Street View
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Microsoft giving Bing Maps a 3D overhaul, tacking on apps for good measure
Google's not the only one in the game when it comes to wild mapping tech, and while Microsoft's excellent collection of bird's eye photos has never gotten it quite the attention of Google's Street View, the hope is that lasers and its much-lauded Photosynth tool can do the trick. Microsoft has done up a Street View-style canvassing of 56 US cities with cars that not only snap photos but include range-finding lasers to map out the architecture in 3D. The Silverlight-based viewer for this view (dubbed Streetside) is similar in interface to Google Maps, a tad slower, and rather visually impressive. In addition, Microsoft is leaning on its Photosynth technology to collect navigable panoramas of scenery and even building interiors. Finally, Microsoft has tacked on "apps" of sorts, little overlays that include traffic cameras, restaurants, a Twitter API and so forth. All of this coupled with an improved version of the bird's eye view is quite a visual treat, but the Silverlight requirement and non-Google-ness of it all might keep away the Bing-averse among us. But really, with all this tit-for-tat going on between Microsoft and Google, we have to wonder what sort of stone age we'd be stuck in if we didn't have these two behemoths going at each other like this. The "Beta" is live now at the source link. [Thanks, Aimee]
DIYer concocts homegrown View-Master, relies on HTC Magic and Google Street View (video)
It's been far, far too long since we broke out the View-Master from the admittedly dusty toy chest, but now we're guessing it'll be at least a score before we get the urge again. Why, you ask? The View-Master 2009. These homegrown virtual reality goggles are surprisingly impressive despite their ragged look, and by utilizing some form of cardboard enclosure, an HTC Magic and Google Street View, the designer was able to mimic that "immersive" environment we've grown to know and never forget. Don't believe us? Have a look at the vid just past the break, and hang in there 'til the end if you're scouting a how-to guide.
3.0 update brings Street View, 'Find' functionality to iPod touch
iPod touch users are finally getting a taste of what iPhone users have had since iPhone OS 2.2: Google Street View. iPhone 3.0 Software Update for iPod touch includes an update to the Maps application that enables Google Street View, and it works just like it does on the iPhone. Additionally, the "Find my iPhone" feature is implemented as "Find my iPod touch" for iPod touch users. It works exactly like Megan described yesterday, but is perhaps less accurate than using the iPhone's built-in GPS. It'll at least get you close, so long as it's connected to a Wi-Fi network. If it is, you can send messages to the iPod touch and wipe its memory. If you do send a message to an iPod touch that's turned off or not connected to a Wi-Fi network, the message is queued until it's on and connected. Both features appear to work on both first- and second-generation iPod touch devices. As Megan mentioned, since the first-generation iPod touch lacks a speaker, it won't make the "ping" noise associated with Find my iPhone unless you have speakers plugged in. Perhaps less useful for finding it in the house, but still helpful if you left it on a table at the park. Have you found an undocumented feature that the iPhone 3.0 Software Update for iPod touch provides? Let us know by tipping us, or leaving a comment. Thanks, Harold, Ben, Rocky, and everyone who sent this in!
Video: Google Street View tricycle searches for Anita Ekberg
Awww, isn't Europe quaint? Those gas guzzling Google Street view cars in America have become tricycles on the twisted, cobbled streets of Europe. And by the looks of this rig, we wouldn't be surprised to find Google handing out gelato in order to placate the local luddites. Video and another picture after the break. [Via Engadget Spanish]
Angry British villagers block Google Street View car, incident captured on CCTV
Look we understand demands for privacy. We just find it ironic that citizens of Broughton (pronunciation: bak-wərd), a small village in a nation where CCTV cameras look, evaluate behavior, and sometimes speak at virtually every intersection, would block a Google Street View car on grounds of invasion of privacy. Seems to us that they've given up on that right a long, long time ago. Though the police were called, the villagers eventually let Google's contractor pass peacefully -- presumably after assurances were given that cameras can not, in fact, steal your soul.
