Chaos Pavanred's Blog ….. Exponential Error

Google Vs Microsoft – Maps..(street view)

Google has this very impressive Google maps. This is now being used in almost all the mashups being made today.

I still remember the days when Google came out with Google Earth. The satellite picture, we all were excited to search for our colleges, schools, homes in the satellite picture. And that was about it. But well from there on Google maps has gone a long way.

There are a lot of features that are added in the Google maps, Its made a lot more interactive and you know, its there to see, It provides traffic updates, directions, places of interest, finding businesses and of course the street view. For example - check out the street view of the Times Square, New York - Click and drag on the image to navigate where u want to look and click on the arrows to walk along the road.
View Larger Map

Street view - This is the view of the place that you are looking for, as if you were walking on the road and looking around. It gives you the total 360 degree view. You can move along the road and look all around; you can even zoom in to have a closer look at the neighborhood you are currently but virtually in. It’s amazing; it just leaves you wondering how the hell this is done. It gives you a almost real life experience.

Check this out if you want to know what all Google Street View can do, an easy intro by Google -

Now I couldn't resist finding out how this works, I goggled to find out how google street view works (Boy! goggling about Google... Google owns me!! LOL), it’s fairly simple.

I stumbled upon this explanation of how Google Street works, which gives a pretty convincing explanation on how the 360 degree view is photographed and formed, but according to which there is not much of technology involved but all of USA streets are photographed and is streamlined when asked for. Wooooah! Thousands of millions of square miles filmed

Now I am not sure how it’s done, but all I can do is admire this technology. What amazes me is that such amazing technology I available to me absolutely free. Mind-blowing.

Now coming to the Microsoft's version of Google Maps, they call it the Live Search Maps.
You can see that Microsoft has gotten even the live streaming of this now. It’s slightly different though, this though in the preview stage, It gives you the option of walking in the street or driving in a sports car or a race car. It gives you a split view of the map, satellite view from the top and the street view. You can use the arrow keys, to navigate in the map which supposedly, gives you the live images of the corresponding position you are on the map. But you just see it through the windshield of your virtual car (including the live traffic). Wow! This is more impressive. How the Hell can you do this now!! Though, it’s just a preview now, available only in Seattle, WA and San Francisco, CA (city centers).

The Live Search Maps was launched in China in December 2007.

Technology!!! WOW!! For free!! Takes my breath away!! Congratulations To all the people who made these things.