Tim Bennett’s blog – Electron Soup

Google today launched its street view maps for a large percentage of Australia’s inhabited area. This represents a remarkable endeavour that would not have been possible – let alone freely available – just a few years ago.

As with many Google services, it’s a matter of waiting to see what the community does with the tools provided. Street-level property research has immediately taken off, with one co-worker discovering that the house she’d inspected on the weekend is not always kept in such a pristine condition. I would love to see Google launch a ‘drive through’ feature, allowing one to specify a route and then flip through the images, much like in the video below:

Here’s an assortment of things I’ve noticed on my brief trip around Australia’s roads:

• Sheer volume ensures some shots will be quite pretty, such as this photo of the Clarence River in Grafton.
• Entire CBD blocks are missing, e.g. George Street between Market and King – why?.
• Google’s face-blurring technology ensures privacy for everyone – even no-walking men and  pallets of alcohol boxes.
• photographs of defence installations are numerous, despite “sketching etc. of fortifications [being] prohibited” in Australia

I think we will see some interesting applications come out of Street View. Have you found your house yet?