Google Maps Street View Offers Night Vision!

Sep 22, 2008 - 9:43 am 19 by
Filed Under Misc Google

Last week, I was looking for a business in NYC. I knew the location, but I wasn't 100% sure of the name of the business. Instead of guessing local businesses, I relied on Google Street View for some assistance. After all, you could see the local businesses after they've been captured by Google's Street View cars by going to Google Maps.

Or so I thought.

I went to the location I needed to be at, and I found Google Street View in the dark:


View Larger Map (backup image link)

Naturally, this was hardly useful to me. I could make out Staples (who couldn't?) but the business, which is located right next to it, was not visible.

Meanwhile, if you still start going along same street, eventually, you'd see the building in daytime. However, at that angle, it hardly helps.


View Larger Map (backup image link)

That leads me to ask: what is the benefit of having Google Street View at night? Who thought such a shoddy quality image would help us anyway?

On a related note, in one Google Groups discussion, it seems that people want Google Street View at night -- with a daytime option as well. Just be advised that there sharpness of the images at night is not as ideal.

I'll stick with high quality daytime images. Thanks Google. ;)

 

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