The release of the Google Maps API by Google has facilitated the creation of some wonderful mashups this year. Some of the most notable mashups are ChicagoCrime.org which plots Chicago crime using Google Maps and HousingMaps.com which combines Craiglist classified housing listings with Google Maps.
So at what point can you consider the Google Maps API a household term?
If Grandma brings it up at the dinner table over the holidays, I would consider it "household," but that is not the answer I was shooting for. I was referring to last Saturday evening (December 17, 2005) when the NBC comedy program Saturday Night Live mentioned the Google Maps API as lyric in a skit. You can watch the entire hilarious rap parody here.
What do you think?
UPDATE (12/27/05): I posted about the SNL skit a few days ago but now the NY Times has picked up on this story in this article.
