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Oct. 29, 2007 at 8:42am Eastern by Greg Sterling
Everyscape 3-D Mapping To Give Google, Microsoft A Run For Their Virtual Money
Three dimensional mapping company Everyscape has been busy building its product out for the last several months. This morning it finally launched, with four US cities to show for its effort: Aspen, CO, New York, Miami, FL, and Boston. And while Google and Microsoft have been battling it out in public and the press with their respective 3-D efforts, Everyscape has quietly built a very impressive experience that includes many building interiors (that's where the business model comes in).
Businesses pay money (from $250 to $500 per year) for interior photography that is integrated into the 3-D experience. Only a few locations with interiors are currently available, but the movement from exterior facade to interior is, dare I say it, cool, and points the way to the future integration of video as well.
The site is having some problems this morning and may not be working properly, probably because it's being hit by considerable traffic. Here's a promotional video for the site launch posted on YouTube:
Everyscape can take ordinary photographs -- it doesn't require trucks with mounted 360 degree cameras -- and knit them together to create its 3-D panoramas. That's the company's proverbial "secret sauce" and competitive advantage I was previously told. Microsoft is also reportedly working on "mapping" building interiors, but the combination of interior and exterior photography on Everyscape creates a very nice overall experience that, in many respects, improves upon Google's StreetView.
Additional data on local attractions, restaurants, and hotels is available from a variety of providers, including Yelp and Yahoo Local. If I were Jerry Yang (or MapQuest), I might see this technology and company as a way to play catch up with Microsoft and Google in this next frontier of mapping: photography, 3-D, and video.
Here's our original post on Everyscape.
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By Greg Sterling
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