Tech Blog

[#1]

All through the spring geeks across Canada weren't buzzing about thehockey playoffs (all the Canadian teams were eliminated) they weretalking about the subtle emergence of Google Street View cars on thestreets of the true north strong and free.  Vancouver, Calgary,Whistler, Banff, Squamish, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City, and  Halifax were all combed by the cars and now the maps arecoming live.

Thismorning news broke in Toronto as Google unveiled Street View and the switch hasalready been flipped for the rest of the country as well.  Luc Vincent, Engineering Director of Google Maps, said the street view will allow people to view scenes never seen before“like the Lions Gate Bridge with no traffic.”

Vincent made the announcement in Vancouver this morning adding the street view cars were equipped with 8 cameras and a fish eye lens.   He added Google Street View was introduced 3 years ago to get imagery not available from the air.  Currently Google Street View is available in over a dozen countries.  Vincent says added that Google's main priority is to index the world's information and mapping functions are at the heart of that goal.  With Google Street View you can navigate virtually in the environment and view streets, restaurants etc.

Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson hailed the announcement as a great way for the world to explore Vancouver in advance of the 2010 Olympics. 

To view theGoogle Street View Map, simply go to the city map and the drag theyellow Peg Man icon onto the map to the place you'd like to view.

The best part about the street view maps, as with all of Google's photographic mapping, is looking for silly moments caught by thecamera. To comply with privacy concerns, Google blurred the faces of people and license plates of the cars in all the pictures

Find some in your neighbourhood? Drop it in the comments and let us know!

catch the buzz ... pass it on.

Message Edited by buzzbishop on 10-07-2009 11:18 AM

Message Edited by buzzbishop on 10-07-2009 11:21 AM

[#2]

Hmm, Edmonton's streetview isn't turned on yet..maybe later today.

[#3]

I found my apartment in very clear view... fortunately no one was on the patio, and fortunately my blinds were closed!  And then based on the approximate timing, I went and checked my boyfriend's old property... and I found my car and his car.  Looks like Vancouver was filmed in the spring of this year.  I could actually figure out the exact dates if I was so inclined, but for now, I'd say ~March. 

The good thing at least is that they did indeed blur out the license plates on the vehicles.  I would not have been pleased if my personal privacy had been breached.

[#4]

Wow what a massive undertaking.  Very impressive!