Introducing gMaps
gMaps is by far the most advanced and featured-rich geo-tagging system available for WordPress, and the only theme of its kind for BuddyPress – allowing you to create your very own geo-tagged community with full-screen Google powered maps and individual markers for each component of the platform it runs on; gMaps will automatically detect whether it is being used by WordPress, WordPress MU or BuddyPress and will configure itself accordingly.
Everything gMaps is able to do is built directly into the theme and does not require any third-party plugins or applications of any kind. Running on either Google Maps API 2 or 3 (by default), it will work out-of-the-box and only needs relevant coordinates in order to start displaying information for the individual components, such as posts, pages, comments, users, blogs, groups, topics, forum posts, profile wires and group wires. Every time you create a new entry or edit an existing entry for any of the aforementioned components, you are presented with an easy-to-use geo-location form that allows you to search for a general location, where you can then drag a marker to the exact place and use the generated coordinates for tagging the entry.
The main features of gMaps include:
- WordPress, WordPress MU and BuddyPress Compatible with Auto-Configuration for Either Platform
- Google Maps API 2 and API 3 Compatible (with default as API 3, which does not require an API Key)
- Widgetised Facebook Style Footer (Widget Titles as Links with Widget Content Rising from Footer)
- Configurable Animation Settings (None, Slow, Normal and Fast) for Widgets and Sidebars
- Post, Page, Comment, User, Blog, Group, Topic, bbPost, and Profile and Group Wire Markers
- 2 Map Marker Styles (Flags and Plates) for each User and Blog to Choose From
- Live Filtered Map Markers relevant to Markers Displayed for Each Individual Page
- Configurable Sliding Sidebar for Main Content (such as Comment Forms and BuddyPress Pages)
- Archives and Searches Provide Relevant Markers as Per Category or Search Term
- Full geoRSS Functionality Inserted into Main Feed, Comment Feed and BP Activity Feeds
Other features include:
- Independent Map Options for Every Page include Map Type, Zoom Level and Location
- Friendly Forms for Every Geo-Component with Search Box and Drag and Dropped Coordinate Picking
- Ability to Select Pagination Levels for Every Pagination BP Component from Theme Options
- Ability to Display Sitewide Posts, Pages and Comment Markers on Homepage
- Ability to Add Advertisements to Maps (468 X 60 or 200 X 200)
- Choice of Header Styles (Renaming BP Terms, Auto-Adjusting Menu Widths and Including Categories)
- Options for Copyright Text and Dates
- Ability to Add Tracking Code
- Theme Options Utilize ThePremiumPanel Theme Option Framework
- Page Templates for Non-Mapped Pages
- Page Templates for Adding External geoRSS Markers
- Options for Initial Pop-Up Splash Screen
- Ability to Cluster Markers
- Choice of Styles for Theme
For more information regarding gMaps, please visit any of the following:
This looks very cool indeed. Are you able to let us know when it’ll be available please?
Hi Richard.
Thanks for dropping by. gMaps is currently in late stages of Beta testing and we expect it to be avaiable by end of March 2010. Follow us @thepremiumpress and stay tune for more updates
Cheers.
We’ve also just posted a new teaser video, exclusively available on our Facebook Fan Page at http://fb.thepremiumpress.com
The new teaser showcases marker clusters, along with page templates for “no maps”, “image only” and “external geoRSS” settings, along with a sneak peak at the new optionally integrated Google Bar and Google Map AD features.
We hope you enjoy…
Just what I need – can’t wait for the release.
I’m assuming you are upgrading to Buddypress 1.2+ features. So no more Wire posts.
Our initial release will be compatible with (up-to) WP 2.9, WPMU 2.9 and BP 1.1.3.
Our theme contains several functions that fix a lot of the major bugs from BP 1.1.3, and felt that we still wanted to release a pre-BP 1.2 version for those people that want to retain the original BP structure (without consolidated Activity Streams and no more Status Updates). We will also release a BP 1.2 compatible version that retains the features and functionality of BP 1.1.3, but will only be developing a BP 1.2+ specific version once we have first launched the version we are soon going to launch…
Wow… We almost confused ourselves there…
If that does not make sense to anyone, please do not hesitate to contact us from our contact page for further more detailed information, which we are more than willing to provide…
Do you have a timeline yet on when the version compatible with the new BP will be released ?
Also as a thought, what are your plans for keeping up to date with BP & WPMU release cycles? Turn around times on updates to gMaps etc?
Cheers
J
@James – We have yet to confirm our precise release cycles, at least in consideration to how they will run with the release cycles of WP and BP, but we are aiming to release at least 4 updated versions each year for the majority of our products.
