UK Google Streetview Live

It seems that Google Street View UK is up and running.

Found this out by accident this morning – but hey!

Now the rest of the world can “drive” around blighty just as we’ve been able to do with the US of A 🙂

We know that those Google street cars have been cruising around but now we can see the results of those 360° horizontal and 290° vertical camera pictures.

This service has been around in the United States since 2007 and is gradually spreading across the planet – and perhaps even Mars.

The UK version has gone live only after the information commissioner gave the service the go-ahead after Google agreed to blur individual’s faces and the number plates of cars.

It does seem, however, that the blur-ware isn’t that good in poor light but occassionally there are clear pics of folk going about their day-to-day business.

But let’s face it – living in London I’m sure I’ve probably been inadvertently snapped and more than likely appeared on Flickr or Facebook without my knowledge.  I know for a fact that I’ve appeared on tele a few times (Cash In The Attic for example had me walking through Soho!).

How to use Google Street View UK

• Go to Google maps at maps.google.co.uk
• Zoom in on a major city – check the list below 😉
• Drag the yellow map icon from the left hand side onto the map. Any street highlighted blue has an available street level view.
• Drop the icon at the point you want to view from and you will switch to the 3D image.
• Use the map in the lower left corner to navigate, and use the mouse to pan the main image around. The arrow icons let you move around the streets.

Anyhow the UK Streetview is up and running so go and check out these cities – you never know, you might be famous 🙂