a9.com (amazon) search... pics of your city block!

[gopunk]

http://a9.com/optical?a=oyp

from john battelle's searchblog:

In short, Manber and co. (urged on by Jeff Bezos, who Manber says was "very involved") strapped GPS-enabled digital video camera-cum-terabyte server rigs to the top of a bunch of SUVs, then drove them around the commercial areas of major US metropolitan areas, recording what then became composite still pictures of entire cities, one address at a time. A9 took more than 20 million images of 14 million+ businesses across ten cities (more are coming soon), then created a local search application they call Block View.

 

[helpme]

I don't see any pictures for places near my zip code? It just says no images available when I click on the links

 

[xospec1alk]

i was hoping this was live pics. oh well

 

[new2AMD]

i dont see anything

 

[yobarman]

i'm right here lol

edit: I think it automatically knows what I'm city I'm in. I thought you lived right down the road from me gopunk. Anyways... i guess thats not as cool as i thought

 

[funggorgor]

WTH?
We are unable to recognize the location you entered. Please enter a full address, or just a City & State, or just a Zip Code.

 

[JDub02]

no pics of syracuse

 

[loup garou]

If it could pan up, you could probably see me in my window! :shocked:

This is really cool, you can go up and down my block. I wonder when they took these pics, there is NOBODY on the street. Weird.

EDIT: Must've been pretty early...nobody but joggers and old farts walking around.

 

[Thraxen]

I don't get it. I find a few places marked near me, but when i click on the links I just get "No Image Available".

 

[gopunk]

hmmm, looks like it's just commercial zones? maybe not every city?

 

[Bootprint]

LOL, and it gives you funny results if you live in Canada. The proxy is on the other side of Toronto, in Scarborough but that link gives me results for Scarborough, ME.

 

[ElFenix]

downtown houston doesn't seem to have any images

 

[slydecix]

More info about it, along with the list of cities, is here

 

[Injury]

For the fun of it, I decided to put in "food"... knowing there are only a few crappy mom and pop restaurants in my town.

This website apparently built an imaginary tacobell and burger king downtown.. where there are only 2 auto parts stores, a pawn shop and some closed down shops. Sure thing, bub.

 

[loup garou]

Originally posted by: slydecix
More info about it, along with the list of cities, is here

LOL, that example shot of Cilantro is right down the street from my apartment!

 

[Ameesh]

yay for udi, yay for amazon!

 

[neonerd]

omgz0rz, I can see my street :Q

it's a nice street

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: neonerd
omgz0rz, I can see my street :Q

it's a nice street

Looks boring