Google has rolled out a couple rather neat updates to Google Maps this week.

The Android app picked up a couple minor features. The gMaps developers have decided to graduate the scale bar and zoom buttons from Labs into the settings menu in the app. They also added a new elevation data point to the Labs, but I’m wondering how accurate that is going to be.

Google also expanded the number of cities with 45 degree angle map views.  Twenty more cities are now supported, including Avignon, France, and Miami.

If you haven’t seen the angled map view before, it’s worth a look. I’m sure you’ve used the map and street view in order to navigate, and the angled view is a useful compromise between the two. It give you enough of an overhead view to see the street patterns while also showing some details from the front of buildings. Of course, the 45 degree view doesn’t get down inside the streets, and you cannot rotate it, but the extra angle will still reveal useful info.