We knew already that Microsoft mysterious event today would have something to do with a tablet, we were right as Microsoft has unveiled its Surface Tablet called the Microsoft Surface.
Described as a “tablet that’s a great PC, and a PC that’s a great tablet,†the Surface has a 10.6-inch display, 9.3mm thickness, magnesium casing, a kickstand and a multitouch keyboard with a built-in trackpad and weighs in at just 1.5 pounds.
The Surface will be available in two varieties: one, built on ARM architecture, running Windows RT, available in 32GB and 64GB and a Pro version, which uses Intel CPUs, and runs a full version of Windows 8 with higher capacities
Google New 3D Maps Unveiled, Coming to iOS and Android
During its “next dimension†press conference, Google unveiled their plans for its Google Maps service. With a brand new 3D mapping feature for Google Earth, captured by special airplanes equipped with Street View-like 3D cameras, the services will be coming to both Android and iOS devices in the coming weeks.
Watch the full event below:
The tentpole of today’s keynote probably the new offline mapping capabilities, where journeys can be planned and locations can be found regardless of whether you’re connected to the internet or not. Its enough to download the map of the desired location before you go and later you can use different features while offline. Awesome.
The announcement comes a week ahead of Apple’s WWDC in which its highly rumored the company will debut its own 3D maps service at its using from C3 Technologies.
It makes sense for the timing Google has chosen to unveil what they have up their sleeves in terms of maps industry. Google will hold an invite-only event, on June 6th, to give the press their latest maps technologies.
At this invitation-only press gathering, Brian McClendon, VP of Google Maps and Google Earth, will give you a behind-the-scenes look at Google Maps and share our vision. We’ll also demo some of the newest technology and provide a sneak peek at upcoming features that will help people get where they want to go – both physically and virtually. We hope to see you there.
The event takes place ahead of Apple’s WWDC, which to be held June 11th, in which Apple highly expected to reveal their propietary Maps solution along with 3D technology ditching the long-in-use Google Maps since the original 2007 iPhone.
Google’s invitation touted the words”The Next Dimension of Google Maps” seems to point directly to the 3D feature expected to play a major part in Apple’s upcoming Maps service after the company purchased C3 Technologies, a Swedish 3D mapping company in 2010.
Apple is expected to introduce a revamped Maps application in the next major update iOS 6, ditching Google Maps service as a backend to provide its proprietary solution that will feature 3D mapping technology.
AllThingsDreported that the new feature is expected to be unveiled at Apple’s WWDC which will be held June 11 through 15 in San Francisco
“Sources describe the new Maps app as a forthcoming tent-pole feature of iOS that will, in the words of one, ‘blow your head off,'” Paczkowski wrote. “I’m not quite sure what that means, and the source in question declined to elaborate, but it’s likely a reference to the photorealistic 3-D mapping tech Apple acquired when it purchased C3 Technologies.”
Apple’s proprietary mapping solution has been a long time in the making after the company acquired Placebase, C3 Technologies, and Poly9.
The most important thing in the new Maps application is a powerful new 3D mode provided by C3 Technologies:
C3 Technologies is the leading provider of 3D mapping solutions, offering photo-realistic models of the world for search, navigation and geographic information systems. Since 2007 when it was spun out of the aerospace and defense company Saab AB, venture-backed C3 has redefined mapping by applying previously classified image processing technology to the development of 3D maps as a platform for new social and commercial applications. The Sweden-based company’s automated software and advanced algorithms enable C3 to rapidly assemble extremely precise 3D models, and seamlessly integrate them with traditional 2D maps, satellite images, street level photography and user generated images, that together are forever changing how people use maps and explore the world.
