Street View Rival in Tibet

View from the Potala Palace, Lhasa, Tibet

Google Maps and Bing Maps are not the only online map providers to offer a Street View type service. Chinese search engine SOSO.com's online maps also provides Street View for a number of locations.

SOSO has Street View type imagery available in the Tibetan capital of Lhasa and in some of the surrounding area.



Also See

MapJack - Street View type imagery for Thailand
Norc - coverage in central and eastern Europe, including in Poland and Austria
Mapplo - panoramic imagery for Argentina
Yandex - coverage in Russia

Via: Street View Funny

Stereographic Street View

Who would have guessed that Google Maps Street View looks even better when viewed stereographically. Street View Stereographic would - that's who.

Using Street View Stereographic you can view any Street View image in a stereographic projection. The app comes with a handy search bar so it is easy to find your favourite locations and view them sterographically. The app also has a dynamic URL so, if you find a great view, you can share a link to the view with your friends.

Street View Stereographic uses WebGL so you will probably need to use the Google Chrome browser to view the app.

The 2012 US Elections on Google Maps

The 2012 US Elections are still eleven months away but they are already hard to avoid. With so much political information, opinion and news to filter and digest Google has decided to launch an elections hub, Google Elections, to help citizens sift through the noise.

Part of the Google Elections hub is On the Ground, a Google Map of news stories and videos from the campaign trail. Currently the map is centred on Iowa with links to reports and videos from the Iowa Caucuses.

Via: Google Blog

Google Maps Directions for Guide Dogs

KNGF Geleidehonden (The Royal Dutch Guide Dog Foundation) trains puppies to be guide or seeing eye dogs. To help promote the charity and help raise some of the mobility issues faced by the visually impaired KNGF have created KNGF Maps.

The map is a pretty impressive iteration of Google Maps driving directions. The map includes the usual driving, public transit and walking directions but also includes some novel seeing eye dog directions.

If the user selects the seeing eye dog directions they are presented with a blanked out map. When the user asks for directions a seeing eye dog walks the route and lights up the way on the map.

The map serves as a useful metaphor for the invaluable help provided by seeing eye dogs to the visually impaired. The map also includes the usual text based steps of the walking directions and can therefore also be read by screen readers.

Getting Help with Google Maps

TaskRabbit allows users to get help for small tasks that they need completing. The tasks can range from house-hold chores and gardening help to more skilled jobs that the poster needs help in finishing.

Once a request for help has been made on TaskRabiit, background-checked members can bid for the job. The member who makes the lowest bid is then automatically assigned to run the task.

It is possible to search for people seeking help on TaskRabbit on a Google Map of submitted tasks. If you mouse-over a task map marker a small information window explains the task and it is possible to click-through to read the full details and submit a bid to help with the task.

TaskRabbit has a multiple step application process which includes an essay, video interviews and a background check to help ensure the security of TaskRabbit members.

New Years Eve Videos on Google Maps

Last night we saw some amazing fireworks displays taking place throughout the world to herald in the New Year.

Sydney in Australia put on its usual spectacular display. In London, the UK geared up for its Olympics year by putting on an impressive display on the Thames. In Dubai the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa also saw an amazing display of fireworks.

Here is a small collection of some of the best New Year's Eve Fireworks that took place last night.

Happy New Year everybody.

Displaying Sanitation Data on Google Maps

SanMap uses Google Maps with data from Water for People and WaterAid to provide sanitation maps for Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, Kampala in Uganda and Kigali in Rwanda.

Built with the help of Google Fusion Tables the map allows users to overlay a number of data layers on top of Google Maps of the three cities. As well as providing data about local sanitation the layers include overlays showing areas prone to flooding and to outbreaks of cholera.