A lot of people have used Google but few have any idea as to the complexity and computer power necessary to return billions of queries with millions of results all in under a second. This isn't by accident, an oversight by Google or even due to security concerns, Google believes in not making search seem complicated to users. This notion is perhaps best illustrated in Google's "Technology Overview" ,

Google "Universal" includes results from Google Maps as well as other verticals. In addition to relevancy, Google Maps includes geographic factors in determining ranking order in search engine results pages. Google Universal search engine results page including Google Maps results. By creating their own business listing, business owners are helping drive traffic to their site as well as customers through their front door.

Brian Ussery is director of SEO at Search Discovery in Atlanta, Georgia, and develops using Google's tools and APIs. The Google Maps team has been hard at work launching a number of new features in recent months. In case you've missed them, here are a few of the features available in Google Maps these days. "Get directions" with Google Maps Street View Google's Street View was released a year ago and includes imagery for 37 major metropolitan areas in the US.

Brian Ussery is director of SEO at Search Discovery in Atlanta, Georgia, and develops using Google's tools and APIs. He's visiting the Google I/O work shop and brings us photos and more. Google Developers from all around have converged on the Moscone Center here in San Francisco, CA for 48 hours to discuss their latest projects, new products and web applications. Google's largest developer event, Google I/O 2008 is under way.