More specific public information will become available during our official launch when we open-up our TRAC.
Great,
Can’t wait for the release! Sounds like it will be hugely useful
I need this i really hate the site i have now as it is not made in wordpress. And i don´t know how to use drupal. But this is all my dreams come tru
Hi
I need this.
Do you have a date for this site to go live
Thanks for the enthusiasm Thomas – we are working around the clock to get our e-Commerce components in place, and are also in the process of setting up a LIVE demo of gMaps, where we plan to officially launch this coming Monday – 29th of March – fingers crossed…
We’ll be in touch as soon as the launch takes place, but it’d be best if you signed-up for our newsletter, Twitter stream or follow us on Facebook, as those will be the first places to know, where we’ll also be announcing some special offers and (or) promotions…
With WP3.0 now in beta, do you envisage a future version of gMaps being developed to keep up?
We certainly do Alan, the next version of gMaps has several WP 3.0 specific functions such as custom post types for Videos, Images and Audio – to name but just one of the many features we will eventually be allowing our community to vote on in terms of priority.
Hello, I’m really interested in the project Gmaps. I would understand if the product is been issued and how to get it? thanks and i’m sorry for my little english
Do you have the Gmap Ready
? how can i order ?
As seen in our most recent post – http://ur1.my/rh – we had at one stage practically completed gMaps, but in sponsoring WordCamp Malaysia, we wanted to have something extra special to showcase, so decided to add Foursquare integration (which was slated for the next version) into the initial release…
WordCamp Malaysia takes place on the 22nd of May, which is where our e-commerce and support systems should also be in place and we are officially ready to launch…
is gMaps a whole theme + gmaps integration or it’s just a plugin with template tags that I can use to an existing template?
At the moment, gMaps is a self-contained theme with all features and functionality built directly into the theme, where we intend and suggest that non-mapped pages be built with page templates.
There are plans to transform the theme into a plugin in later releases, but for now, our focus remains on building a rock-solid theme unlike any other…
I’m guessing gMaps will be released soonish?
We are currently looking into building a community of gamers. This certainly will add much value into our plans.
When is it out?
@Tommy & Richard
Thanks for dropping by and showing your support …
We’re really-really close – and although we know we’ve said we’re close before, this is the first time we’ve said really-really close! To be honest, we’re a day or two away from flipping the e-Commerce switch from sandbox mode to production, and just have a few final tests to run on the integration between our subscriptions and support groups. gMaps is actually ready, and the live demo will be going public the same day we open the flood-gates, which we are aiming to do this coming Monday (May the 31st).
And yes, just to clarify – that’s the year 2010 !!!
This looks like a great project with lots of great features. Hopefully it won’t be too tricky to merge with an existing BuddyPress set up. For users that have established sites they are probably not going to want to drop their existing efforts at setting up their themes/styling. They will probably want to be able to display their existing data in the same format as before, particularly as the content is not likely to be geotagged in any way.
What do you think might be a good way to achieve this? I think quite a lot of sites might want to run gmaps alongside their current theme. Do you think a theme switcher would work, so users can toggle between the two? Would it be better to copy all existing theme files into page templates?
Hi Charlie,
Thanks for dropping and supporting this project
FYI, we’ve just launched gMaps 1.0.1 and it will be 100% compatible with with buddyPress 1.1.3. So there’s not much work involve in setting up the theme with BP.
gMaps currently works as a theme and you can’t use its geotagging functions without loading the gMaps theme. Therefore switching to a theme using theme switcher will not give you the same geo-tagging functionality. However, gMaps comes with some built-in page templates that includes a “no-map” layout, which you might want to use for your content that doesn’t need to be geotagged. Or, you can always modify or create your own unique page templates.
We will be working on a plugin version of gMaps, which will be useful for those who wants to build their own gMaps Theme.
Please note that gMaps has now been launched. The product page is at:
http://thepremiumpress.com/products/gmaps/
To see a live demo, please check-out:
http://demos.thepremiumpress.com/gmaps/bp113/
Great theme, I was just wondering if you are releasing an update for this theme anytime soon for wordpress 3.0 and also Buddypress 1.2? I know this question has been asked before but I was hoping maybe you are closer to a release date now. Also is there a mobile version of these theme being thought of? Just curious as to a rough roadmap or where you want to take it. Thanks for your time and continued success.
We’ve updated our blog with news of what’s what and when things should be completed:
http://thepremiumpress.com/blog/2010/07/25/whats-happening-at-thepremiumpress/
Mobile versions of the themes are being considered but have not yet been added to our roadmaps…