Street View
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Street View comes to Google Maps web app on iOS, just like they said it would
While the hubbub surrounding Apple Maps on iOS 6 has been somewhat sedated, some people who made the move to Google Maps' web app had been further encouraged by word that it'd be getting Street View imagery soon. And what do you know, barely seven days into the estimated "in two weeks" and here it is. Search for a location (no long press yet), and you'll spy the familiar icon bottom right. This appears in both Chrome and Safari. While perhaps still not quite as slick as the good old app of yore, a definite panacea for all those iOS toutin' virtual tourists.
Google Maps Street View will be available via Mobile Safari in two weeks
According to many of our readers, if Apple's iOS 6 Maps software isn't suitably filling in for the old Google-powered Maps then the quickest workaround is simply using Google Maps as a web app. While we'll likely be waiting some time to find out if a standalone replacement from Google really is in the cards, The New York Times' David Pogue mentions -- while bemoaning some navigation related mishaps in the new app -- Street View imagery will be accessible that way "in two weeks." Hopefully users will find that makes the wait easier, but at least they're not making you carry around one of those backpacks to make it all work.
Google Street View gets its first underwater panoramic images, ready for desk-based scuba expeditions (video)
After working on its sea legs for some time, Google Street View is ready to take users on virtual scuba expeditions through six living coral reefs with the first underwater panoramic images to hit the service. In partnership with The Catlin Seaview Survey, Mountain View created the on-rails snorkeling experiences using undersea pictures from Heron, Lady Elliot and Wilson Islands at the Great Barrier Reef, Molokini Crater and Hanauma Bay in Hawaii and the Apo Islands in the Philippines. Combined with views from Chichen Itza and Teotihuacan, the new underwater tours might make for a respectable, desk-based vacation. Interested in paddling through the briny depths? Head past the break for a short preview or hit the source links below to dive right in.
Google patent delivers close-up photos when your phone can't, Blade Runners would approve
It's been 30 years since we saw Deckard track down replicants by having a machine "enhance" pictures, and yet we're still stuck with distant-looking photos when we want more detail than our smartphone cameras can manage. While we'd argue that a few phones already live in that Blade Runner future, Google has just obtained a patent that could give the rest of us a helping hand. If the zoom isn't up to snuff, the proposed software could gauge a mobile device's position and orientation to offer a closer, already-taken photo from a server as a substitute, whether it's a Street View shot or a more traditional image. The geocoded system could even cue photos based on the time of day and year to provide that extra dash of authenticity. We already get a trace of the concept through photo overlays within Street View itself, although there's no indication as to whether or not Google will link our camera apps directly to a cloud of substitute photos -- suffice it to say that the industry has changed a lot since Google was using the iPhone 3G to illustrate its photography concepts.
Google Maps creation put under the microscope, reveals a human touch
They say you should never learn how the sausage gets made, but we're willing to make an exception for Google Maps. Talking to The Atlantic, Google has revealed just how much the human element figures into all that collected satellite imagery and road data. Many pieces of terrain information are tested and modified against what Google calls Ground Truth: actual driving, alternate sources and sign photos automatically extracted from Street View runs. Google isn't just making the occasional correction, either. Mapping a country can take hundreds of staff plugging away at the company's Atlas tool, even before we get a crack with Google Map Maker. The combination of man and machine helps explain why Google Maps is one of the most accurate sources of location information on Earth -- although the firm does have some catching up to do in space.
Google mapping out Canada's Nunavut territory with local community, Street View trike
Looking for somewhere remote, quiet and cold for retirement? You can't get much further out than Cambridge Bay -- hidden away in Canada's arctic Nunavut territory, this sleepy town is only reachable by plane, boat or Google Maps. Navigating its streets on the latter option is about to get a whole lot more detailed, too. The Maps team has started working with residents like Chris Kalluk to build what it hopes will be the most comprehensive map of the region to date. Mountain View's digital cartographers are training residents to use equipment like the Street View tricycle to take in the isolated territory's natural beauty while letting locals fill in the finer details (like roads, lakes and rivers) at community Map Up gatherings. "This is a place with a vast amount of local knowledge and a rich history," says Kalluk. "By putting these tools in the hands of our people, we will tell Nunavut's story to the world." Fittingly, the community's first mapping event saw local landmarks mapped out in both English and Inuktitut, one of the territory's official languages. Check the project out for yourself at the source link below.
Google Street View expands to cover swaths of Brazil and Mexican ruins, won't substitute for a vacation
For a country that dominates the Latin American landscape, Brazil hasn't had much of a presence in Google Street View outside of major cities like Rio de Janeiro or Sao Paulo. A fresh update to Street View coverage has just gone live that fleshes out the more far-flung corners of the map. It's now possible to see what it's like on the ground in much of the southern tip of the country as well as the northern coastline. Further north, Mexicans get their own treat: Google is now providing the panoramic views for ancient ruins such as Chichen Itza and Teotihuacan, just in case you'd rather not try to blend in with all the other tourists. The widened reach is undoubtedly no match for booking a flight and visiting in person, but it will save you the trouble of brushing up on your Portugese or ancient Mayan.
