Google Street View Turns 15
fliptop writes:
Last week, Google Street View turned 15:
Fifteen years ago, Street View began as a far-fetched idea from Google co-founder Larry Page to build a 360-degree map of the entire world. Fast forward to today: There are now over 220 billion Street View images from over 100 countries and territories - a new milestone - allowing people to fully experience what it's like to be in these places right from their phone or computer. And Street View doesn't just help you virtually explore, it's also critical to our mapping efforts - letting you see the most up-to-date information about the world, while laying the foundation for a more immersive, intuitive map.
While that's all worth celebrating, we aren't stopping there. Today, we're unveiling Street View's newest camera, giving you more ways to explore historical imagery, and taking a closer look at how Street View is powering the future of Google Maps.
Admittedly, the piece reads more like an ad for their new camera, but there's no denying the tool has its place in modern society. Here's a fun idea, ask any Millennial or Gen Z if they know how to read a map.
Also at XDA, DailyMail, and a decent discussion at YCombinator Hacker News. Originally spotted on The Eponymous Pickle.
[Ed.: there were a lot of interesting things that people found in the early days before Google has to start blurring faces and license plates --hubie]
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