Google Street View have their latest expansion plans prepared, with a team of driver/photographers set to head out to Africa for new images of South Africa in popular ‘winery’ regions, and a first foray into the nation of Botswana.
South Africa, a nation which is already fairly comprehensively mapped on Street View, is looking to add a number of wineries from the country, including Boekenhoutskloof Winery, Moreson, and Rustenberg Wines, amongst others.
However, the main purpose of the trip will be to add a new country to the list of places which feature complete integrated mapping services, with Botswana, a southern African nation (one of the most developed in its continent) with a population of 2.0m, seen as an ideal destination for new images, and will mark the second nation in Africa which Google has visited for this purpose.
Google will be taking a set of modified camera cars (Chevrolet Captiva) to Botswana to take panoramic pictures of major cities in the country (which will most likely include Francistown, Molepolole, Selebi-Phikwe, and capital Gaborone), as well as key tourist attractions, such as game reserves and wineries.
Julie Taylor, head of communications at Google’s ‘Sub-Saharan Africa’ regional division, said of the expansion plans: “We are delighted to be updating Street View with more Cape winelands imagery and look forward to bringing our cutting-edge Street View technology to Botswana. In addition to Street View being useful to internet users and businesses in Botswana, we also want to help Botswana showcase its extraordinary national parks and wildlife destinations to the rest of the world.”
A new programme online has managed to turn Google Street View in to obscure pieces of art and mind-boggling outlooks, with a hack that seems to be able to ‘wrap’ the images around a singular point both inwards and outwards.
The programme is the work of website nolition.github, and creates ‘planet’ or warped-style views of locations based on the Street View data inputted. Roads go full-circle and create their own gravity, while taller structure appear to sprout up from the ground into the atmosphere, in a similar manner to a cartoon.
‘Stereographic Streetview’ is already being described as one of the best potential time-wasters of 2012, although users may want to sit down for a while after seeing the images in order to adjust themselves back to reality.
Website The Atlantic Cities described the strange hack, stating: “The hack uses data from Streetview to create stereographic images that either wrap a stretch of road into a planetary ball or conversely explode Streetview outwards, creating swirling vortexes of urban fabric.”
While the images could become headache-inducing, will Stereographic Streetview go down as one of the better-known ‘mapping’ services of 2012?
Google have reacted rather unhappily to a browser game originating in Amsterdam (Holland), believing that the game, which uses Google Street View as the basis of its engine, shows their ground-level mapping service in a negative light.
They are probably not so wrong, though, as Google Shoot View, created by Amsterdam-based advertising company Pool Worldwide, was yesterday removed from the web after Google blocked the API (application programming interface) that Pool needed to integrate Street View.
The game, which was released earlier in the week, allows a user to play a traditional ’shoot-em-up’-style game on the interactive background of Google’s images, with real-life people (that were captured as part of the images) depicted as the targets.
Pool described their game on Twitter as: “Google Shoot View. Explore the world at street-level… and fire a M4A1 assault rifle.”
Company representative Nick Schonfeld added: Nick Schonfeld of Pool Worldwide said “We always thought that Google Street View would make an awesome game map (the biggest in the world) and so when one of us mentioned the idea to turn Google Street View into Shoot View we jumped on it and made it.”
Google have not yet explained why they have cut the cords to Google Shoot View, but it may have something to do with their public rule that the API for any of their services cannot be used for: “…physical harm or injury against any group or individual.”
For those that wanted to try the game, you cannot, as the official website for Google Shoot View has been taken down. However, the wait might not be too long, as Pool Worldwide have claimed that they will fight Google’s decision (of the basis that they do not display bullet holes or wounds, instead opting for more of a ‘cartoon violence’ approach), and seemingly that if all else fails, Google Shoot Viewwill return to the web…
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The new images, taken mostly of the Northeastern coast of the country and its relevant inland, show local towns as an almost-abandoned and rubble-infested shadow of what they once were. While the images (which are dated to show when they were taken (also included on all Street View images now)) do display cars on the roads and some people exploring the towns as a sign of at least some progression since the disaster, it is clear that a lot of work needs to be done to recreate anything close to a functioning community again in these locations.
As an additional move to mark the release, Google have put online a website dedicated to their new images entitled ‘Memories for the Future‘ – as a past-and-present look and the areas most effected, creating a good opportunity for all to explore and reflect on the terrible effects of the earthquaque and tsunami.
