Google Goes 3D
Here is an incredible twist on geotagging. Google maps have gone beyond virtual reality to actual reality.
Above is one of my photos from San Francisco. Follow this link to see the same picture along with active map components. Use your mouse to move the picture left and right. Your scroll wheel will zoom in and out. The opposite corner is home to a Starbucks where the wife and I had a cup of coffee. If you follow Grant a couple of blocks south, the Weinstein Gallery has a couple of Picasso’s for sale in the front window. The resolution is quite good considering Google took a picture of ever nook and cranny of the entire city.
The demo is limited to a few cities, but the database will certainly expand. Maybe they will have a DIY kit for those of us that live off the beaten path.
May 29th, 2007 at 9:36 pm
One of the most fascinating films I’ve ever seens is called “A Trip Down Market Street Before the Fire – 1905″ It is a great glimpse into life in that era. Available here:
http://www.archive.org/details/TripDown1905
I believe that the building at the end is the streecar terminal, and it survivied the 1906 earthquake/fire. Alvin, is that building still there and can it be found on the 3D map?
May 30th, 2007 at 6:09 am
It is still there. The regular map calls it the Ferry Building.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=612+Howard+St,+San+Francisco,+CA+94105&sll=37.848833,-122.420654&sspn=1.051842,1.867676&ie=UTF8&om=0&layer=c&cbll=37.7945,-122.39479&cbp=1,408.266295970659,0.51335560971661,0&ll=37.800799,-122.396364&spn=0.026449,0.039911&z=15
May 30th, 2007 at 8:34 pm
Thanks. The area near the building has changed greatly from 1905. I plan to check it again to see how many buildings I can recognize from the film
June 1st, 2007 at 9:30 am
It didn’t take long for someone to find a picture of a crime being committed.
http://mashable.com/2007/05/31/top-15-google-street-view-sightings/
Scroll down to number two in the list. Looks like someone climbing a fence to get into a house.
June 1st, 2007 at 1:14 pm
Funny list of pics there, Alvin. It does make for some interesting “Big Brother” thoughts, though. I remember when I was in East Berlin in 1989 and all the security cameras were obviously aimed at the streets to watch the common people. I was so glad to be an American where that doesn’t happen. How times change…
June 14th, 2007 at 6:27 am
[...] all connected, see. I read Alvin’s blog pretty regularly. On a recent post, John Rappold made a comment. John has his own educational technology blog which is well worth [...]