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Google Maps: Streetview

starcycle

starcycle

in the shade
Am I the only one who's just finding out about this? You can google search a major city, click on "maps," then drag the little "guy" onto the map and get a 360 street level view of the city, including up and down. There are little arrows on the street when you mouse over them, so you can "walk" (or "drive") around wherever you want to go just by clicking the arrows. Want to be somewhere else faster? Just pick up your "guy" and plunk him down somewhere else. Presto, instant taxi cab! :D

I've briefly been looking around NY, Seattle, Rome, but Paris is completely unbelievable. I've spent the whole day completely enthralled by all the locations, exploring the city, checking out the amazing buildings and sites. The photos are of really high quality for the net -- google must have monster server power dedicated to this project!

It appears that London isn't up yet, also no Berlin or Munich, and no Prague, which I would be really interested to see. Sydney Australia is up, but it looks a little grainy compared to the crystal clarity of the Paris maps. Tokyo could be interesting, haven't checked it out yet (looks unbelievably dense :eek: ). Next stops: Barcelona, Florence, and then back to Rome to check that out more fully. That is if I can ever get out of Paris -- it's really amazing!

Ironically -- or mistakenly -- I never had a huge interest in going to Paris -- my mom just went to Italy this summer and I was going to go there and see some family. But after seeing the google Paris street maps, that is definitely first on my list. The whole city is just amazing, street after street, it's just incredible.

:beatnik: :thmbsp:
 
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starcycle said:
Am I the only one who didn't know about this?
Click to expand...

Yes, only you! :D

I managed to be in New Haven, CT a number of months ago when the "Google Van" was traveling the streets taking "pitch-ahs". An interesting looking vehicle with a half spherical lens atop a van.
 
Google only recently started covering Europe with street view, and naturally covers the major metropolises first. My experience is that the European cities have better picture quality than their US counterparts - perhaps because the technology is newer.

The camera software has automatic face-distortion functionality for privacy reasons.
 
I found this feature a few months back. Fun to visit all kinds of places.

You should google your own home address and see what shows up. I was able to figure out an approximate date for when the photos were taken, based on what was sitting in the driveway. Pretty trippy stuff. Even the aerial photos that show all the features of my property kind of freak me out. They update the aerial shots every so often, I wonder if they will update the streetscape images. Probably not, I can't imagine that its an inexpensive venture.
 
These european cities are amazing, they definitely boosted their image quality over NY. I can't wait for London. So cool!

I googled my house yesterday, and it is creepy indeed. At my sister's house, they caught her just as she was getting out of her car, so it does feel invasive in a weird kind of way. But I think that's probably an unreasonable reaction - it's not like it's against the law to take pictures from the street.

But these cities are amazing. It's like second best to actually being there. What's next, sounds? :eek: I can imagine with more powerful servers having a more "on demand" movement, where you can move continually and have it stream without the picture having to stop and refocus every frame. but even this is really amazing. I am very pro-google maps. :D
 
My next door neighbor is standing in the front yard for his house photo. :D From the looks of the brown lawn, and the cargo box atop our van, I'd say mid August was when they drove down my street.
 
Just found Google maps huh. Man it's been a while but when it first came out I was addicted for a week or two. Went everywhere I'd traveled. Tried looking for prohibited places. Anyway I'm surprised you found time to post. It's a big world out there. :yippy:
 
starcycle said:
Am I the only one who's just finding out about this?
Click to expand...

Then you probably don't know that Google Maps (or some other online map provider) is being sued by a few people who were photographed without their permission, and on private property. (According to a local news cast).
 
I hate the new street view interface. I liked the old one, where you hit Street View and it outlined the streets it was available on in blue. Now it's just "drag the guy and hope it's available there" - thumbs down.
 
YEP Stockers love it they can find out exactly what the front door side gate front windows and what you fence is like even if you happen to have a security service sign out front.

Or you can figure out what the other Aker you picking up on the way to the record shows house looks like.
 
Fortunately it is not address specific at least the addresses I've looked up come up in the general area somewhere in ther middle of the block. But there are usually enough pictures with the numbers painted on the curb to figure it out. Pretty interesting "touring" my old neighborhood I grew up in.
 
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