&destination=Queens&departure_time=1343641500&mode=transit&key=API_KEY
or else you should switch to the Javascript API. You should able to do that with the Transit Options
As you note from its absence in the documentation, time-of-travel routing is not a supported feature.

Google Maps API - Get Property Boundary Data

I am looking for a way to extract built in property boundary data from the Google API to know where to highlight areas for information needs.
It's easy enough drawing a polygon, but I want to know where to draw it in a more automated fashion. Perhaps similar to Geocoding for extracting an address location, except the geocoder only provides a central coordinate and a bounding box (for screen navigation) unfortunately.
Does Google provide this property data in some form?
Thanks
Having looked through the Maps APIs fairly extensively and no one suggesting otherwise. I think it's pretty conclusive Google Maps does not provide property boundaries.
The best way to go is to look for a service that does have the data to integrate into Maps, but likely costs money.
As an example these may be:
Your local government's land services
RPData.com - http://www.rpdata.com/residential_property_information/residential_property_information.html
ReportAllUSA.com (if you are American) - http://reportallusa.com/
None of these are guaranteed, looking into them myself, but may also be different from person to person depending on costs. If I find a free one, I'll give a shout.
For anyone looking to implement this on Australian Region.
State & Local councils have open data free for usage.
I am working with Brisbane, QLD Australia:
For Brisbane: https://www.data.brisbane.qld.gov.au/data/dataset?q=parcel
For QLD: https://www.data.qld.gov.au/dataset?q=parcel
P.S parcel dataset contains information about individual Property Listings. It does have a learning curve & takes sometime to use open data.

Google maps - map from certain date and time

Please before you vote this down consider the question as I have not been able to conceptualize a better way or place to ask it:
I have experimented adequately with google maps to understand the overall structure. Making requests, creating custom flags, etc. It is all quite easy and very similar the jCharts library.
Now, google obviously has something that is not available: a map from a certain date in the past. I do not need a full day by day iteration, but even every 6 months or so would be huge.
Is this possible? Has anyone else experimented with this?
Is the only option to save results locally and reinvent the google maps wheel?
Thank you very much
Google Earth has this functionality: http://www.google.com/earth/explore/showcase/historical.html
Travel back in time with Historical Imagery in Google Earth. View your neighborhood, home town, and other familiar places to see how they have changed over time.
As for Google maps:
A discussion suggesting the use of older URLs to obtain the old satellite images.
This example supposedly pulls older images if they're available. Doesn't work that well for me.
This search on the Google groups might help but I see numerous posts about it not being officially available.
There is no official service. These posts hint at ways to go back a
short while, under some circumstances.
http://groups.google.com/group/google-maps-api/search?group=google-maps-api&q=old+satellite
Note the comments about seeing if it is within the terms - probably
not - and the risk of getting (temporarily) blocked.

Bing Image Search API

Does anyone know if Bing limits the number of requests an application can have for the Image Search API? I looked through the terms and couldn't find anything but the wording that they 'reserve' the right to do so. My application would pull several images for each user - so there could potentially be a lot of requests. Any feedback?
Zach
It's not clear whether this is actually enforced but the guidelines say
"[You must] Restrict your usage to
less than 7 queries per second (QPS)
per IP address. You may be permitted
to exceed this limit under some
conditions, but this must be approved
through discussion with
api_tou#microsoft.com."
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd440746.aspx
I think, it is possible that this guide contains outdated information about restrictions. There are no info about queries number in the current version of terms (ver. March 2011). At the same time, there is a line about restricted advertisment on the page where the bing images or videos results are situated - this is essential.
Actually, Free Bing Search API is limited to 5000 Transactions/month & the Source type can be..
Web
Images
News
Videos
Related Search
Spelling Suggestions
More Info, https://datamarket.azure.com/dataset/5BA839F1-12CE-4CCE-BF57-A49D98D29A44

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