Every now and then, I need a Google API Key for use with the Maps service.

Looking at the page, it’s recently changed to some fancy AJAX, and makes a JSON request to the following address

This means that you can call it yourself even via the URI – although you’ll get a JSON response back. That means you’ll need to save the response file and open it in notepad, or something similar.

You should be able to create your own mini application using JSONp requests to that domain, or maybe just as part of a PHP application opening the URL via CURL.

Image Credit: woodleywonderworks