Google has been making Maps and Earth a bit more social these days, letting users create 3D buildings and using crowdsourcing to help update changes in terrain and on roads. Now Google Street View is hoping to engage users by letting them suggest spots where the “Trike” should venture.
Google Street View’s Trike is what Google uses when it can’t drive a car through the area its visually mapping. Some Google employee actually rides this contraption to make sure Street View has visuals on hard-to-reach spots around the world. At Google’s Trike homepage, you can suggest spots where the Trike should go within six categories: parks and trails, university campuses, pedestrian malls (e.g., outdoor shopping areas, boardwalks), theme parks and zoos, and landmarks and sports venues.
Google is letting users submit their votes over the next few weeks, and will choose a winner for each category for the Street View trike to visit. It’s certainly an interesting way to engage users with Street View, considering how popular the car sightings are. When Google opened up nominations in the U.K., Street View received more than 10,000 suggestions.
Personally, I think this is representative of Google wanting to have the best mapping data available, whether it be on Maps, Earth or Street View, and is now engaging U.S. users to help them get this. Google knows the power of crowdsourcing and using its loyal user base to help them improve and iterate their products.
Photo credit:Flickr/Current Events
Google Street View Trike is awesome!
Can’t they at least make it like a quad or something so the guy doesn’t have to pedal that thing? I mean come on – give the guy a motor!
Come on! look at him, he’s enjoying himself. You don’t wanna ruin that
besides if you put a fat person on there they are almost gaurenteed to lose weight
I would guess that the reason for lack of a motor is because there is a need to be discrete and stealthy when venturing onto quasi-private or private property.
More than just being stealthy, it’s probably because most places that wouldn’t admit a car would also bar other motorized vehicles. Duh?
Decent comment. Asshole commentator. The “duh?” was unnecessary. I guess your parents never taught you that the rules of social etiquette applies even when you are annonymous on the internet.
who said you are anonymous?
His mapping the world one pedal at a time. This is an improvement from walking.
cheers.
Um, don’t many of your suggestions tend to be private property, such as college campuses, theme parks, and many sports venues? Even a landmark, is not already in a public park.
So when will TC allow editing of posts? I meant ”if not already in a public park.”
I thought you meant pubic parks. I’m all for Google taking photos of female pubic places… or parks.
Weren’t you the dude (two comments up) who gave the guy shit for saying “duh” ? So “duh” is taboo, but comments about publishing pictures of female public hair on google is kosher ? Another hypocritical “American” !
most colleges are public
Not really new as it got spotted already back in May:
http://www.enga...r-anita-ekberg/
Ah! The inevitable “not new” post.
The inevitable “I haven’t actually read enough of the article to understand what it’s all about, but I seem to remember something they mention from some other article and oh here’s an empty text box” post, even.
Seattlites, go vote for us. I’ll go pick up the leather jackets for our Google Trike Gang (GTG).
Come on Google, pics are nice but I want real time satellite tracking.
I half expect a Google employee to one day come knocking on my door to “house view” my place.
Google already has it
http://www.yout...h?v=X2OT977Lf10
I am just imaginating Sim City using the Google 3d builder….it can be awesome, or do they already thought about that?
Jesus, don’t internet writers believe in proofreading any more? I might have to go back to newspapers where I can at least read well formed sentences 90% of the time.
“Google has been making Maps and Earth are a bit more social these days, ”
What in the hell is that supposed to say?
take out the are
I saw one of these guys zigzagging round Djurgården in Stockholm last month.
I always wondered how they did Street View. The first time I used it, I found my old apartment in Tokyo.
Nice! Too bad he can’t pass out ice cream too.
Looks like H1B employees ride the bike around — I guess no American was willing to do the job.
They should take the Trike to compton. Through the back alleys and playgrounds…
They might have to transform the Trike to a Scraper Bike to blend in… ie. Scraper Trike.
When I was younger I remember riding around the streets on a Postman’s bike. The reception I received was admirable! You know there is a story in the making here of this ‘Google Trike’ being ‘borrowed’ by kids looking for some adventure…
high tech on the road
that job looks awful
Ha I wonder how much that bike weighs with all the equipment. I hope its geared down for those mountains
check out http://www.quiksee.com.
looks like they’re UGC’ing street view
wow… this guy is amazing
I imagine he really enjoys riding bikes, either that or they pay him a shit ton of money.