New Neon Maps

NYC Taxi Tiles is a map of 2013 New York City taxi data. The information for the map was obtained through a FOIL asking (you tin read the interesting story behind the asking here). The bluish dots on the map stand upward for pick-up points as well as the yellowish points exhibit drop-off points.

I've been seeing a lot of these 'neon' manner maps lately. These maps portion some mutual features, such every bit night or grey-scale map tiles as well as the information overlaid amongst lighter dots or lines. The lift of this detail map provides a clue every bit to how these maps are created - amongst the information processed as well as added to the actual map tiles rather than beingness added inward the browser.


It should hold out possible to charge smaller amounts of information to the map inward the browser. I similar this Moscow Hills OpenStreetMap of Moscow, using slope colored roads to exhibit superlative levels throughout the city. As good every bit using the color of the roads every bit a guide yous tin mouse-over whatever signal on a route to persuasion the superlative at that point.

I mean value in 1 lawsuit again the information is truly a business office of the map tiles rather than beingness overlaid on transcend of the map. Theoretically yet yous could role the Google Maps API as well as the Elevation Service to create a map amongst the information beingness loaded inward the browser. In fact it should hold out fairly elementary to depict a slope polyline along a route using the Stroke Style characteristic amongst the Google Maps SDK for iOS. Unfortunately gradient polylines stimulate got yet to hold out added to the Maps JavaScript API.


The Strava Global Heatmap is a truly informative Google Map of where joggers similar to run as well as where cyclists beloved to ride. The map allows yous to persuasion the close pop running as well as cycling routes yesteryear Strava users across the world.

The dissimilar colored neon lines (for the dissimilar Strava activities) seem to hold out added every bit map tile overlays. It makes feel to pre-process the information inward this means rather that endeavor to generate millions of information points inward the browser.


Mapbox has created a similar map using Runkeeper data. This map shows 1.5 meg walks, runs, as well as bicycle rides undertaken yesteryear Runkeeper users.

The 1.5 Million Walks, Runs, as well as Bike Rides map includes some quick links to jump to the map of a few major cities roughly the basis only yous tin pan as well as zoom the map to persuasion the pop running routes at whatever place inward the world.

1.5 millions tracks is a lot of information for the browser to process. With this sum of information it seems mutual feel to create map tiles amongst the information as well as create a mapped visualization amongst your custom mapped tiles.

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