There are a number of Facebook applications that leverage the Google Maps API to add a geographical element to their Facebook offerings. Here is a quick look at some of these applications:
Make New Friends on Facebook
AskOkulu is a social network built on Google Maps. Anyone can join the network via many of the existing social networks. Clicking on the following links will add the AskOkulu application to the named social network, Facebook, Hi5, Ning,Orkut, Bebo and MySpace.
Once you add the application to your social network site your profile photograph will be added to a Google Map. It is then possible to search the map for popular females, popular males, members in particular countries or members who speak a particular language.
Online Members on Map allows members of Facebook, Myspace, Orkut, Bebo and Hi5 to meet and chat with other users on a Google Map. Users can select to view females or males on the map.
Save Locations
Favorite Places lets users 'favorite' locations and share them with their friends. The application uses Google Street View to display panoramas of favorited places. You can also add information about your saved locations.
Play Games
King (or Queen) of the World is a Facebook strategy game that uses Google Maps to demonstrate the current territories of game players.
The game is a territorial game of diplomacy, alliances and battles. To join the game a player chooses a location on a Google Map. Google Maps are also used to show the locations of game players and the defending and invading soldiers of player battles.
Google Maps Challenge is a Facebook game that involves trying to identify a succesion of satellite images from Google Maps of famous locations around the world. In the game you have 60 seconds to identify as many images as you can.
Where are Your Friends
Use a Map lets you share your location with your Facebook friends. You can drag a map pin on a Google Map to set your location and then share the map view with your friends.
Use a Map also lets you view the locations of all your Facebook friends on a Google Map.
Mapmotive for Facebook is an application that automatically displays your Facebook friends on a Google Map. The Mapmotive map not only shows the geography of your Facebook network but allows you to add markers.
You can use the application to show the location of an upcoming party or event, or use it to display the places you have visited or to share your favourite restaurants and bars.
This Facebook application also maps all of your Facebook friends and, in addition, extracts other interesting facts from your friends' profiles.
On installing this application to Facebook you are presented with a Google Map displaying your friends' locations indicated by their profile picture. Under the map there is a series of tables informing you about how many of your friends are male or female, how many are single or in a relationship and how many of your friends are conservative and how many are liberal etc.
Friends Density lets you view a heat map of your Facebook friends. The application also includes a geography game based on your friends' locations.
Marketing Campaigns
Click It Forward is the first Facebook application that I have seen that uses the Google Earth Browser plug-in. Acurian is a company that recruits individuals for medical trials. They say that you can help support medical research by signing up your friends on Facebook to their 'Click it Forward' Facebook application.
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