GeoRSS and KML support has been added to the Google Maps API, which should have a major impact on how map mashups acquire their data. Since GeoRSS appears to be trivial to add to RSS feeds (Flickr can outputs GeoRSS in RSS feeds of geotagged photos, for example), this means that a lot more data may be a lot easier to map. Support for KML, Google Earth’s file format, is still apparently limited, but Google’s blog entry promises more: “We plan to add support for ground overlays, screen overlays, folders, and visibility in the near future.” Definitely sounds like the line between Google Maps and Google Earth is blurring.

More: O’Reilly Radar; Google Earth Blog; Google Karten; GeoRSS Blog (via Import Cartography, Slashgeo).

Previously: Google Earth Data in Google Maps Redux; Google Maps Update: KML, Geocoder, Enterprise.

Update, 3/23 at 8:35 AM: Dan Catt has a good post on Flickr’s use of GeoRSS.