After tons of unofficial hacks, Google has finally embraced the interest in Google Maps and released a public API! The announcement came yesterday, along with the immediate availability of the Google Maps API.

Quite frankly, I can’t wait to dig into Google Maps and come up with some cool ways of using it. You must register for a subscriber ID, similar to other Google services, but after that, it’s a free-for-all of functionality. I know Google is on their way to becoming the next Microsoft, but on the way they’re really making the Web an exciting place to live, learn, and develop through the publishing of their APIs. Go Google!