Apple and Google both received press for their new map applications this month. Map technology has certainly come a long way from paper maps. Among other benefits, web maps are an important tool for attorneys. Criminal prosecutors use interactive maps to analyze key locations in a case, and in conjunction with cell phone GPS positioning technology.
Google Maps is one of the best tools for scouting potential apartments. It’s easy to see street views of the apartment, virtually walk around the block to scope out the neighborhood, and spy from above using Google Earth. Now CNN reports that Google Street View will give you the ability to see underwater panoramas. You can enjoy beautiful views of coral, fish, turtles, and divers in locations like the Great Barrier Reef and the Hawaiian islands. Perhaps there is potential to use this capability in environmental and maritime legal cases.
Google partnered with the Catlin Seaview Survey to capture coral reef panoramas with scientific and environmental objectives. In addition to expanding Google Street View, the project intends the images to further research on the impact of climate change on reefs, and raise public awareness of these ecosystems. It will be a great way for people who cannot travel to a reef or scuba dive to experience coral reefs. Currently Google has released 25 panoramas. The project has at least 35,000 more photographs to take to reach its goal of 50,000 to 100,000 panoramas.
Apple revealed its own map innovation on September 21st when it released the iPhone 5. The iPhone 5 comes with the Apple Maps app, instead of the Google Maps app that came with the iPhone since 2007. So far the application has received disappointing reviews with complaints of location inaccuracy. According to NBC, Ireland’s Justice Minister, Alan Shatter, had to warn pilots not to land in the Airfield Gardens, a nursery that was mistakenly categorized as an airfield. Apple CEO Tim Cook addressed complaints in a letter to customers and urgently promised to improve the app. Despite Maps frustrations, demand for the iPhone 5 exceeds inventory. Customers bought over 5 million iPhones in the first weekend.