
Live Blog: Google's 'next dimension' of Maps event - ashishgandhi
http://live.cnet.com/Event/Googles_next_dimension_of_Maps_event?tag=mncol;txt
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craigyk
Hmm, pretty underwhelming.

Great 3D: cool to be sure, but of limited use. Also, I think this is trying to
head off Apple's equivalent announcement next week, which I expect to be even
more eye-popping, but of the same limited-use.

Street View Stuff: yawn. A marked improvement of the architecture and/or
interface would be more appreciated than just mapping more areas. Ski slopes?
Whatever. I want automatic incorporation stitching of user images! Automatic
occlusion removal where possible! Smoother navigation and transitions!

Offline download: good feature, but what's with the Android exclusive?
Shouldn't this be an API feature? Can't you already do this with OpenMaps?
Can't you probably do this already yourself?

Are you using data gathered from opt-in Android phones yet to try and better
map traffic conditions?

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eigenvector
Does Maps for iOS still use raster map tiles (like Maps for Android used to)?
If so, the amount of space required to cache large map areas at all zoom
levels becomes prohibitively large.

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craigyk
Oh, Ok, I get it, by offline they mean raw data and a client-side rendering
library. That is a nice improvement, but I would have to assume, this does not
include satellite imagery then. Come to think of it, I'd be amazed if Apple's
map announcements next week don't include similar capability.

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vladd
This seems to be live already for selected locations in Europe.

For example <http://goo.gl/maps/2iVt> \- zoom out for the old interface, zoom
in for unbelieved details.

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mikeevans
I hope that's not the only thing they are announcing. Bing Maps has had this
as "Bird's Eye" view for a while.

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vladd
Compare <http://binged.it/KOXqqh> with <http://goo.gl/maps/fC4r> , they're
identical but Google still has 2 zoom levels to go into details, while Bing is
maxed out.

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mikeevans
A formal announcement shouldn't be necessary for 2 zoom levels difference.

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BHSPitMonkey
Today's announcement wasn't about that at all. It was about their use of new
imagery gathered from planes (paid for and coordinated by Google) to generate
detailed, textured, 3D models of cities.

See: <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMBJ2Hu0NLw#t=4296s>

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mikeevans
I know, that's what I was saying. They weren't going to have a whole
announcement for something that is so trivial. (This was also posted before
the announcement).

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untog
Hopefully they'll announce (as a side note) that the Android Maps API is going
to be updated to match the Maps app. The app is of unparalleled quality, but
developers have been unable to use it for far, far too long.

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archivator
Live stream - <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMBJ2Hu0NLw>

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itsnotlupus
I see 30 minutes of dead air on that video. The fun starts here :
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMBJ2Hu0NLw&feature=playe...](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMBJ2Hu0NLw&feature=player_detailpage#t=1842s)

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kemayo
This offline maps stuff is just them launching a feature that's been in Labs
for the last 6 months or so.

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mendocino
Nokia already has something similar up
(<http://maps3d.svc.nokia.com/webgl/index.html>).

Looking at NYC or the Bay Area is pretty impressive.

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yellowbkpk
This is in anticipation of Apple dropping Google for their own mapping system
next week. So far Apple's "one more thing" for maps is rumored to be the
result of their acquisition of C3 Technologies for their 3D maps. Google's
simply showing that they can do that, too.

The offline maps component isn't very exciting: they've previously had that as
a labs feature on Android phones.

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tjoff
Offline maps is a huge feature. And even with the new additions it seems to be
lacking quite bad - to the point of being almost useless.

If I go abroad I wan't to easily download more than just a city. If you ever
would try to go on the road abroad the feature as it is now is severely
lacking. You more or less have to buy a 3rd party navigator (for about 60
euro) _only_ to get the offline maps feature, which is a bit frustrating.

~~~
yellowbkpk
The announcement of offline maps itself isn't very big: they've had offline
maps on Android for at least a year as a labs feature.

Also, it's just for browsing. Searching and routing both require a network
connection.

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RobotCaleb
I'm guessing a 3rd dimension as the next dimension.

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ryandvm
Probably a lot more useful than time...

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koeselitz
Indeed. The rumor I've heard is that Google thought about putting Time into
their Maps development cycle but decided it would probably be a waste.

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netrus
The 3D data they have generated are amazing. This will make the
"satellite"-view MUCH more useful.

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lt
I keep hoping for some smoother navigation on street view, first-person-
shooter like.

I realize the issues interpolating the pictures, but navigating down a street
is quite clunky today.

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dharbin
The only weirdness I can see is the streets under the bridge look funny. I
guess that would be a problem when using aerial photography to generate and
texture the 3d models.

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pohl
The description of the automatic collection of surface feature data from
flying airplanes in tightly-controlled patterns makes me wonder if their
activity has been part of what has been driving the pseudo-scientific alarm
over "chemtrails" recently.

