I haven't been this geeked since Google Earth came out! Well, now the peeps in Mountain View have done it again, this time with a further enhancement to the already impressive Google Maps program. If you thought the Hybrid or Satellite views were cool, wait until you see this.
It's a feature called Street View. It allows you to take a virtual walk down the street that you are mapping to. When you use Street View, you can actually see the place that you're trying to get to. Or, if you're like me, you just use it to check out some places you've been before to see how they've changed. Just a moment ago, I recreated my old commute into San Francisco (at this point the feature doesn't extend much past the Bay Bridge). It is so detailed that I was able to see the exact stairs I would take up from the BART station in the Financial District. I then proceeded down New Montgomery street and panned around my old bus stop to see what's new in the old neighborhood. I could zoom in and read the signs in the window of the Starbucks I used to stop by in almost every morning. The technology is absolutely incredible!
As of right now, Google Street View is available only in a few cities (San Francisco, New York, Miami, etc), but can you imagine if (when) the program expands to every major metropolitan area? The possibilities seem to be endless. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to take a stroll down Broadway...