Mount the camera to a vehicle, control it with the Street View app, and upload 360-degree content directly to Google's platform.
I’m PCMag’s expert on fitness and smart home technology, and I’ve written more than 6,000 articles and reviews in the 10-plus years I’ve been here. I unbox, set up, test, and review a wide range of consumer tech products from my home in Florida, often with the help of my pitbull Bradley. I’m also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade.
Ever wish you could be part of the Google’s Street View team, traveling around the world capturing 360-degree imagery of far-flung locales? Now you can—as long as you don’t mind working for free.
Google has given its stamp of approval to the pricey Insta360 Pro, which is now the only camera Google has certified as « Street View auto ready, » Insta360 announced(Opens in a new window) Monday. Insta360 Pro users will be able to mount the camera to a vehicle, control it with the Street View app, and upload their 360-degree content directly to Google’s global imagery platform using Insta360’s free Stitcher software.
The Insta360 Pro, which uses six lenses to capture 8K spherical video, is getting a new 5 FPS shooting mode, which is specifically optimized for Street View content collection. The camera will also soon support an optional USB accessory that automatically adds GPS data to 360-degree photos.
« When Google Street View kicked off in 2007, high-quality 360 photography was only available to those with the resources and know-how to build their own cameras, » Street View Product Manager Charles said in a statement. « Now, thanks to the advances of companies like Insta360, anyone can create immersive 360-degree experiences and contribute them to Street View’s extensive map of the world. »
At $3,499, the Insta360 Pro isn’t exactly cheap, but you don’t necessarily have to buy the camera yourself if contributing to Street View sounds like something you’d like to do. Google includes the camera in its Street View loan program(Opens in a new window), which provides equipment to photographers, travelers, and other organizations that want to capture imagery for Street View.
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I’m PCMag’s expert on fitness and smart home technology, and I’ve written more than 6,000 articles and reviews in the 10-plus years I’ve been here. I unbox, set up, test, and review a wide range of consumer tech products from my home in Florida, often with the help of my pitbull Bradley. I’m also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade.
Before becoming an analyst in 2020, I spent eight years as a reporter covering consumer tech news. Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.
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