• TechCrunch, Thursday, June 14, 2007 11 AM

If you're a somewhat forward-thinking user of Google Earth or Microsoft's Virtual Earth, then you've probably wondered how much these programs could improve in the next five to 10 years. How long until we can zip through virtual representations of cities, a la the University of Virginia's recently released digital recreation of Rome? Not long, thanks to Microsoft and newcomer Everyscape.

Forget Google's Street View. Microsoft's latest project, Photosynth, creates virtual 3D models by taking and processing massive numbers of photos of a given location into a single 3D image. Once the image is created, users can do as they please: Walk around it, zoom in and out. "The results are jaw-droppingly beautiful," blogger Michael Arrington says. The BBC is one of the project's first partners, creating digital representations of historic sites around Britain, including the Royal Crescent, Bath and the Scottish Parliament.

For users today, competitor Everyscape is simpler and more practical. Rather than processing several images into a single 3D representation, Everyscape turns out 3D images of 2D pictures, allowing users to pan around and move through a given area. Users are encouraged to send in pictures to be included in the models. There is a demonstration of the project at www.everyscape.com; it launches this fall, promising 10 cities.

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