Note: I'm cross posting this report from the D Conference to the Microsoft and Google blogs. This post is from the personal blog of Jason McCabe Calacanis.
Gates just spent 15 minutes showing off maps at the D conference. It seemed that 75% of Gates' talk was focused on
would-be Google killers and the other 25% on Apple-killers. I'm exaggerating, since Tablet and Windows Media Center
having nothing to do with those companies.
He just showed mapping technology that included satellite images just like Google Maps. He then showed putting layers
on top of maps—just like the Google Mash-ups people are doing. No big deal, we've seen this before.
Gates said that in their satellite images today one pixel represents one foot. OK, great… we know about that as
well.
He then talked about a company he has partnered with that that flies planes over cities and takes photos at 45
degrees. He showed flipping a map from a drawing to a satellite to an amazing 45-degree close up photo of a building.
Everyone let out a big "ohhhhhhhh."
It was the first "ohhhhhhhhhhhh" moment of the conference. Steve Jobs' podcasts in iTunes got no "ohhhhh" except the
one that I did under my breath while blogging it.
For my money podcast support is better than 45-degree photos.
Gates also showed off a bunch of search stuff that I'll blog next.
Update: My main man John Battelle blogged Microsoft Maps as well http://battellemedia.com/archives/001559.php
1. I like maps.google.com with their satellite imaging and I look forward to this 45-degree imaging from Microsoft or their partner. But what is to keep google from seeking out the same partner?
Also, Google bought keyhole.com to fill this void a while ago. Keyhole combines aerial and satellite imagery, 3D geography, maps, and business information.
Google is going to rebrand the above info as "Google Earth" which will literally render the 3D info of the whole freaking world in the next few weeks. Should be interesting.
--cj
Posted at 4:38AM on Dec 19th 2005 by chuck.the.nerd