Monday, March 12, 2007

Makes Sense, Sort Of

Why does Google Earth's resolution suddenly improve in certain areas of the Pakistani-Afghan border? Wired thinks it knows the answer. Google Earth gets its data from the same providers of cartographic information as the US DOD and those sectors happen to be precisely where the US govern­ment has been hunting for bin Laden and his deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri, according to the magazine.

13 Comments:

Blogger Brother D-Day said...

Hmmmm...

Open source image analysis???

3/12/2007 06:51:00 PM  
Blogger Tony said...

Ummm, I don't think quite think it's ALL the same "companies" ... Google gets its images from many of the same satellite companies — DigitalGlobe, TerraMetrics, and others-that provide reconnaissance to US intelligence agencies.

Then again, when you google "keyhole satellite" the second hit is Google Earth.

3/12/2007 06:55:00 PM  
Blogger Deuce ☂ said...

I have a particular interest in parts of Costa Rica. Some parts the imaging are far superior to others. I think they go with what they have.

3/12/2007 07:31:00 PM  
Blogger Palanivel Raja said...

Have you seen the new India search engine www.ByIndia.com
they added all the cool features of popular productslike MySpace,YouTube, Ebay,craigslist,etc.all
for free to use and specifically for India.Anyone else try this yet?
ByIndia.com First to Blend Search,Social Network,Video Sharing and Auctions
Into One Seamless Product for Indian Internet Users.

3/13/2007 02:44:00 AM  
Blogger joe buz said...

The resolution for an area in Colorado where I like to hike with my bow during early September was jut upgraded. I doubt that Al-Q is running around up there....but if I see any tangos, I'll try to let the air out of them.

3/13/2007 07:15:00 AM  
Blogger Jeha said...

Doesn't the US DOD have an exclusivity deal with those providers?

I understand they already purchased all Afgan
sattelite pics, as well as Many others, in some sort of exclusive contract.

3/13/2007 07:19:00 AM  
Blogger dla said...

I wonder if I start a rumor about seeing some "swarthy males with AK47's in Northern Idaho", if the DOD will upgrade the pictures of where I want to bowhunt? Just wondering....

3/13/2007 07:49:00 AM  
Blogger dla said...

I just flew over Afganistan. The resolution seems the same as over Idaho - pretty blurry closer than 20K feet. Maybe it get better if you use the $400 version?

3/13/2007 07:59:00 AM  
Blogger Insufficiently Sensitive said...

Google Earth has wildly differing resolutions in its photos, in or out of the US. Looking for the location of my favorite fiddler's convention in Virginia is really disappointing - and Baghdad is pretty clear. I think economics are heavily implicated.

3/13/2007 10:10:00 AM  
Blogger Charles said...

OTPig study forces rethink of Pacific colonisation

3/13/2007 11:31:00 AM  
Blogger gumshoe said...

the tone of cynicism in the Wired article certainly comes thru.

"Keep your eyes peeled for a very tall guy with a long beard and an AK-47."


sounds to me like the author is a member of the mewling "but we funded the mujahideen against the Russians" club.

Wired staff can't be bothered to read jihadwatch.com,apparently.

3/13/2007 11:48:00 AM  
Blogger Doug said...

Yon: Ernie is Dead

Among his many other accomplishments, General Downing had commanded the 2nd Ranger Battalion, one of the most difficult and prestigious jobs in the entire military. Today, LTC Erik Kurilla, formerly commander of the Deuce Four and totally recovered from his last gunshot wounds, is now commander of 2nd Ranger Battalion. Small world.

3/13/2007 02:43:00 PM  
Blogger Syl said...

Well, I'm sure the DoD has more assets than are available to Google Earth.

And I think Google just updates images by date, not resolution. Where I live was a higher resolution a year ago than it is today.

3/14/2007 01:25:00 PM  

Post a Comment

<< Home


Powered by Blogger