Google Street View expands to cover swaths of Brazil and Mexican ruins, won’t substitute for a vacation

Google Street View expands to cover wide swaths of Brazil and Mexican ruins, won't substitute for a vacation

For a country that dominates the Latin American landscape, Brazil hasn't had much of a presence in Google Street View outside of major cities like Rio de Janeiro or Sao Paulo. A fresh update to Street View coverage has just gone live that fleshes out the the more far-flung corners of the map. It's now possible to see what it's like on the ground in much of the southern tip of the country as well as the northern coastline. Further north, Mexicans get their own treat: Google is now providing the panoramic views for ancient ruins such as Chichen Itza and Teotihuacan, just in case you'd rather not try to blend in with all the other tourists. The widened reach is undoubtedly no match for booking a flight and visiting in person, but it will save you the trouble of brushing up on your Portugese or ancient Mayan.

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Google Street View expands to cover swaths of Brazil and Mexican ruins, won't substitute for a vacation originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 17 Aug 2012 13:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Galileo Pan & Tilt Stand: The Subject is the Center of This System

The scientist Galileo was persecuted for arguing that the Earth and other planets revolved around the Sun. This Galileo on the other hand will be loved for doing something less revolutionary but nonetheless practical. It’s a remotely controlled stand that pans and tilts an iOS device.

galileo pan and tilt stand for ios

Galileo is the invention of Josh Guyot, the co-founder of Joby, the company that makes the popular Gorillapod products. Clearly he knows a thing or two about accessories for cameras, and it shows in the dead simple control scheme for Galileo. Using a remote iOS device, all you have to do is swipe on the screen and the Galileo will move accordingly while sending video in real-time. As you’ll see in the video below there is some lag, but it still works beautifully. Aside from moving it around, Galileo will also charge the device that’s docked in it.

In addition to the remote control, they plan on releasing an SDK for controlling the Galileo with your own apps, such as time-lapse and other photographic applications. You can pre-order the Galileo by pledging at least $85(USD) on its Kickstarter page. Guyot says he’s also working on an adapter for GoPro cameras, although this won’t be of much worth outdoors because it needs to be plugged in to a power outlet to work.

[via Cool Hunting]