Hasta La Gadget!

Google launched the first Street View imagery of Antarctica in 2010, allowing people from far-flung  places to view the lovely penguins in the region for the first time.  Today, the search engine giant is taking Street View to an entirely new level by bringing panoramic imagery of historic locations in the Antarctic.

Google partnered with the Polar Geospatial Center at the University of Minnesota and the New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust to add 360-imagery of the historical locations in the region, such as the South Pole Telescope, Shackleton’s hut, Scott’s hut, Cape Royds Adelie Penguin Rookery and the Ceremonial South Pole.

The team used a lightweight tripod camera with fisheye lens to capture the stunning images. Apparently Google’s mobile Street View backpack isn’t going to work because of the snow. Google said that the main goal of the update will be to provide scientists and travel enthusiasts all over the world with the most accurate, high-resolution data of these important historic locations.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Google improves Street View in California, brings panoramic views to five national parks, Google Business Photos shows you store interiors,

Hasty, no? Merely hours after being announced to the world, Garmin’s GLO Portable GPS and GLONASS receiver have touched down in the FCC’s database. Per usual, that’s a fairly solid indicator that the devices will be available for sale on US shores within a few weeks, and if you’re curious, there’s even a draft user guide tucked in the source link below. Truth be told, there’s not a ton here that wasn’t already made public — it’s obviously “Made for iPod / iPhone / iPad,” and Garmin asserts that the included battery will take three hours to charge but 12 hours to deplete. The manual also asserts that Android users “may need to use an application to allow the sensor to properly communication over Bluetooth,” and just in case you’re thinking of getting wet and wild, the outer casing is said to be “rugged, but not water-resistant.” For shame — we were totally looking forward to geotagging our next romp down the Gauley.

Filed under: GPS

Garmin GLO Portable GPS and GLONASS receiver hit the FCC, get torn down for good measure originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 14 Jul 2012 07:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  FCC  | Email this | Comments

Google Street View was first launched on May 2007 in several cities in the U.S., and it has been deployed to other countries since then. And while questions about its security and privacy lingers, Google continues to improve its highly popular Google Maps product. Google has just announced that it has improved its Street View feature in the state of California by adding 360-degree panoramic imagery to five of California’s national parks – Yosemite, Redwood, Sequoia & Kings Canyon, Death Valley, and Joshua Tree.

Now, users can stare at the giant redwood trees in the Redwood National Park, visit the historic Inspiration Point at the Yosemite National Park, see the huge trees at the Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, check out the Death Valley National Park, or view the spectacular scenes in the Joshua Tree National Park – all from Google Maps. “People around the world can now appreciate the beauty and timelessness of the wilderness through Street View. We’ve recently added 360-degree panoramic imagery for five of California’s national parks. You can now take a virtual road trip practically the entire stretch of California from north to south,” Google said.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Google Business Photos shows you store interiors, Google Street View Camera Car Stalked In Berlin,

Maps. Everyone loves ’em. But while plenty of companies are showing off some very fancy map updates, we’re still being left somewhere, staring at tall buildings, waiting for our location to update and lead the way. Garmin reckons it’s solved the problem with its first GPS and GLONASS-compatible receiver, which can connect to both iOS and Android devices. Initial lock-on times are apparently 20 percent faster than typical GPS, while GLONASS’ additional 24 satellites will make faring through canyons and urban sprawls less of a struggle for signal pick-up. Garmin has also upped its position refresh rate to 10 times per second: typical GPS receivers will update just once every second. It connects to devices through Bluetooth and will offer a 12-hour navigation boost on a single charge.

If you’re a pilot, there’s even a GLO for Aviation package, which throws in a mount, power cable and six-month trial for its Pilot navi app. The standard receiver will launch in August, priced at $99, while those with wings can skip the queue and nab their version now for $139.

Continue reading Garmin GLO Portable GPS and GLONASS receiver: location refresh rate 10 times faster than typical GPS

Filed under: GPS

Garmin GLO Portable GPS and GLONASS receiver: location refresh rate 10 times faster than typical GPS originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Jul 2012 01:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Pedaling your way through the streets of London Town and eager to avoid giant hills or dangerous traffic? Well, Google Maps is about to become your new best friend. The (still kinda-sorta) search company partnered with Sustrans to bring cycling directions to UK users of its mapping app. Now, alongside your typical driving, walking and public transit options you’ll see an adorable little biking icon. Really, there’s not much more to say, it’s a feature we in the US have been enjoying for quite some time and we’re happy that our friend across the pond are finally joining the party. There’s a celebratory video and some PR after the break, if that sort of thing intrigues you.

Continue reading Google and Sustrans join forces, bring bike navigation to UK Maps

Filed under: Software

Google and Sustrans join forces, bring bike navigation to UK Maps originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Jul 2012 10:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink The Next Web  |   | Email this | Comments