Google launches Street View, walking directions for mobile

By Giselle Abramovich

September 18, 2008

Get a clue with Street View

Google is launching a new version of Google Maps for mobile with the same street-level imagery that is available on desktop.

In July, Street View went international for the Tour de France and in August, expanded coverage to Japan and Australia.

“Wondering if the restaurant in your search results is the one you're thinking of,” said Michael Siliski, product manager at Google, Mountain View, CA in a blog post. “Just click on Street View after your search to see the storefront.

“Unsure about a complicated intersection in your directions,” he said. “Use Street View to see a photo, so there's no mistaking your turn.”

Users can also launch Street View from any address where Google has photography.

The service lets users browse views overlaid on the map or in full screen. Travelers can rotate ther view to see more of their surroundings and move along the street.

Google Street View is a feature of Google Maps and Google Earth that provides 360° panoramic street-level views.

It launched on May 25, 2007 with five American cities included. It now lists hundreds of locations in the United States, France, Italy, Australia and Japan.

The value of Google Maps for mobile is that users can determine their current location with or without GPS and getting driving and transit directions right on the spot.

The service is also handy when looking for phone numbers and addresses for local businesses.

Google has also made significant improvements in search speed and location accuracy with this version.

The newest Google Maps for mobile is available now for BlackBerry and many Java-enabled phones.

To download users can visit http://google.com/gmm from a Web-enabled mobile phone's browser or on the desktop. We're working on bringing all these new features to other platforms as well, so stay tuned.

“We've also added other features to help you search for and get to businesses and locations,” Mr. Siliski said. “You can now read business reviews, so you'll know if it's actually worth driving across town to that store.

"And once you decide where to go, you can get there on foot using the same walking directions,” he said.