Breaking news…

Why is it breaking, anyway? I mean, it’s not like once it’s written it then falls apart, or leaves annoying shards that stick into your feet, is it?
In any case, my latest bit of news writing (including the by now trademarked Kidman cynicism) is up at APCMag.com:
Google Maps gets Australian street view photography: “Australia is one of the first countries outside North America to get Google’s amazing street-view photography. But this time, Google promises your privacy is safe…”
The thing on breaking news is relatively accurate, in that the piece was written prior to its launch, which provides an interesting quandary for the prospective news writer — pretty much all I had to go on at that point was the provided press material, in its hyperbolic glory. For what it’s worth, there’s a link to the US Street View video — deliberately awful — and it appears that a similar Aussie video is now available.Oh, and for those who wish to decry that news that’s prompted by PR releases isn’t news at all, I do actually agree with you. At the same time, to quote the Simpsons, “Mah Cheeldren Need Wiiine…
Having had the chance to look over Street View this morning, now that it works, I’m impressed by the scope of the project, although I can hear those who fall just outside the Street View maps scope crying out already. I’m also somewhat peturbed that I can work out pretty much exactly when the Street View map van must have been round my way, based on the trees that are no longer there (although they do a great job of hiding most of my house) and the fact that the bins were out — so it must have been a Thursday.

3 thoughts on “Breaking news…”

  1. If you are even vaguely curious, our home and my work, plus the rest of Armidale, are up online. It looks like they did a tour around Feb-March, on a Thursday.

  2. It’s an unusual mix of coverage — right now, Victoria would be the place to live, as about 90% of the state is covered in blue lines. At the same time, Darwin is bereft of coverage.

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