The team will have to use either boat or their new trikes with cameras mounted on them. What makes this partnership even more special is how locals will be getting involved. This means that not only will we be able to see never before seen images of the Amazon, but also some of the local communities who seem more than happy to be seen by the world.

Google Blog says that by teaching locals how to use these cameras and the machines that they are mounted on will allow them to be seen by a world that are unaware of how they live. It is things like this that makes us happy that Street View exists; we cannot wait for the first images of the Amazon to start appearing on Google’s map and image service.

The first stage is to take images of 50km of the Rio Negro River; Google will then take the images and then stitch them together to form a 360-degree view. It is not known how long such a task will take, but it will be the first time that those who have never experienced the beauty of the Amazon to get closer than they ever have before.

One thing is certain; your geography project will never be the same again – just imagine what you will now be able to achieve thanks to Google and its controversial Street View service.

We have no proof that this is what TomTom are doing, but it certainly makes you think. Engadget notes that the vans have only been seen in Belgium and France, so will be interesting if we see a TomTom Street View-like service in the not too distant future in those two countries? The GPS company needs to add something new to their current system, as they are being left behind by some of the newer companies offering a similar and better service.

Having said that, TomTom need to be careful what they are doing, as they do not want to get into the same situation that Google did with their Street View service coming under constant attack for invading privacy. However, one would expect TomTom to implement theirs in a totally different way.

Maybe one way is for current TomTom devices to not use animated maps, but real ones found on Street View. They could then make theirs a little different by taking out certain features like cars and people who were walking around when the vans came around to take the photos?

We know that is an almost impossible task, but it could be done. Will TomTom ever be able to compete with Google’s Street View?

Now they have launched something else called ‘Project Art’, which Vlad Savov from Engadget sees as a sort of Street View for museums. Google is said to have teamed up with a number of art museums to give fans the chance to tour them; just like you would with Street View then.

It is hoped that this latest service will introduce people to artwork, and allow them to study them in greater detail. This will be achieved by offering you the ability to view more than 1,061 artworks, as well as a 360-degree tour of each of the 17 galleries. This has taken 17 months of hard work to achieve, and it is only when you see some of the 17 special gigapixel images and 7,000-megapixel versions that you get a sense of how much of a huge task this was.

Alastair Sooke from the Telegraph also admits about what a great achievement this new project is, but he believes that the “execution is problematic.” One example of what he means is how not all celebrated museums are taking part, saying that it is “frustratingly partial.” For more details visit the Google Art Project website.

Would you agree with this or do you think that Project Art’ is a wonderful idea?

The story starts of normal where a child was doing what we have all done, looking up his house on Street View. It was then that he noticed an SUV in the drive, along with a man standing by the vehicle. At the time the family’s white caravan was there, which had been stolen over a year ago.

The family then contacted the police and showed them the same image, and they both agreed that this guy could be the thief. The Derbyshire police have now asked for a close-up of the alleged culprit’s face. Helen A.S. Popkin from MSNBC wonders why they never zoomed in on the license plate instead?

Google Street View has certainly had its fair share of bad press, and yes while we agree that some things have been questionable. I still believe that it is a tool that should never be banned – let us hope that Google abide privacy laws now.