Google Maps street view to become “broom view”?

Since 2007, Google has offered users the “street view” of numerous locations around the world and they’ve used their camera mounted cars to add more locations around the world since then.  Last month, Google left their cars and the rest of the muggle world behind and added Diagon Alley to their street view.  Alright, so they actually didn’t use camera mounted brooms, it’s actually the Diagon Alley set from the Warner Bros. Studio in London.  The view is clear enough that you can actually read some of the titles off the books in Flourish & Blotts bookstore.

Starting last year though, Google did actually leave the road and started getting images from a backpack mounted camera to take pictures of places not reachable by their cars.  They’ve been taking pictures of the Grand Canyon and are working on getting images from a number of places in Hawaii.  They’re also going to let other organizations borrow the backpack, called the Trekker, to take pictures to contribute to Google Maps.