require 'open-uri' url = 'http://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/staticmap?center=40.714728,-73.998672&markers=color:0x4E3253%7C40.714728,-73.998672&zoom=15&size=640x640&scale=2&format=png&maptype=roadmap&sensor=false' target = File.join(File.expand_path('../', __FILE__), '/maps.jpg') File.open(target, "wb") do |saved_file| open(url, 'rb') do |read_file| saved_file.write(read_file.read) end end