Google Earth Comes to Audi A8 [Maps]

Yes, plenty of cars have built-in GPS navigation. But up until now, no car had Google Earth integrated, but now Audi has remedied that with their new luxury car, the Audi A8.

Snugged right into the LCD screen in the car, the Google Earth application will let lucky owners look at 3D satellite imagery, terrain information, and even additional info layers such as Wikipedia articles or Panoramio images related to a certain location.

A8’s system will also feature Google Maps and Local Search, plus the ability to link it all with your desktop computer. To save time, you can simply search for an address on your computer and send it to the car; when you start driving, the car will know where to go.




However, if you’re not familiar with German manufacturer’s luxury cars, lets just say that only those with the deepest pockets will be buying one. The rest of us will have to make do with an iPhone stand and the Google Earth mobile app.

[Mashable]

Announcing Google Maps Navigation for Android 2.0

Since 2005, millions of people have relied on Google Maps for mobile to get directions on the go. However, there's always been one problem: Once you're behind the wheel, a list of driving directions just isn't that easy to use. It doesn't tell you when your turn is coming up. And if you miss a turn? Forget it, you're on your own.

Today we're excited to announce the next step for Google Maps for mobile: Google Maps Navigation (Beta) for Android 2.0 devices.

This new feature comes with everything you'd expect to find in a GPS navigation system, like 3D views, turn-by-turn voice guidance and automatic rerouting. But unlike most navigation systems, Google Maps Navigation was built from the ground up to take advantage of your phone's Internet connection.

Here are seven features that are possible because Google Maps Navigation is connected to the Internet:

The most recent map and business data
When you use Google Maps Navigation, your phone automatically gets the most up-to-date maps and business listings from Google Maps — you never need to buy map upgrades or update your device. And this data is continuously improving, thanks to users who report maps issues and businesses who activate their listings with Google Local Business Center.

Search in plain English
Google Maps Navigation brings the speed, power and simplicity of Google search to your car. If you don't know the address you're looking for, don't worry. Simply enter the name of a business, a landmark or just about anything into the search box, and Google will find it for you. Then press 'Navigate', and you're on your way.

Search by voice
Typing on a phone can be difficult, especially in the car, so with Google Maps Navigation, you can say your destination instead. Hold down the search button to activate voice search, then tell your phone what you want to do (like 'Navigate to Pike Place in Seattle'), and navigation will start automatically.

Traffic view
Google Maps Navigation gets live traffic data over the Internet. A traffic indicator light in the corner of the screen glows green, yellow or red, depending on the current traffic conditions along your route. If there's a jam ahead of you, you'll know. To get more details, tap the light to zoom out to an aerial view showing traffic speeds and incidents ahead. And if the traffic doesn't look good, you can choose an alternate route.

Search along route
For those times when you're already on the road and need to find a business, Google Maps Navigation searches along your route to give you results that won't take you far from your path. You can search for a specific business by name or by type, or you can turn on popular layers, such as gas stations, restaurants or parking.

Satellite view
Google Maps Navigation uses the same satellite imagery as Google Maps on the desktop to help you get to your destination. Turn on the satellite layer for a high-resolution, 3D view of your upcoming route. Besides looking cool, satellite view can help you make sense of complicated maneuvers.

Street View
If you want to know what your next turn looks like, double-tap the map to zoom into Street View, which shows the turn as you'll see it, with your route overlaid. And since locating an address can sometimes be tricky, we'll show you a picture of your destination as you approach the end of your route, so you'll know exactly what to look for.

Since there's nothing quite like seeing the product in action, we made this video to demonstrate a real-life example:



The first phone to have Google Maps Navigation and Android 2.0 is the Droid from Verizon. Google Maps Navigation is initially available in the United States. And like other Google Maps features, Navigation is free.

Visit google.com/navigation to learn more and browse a gallery of product screenshots. Take Google Maps Navigation for a spin, and bring Internet-connected GPS navigation with you in your car.

[Google Maps Navigation]

Google Maps' Giant Game of Monopoly Begins Tomorrow [Google]

No, that's not a snarky business headline. Google and Hasbro are launching a worldwide game of Monopoly using Google Maps as the board. It's called Monopoly City Streets.
Each player starts with $3 million. They can buy any street in the world to erect houses, stadiums and even skyscapers allowing them to collect more and more daily rent (ranging from $50,000 to $100 million per property). The goal? 'Play to beat your friends and the world to become the richest property magnate in existence.'
Streets will vary in cost, of course, with the White House's Pennsylvania Ave. listed at $2 million, while
Downing Street (London's home to the senior British cabinet) goes for just $231,000. (America, fuck yeah.)
If anyone sees a spot to register, please say so in the comments. So far we've only tracked down the game's official site and blog. And if we don't start playing right when this game starts, we'll lose out on another rare opportunity to be financially humbled by the real estate market. [Monopoly City Streets via Daily Mail via DVICE]

Wikitude Drive Android Nav App Takes Augmented Reality to Your Car's Dashboard [Android Apps]

Mobilizy's Wikitude, an augmented reality app that overlays Wikipedia links onto your camera's viewfinder, is still one of the most amazing apps in the Android Market. Wikitude Drive, which does the same with turn-by-turn directions, does it one better.
As you can see in the video, Mobilzy's take on the turn-by-turn video overlay isn't the most refined—a nod to Blaupunkt on that one—and it seems a little distracting to use, as is. But that's not to say that the concept isn't fantastic, for one simple reason: Your eyes never really leave the road. Normal nav apps just show you a static, mapped representation of what's coming, which does fine on the directions-giving front, but utterly fails on the helping-you-not-run-over-children-on-bikes front.
Aside from the AR feature, the app is a little bare, it requiring a data connection at all times, supporting voice commands only via a separate voice engine, lacking most of Wikitude's other over features, though informational overlays probably aren't too wise on a turn-by-turn HUD. Mobilzy says it's coming 'soon,' hopefully alongside a partnership with one of the big map data suppliers, so we can actually use this thing. [Mobilzy]

מחשבון לכמות החשמל הפוטנציאלית מלוחות סולאריים על הגג

חברת RoofRay משתמש במפות של גוגל לחישוב כמות החשמל בזרם ישר אשר ניתן להפיק אם קולטי שמש על גג ביתך. המחשבון משתמש במערכת המפות של גוגל (Google maps). צריך למצוא את הבית שלך במפות - בארה"ב איכות תמונות הלווין יותר טובה מאשר בארץ. המחשבון יחשב כמה יחידות SUNGLYÄSS (השם המתוכנן ללוחות הסולאריים של IKEA) יתאימו לגג וכמה כסף ניתן לחסוך. החישוב אינו מדויק ולא מותאם לכל סוגי הלוחות אך נותן הערכה די טובה.

כדי להגדיר את איזור הלוח פשוט מציירים אותו נקודה אחר נקדוה על תמונת הלווין של הגג, מכוונים את כיוון השיפוע של הגג או של הלוחות ואת זווית השיפוע. ניתן להוסיף עוד ועוד איזורים לחישוב.

אני בעד המגמה הירוקה וזה כלי שיכול להכריע אם בכלל זה כדאי כלכלית או שזה לא בכיוון. לצערי הכלי לא ממש עובד בישראל...

[דרך Gizmodo]