New Google Maps Leave You Lost

Well, it seems that Google has decided to "improve" their maps.

Now, I currently use Google Maps because I like how I can just type in keywords and Google plots them on the map, like "hardware store near Minneapolis".

And I like the street view (though in the current version, it's hard to find where they keep moving it to)- where you can click on it and see what the actual building looks like when you are driving up to it.

Those are great features.

Well, someone steering Google's development has lost their mind.  They obviously have never taught anyone in their lives, nor have any clue as to how people actual use their product.

If you're interested in trying out the new Google maps, all you need to do is navigate to Maps.Google.com and sign up for their "new maps".  They "sign you up" for the new map demo via and email.

The problem later becomes how to get rid of the new demo, but I get ahead of myself.

Here's an image of the new Google maps

Some features you'll like:

1. Great integration of "Earth" (previously called "terrain") features with the drawn in political map (that's cartographer speak for the map with just the streets).
2. You might also like the "smooth zoom" feature, though, after using it, I find that it is slow and cumbersome to wait for the entire page to repaint instead of just zooming out.  
3. You might even like the local attractions listed under "Explore" (though I don't think THAT'S an obvious title for "Attractions" on a map.  Why not just call it, uhm, "Attractions"?)

Things you'll absolutely hate:

1. The search box is now OVER the map.  As you add places you want to drive to or a complex route, the text is shown OVER THE MAP.  ISN'T THAT GREAT!?  
2. You can't actually ever get RID of or minimize the large white search box- it's always there and it's ALWAYS over the map.
3. Dragging the map line to reroute is horrible.  If you didn't know, the current version of Google maps allows you to drag the route line to a different street, so you can avoid a street or whatever. It's nice.  However, the new Google maps seems to be coded in HTML 5 with animation for the line.  That means that ever time you drag it, the line DISAPPEARS and then is redrawn in an animation from the start to the destination.  EVERY TIME YOU CHANGE THE ROUTE.  It's slow.  It's ridiculous.  It's poor planing to have the route line DISAPPEAR.
4. But my favorite new feature of the new Google maps is the ability to rotate the whole map.  So, for those of you that can't read a map with north pointing up, this will be great.  It allows the WHOLE MAP to rotate with every click.  So, those people who are using this while driving, will be watching the map rotate and repaint instead of watching the traffic or pedestrians in front of them.

Great job, Google.  It's just what we've always NOT NEEDED.

Now I have to figure how to to revert to the old map.

It seems that Google, like Amazon, has gotten too big for its britches and has started designing for themselves, instead of the people they're supposed to serve.  It's enough to make me switch back to Mapquest.