Microsoft vs Google: Brute force vs finesse
Google has always been very conscious of energy efficiency, as much for economic reasons as environmental. After all when you're operating dozens (hundreds?) of data centers filled thousands (millions?) of servers storing every conceivable bit of information about everyone, electricity costs can add up really fast. They've also been involved with running hybrid and electric vehicles on their campus and even funding plug-in conversions.
The latest battleground between Google and Microsoft is adding street level imaging to their online mapping applications. Microsoft has always thrown everything they can at the products they design whether it is needed or not. How many of the features in Office do you actually use? Google takes a more minimalist approach as evidenced by their classic plain white search page.
Generating all those street view images requires actually going out into all the cities and taking billions of images. Both Microsoft and Google have put together fleets of multi-camera vehicles and their choices reflect the same attitude they take to other products. The team from Redmond Washington have selected Chevy Tahoe SUVs to drive around take pictures while Google has gone to the opposite extreme and equipped mounted their cameras on Chevy Cobalts.
[Source: Gizmodo]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Big Brother 7:45PM (7/30/2007)
Can't wait to see the data these cameras spit out!
http://streetviewgallery.corank.com
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Nate 10:18PM (7/30/2007)
I do not believe either of these vehicles are owned by either Microsoft or Google but by companies which they have contracted. In particular, the gas guzzling monstrosity on the left is owned by Facet Tech. One of the companies contracted by Google has in the past used old (circa early 1990s) minivans, which I'm sure were worse than that Tahoe. Maybe we can hope that now that Facet Tech has access to some Microsoft money, they will be able to invest in some camera technology that does not require the high roof of the SUV.
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YellowZx5 1:36PM (7/31/2007)
From the pictures that are seen of the two vehicles, it seems that Microsoft has invested some good amount of green into the pictures that are being taken. The cameras from Microsoft look really big and I think they would take some better pictures.Google seems to have a smaller "Web Cam" looking camera on their vehicle. But its just what I seem to have noticed.
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Phil 10:16AM (8/01/2007)
anyone notice that the tahoe is plugged in to an outlet? maybe it is a converted electric vehicle
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