Sunday, 11 August 2013

No exciting travel plans ? Don’t fret, Google Street View has you covered !

So it seems that Google has invented the Street View at 2007, and of course, any invention by Google has taken the world by a storm ! Personally, I was one of the (probably the majority) of people who was particularly intrigued by this new addition. Google Street View is a technology that provides a vivid 360-degree view from positions along many streets in the world.

For anyone with a particular interest/curiosity to know how other countries look like will be able to grasp a more vivid picture of a foreign place. I guess the classic saying of “a picture paints a thousand words” prevails in this case.

This brings to my next point on how Street View is also affecting the travel industry, or more accurately, our travel experiences. With a 360-degree view of virtually any place, I guess one can always take a 10-minute “mental vacation” to anywhere in the world.


"London to Ibiza, straight to L.A New York, Vegas to Africa"

While it is a useful resource when you're planning a route or looking for a destination, it can also serve as a magical gateway that transports you to some of world's most picturesque or iconic landmarks. As a result, we no longer only rely on traditional travel books, websites or official government websites which oftentimes projects a biased dreamlike, professional image of a country.  The Street View is an excellent avenue that provides a vivid reality of how a place is REALLY like, and best of all, at no costs. From the iconic Eiffel tower in Paris to the Grand Canyon in the States..... the Street View takes one on an exciting (virtual) experience touring the world. 

Case in point: The iconic Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris

Google Street View




VERSUS



A professionally taken picture 



As an extension of Street View, Google has been taking 360-degree panoramic photos of tourist sights around the world that are only accessible by foot. Here are those completed so far:

·         Grand Canyon, US.
·         Mount Fuji, Japan.
·         Hashima Island, Japan - more commonly known as Battleship Island.
·         Iqaluit, Canadian Arctic - the capital of the Canadian territory of Nunavut.
·         Burj Khalifa, Dubai - the world's tallest building.
·         The Galapagos Islands, a Unesco World Heritage Site off the coast of South America.

The advancement of technology and accessibility of Internet has brought profound impacts. With the function of Street View, I guess Google is trying to tell you "So what if you don’t have the time (or money) to travel ?". I guess Google Street View would satisfy that travel bug in you, or at least temporarily.

In my next post, I will be talking more on what actual travelers think about Street View, and how its latest addition alters one's travel experience. Stay tuned !

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