Google Street View senior product manager Kei Kawai explained the ‘date’ feature implemented as a result of the update: “This ‘timestamp’ feature has been the most requested Street View feature for the last few years, and it is now available on Street View imagery worldwide.”
Kawai also summarised how the new website displays the impact of the disaster: “A virtual tour via Street View profoundly illustrates how much these natural disasters have transformed these communities. If you start inland and venture out toward the coast, you’ll see the idyllic countryside change dramatically, becoming cluttered with mountains of rubble and debris as you get closer to the ocean. In the cities, buildings that once stood proud are now empty spaces.”
Local police services in Ashgill (Scotland) are claiming that Google Street View may have had a role in the car theft and murder of a pensioner.
Thieves had reportedly used the ground-level mapping service to scour the streets of Ashgill for a car to steal, and came across a Land Rover Discovery (valued at £35,000 (around $55,000)) outside the home of 76-year-old Jimmy Simpson.
The criminals then went to the house last week and stole the keys to the car from inside the house, then (during the process of driving away) running down its owner Simpson, who tried to stop the theft. While the abandoned vehicle was recovered by police outside of town, Jimmy would not survive the impact.
An official police statement said: “We are not ruling out that Google Street View was used. We are looking at all aspects of the case. Anything that can help will be looked at.”
It is certainly a very tragic story, and one that unfortunately proves that Google Street View is not just used for harmless purposes. It can only be hoped now that those responsible are caught and given a punishment befitting of their crimes.
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A recent short film has been released to the YouTube community, with a key focus on stop-motion and Google Street View.
The film, titled Address Is Approximate and made by English producers Tom Jenkins and Simon Sharp, tells the story of a robotic desktop buddy who comes to life at night with dreams of reaching the Pacific Coast of America. He then uses his toy friends to help him complete a virtual drive to the area via Google Street View, in a heartwarming tale packed into two-and-a-half minutes.
Google representative Larry Page was one of those who watched the independent film, and said of the Street View tribute on his Google+ page: “It’s poetic and charming, so wanted to share it – Street View meets Toy Story.”
The film itself can be seen below. Who knew that robots could get emotional?
An update to the Google Street View service carrying images of selected ski slopes (and resorts) has now been uploaded to the service eight months after the plans were first announced.
To celebrate this, Google have featured 13 notable slopes on their official ‘Street View Gallery’ page. Notable locations seen in the gallery include Squaw Valley (USA), Whistler (Canada), Breckenridge Ski Resort (USA), and Crystal Mountain (USA)
All of these featured resorts, like all of those filmed, are based in either Canada or the USA, although it is likely that Google will turn their attention towards European and global ski locations (as well as other North American ones) should their alternative filming project prove successful with users.
Google announced the release of the images on their official blog on Monday, writing: “From the streets to the slopes, Street View in Google Maps recently updated its special collections to include a number of new ski resorts, so you can tour some of the world’s most beautiful ski terrain right from your browser. Whether you’re planning your annual trip to your favorite resort or hunting for an exciting new adventure, Street View can transport you to your desired destination.”
A video Google made highlighting their updates (which were filmed with the unique ‘Street View Snowmobile’) can be seen below. Are Google going downhill? In this case, it is probably a good thing…
Google are well-known for their sense of developing new ideas, but physical products have never really been their specialty. The company are looking to address that fact in the near future as they recently revealed their secret laboratories dedicated to some ideas that businesses with closer ties to the specific proposals would turn down for being too far-fetched.
‘Google X’ is a lab based near San Francisco (USA) (the exact location remains unconfirmed), where money is being thrown at scientists behind-the-scenes to work on 100 ambitious or odd projects including a self-ordering fridge, Internet-connected dinnerplates, and a ‘lift to outer space’.
However, the one that could help Google’s own needs the most are plans to develop a ’self-driving car’, with proposals to use it (if completed) to automatically capture Google Street View images without the need for a driver.
Most of these projects would be considered a waste of funding by most companies, but with seemingly endless funds able to be allocated to the ideas, Google are able to take their ideas into practice. This does not mean that you should be expecting some of the above products soon though, as they are still strange ideas that have not been tried before, but insiders suggest that one Google X product (thought to be an Internet-connected lightbulb) has reached a stage where it is ready to be released by the end of the year.
A Google spokeswoman said of the funding issued to these projects: “While the possibilities are incredibly exciting, please do keep in mind that the sums involved are very small by comparison to the investments we make in our core businesses.”
