1. Google maps has reinvented the idea and function of maps.
Google Maps gives us directions, satellite views, and even street views of
practically anywhere in the world. Google employed people to drive around cars
with cameras mounted on them to create effective street view maps. Employees of
Google also look at maps and formulate the most efficient directions for its
users; every one-way street, roundabout, and intersection is taken into consideration
to formulate efficient directions.
The second link is
about the launch of Google maps ten years ago. The reason Google Maps put Yahoo
Maps and MapQuest of business is because of their revolutionary satellite
imagery. The Google Maps app was also tactfully launched with the release of
the first iPhone, introducing directions accessible from a mobile phone. However,
this map war isn’t close to being over for “a map is never finished, there is
always more to be done,”.
The third link discusses Google street view cameras that are
now being used to show people the wonders of the world. People will now be able
to access interactive pictures of landmark and exotic travel destinations. People can view them as if they were riding a
camel or as if they were riding a gondola in Venice themselves. Hoping to
promote social change, inspire travelers, and create awareness Google street
view is enabling people to experience world destinations through screens.
2. I think that the ability to see the Seven Wonders of the
World on Google Street View is a very futuristic idea that has now been put
into play. We have all now enabled to see and to experience travel destinations
from our screens. I think that travel destinations are simply the beginning of
this technology; soon perhaps news stories, wars, and simply documenting family
trips will be the future of this technology. However as of right now, we are
able to see many places throughout the world with this unique street feature.
3. I watched the YouTube video on the Sulfur Mines and it
astonishes me how I was able to “hike” up a hill through pictures. No video was
needed because every step of the hike was captured with pictures. This
technology amazes me and after watching the video, I plan on using Google Earth
to explore parts of the world.
atlantic article
ReplyDeleteGoogle is one of the powerhouses of electronic mapmaking due to the massive amount of information that they deal with everyday. Using various technologies and apps, they are able to translate the physical world into the electronic world. It takes a lot of manpower and the collectivity of human intelligence in order to make maps as well as they do. Google maps are the evolution of paper maps; they are the future of maps and map making.
theguardian article
Navigating has changed so much from the days of printing out directions on how to get to places. Nowadays, digital maps and the appearance of smart phones have rapidly altered the way we get to places. Especially Google maps, having a goal of making the whole world browsable. With things like street view, google maps on smartphones, and competition, the development of electronic maps accelerated. At the moment, we are focused on making amazing digital maps, but the future will eventually lead to the evolution of the way we use them.
seven wonders article
Using Google’s street view technology, various travelers were able to help Google gain physical data about the regions they traveled in. These include places like the Liwa desert, Marseille, and even El Capitan in Yosemite. It allows people to visually experience these journeys that people went on from the comfort of their own homes. But Google could not have done this alone. The obtaining of these seven wonders on streetview was only made possible through the help of several people.
The fact that digital maps have totally transformed how we journey throughout the world had totally slipped my mind. I remember the days of when I was younger, hearing my mom tell directions to my dad from the passenger seat of the car. Sometimes my mom still asks me to print out directions. Digital maps have pretty much made these types of directions obsolete. But we can’t forget that some people don’t have smart phones and are unable to use those kind of digital maps, so printing out directions may still be useful.
I really enjoyed the “explore liwa” video. For me, there is something about deserts that I find so majestic, so romantic. I associate it a lot with ancient worlds and myths and think it is wonderful that I am able to get a sense of their travel through the desert from the comfort of my own home. It is also a plus that I don’t have to withstand the desert heat. Of course I think experiencing the views in person is a much grander experience, but that would take time, resources, and planning that is not so readily available. So while it is awesome to be able to see these kinds of views right away, it does not replace the actual experience of viewing it in person. It is simply another way to view the world.