Customized Directions on Google Maps

Google Maps now lets you customize the directions it generates, to avoid or include certain roads or locations, or to route around bad traffic. To customize directions, simply drag any point on the purple directions line to a new location. Google Maps automatically recreates the directions and creates a new destination for the point you added. To remove a destination, right-click on any of the markers on the route and select Remove This Destination.

Google Maps Street View

In case you missed it, Google Maps is now displaying Street View 360-degree photographs of selected major cities (New York, San Francisco, Las Vegas, etc.). Just click the Street View link and you see a ground-level photo of the current location; use your mouse to pan left and right around that point. It's probably more cool than useful, and has generated some privacy concerns, but still worth checking out.

Google Docs & Spreadsheets: New Interface

Google Docs & Spreadsheets is sporting a new folder-based interface. This should make it easier to store and find documents you're working on. Check it out!

Google Voice Local Search: Now with Maps

Remember 1-800-GOOG-411, AKA Google Voice Search, Google's free voice service aimed at replacing paid 411 services on your mobile phone? Now you can use it to send maps to your cell phone. Just dial a (free) call, tell it what you're looking for, then say "map it." Google will then send you text message with the details of your search plus a link to a map of the location you asked for.