[1]How would it be if one could do something that would be of great help to millions in the world, and also have a lot of fun and adventure while at it? Won’t such attributes to a particular activity make it the best in the world? Well, guess what? Google has come up with just that offer to people around the world.
The Internet giant is now inviting people who love hiking and photographing exciting places around the globe to sign-up for a once-in-a-lifetime, pilot programme of borrowing one of their Trekkers — the special camera-equipped backpacks that act as a personalised version of Google’s Street View cars. Trekkers allow the wearer to automatically capture a 360-degree view of their surrounds as they move, and can be navigated through narrow passages and inclines, bringing users to exotic places around the world without ever leaving their seats.
So far, Google has only used the help of select employees and very few third-party organisations to take the Trekkers out to scenic places — such as the Canadian Arctic, Mount Everest and the Grand Canyon. But that is all set to change, as the company now plans to give any third-party individual or organisation the chance to apply online for being a Google-designated Trekker.
But Google isn’t about to hand out its Trekker backpacks to just any trail hound. The company is preferably looking out for people working in tourism boards, universities, government agencies or research organisations. But there is no doubt that Google wants people to get excited about snapping new Street View panoramas of their surroundings that could be added to Google’s growing library of Street View scenes around the world. It is still unclear for now if Google will provide monetary compensation to volunteers.
Links:
[1] http://archive.asianage.com/t3jpg-770