Google Maps Street View catches what looks like a drug deal in Chicago

by Justin Glow on

That pesky Google van with the camera is up to its old shenanigans again! This time, it snapped what looks like a drug deal in progress on the streets of south Chicago. Of course, it could be something completely innocent; handing money through a car window isn’t illegal. Maybe the gentleman’s grandmother was headed to the grocery store and he wanted her to pick-up some milk and eggs for him? Or maybe he was buying the car. Remember, all suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

[Via NOTCOT]

Google Maps Street View Circa 1907

by Justin Glow on

I’m sure by now most of you have heard of or even played around with the new Google Maps Street View. If you’ve been reading Gadling for even a few months, you’ll know that we gushed about the feature on numerous occasions. (1, 2, 3, 4)

It turns out that Google wasn’t the first to develop this technology. (And no, I’m not talking about Amazon.com’s A9 or whatever it was called.) Way back in 1907, before conventional road atlases were made, Rand McNally released “Photo Auto-maps” which gave drivers a visual pathway for navigation, much like the Google Maps Street View of today.

Cool! [via]

Google Streetview Round-Up

by Willy Volk on

Whether or not you think Google’s new Streetview application violates privacy issues, there’s no denying that — in only a week — Streetview immediately became a glorious time-suck for for countless Internet-addicts.

Arguably better than actually leaving your house (think: no gas, no smog, no getting lost, no road rage), Streetview offers people the chance to see parts of the US they might not otherwise see. Granted, most Streetviewers are likely looking for naked women, amusing photo-gaffes, or sketchy activity, but who are we to dig in our heels before progress?

In that spirit, therefore, here are the 10 best sites for armchair travelers to get their Streetview fix.

  1. Mapmole: Mapmole allows users to submit links to interesting, unique, or strange things found through Streetview. Thereafter, other users can vote for their favorite images.
    PRO: Thumbnails are provided so users can see if clicking over is worth the effort.
    CON: Doesn’t open Google maps for you to explore further.
  2. Street View Fun: Incorporating Digg’s buttons in its site, Street View Fun clearly has long-term plans.
    PRO: I like the Top 10 feature.
    CON: Allowing users to both “star” and Digg an image seems like overkill.
  3. View Sightings: Presented with familiar “blog”-feel, View Sightings presents big, juicy images.
    PRO: Those big, juicy images.
    CON: Not much content.
  4. Streetview Links: Allows users to assign points to particular images.
    PRO: Plenty of content.
    CON: No images whatsoever — just provocative one-line descriptions.
  5. Laudon Tech’s Favorites: Content-rich, Laudon Tech is little more than a link dump, though a rating system is in the works.
    PRO: Updated daily, it has plenty of content.
    CON: No images whatsoever — just one-line descriptions.
  6. Geo-Trotter: Though the site is in French, it’s still well worth checking out.
    PRO: Features slightly different content than many of its competitors.
    CON: That whole French thing.
  7. Streetviewr: Clean site with little to distract the serious viewer.
    PRO: Lots of links.
    CON: No thumbnails, just those snappy one-liners to tempt you into clicking.
  8. Streetlenz: Simple layout with thumbnails.
    PRO: Thumbnails…
    CON: …which are inscrutably small.
  9. StreetViewVoyeur: Ultra-simple design.
    PRO: Some of the links are described by location, which could be handy if you’re searching for things in certain areas.
    CON: No images on the site itself.
  10. Wired Blog’s Threat Level: Not surprisingly, it’s probably the most convenient to use.
    PRO: Big images and the ability to vote for or against images.
    CON: That odd scrolling list of images is clunky.

BONUS: If you’re into music, be sure to check out Rolling Stone’s collection of famous rock landmarks. From the real Paul’s Boutique to Bob Dylan’s first New York apartment, this is a fun tour of rock and roll history — without leaving your home. Very, very cool.

More on Google Streetview:
* The Google Streetview Vehicle Revealed
* Google Streetview Finds One Fugly Buick and More
* Google Streetview Car: Take a Look at The Vehicle That’s looking At You

Streetviewr Is A Fun Time Wastr

by Willy Volk on

We promise not to turn this into the Google Streetview blog, but this morning I learned about Streetviewr, which I thought was pretty cool. Well…if you think wasting, like, 30 minutes clicking on cryptic captions to see what kinds of images they reveal is “cool.”

In any case, Streetviewr — similar to Google Sightseeing, which highlights interesting locations across the globe using Google Earth — is a fun link dump for many of the odd images the Google Van captured as it photographed the US. I can’t wait to start hearing stories about how the Google Van documented something illegal or immoral. For example, I can already see the headline: “Girlfriend Catches Boyfriend Cheating on Her Via Google Street View.”

I wish I knew when the Google Van was going to be passing my house. I’d hang up a sign that says “Read Gadling!”, so it would be forever immortalized — at least, until the next time it drove by.

More on Google Streetview:
* Google Streetview Round-up
* Streetviewr is a Fun Time Wastr
* Is Google Streetview a Web 2.0 Peeping Tom?
* The Google Streetview Vehicle Revealed
* Google Streetview Finds One Fugly Buick and More
* Google Streetview Car: Take a Look at The Vehicle That’s looking At You

Google Streetview: Odd Findings & Interesting Places

by Justin Glow on

A reader sent in a running list of odd findings on the new Google Maps Street View we reported on yesterday. This is similar to the website, Google Sightseeing, which highlights interesting locations across the globe using Google Earth.

Oddities include headless people, camera glitches, and the entire Google crew standing outside the Googleplex as the panoramic van drives by (above).

Found any other unique views with Google Maps Street View? Send them our way.

(Thanks, Fred!)

More on Google Streetview:
* Google Streetview Round-up
* Streetviewr is a Fun Time Wastr
* Is Google Streetview a Web 2.0 Peeping Tom?
* The Google Streetview Vehicle Revealed
* Google Streetview Finds One Fugly Buick and More
* Google Streetview Car: Take a Look at The Vehicle That’s looking At You