Google strengthens online mapping services

Goolge on May 30 said it has strengthened its Google Maps online mapping system , which can help users clearly see the streets of the city with a clear 360 ^° image.

With the new " Street View " feature, Google Maps allows displaying images at street level, and currently only applies to one area in the US like San Francisco, New York, Las Vegas, Denver and Miami. In the near future, Google will expand its scope to other cities.

Google co-founder, Larry Page, introduced Google Maps

With the new version of Google Maps, Web users can browse an entire city; "virtual walk" on every street; check information about restaurants and hotels; or scenic spots; and can even enlarge bus signs or road signs.

The new " Street View " feature extracted by Google from A9.com's BlockView mapping technology, was introduced in early 2005. Since September 2006, A9.com (a part of Amazon. com) has stopped providing this feature. Former A9 CEO, Udi Manber, joined Google as vice president of engineering.

At the end of 2005, Microsoft also provided a tool called "bird eye" integrated into the MSN Virtual Earth 3D mapping service, allowing viewing of several major US cities.