The Google Maps API remains one of the showcase examples of the Web 2.0 development paradigm.Beginning Google Maps Applications with Rails and Ajax: From Novice to Professional is the first book to comprehensively introduce the service from a developer perspective, showing you how you can integrate mapping features into your Rails-driven web applications.

Proceeding far beyond simplistic map display, youll learn how to draw from a variety of data sources such as the U.S. Census Bureau's TIGER/Line data and Google's own geocoding feature to build comprehensive geocoding services for mapping many locations around the world.

The book also steers you through various examples that show how to encourage user interaction such as through pinpointing map locations, adding comments, and building community-driven maps. Youll want to pick up a copy of this book because

This is the first book to comprehensively introduce the Google Maps application development using the Rails development framework.Youll be introduced to the very latest changes to the Google Maps API, embodied in the version 2 release.It is written by four developers actively involved in the creation of location-based mapping services.

For additional info, please visit the author's reference site for this book.

Andre Lewis has been working with technology for the last nine years. His experience ranges from large-scale enterprise consulting with Accenture to startup ventures and open source projects. During "Web 1.0," Andre helped architect coolboard.com, one of the top 50 trafficked Internet sites in 2000. He currently runs his own business, developing Ruby on Rails applications and consulting on Web 2.0 technologies. He also runs hotspotr.com, a community-driven site for WiFi cafes. He blogs about technology, work, and general interests at http://earthcode.com. From time to time, Andre gives presentations to San Francisco-area technology groups, including SDForum and the SF Ruby meetup. Andre lives and works in San Francisco, California. When he's not working with clients or exploring the latest technologies, he likes to mountain bike, camp, and ride his motorcycle.

Your First Google Maps.- Google Maps and Rails.- Getting Started.- Interacting with the User and the Server.- Geocoding Addresses.- Beyond the Basics.- Manipulating Third-Party Data.- Improving the User Interface.- Optimizing and Scaling for Large Data Sets.- Whats Next for the Google Maps API?.- Advanced Map Features and Methods.- Advanced Tips and Tricks.- Lines, Lengths, and Areas.- Advanced Geocoding Topics.