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Sunday, March 16, 2008

Google Cities in 3D

This makes it easier for communities to add 3D City data to Google Earth, and makes it cheaper for Google to implement 3D city-scapes. The idea is a good one and could provide means for medium size cities to market themselves. The cost to gather the data and maintain it could be high but could also lead to virtualized urban environments for more general virtual applications. I assume that a city would copyright it's virtual form? From the Google Earth Blog:
" ... I'm pleased to announce that we've just launched the Google Cities in 3D Program, which invites cities, towns, and other local governments to share their 3D data with the public by adding a model of their city to Google Earth. With this new program we've made it simple for local governments to share their data with us and be included in the 3D Buildings layer of Google Earth.

A 3D model of a city is extremely useful to potential visitors, developers, investors, preservationists, property owners, businesses, public officials, and many other groups. By establishing a 3D representation of a city on Google Earth, local governments can more effectively engage the public and boost tourism by enabling prospective visitors to plan their visit in advance... "

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