Google takes one giant leap: now lets you Street View the Kennedy Space Center
Today's a stupendous day for lovers of the one and only National Aeronautics Space Administration -- nearly half as great as when we took you inside Kennedy Space Center shortly after it had opened its fascinating doors to the public. At any rate, Google announced earlier that its captivating (and sometimes troubling) Street View technology had made its way into NASA's KSC, allowing people to check out what the compound is all about and what sort of sensational machinery lies inside. With Mountain View's doings, you can now find your way around different spots within the Space Center, including the Launch Firing Room, Vehicle Assembly Building and, as seen above, the Space Shuttle Launch Pad. There's a video past the break if you're interested in a quick preview, otherwise you can give it a go yourself by clicking the more coverage link below.
Google Street View goes retro with unofficial ASCII treatment
Nostalgia is a powerful force. It's driven some to search Google through a Bulletin Board System-like interface or, in the case of programmer Peter Nitsch, it's compelled him to graft ASCII art onto the physical world. Simply plug an address into his project's website and you'll be able to pan through an ASCII facsimile of a real-world Street View vista. Leveraging WebGL and Javascript, the system samples the search giant's images and generates text art using the appropriate characters and hues. Nitsch's fondness for retro visualizations don't end there, however, he also created a system that superimposes a gaggle of characters in the wake of a physical paintbrush using a Kinect and a projector. Built as a plugin for the openFrameworks toolkit, the code relies on a GPU for the real-time image conversion and is freely available for tinkering. Hit the source link below to see the modified Street View in action or head past the break for a video of the ASCII painting. For some of the technical nitty-gritty, tap the more coverage link.
Google confirms it still has a 'small portion' of Street View WiFi data, apologizes
It has seemed like Google was close to putting its Street View snooping controversy behind it a few times now, but one thing or another keeps bringing it back to the forefront. Today, it's an admission from Google that it hasn't deleted all of the so-called payload data in question after all. That revelation comes in a letter from Google Global Privacy Counsel Peter Fleisher to Steve Eckersley, head of enforcement at the UK's Information Commissioner's Office (or ICO), in which Fleisher says that Google is still in possession of a "small portion of payload data collected by our Street View vehicles in the UK." Fleisher adds that Google "apologizes for this error," and says that the data was discovered after an extensive review of its Street View data that it has been conducting in recent months. For its part, the ICO has acknowledged that it received the letter, and notes that the data was supposed to have been deleted in December of 2010, adding that "the fact that some of this information still exists appears to breach the undertaking to the ICO signed by Google in November 2010." You can find both statements in full at the ICO link below.
Street View heads back to the Antarctic, visits historic landmarks (video)
View Larger Map Google has already taken us on a trip to the frigid shores of Antarctica before. Now the search giant is back with even more panoramic images, this time from deeper inside the frozen continent. With help from the Polar Geospatial Center at the University of Minnesota and the New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust (not to mention a light-weight tripod and a fisheye lens), Street View can now bring to you the wonders of our most southern land mass. This isn't a short stroll in the footsteps of penguins either -- the ceremonial South Pole and Shackleton's Hut are among the numerous landmarks that get exposed to Google's image sensors. Enjoy the quick tour above and the video after the break.
Google brings five California-based US National Parks into Street View
Taking a virtual tour of the Amazon or Antarctica? Totally doable with Street View. But some of America's finest National Parks? Yeah, those have been a long time coming. Today, Google announced the inclusion of five California-based US National Parks in Street View, and for those who haven't had the opportunity (of a lifetime) to visit, they're absolutely worth a look. Starting at the top, Redwoods National Park provides a street level look at some of the world's most mysterious trees, while those looking for even more Treebeard-type characters can point their browser to Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks. Naturally, Yosemite and Joshua Tree (shown above) are included as well, and the 360-degree views Google's cadre of motorcars managed to capture really do a fairly astounding job at capturing the splendor. The toughest part? Knowing which one to traverse first.
Navigon boosts iPhone app to version 2.1, discounts purchases through July 16th
Navigon's hitting those holiday roads a day early, releasing version 2.1 of its iPhone app. The free update adds Google Street View, which pops up as you approach a destination, along with a Cockpit display, which includes G-force, speed and compass information for an additional $6. There's also a new Manual Route Blocking feature, enabling you to force the app to offer an alternate path after identifying a section of road that you'd prefer to skip, along with improved start-up and map rendering performance, and Retina iPad compatibility. The USA version of the app is available for $30 (a $20 discount), while the North America version is also 20 bucks off, at $40, and regional flavors will be available for $20 ($10 off). In-app purchases are also discounted, including FreshMaps USA for $15 (normally $40), FreshMaps North America for $10 (down from $20), FreshMaps MyRegion for $20 (instead of $50) and the aforementioned Cockpit for $4 (regularly $6). All of the discounts run through July 16th, so hit up the App Store and get your download on now.
