Image Results Now Available from Google Custom Search API; My Places Tab on Google Maps Now Displays Past Directions and Locations; U.S.-Japan Economic Harmonization Initiative

Google on December 2, 2011, added image results to Custom Search Engines to enable sites to offer image-only results that showcase photos and other digital images.

Today, the team announced, that site owners can now access throguh the Custom Search API.

Note that you need to enable image search in your custom search engine control panel for the custom image search to work.

For more information about accessing Image Results from the Custom Search API or to try it out in the Custom Search API Explorer, visit here.

For billing, "image queries will be treated the same as web queries," Google stated.

If you are still using the deprecated Google Image Search API, now's a great time to switch!

Below is an example of an image search:

Google also announced, that if you might look up the places and directions you visited before on Google Maps, now, when "you visit My Places, you'll see directions you've recently looked up appear on the panel to the left of the map. You can also filter the results to access only these previous directions from the 'More' tab."

This historical archive of directions results makes it quicker and easier to continue planning later.

"When you're signed in to your Google account, the My Places tab on Google Maps makes it easy to find starred locations, places you've rated and checked-in, saved Custom Maps, and even past local searches."

Google notes, "these past directions and places will only appear for signed-in users who enable Web History. And like other items in My Places, it's simple to remove any of the locations or directions via the drop-down arrow next to each item. Whenever you need to access or organize your important places and directions, just visit Google Maps and click on the My Places button to get started."

Also, just in time for Valentine's Day, the Chris Kay Fraser made available "Canada Kiss Map," a Google Maps API powered application that enables users to share the stories and locations of their most memorable smooches (First kisses, last kisses and all those kisses in between...).

Finally, In an effort to recognize the critical role that open information flows play in trade and economic growth -- just a few weeks ago, the United States and Japan signed new information and communications technology principles which support open government and the free flow of information across national borders.

"I welcome the progress we have made through the U.S.-Japan Economic Harmonization Initiative (EHI), which expands job-supporting business and export opportunities for American entrepreneurs, workers, manufacturers, and service providers," said Ambassador Kirk. "Addressing issues of concern and working closely together to advance new areas of cooperation will further deepen our relationship with Japan - a strong ally and our fourth largest export market."

That agreement comes on the heels of similar principles signed by the U.S. and EU and members of the U.S. business community last year.