More High Resolution SA Cities for Google Earth

[crbuys]

Hi all,

The Google Earth junkies like myself would like to know that Cape Town and Durban were recently added to Pretoria and the East Rand as ultra high resolution areas on the globe.

For those that did not experience the magic yet - download Google Earth free from http://earth.google.com/

Enjoy,

 

[Skint]

Awesome!! Im a Google Earth Addict :/

 

[BTTB]

Google Earth Rocks!

I downloaded it 2 days ago for the first time.

Well done Google!

 

[desraid]

Google Earth still needs more work to be done but it's impressive for a start.

 

[AntiThesis]

Especially if compared to MSN Virtual Earth Google earth is so very, very addictive.

 

[TheRoDent]

What I want to know, is WTF is wrong with Joburg ? Don't they wanna be on google earth with high-res pics?

Oh wait, I see how it happened. A google representative phoned 375 5555 to find out about getting the Joburg highres sat pics, and got put on hold for 2 hours listening to silly music, and hearing how "his call was important" to them.

 

[pookfuzz]

Yeah, the hold music would do it, but I doubt they need to call anybody here. The images I would guess are from the same source as the ones used in the web maps thing, mostly all from satellite. They say they use aerial photos too but these are painful as they are often very old, black and white, at weird res or lack decent projection coordinates.

Some of JHB has highish res images, enough to make out houses and roads, but this tends to be only the south east side of JHB.

If you look at the areas which google does have high res imagery for it not very much.
http://earth.google.com/coverage/africa_lg.jpg
Yellow apparently is the areas with nice images.

 

[fergus]

All of these sites (google earth, google maps, msn virtual earth, etc) get their maps from a company called navteq. AS Tim O'Reilly says, they're the Intel Inside of mapping applications.

 

[arf9999]

What I want to know, is WTF is wrong with Joburg ? Don't they wanna be on google earth with high-res pics?

Oh wait, I see how it happened. A google representative phoned 375 5555 to find out about getting the Joburg highres sat pics, and got put on hold for 2 hours listening to silly music, and hearing how "his call was important" to them.

My feeling exactly..the economic hub of the country. The only true megalopolis in South Africa and our hick country cousins in Durbs and Cape Town get better images.

 

[fergus]

My feeling exactly..the economic hub of the country. The only true megalopolis in South Africa and our hick country cousins in Durbs and Cape Town get better images.

Well you got to admit, Durbs and Cape Town are much prettier to look at than Joburg. I mean, whats your guys main attractions, a couple of mine dumps and the Telkom tower? Can't blaim em if you ask me

 

[ettubrute]

Have you people noticed that all airports are razor sharp? Also, places like Pelindaba (the nuclear facility outside Pretoria) are very well covered. Wonder why?

 

[rpm]

Have you people noticed that all airports are razor sharp? Also, places like Pelindaba (the nuclear facility outside Pretoria) are very well covered. Wonder why?

I have noticed the same thing...Waterkloof is particularly well covered

 

[arf9999]

Well you got to admit, Durbs and Cape Town are much prettier to look at than Joburg. I mean, whats your guys main attractions, a couple of mine dumps and the Telkom tower? Can't blaim em if you ask me

...well ok..but in that case why show the East Rand?? WTF? The northern suburbs of Jo'burg are MUCH prettier. Jeez they show Midrand FFS!

 

[bb_matt]

Yeah, well, I guess most people find nuclear installations more interesting to look at than - hmmm, shopping malls !

Lets face it, you were all trying to spot your own houses !

 

[ettubrute]

Jip, and found it very easy! Eastern side of Pretoria is nice and clear, so it was no problem!

 

[doekvoet]

Addiction to google earth may become very very expensive - I see it chows bandwidth rather fast....................

Ah well - we got telscum to thank for not even being able to fully use a wonderfull application like this one

 

[The_Right_Honourable_Brit]

Well I've just d/l it and I've spotted my house in Cape Town!

Yip, a pity it chews down bandwidth fast.

 

[Highflyer_GP]

jhb is still low-res, i can't even find my suburb let alone house

 

[arf9999]

Lets face it, you were all trying to spot your own houses !

...well, yes...but that's not the point

 

[JayT]

Pity about some of the images from Cape Town being 2 yrs old. The whole shopping centre around the corner from where I stay is missing.