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Google Offers Hybrid Satellite and Map View

Posted by Zonk on from the best-of-both-worlds dept.

That's Unpossible! writes "Google Maps now offers a hybrid view which combines their map view with their satellite view. The Google blog has a notice on the update. It appears to use 8-bit alpha transparent PNGs to make it work."

5 of 298 comments (clear)

  1. Internet Explorer? by RoadkillBunny · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Last time I checked internet explorer didn't support transparency in PNG's. So why is google ignoring most of the world then?

    --
    Cheers,
    RoadkillBunny
  2. M$ must be saying... by bogaboga · · Score: 0, Redundant

    "...now wait a minute, how the heck do we respond to this? Before we even thin of an appropriate response, they (Google) will be out with another innovation". S**t!"

  3. Re:It has to be said. by pete-classic · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Stop complaining. As far as I can tell "beta" means "no ads yet" in Google-speak!

    -Peter

  4. Re:Hmm... by Buran · · Score: 0, Redundant

    What exactly do most web sites have to gain by making me install a crapware browser I don't want just to view their shitty site? Yet over and over I see "Works best in IE..." bullshit.

    --
    i am a soviet space shuttle
  5. Re:Hmm... by hazee · · Score: 0, Redundant

    It's all about standards.

    Google exists almost entirely in the web sphere. As such, it's in their interests that the web is consistent and reliable. When you get people like MS who simply can't be bothered to fix or update their browsers, that hurts everyone.

    So currently everyone has to jump through hoops coding both a standards compliant site, and also an IE compliant site. Most people haven't got a hope of persuading MS to fix their issues, so they just deal with it.

    Google, on the other hand, is potentially big enough to say "why should *we* have to jump through hoops fixing MS issues? FU MS, *you* fix the issues."

    So it's not about zealotry for a particular browser - it's about someone finally being big enough to drag MS into line.

    As for how they'd actually handle it, granted, it might be a little tricky to win people over, but I daresay it could be done. Imagine that you've looking at Google maps or whatever with IE, and the display is messed up. Google have detected that you're using IE, so they've included a link at the bottom of the page "having problems with the display - click here".

    That takes you to a note which reads something like the following:

    "Google is always seeking to bring you the newest and best features of the web. Unfortunately, Microsoft appears to have ceased active development of their Internet Explorer web browser some years ago, and it does not support the latest features. Fortunately however, a number of free, up-to-date alternatives are available. Click here, here, or here"...

    (Yes, I know IE7 is in development, but A) it won't be available to those of us not running XP, and B) may still contain plenty of issues.)

    So your average person gets the message that "Google is recommending I switch browsers".

    Who do you trust? Who does your boss trust? Even PHBs have certainly heard of Google.