Google Street View - the end of privacy ?

Google Street View is an application that allows one to take a virtual walk along the streetsides of various places on the earth.It provides a 360 degree perspective from the point of view of a pedestrian at that point.

Hundreds of people have already complained about the service that allows users to view millions of photographs of homes, people and cars, in 25 cities and towns. Although Google obscures faces and numberplates, critics say it is voyeuristic and has become a tool for burglars.

How is it done ?
Google Street View displays photos taken from a fleet of specially designed cars/bikes mounted with 9 directional cameras for the 360° views, GPS units for positioning, Laser Range Finders for the measuring of buildings and 3G/Wi-Fi aerials for whereabouts on 3G and Wi-Fi hotspots.

Recent Updates on Google Street View.
On March 18, 2009, United Kingdom and Netherlands images were added.As of March 2009 the Google Street View camera car was also seen roaming the streets of Taipei, Taiwan.

Future Plans of Google.
In the more immediate future, Google plans to release Street View for various Canadian cities, but modified so that faces and license plates are blurred, due to concerns raised by Canada's federal privacy commissioner.