Windows Live Local SUV spotted in Sacramento
By Joshua Topolsky 
posted June 21st 2007 3:57PM
posted June 21st 2007 3:57PM
[Thanks, Gabriel H]
posted June 21st 2007 3:57PM
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What exactly is the whole point of street views anyways? I don't really see the cost/value proposition here for Google or MS. I guess it'd be useful to verify that you're not blowing up a Chinese embassy or something, but other than that what's the fascination with being able to see what on a street corner?
You get that these are not MS vehicles right? They are contracters doing it for MS. MS is actually a very green company, their shuttle fleet all over the Redmond campus are all Prius', every office has a 'white' and 'other' paper recycle bin for each employee to use, all kitchenettes and cafeterias have seperate receptacles for plastics, foam products, paper, aluminum, etc.
I saw one of these in my neighborhood, but I couldn't fish my phone out of my pocket in time to take a pic.
I live in High Point North Carolina. A truck identical to that caught me pulling out of my driveway one day. I've been checking the live local site to see myself, but still no luck.
SUV are not destroying the planet (and the economy) but dumb people (and evil corporations) that buy it.
Sorry MS but i hate you so much!.
Looks like the 2005 Astro Van that google uses get 14 city/20 highway MPG (info from fueleconomy.gov), while the same year Chevy Tahoe is 14/19 MPG. Maybe we should check our facts before calling Microsoft global warming.
Do you guys also realize that those of you who drove by these vehicles will probably be able to see yourself when all of the images are uploaded? That's pretty cool!
I've seen one of these vehicles up close, and there are tons of cameras and servers inside. No way it would fit in a non-SUV.
The beauty of America is I can purchase what ever car I can afford and detail it however I chose, within reason.
tinted windows...shades...and a bandana...r becoming a necessity...
Absolutely ridiculous article. "Leave it to Microsoft." I'd expect that from an Apple site, but had hoped it wouldn't come to that here - so blatantly obvious.
As for those crying Microsoft copying Google, MS has been doing this since before Google released their street view. I was out working in the yard when they came by our house. Driver stopped, chatted for a few, then continued on. At the time he was just working Southern California - said he went wherever there were clear skies that day - Corona, Orange, Irvine, etc.
I'd love to see a company stuff the hardware that these trucks need in a Prius. If anything, this is a responsible use of the SUV. Yes it's killing gas more than any other car, but because it's filled, it is being used efficiently just like how a bus uses resources wisely when they have more than a few riders.
This is much better than the one man SUV usage you see on the way to work. Americans are so insecure about themselves.
Thanks for the post & pics! I added a thread about it on the Sacramento, CA Online Community located at http://www.sacforums.com
To all those people who are complaining about them using an SUV and not a hybrid:
The SUV is probably mandatory for all the stuff they have in the back.
and
Hybrids don't work.
Unless you drive them in low-speed environments or you do everything a hybrid owner needs to do in order to actually take advantage of the electric motor (coasting to a stop, slow acceleration), it's about as useless as a normal 2-door coupé.
Even though you use a hybrid, it only gets 45 MPG max as per the 2008 EPA measurements. A diesel-engined car is much more efficient, as they often achieve 70+ MPG. And, if you live in Europe, diesel is cheaper as well.
If Microsoft was using a diesel-based SUV, it would get a much higher MPG than a regular petrol-based SUV.
TL;DR version: Diesel is more efficient than any current hybrid petrol engine.
haha nice.. i saw the google astro van hauling @$$ through my best buy parking lot here in vegas last week.. it was pretty funny. the guy almost hit a few pedestrians
This SUV is a 2005 or 2006 Chevy Tahoe. I have a 2005. It has a V8 engine. It's a great SUV and the gas mileage is better than expected at 12MPG in town (sitting in traffic most of the time) and 20MPG highway. It's a great car for tall people. I am 6 foot 4 inches tall and find it hard to be comfortable in most cars because of the length of my legs. For me the Tahoe is the most comfortable SUV I could find.
I wanna know how many times this thing gets the BSOD and just dies hahaha