Google Maps 45° View of Vancouver

[Klazu]

Maybe it has been there for a while, but I only today noticed that Google Maps now includes 45° "helicopter view" of whole Metro Vancouver. The photos seem to have been taken in last autumn based on the status of few projects. The photos are good quality so this adds one new cool wau to see our beautiful city.

You can enable the view by searching for Vancouver in Google Maps and just zooming close enough in satellite mode.

[crazyjoeda]

It's been up for at least a month

[Citylights]

Recently, Apple maps on my iphone 5 (and other apple devices?) updated their 3d map of Vancouver. It is amazing now. Way more detailed then Google Earth's 3d representation of Vancouver. I was able to zoom in on my house and rotate around my car that was rendered in 3d. I think they used the same laser mapping method that Nokia maps had of certain cities.

Here is what it looks like:

[go_leafs_go02]

It doesn't cover all of Metro Vancouver. I don't think it goes into Pitt Meadows/Maple Ridge, and even Surrey only has the northwest portion covered.

[SFUVancouver]

That looks great. I bet it also runs better than the new SimCity.

[Porfiry]

Originally Posted by Citylights

Recently, Apple maps on my iphone 5 (and other apple devices?) updated their 3d map of Vancouver. It is amazing now. Way more detailed then Google Earth's 3d representation of Vancouver. I was able to zoom in on my house and rotate around my car that was rendered in 3d. I think they used the same laser mapping method that Nokia maps had of certain cities.

Awesome!

But no, it's nothing like Nokia's laser mapping cars. Apple flies camera-equipped planes over the city and then uses software to extract 3D structures from the 2D photos. I cannot fathom the algorithms involved, but it allows them to get all the terrain in a region (cars are obviously limited to roads).

Here's a video about the precursor technology:
• Video Link

[Klazu]

Originally Posted by crazyjoeda

It's been up for at least a month

I guess that's what one gets from being 40 days out of town.

Apple actually bought the Swedish company that used to provide 3D cities to Nokia Maps (now called Here), so they share the exactly shame technology. Since the purchase Nokia has started to utilize other technologies leveraging Navteq that they bought five years ago. Too bad they don't include Vancouver yet.