Fairview couple builds solar-powered home with help from Google Many Internet users rely on Google to instantly find information about almost anyone and anything. … Using Google Sketchup, a 3D modeling program usually used by architects, engineers and other design professionals, not homeowners, the couple drew the plans for their home and all of its high-tech, low-environmental-impact features on a computer screen. Interestingly, the house appears to have cost a not-obscenely-exhorbitant amount and is almost completely off the grid. via instapundit , via knoxnews.com . … “(Their) goal is to model all of the urban areas of Charlottesville and Albemarle County in Google Earth.”
Browsing Category Google
Vetting your Charlottesville Realtor – Like + Experience =
In a couple weeks, the Houston Association of Realtors will launch a Web application that allows consumers to see which Realtors within their chosen search area are transacting business – and which are not.
… The app is based on MLS data and will be available from the association’s highly-trafficked Website Every Realtor in the market is included, there is no opt-out The app is map-based, so consumers can see who has sold what, where, over different time periods The app may be made available to MLS organizations nationwide
…In the Charlottesville area, I see geography as less of a differentiator, niches are important, but making a career as a “specialist” would be nearly impossible – there’s no way one could be solely a ” Charlottesville condo specialist” – it could be a significant component of one’s business, but the market is just too spread out … but — combine the above with the announcement(s) from Facebook yesterday Heck, now you could see how many people Like the Realtor you may be considering hiring.
…(SIDE NOTE – This also drops Facebook in the middle of the local advertising game – you YELP, you update your facebook PROFILE automatically, I can then create an Ad based on the fact that you “liked†KFC -someone pinch me, I’m still in the dream with Hedi) People are going to freak out about this and it’s a shame – Facebook does not expose YOUR data specifically – only people who you’ve given permission to as a friend will actually see your profile and I can see this being fantastic way of really keeping in touch – how many of my friends liked “Hurt Locker†for example – that’s the next step of Facebooks evolution, it makes sense.
Albemarle County Wants Google’s Fiber!
Albemarle County, Charlottesville and the University of Virginia are putting in a joint application to bring Google Fiber for Communities to central Virginia, and we are looking for help from the community. … According to Google, “ In the same way that the transition from dial-up to broadband made possible the emergence of online video and countless other applications, ultra high-speed bandwidth will drive more innovation – in high-definition video, remote data storage, real-time multimedia collaboration, and others that we cannot yet imagine. … There are two ways to get involved: First, Albemarle County, Charlottesville and the University of Virginia are jointly submitting a request to Google to be considered for this trial – you can help by filling in this brief survey to provide info that will be helpful in our submittal. http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform? formkey=dHdMd2hVVUwtbTQyNFVyYTFQaFFTcVE6MA Second, Google is accepting nominations from residents and community groups saying why Google Fiber should come to their area – visit the following link and make your best case for why we should be the selected region, Google has said that community support will be important in making their choice. http://www.google.com/appserve/fiberrfi/public/options Links to both of these items are posted on the county and city websites, http://www.albemarle.org/googlefiber and www.charlottesville.org We need to submit our request by March 26, so we need survey responses and community nominations to be submitted by March 22.
Please Google, Bring Fiber to Charlottesville
From now until March 26th, we’re asking interested municipalities to provide us with information about their communities through a Request for information (RFI), which we’ll use to determine where to build our network. More at the Wall Street Journal From TechCrunch : Google owns its own vast network of dark fiber around the globe to connect its data centers, speed up search, and lower its cost of streaming billions of videos a month on YouTube. … It is not clear what Google services will come with a broadband subscription, but it is a safe bet that Google will be the default search and Gmail will be the default email. … Charlottesville has been consistently rated as a top “Digital City” and while I think it’s a bit of a silly designation, why don’t we capitalize and leverage this?
Bing Maps Versus Google Maps in Charlottesville
I just got off the phone (although I have Skype , too) with a client overseas who had been questioning whether the railroad near the Belvedere development was abandoned. She answered her own question when she said, “I’m looking at it now, and it appears that it’s still in use – there aren’t any weeds growing over the tracks .” I know I’m a “tech savvy Realtor” and all, but that statement still blows me away, as does the fact that Bing is winning the mapping race in Charlottesville right now. This year I have worked with a fair number of international buyers, and my tools to work with them have become better and more efficient.
Google Street View in Crozet
The Google folks drove through Crozet – likely just before Memorial Day weekend this year. View Larger Map
Google Transit in Charlottesville
Read all about it at Charlottesville Tomorrow . Shame Google’s Street View folks decided Charlottesville wasn’t worthy .