Google Maps offline for Android is available today in version 6.9, also Compass Mode for Street View
Google showed off offline Google Maps at its event earlier this month, and now during I/O it's ready to turn the feature on. We've got a couple of video trailers for offline Google Maps here (embedded after the break), users with Android 2.2 devices and above should keep an eye on Google Play for the new version of the app. Also new in this version is the Compass Mode for Street View shown off today, that lets you look around places as though you were there based on your device's gyroscope and even go inside. We're not all seeing it on our devices yet, but the updated version has already been spotted on a Galaxy Nexus or two.
Google Street View's WiFi snooping triggers renewed scrutiny in the UK
You remember that little Street View privacy problem that Google had back in 2010? Authorities in the UK sure do and Mountain View's gonna have some serious splainin' to do if the Information Commissioner's Office has anything to say about it. Big G initially denied that its cars were used to willfully snatch up personal info from open WiFi networks, but a recent investigation by the FCC, coupled with earlier accusations, has prompted renewed scrutiny. The report from the US even suggests that "investigators in France, Canada and The Netherlands found that Google intercepted complete email messages, instant message conversations, video, audio, medical and legal information," which could lead to a big headache for the company. We really don't want to imagine the possible consequences of a nationwide Street View ban.
Swiss court eases up on Street View privacy concerns, Google says it's pleased with the ruling
It's no secret Google's been involved in a few privacy-related kerfuffles around the globe, but some would say those are just the burdens attached to being one of the big-guns in the industry. Still, Big G can go home to Mountain View a happy camper today, as the Swiss Federal Tribunal has decided to ease up on the company's usage of its Street View technology in the country. Per the ruling, however, Google will have to make adjustments to its viewing methods, things like making it easier for folks to manually blur images available on Street View, and full anonymity around hospitals, schools, prisons and courts. Naturally, Google says it's quite pleased with the outcome and that it plans to "look at the ruling closely, discuss it with the federal data protection commissioner and examine what options are available."
Google shows off new backpack-worn Street View capture tool, may eventually rent them out
It looks like Google's Street View will soon be expanding to even more places than it already covers. The company has today taken the wraps off a brand new capture tool it's dubbed the Street View Trekker, which can be worn on a person's back in order to map and photograph areas that are too difficult for even a bicycle or snowmobile to reach. Naturally, it's Android-powered, and it packs two batteries that Google says will last a full day -- although its 40-pound weight will likely necessitate a few breaks during that time. No word on when we'll see the first results from it, but Google intends to take to National Parks, the Grand Canyon, castles, ruins, and more -- even the ski slopes, as seen in another picture after the break. Update: We just spoke with Luc Vincent more in-depth about the new backpack, and what we learned is after the break. %Gallery-157378%
Apple possibly held back by Google for years on iOS' Maps features, might bring turn-by-turn nav to WWDC
The tales of Apple possibly dumping Google Maps as the backend for iOS 6's Maps app are gathering steam, but we're now learning just how much forethought may have gone into the split. According to the WSJ's favorite tipsters, "people familiar with the matter," Apple isn't just hoping to spurn Android -- it's reacting to push-back it got years earlier. Google supposedly delayed Street View, and blocked Google Maps Navigation outright, as it wasn't getting the limelight for branding and couldn't push in social tracking services that tend to make a privacy-sensitive Apple jittery, like Latitude. The August 2009 buyout of Placebase was ground zero for Apple's shift, which saw subsequent deals for Poly9 and C3 Technologies flesh out the project. As for the end results? They supposedly include turn-by-turn navigation that mimics an "in-car GPS device," and regular mapping should now be free to integrate with other apps: Calendar might warn you if a traffic jam on Interstate 280 will affect that appointment at 1 Infinite Loop, as an example. We might not have long to wait for the truth behind the new tips and earlier leaked shots, as the contacts believe Apple could show its Maps overhaul when WWDC starts next week.
Google World Wonders Project takes you to Earth's treasures in glorious Street View vision (video)
Google has already been taking us to exotic locations through Street View, but now it's hoping to enshrine the most famous places on Earth through the World Wonders Project, one car (or trike) at a time. A total of 132 sites, ranging from natural landmarks like Yosemite to much more synthetic constructions like the Leaning Tower of Pisa, have both an on-the-ground view as well as 3D renderings, videos and loads of history from UNESCO and the World Monuments Fund, among others. The educational bent is so conspicuous that Google is offering up some of the content in downloadable bundles for schools along with the usual web-based look. All of it promises a much more fascinating, hands-on approach than a dry textbook, and it's a unique way of bringing encyclopedic knowledge to an era of Chromebooks and the cloud.
Justice Department clears Google of WiFi wiretapping violations
Two years ago, Google drove its way into a fair amount of hot water when it accidentally (as was claimed) scooped up private data over WiFi while collecting Street View and location data. Now, the Justice Department has cleared the prolific mapsters of the wiretapping violations. The DOJ made its decision not to push for prosecution based on reports from employees and investigating key documents reports Wired. The Wiretap Act (which is the relevant one here) was argued to only pertain to "traditional radio services," by US District Judge James Ware, but neither the DOJ or FCC said they could find any evidence that Google accessed the date it snared. In an extra move of openness, the search giant has also released the entire FCC report on the Street View investigation (redacted to protect identities) which can be found in the more coverage link. So, next time you see the famous camera-topped wagons roll around, you can leave your tin hat in the closet.