Google Street View lands on S60 and Windows Mobile
Nokia's S60 and Microsoft's Windows Mobile were both treated to a Google Maps for Mobile update today with Google Street View. Apparently the popularity of S60 and Windows Mobile in new Street View markets like France, Italy, Spain, and Australia helped drive the 2.3 update, that also includes walking directions, transit alerts, and a revamped user interface. BlackBerry, iPhone, and Android users have had this functionality for a short spell, but it is refreshing to see the feature rolling out into other handsets. So, if you want to give it a run just pop over to google.com/gmm, follow the instructions, download, and pop back with your stories.
iPod touch gets Street View, beats iPhone 3G at tennis
Some good news for iPod touch owners: one enterprising individual going by the nom de mod timmyj9 has figured out how to enable the Street View functionality in the media player's version 2.2 firmware -- albeit with some glitches. If your iPod touch is jailbroken, and if you enjoy this sort of illegitimate activity, feel free to hit the link below for some thrilling step-by-step directions. And if that wasn't exciting enough for you, we've just espied a video that pits the original iPhone and the iPhone 3G against both a first and a second generation iPod touch in a fight to the death (or more accurately, TouchSport Tennis). Admittedly, this is not the most scientific of benchmarks, but the clip (after the break) clearly shows the 532MHz second generation iPod touch rocking the 3D graphics faster than its 412MHz iPhone 3G counterpart. As expected, neither the original iPhone nor the first generation iPod fare nearly as well as their siblings. Read - Modification Enables Street View on iPod touchRead - Second Generation iPod touch Faster than iPhone
iPhone 2.2 firmware update available now, Google Street View and plenty more
It's here. Google Street View and over the air Podcast downloads from iTunes. Yup, public transit and walking directions too and the ability to share your location via email. Bug fixes, Safari enhancements, the ability to toggle auto-text correction, and plenty more... just like we heard in the pre-rumor run-up. Now get outta here, your iTunes update awaits.Update: Added some screenshots of the most notable new features after the break. The Street View implementation seems solid though we miss the compass feature found on T-Mobile's G1. Also, the real-estate saved by moving the Google search field next to the URL field in Mobile Safari is a welcome and obvious change. As to auto-correction, well, that's personal taste. Tipster Vizcaya also noticed that Apple added a new option to rate an App when you delete it from your phone. You can also view multiple screenshots of applications available in the App Store.Update 2: The other big update, Podcast downloads, works just as you'd hope and should further promote the spontaneous isolation we all crave. A few shots of that added after the break.[Thanks Gustavo and badburro]
iPhoneHellas: 2.2 coming November 21
According to iPhoneHellas.gr, version 2.2 of the iPhone firmware will be made available on November 21. The site says that the tipster is "reliable" but offered few details. Gizmodo calls the site "consistently reliable." The tipster did say, however, that the update will not contain Greek keyboard support. Rumor has it that the update will contain: Street View, public transportation and walking directions for Maps An always-visible search field in Safari A rating request before you delete an app The ability to download podcasts directly to your handset Location sharing via email Support for Emoji icons An option to turn off auto-correction There is still no word, of course, about the most requested and elusive of options: copy and paste. Gizmodo seems to think that -- if the release date is indeed on the 21st -- the major features of the update have been frozen. Looks like we'll have to wait until 2.3. [Via O'Grady's PowerPage.]
In Pictures: Street View, Safari for iPhone 2.2
Following up on our report yesterday, a new tipster sent us screenshots of the Maps and Safari applications, highlighting changes on the way in iPhone firmware 2.2. Apple looks like they're maximizing the income they make from offering a Google search option by cramming a search box in next to the address field. In the current firmware, the search field only appears when the address field is tapped. As we mentioned yesterday, Google and Apple have also worked out a way to include Google Street View. It doesn't work quite the way I thought, but is much like Android's implementation nevertheless: Tapping on an icon of a human torso (according to our tipster) rotates the screen and displays Street View. Then, you can pan around the scene with your finger, in a 360-degree panorama. Our tipster says "the entire experience feels snappier than 2.1, very very fast in general." Soon to be available in Maps is a new "Share Location" button that drafts an email with a clickable link. Handy for when you want to find friends after you've split up. As always, if you have screenshots or tips you'd like to send in, please do! Update: Because there was some confusion as to what we meant by "torso," a new image showing the icon has been added to the gallery below. %Gallery-35615%
Rumor roundup: iPhone 2.2 firmware details
Apple has given developers a taste of the new iPhone firmware, version 2.2 beta 2, and it includes a host of spiffy new features that are making the rounds online. A tipster shared with us some screenshots of the new firmware, including what appears to be the ability to download podcasts directly to your iPhone (and presumably your iPod touch). This could tidily explain why Apple rejected the Podcaster app last month. The option to "get more episodes" doesn't appear to work in this firmware build, however. MacRumors' Arnold Kim links to an iPhoneHellas.gr screenshot showing the iPhone software asking for a rating before you delete an application. Kim speculates Apple is looking to increase participation in the App Store rating process. Om Malik's Apple Blog is showing off screenshots from the iPhoneYap.com message boards, including new Maps functionality. Google Street View will apparently be available by rotating the device into landscape mode. Public transportation support and directions for walking also seem to be included. In the same report, the Apple Blog's David Appleyard also mentions location sharing via email and SDK support for manipulating line-in audio as part of the seed.
