New Google feature ?

Kremmen · Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2011 7:37 am Post subject: New Google feature ?

In Google Maps plot a route.

Once complete there is a small "3D" button a short way down the page, just before the routeing instructions.

Press this button and you get a pseudo helicopter trip of your plotted route.
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Darren · Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2011 2:16 pm Post subject:

Nice find! wonder how long that's been there??
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Darren Griffin

MaFt · Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2011 3:46 pm Post subject:

when i went to google maps it had a big bit on the bottom left telling me about new MapsGL (powered by WebGL) - which is, from what I can see, the vector-based maps as opposed to the static tiles currently used. It adds the 3D buildings like on Android phones etc.

I'm just taking a tour of the new features now and the 45 degree angle flyover view is new too.

You can also rotate the map when in the 45 degree satellite view. I wonder if this was a direct response to Apple purchasing the company that made similar 'fly over' stuff?

I did a local route but had no option of he fly over. I guess Bradford isn't covered yet!

pcaouolte · Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2011 6:42 pm Post subject:

I have also just noticed that it says Map Data (C) Google. No mention of TeleAtlas, when did that happen in the UK? Locally the Google map is more accurate in a number of places than the latest (8.80) TomTom map.
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Paul

pcaouolte · Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2011 7:06 pm Post subject:

MaFt · Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2011 9:28 pm Post subject:

Kremmen · Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2011 7:33 am Post subject:

Lots of useful info, glad I brought Google Maps into focus Very Happy

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Darren · Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2011 8:22 am Post subject:

It's interesting that they're clearly making moves to migrate to their own data.

If they are using their own data for Google Navigation as well then that's quite a feat to have not only captured all that road data, but to have applied routing information to it as well, wow!
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Darren Griffin

MaFt · Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2011 10:26 am Post subject:

well, they drove every single road for streetview. they have video/stills footage of all the road signs and junctions etc...

not much else to do really, is there?! Laughing Out Loud

MaFt

Darren · Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2011 10:31 am Post subject:

That sounds like 'we give you all the speed camera data, so why do you charge for it?' Laughing

There is a massive chasm between having data and making it useful.

Seriously though, I wonder if they have automated the process or if this is still done by humans? Interpreting video footage, even if it has added info such as widths, bridge heights etc, to add routing data, is no easy task to do programatically.
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Darren Griffin

MaFt · Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2011 10:42 am Post subject:

yeah, it was slightly tongue in cheek! but remember, google are kings of data processing - we know they have the data (and all our wifi IP's!) sourced by their streetview team so it's just a case of processing it.

i assume they will still use core data from the likes of OS etc for the 'base' and add their data to it like the other mapping companies?

i would have thought that in terms of navigation that they would start with the basics like turn restrictions which the majority would be in the base data? - or perhaps when streetview cars were driving around they had a few buttons they could press at key points for 'no right turn', 'no left turn' etc then they can match those POIs to the video footage to confirm exactly which junction it was referring to etc?

I assume they DO have turn restriction data etc anyway as you can get your routing done via the google maps site which changes if you set it to pedestrian (i.e. ignores one-way streets).

regardless, it's no small feat!! but then they've had 2 1/2 years to do it as the streetview vans hit the uk in 2008 (i've noticed a few days ago that the streetview images now show the month/year that the images were taken - we were done in August 2009). 2 1/2 years of google data processing could achieve an awful lot! plus, as well, they did the main towns (leeds, london, cardiff) much earlier than the rest of the country - my brothers road was done the year before - August 2008. An extra year to start processing and refining their systems for the full country?

maybe we should be trying to get a day with google's mapping department like we have with teleatlas and navteq before now?

MaFt

pcaouolte · Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2011 4:32 pm Post subject:

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