Transit: the new(ish) thing from Google.

It's no secret I love Google. (Note to self: Google "I heart Google" t-shirt . . . wait . . . done, and of course there's a CafePress store. Not sure I like that design, however. I want those primary colors, dammit!) Being the crafty chums they are, they've given me another reason to refresh my enthusiasm. Google Transit. A slow roll-out like some of their other betas, but a good deal more cities than Street View, I'm happy to see. Even Hampton Roads - Virginia made the cut! There are international transit maps, too. The highlights: travel directions via public transit on Google Maps. This is both a dream come true and a forehead-smacker -- it seems a painfully obvious service, but a logistical nightmare. High-fives to all the public transit systems on board. I love you guys, too. Oh right, highlights. Upon entering a specific to/from route:

• You may specify a date and a depart/arrive by time
• Arrival times of buses/trains are given (and you can chose alternative trips based on those times)
• Fares are calculated
• The equivalent estimated cost of driving is also calculated
• Walking directions and directions to/from nearest stops are shown

I bet there's more, but those seem pretty good to me. The example addresses given are for Portland, Oregon, so this one is for you, April: To get from 4412 Northeast 17th Avenue to West Burnside Street & Southwest Broadway, take a two minute walk northeast then hop on the 8 bus towards Portland. That'll cost you $1.75 (vs $1.65 driving). [More gushing by me on that other place I like to post stuff.] So you know how everybody's been upset that in 2008 we're not in flying cars that can teleport from place-to-place? Well, that's okay, 'cause this kind of applied technology is exactly where we're headed. I'm excited to see how developed, and portable (::wink::) this becomes.