iPhone software 2.2 features Google Street View, mass transit directions
The T-Mobile G1's Google Maps Street View implementation is one of the slickest features of the first Android phone, but it looks like Apple's going to keep feature parity -- the latest builds of iPhone OS 2.2 seeded to developers have Street View, as well as the ability to give mass transit directions. That's pretty useful for cityfolk like us -- and we're also stoked that line-in audio is now supported in the SDK, giving devs the ability to create voice recorders and other interesting audio apps. Of course, there's no word on when 2.2 will actually arrive, but until then we suppose we'll live with regular, non-data-augmented streets. Lots of screenshots of the new features at the read link.[Via MacRumors]
Google Street View, emoji coming to iPhone 2.2?
MacRumors hears news of some interesting new features that may see the light of day in the next iteration of iPhone firmware. The Maps application will apparently have support for Google Street View. It remains to be seen if the integration will be as impressive as that of Google Android, which used GPS compass data to dynamically change the street view depending on which way you're actually pointed. Also included is support for Japanese emoji icons: 461 popular pictures that can be added to text messages and emails. Emoji support is popular on Japanese phones, and including it on the iPhone might give a boost to sales there (described as less-than-stellar by the WSJ). In a move sure to be popular with non-English users using the English keyboard, the new firmware will also let you turn off auto-correction. It's not clear when the new firmware will be generally available. Developers received version 2.2, beta 1 on September 25.
Google Maps for mobile gets Street View and walking directions
Google Maps for mobile just stepped up in the feature department with Google's inclusion of Street View in its newest version. In case you've been hiding under a rock -- or live in almost any other country aside from the US -- Street View offers up a storefront take on your world rather than the traditional top down look you see with common maps. The new version also includes walking directions which will ignore pesky one-way streets and the like. While the list of supported handsets is missing, we do see BlackBerry listed and Java-enabled phones, too, so do us a kindness, grab it and let us know if it works on yours.
Earthmine's photo-truck totally tries to one-up Google, Microsoft
Street level mapping services like Google's Street View and Microsoft's Live Local have gotten a lot of attention lately, but while the notion of pervasive map-linked photography is pretty impressive, the actual execution leaves something to be desired -- the images are occasionally of low quality, have stitching errors, and there are some lingering privacy concerns. A new company called Earthmine is out to solve all those problems, though, by providing high-quality, survey-accurate panoramic photography -- and has a truck or two with cameras towering tall to prove it. Unlike Google's video system, Earthmine plans to use laser range finders and high dynamic range still cameras mounted higher than usual to provide perspective-accurate images that preserve detail and resolution -- but automatically blur out faces and other identifying information, like license plates. Earthmine is planning on selling the service to businesses and governmental agencies, but a consumer version should launch at the end of the summer. We think they should watch out though, we hear the Street View and Live Local drivers have crazy road rage; we really wouldn't want to see anybody from Earthmine get caught up in some kind of weird, street level photography turf war.[Thanks, eggman]
Windows Live Local SUV spotted in Sacramento
Leave it to Redmond to ante up with a big, gas guzzling SUV for its "street-side view" purposes. Recently caught cruising in Northern California, this hulking Chevy makes Immersive Media's Google fleet (family mini-van and college grad's first car) look pretty tame. Now if only they could snap more pics of Ballmer pulling this face. Take another look after the break.[Thanks, Gabriel H]
Check out the Immersive Media street-scanning car
It looks like Immersive Media wanted to remove all doubt about what that street-traversing fleet of theirs really looks like. There's obviously more than one vehicle scanning in streets across the US, but now you know what to look out for -- and you little punks in the audience now realize just how tantalizing a target that little 11 camera orb on the roof really happens to be.
The Google Street View vehicle revealed
By now, we're pretty sure you've heard about Google's new Street View feature, right? If you're like us, you've been wondering about the vehicles they're using to create those voyeuristic, 360-degree, street-level images in Manhattan's concrete canyons and beyond. Well, here's a hint: that's Immersive Media's vehicle reflected in the Street View picture captured above. Now, if they could just find ET we'd be all set. Oh right, they have. Oh Google, is there anything you can't do?[Thanks, Aaron B.]Read -- Google's deal with ImmersiveRead -- Link to Street View picture
