Yahoo Maps has added new "drag and drop" functionality for routes, giving users the option of customizing their driving directions for things like shortcuts and traffic avoidance. Yahoo has
also upgraded the search interface, putting photos and reviews right inside the window that pops up for business listings.
The upgrades are the latest in the long standing "feature
war" between mapping providers, and Mike Boland notes that Yahoo has been a contender in the space since the early days, much like Mapquest. Google Maps raised the stakes when the service was launched
in 2005, and since then mapping innovations have continued to fly out -- from communication with portable nav devices, to social media features, to personalization.