A Google representative had first made these assurances earlier in the year, stating: “There are a few small, speculative projects happening at any one time, but we are very careful stewards of shareholders’ money. We are not betting the farm on these.”
MIT (USA) technology professor Rodney Brooks, gave his verdict on Google X’s progress, saying: “They’re pretty far out in front right now. But Google’s not an ordinary company, so almost nothing applies.”
The self-driving cars currently have only one rival at a similar development stage (Mercedes), though Google’s potential offering is thought to include integrated information from Google Maps, such as navigation and business listings based on the local area. Could Google soon end up giving a new definition to the term ‘Smart car’?
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This video produced by The Cheese Feed on YouTube seems to be a tribute to the stranger side of Google Street View, displaying a compliation of strange (but real) images recorded by the online mapping service.
To see the video, with highlights including bike falls, crimes, lasers, and the ‘Horseman’, please view the embed below:
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Google have revealed that they are stepping up their efforts to film content indoors for their Google Street View service. This would mean that the company, who have been in a ‘pilot phase’ of this project for over a year, are now ready to offer indoor panoramic filming for businesses as a means of promoting their listings with the search giant.
The Street View team are currently operating in America with the requirement of the business owner filling out an application form to become a candidate for having Google’s camera’s come round. If selected, a user will have the opportunity to set a time for Google’s official panoramic photoshoot, though the images will be considered the property of Google, and will only be taken down again upon an approved request.
The images will be available on Street View as well as on the business’ Google business listing page, with the search giant claiming that their trial stages of the project saw ‘thousands of businesses’ photographed.
Nathan Kurz, a business owner who has seen his ‘Scream Sorbet’ shop in Oakland (USA) photographed, said of the service (and its potential risks): “They came to shoot the interior as a perk for participating in a ‘Google Offer’. I think this is how they are rolling it out, at least in the Bay Area. To me, the results came out fine, although I worry that it now makes ‘casing the joint’ [criminals planning a theft] a little easier. It would only become a problem if all businesses had them [interior photos] and then you could go down the block [on Google Maps] and see who doesn’t have an alarm.”
While the project has been given a green light to become an addition to Google Street View, will potential companies involved see the benefits of a panoramic image as opposed to the risk?
Google Street View have their latest expansion plans prepared, with a team of driver/photographers set to head out to Africa for new images of South Africa in popular ‘winery’ regions, and a first foray into the nation of Botswana.
However, the main purpose of the trip will be to add a new country to the list of places which feature complete integrated mapping services, with Botswana, a southern African nation (one of the most developed in its continent) with a population of 2.0m, seen as an ideal destination for new images, and will mark the second nation in Africa which Google has visited for this purpose.
Google will be taking a set of modified camera cars (Chevrolet Captiva) to Botswana to take panoramic pictures of major cities in the country (which will most likely include Francistown, Molepolole, Selebi-Phikwe, and capital Gaborone), as well as key tourist attractions, such as game reserves and wineries.
A new programme online has managed to turn Google Street View in to obscure pieces of art and mind-boggling outlooks, with a hack that seems to be able to ‘wrap’ the images around a singular point both inwards and outwards.
‘Stereographic Streetview’ is already being described as one of the best potential time-wasters of 2012, although users may want to sit down for a while after seeing the images in order to adjust themselves back to reality.
Google have reacted rather unhappily to a browser game originating in Amsterdam (Holland), believing that the game, which uses Google Street View as the basis of its engine, shows their ground-level mapping service in a negative light.
Following the 
Local police services in Ashgill (Scotland) are claiming that Google Street View may have had a role in the car theft and murder of a pensioner.
An update to the Google Street View service carrying images of selected ski slopes (and resorts) has now been uploaded to the service eight months after 
Google are well-known for their sense of developing new ideas, but physical products have never really been their specialty. The company are looking to address that fact in the near future as they recently revealed their secret laboratories dedicated to some ideas that businesses with closer ties to the specific proposals would turn down for being too far-fetched.![Street View Trolley thumb[1]](http://www.satellitesights.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/street_view_trolley_thumb1.png)
Google have revealed that they are stepping up their efforts to film content indoors for their Google Street View service. This would mean that the company, who have been in a ‘pilot phase’ of this project for over a year, are now ready to offer indoor panoramic filming for businesses as a means of promoting their listings with the search giant.