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April 22, 2010

Google Maps Adds Kinetic Scrolling

Google Maps has been updated and it now uses kinetic scrolling, a feature inspired by operating systems designed for touch screens. Click on the map, quickly move your mouse and then release it. You'll notice that the map continues to move with the momentum created after you released the mouse.

Now that mobile Google Maps uses the buttons from the desktop interface and both interfaces use kinetic scroll, Google Maps is more consistent.

"Kinetic scrolling is the popular term to denote the scrolling of a long list with a bit of physics so that user feels like moving a wheel. Such a list view is then often referred as a flick list, caused the scrolling involves some sort of flicking gestures. Made popular in iPhone, flick list quickly invades other mobile platforms with touch screen because it just feels so natural and more usable than using the conventional approach of scroll bars," explains Ariya Hidayat.


{ Thanks, que. }

12 comments:

  1. Why would kinetic scrolling be an improvement? I'm not using my pc with a touchscreen. My mouse is perfectly capable of stopping at the right point. Don't want de screen to continue rolling.

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  2. It's a touchy feely catchy thingy - like Bing Maps SilverLight...Google had to do it.

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  3. How do I enable it in my Google Maps API apps...the million dollar question!

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  4. That's a good question. For now, Google Maps API allows you to use the old panning UI.

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  5. doesnt seem to work when you zoom into UK maps...?

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  6. Is it just me, or have they also sneakishly removed the Cloud layer in Google Earth?

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  7. I agree 100% with Jwijnings. The kinetic scrolling has too much hysteresis, and it just doesn't work on a non-touchscreen device. It's as if the map has a mind of its own and keeps on moving when it shouldn't (that is, when you're trying to read the text after you finish scrolling). It makes you feel like you need to grip the mouse more tightly just to get control of the interface. Google should ditch this useless Aero-like gimmicky feature ASAP.

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  8. The kinetic scrolling has too much hysteresis

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  9. The kinetic scrolling has too much hysteresis

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  10. i hate it too... they should let you turn it off. makes no sense to have it on a mouse driven PC

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  11. Are there any plans of enbling kinetic scrolling via API? Will it be enabled by default or do we have to update our scripts?

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  12. This kinetic scrolling is AWFUL! Normal mouse (or touchpad) use constantly sends Google maps veering uncontrollably east or west, and never ever stopping (I just have to close the window). I've run across many many similar complaints from other users. Maybe I'm just an old (32-yr-old) fogey who clings to using intuitive movements, rather than internalizing Apple's proprietary Gesture system, but really, why do you have to let Apple ruin Google Maps? How can I disable this thing?

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