Google Maps In 3D

Last Monday (4/5/2010) while looking for a local Starbucks to meet a candidate, Google Maps pointed out a Starbucks closer to me than I knew.  So I went down to street level to see exactly where this new mysterious Starbucks was.  Within Street View I noticed Google's 3D option.

Of course I don't have the classic paper 3D glasses handy, but when I do...As it turns out, the Starbucks is within the Target, not a free-standing one.  That's why I didn't know about it.  So I just met the candidate at the closest free-standing Starbucks.

I started drafting this post a few days after I saw the 3D option. Now that I've gone back to the same location from the same computer I no longer see the 3D option. So something has changed or the conditions for me to see the option are now different. Anyway, I really did see it and when I see it again I'll share it with you