Google launches My Maps

Create, annotate and share personalized maps with My Maps, a new addition to Google Maps.

To get started, just head to the site and click the My Maps tab. Create a new map, choose whether to make it public or private (the former makes it available in searches), then start marking it up. You can add places, draw lines and shapes, and even incorporate hosted photos and videos (though only by adding the appropriate HTML to a placemark's description). When you're done, you can share the map (it gets its own URL) or create a KML file for use in Google Earth.

Windows Live Maps offers similar functionality (and has better drawing tools), but Google raises the bar a bit with its video and KML support. Plus, My Maps is much easier to work with. How will you use this tool?