Google maps, a setp backwards

Google updated their pictures of downtown Chicago sometime in the last few days. The previous versions were more than a few years old, lacking the 'improvements' to Solider Field, the area on the corner of Wacker and LSD was a golf course, Millenium Park was under major construction etc...

So now they have newer pictures, taken Fall of 2005 or so I would suspect judging from the progress on the Trump Tower site, lack of boats in the harbor, sand humps on the beaches...

Google maps used to have a pretty good view of the new condo as it was a shot from the southeast, instead of the current southwest view. You could clearly see our balcony and our whole side of the building, now...nothing. Perhaps google will come out with some kind of mapping revision thingy where you can see how places looked every few years...yeah that would be cool. (btw, original thought of the day...).

One of the biggest problems with this update is that the images are of a somewhat lower quality, perhaps taken with a different satalite than the previous pictures. Which is unfortunate because they sacrificed quality for the more up to date pictures.

Also the old apartment has lost its good southern shot favoring a more northern view. Naperville was not updated and there is still no closer images of Freeport.