Google just upgraded their Google Maps API to Version 2.55 and integrated a free Geocoder which supports the process of converting addresses into geographic coodinates.
I have not found any information about this on the official of unofficial Google Maps Weblog and the provided samples do not work yet. But I am sure the guys are working hard to get this running today!
You can access the Maps API geocoder directly by sending HTTP requests to Google, or you can use the GClientGeocoder object to send those requests from within the Javascript. Whether you make the geocoding calls from your server or the user's browser is up to you.
Update: It's now official and examples are working!
... http://www.google.com/apis/maps/documentation/#Geocoding_Examples
I have not found any information about this on the official of unofficial Google Maps Weblog and the provided samples do not work yet. But I am sure the guys are working hard to get this running today!
You can access the Maps API geocoder directly by sending HTTP requests to Google, or you can use the GClientGeocoder object to send those requests from within the Javascript. Whether you make the geocoding calls from your server or the user's browser is up to you.
Update: It's now official and examples are working!
... http://www.google.com/apis/maps/documentation/#Geocoding_Examples
From the Google Maps API docs:
"[Caching uses] ... less of your daily quota of geocode requests."
Will the geocoding be limited?