"Street view" coming to Google Maps?

It looks like Google is prepping a new feature for Google Maps that will include a street-level view. While it's not clear what that view will look like, how users will navigate, or if it will be easier to use than Microsoft's version (shown to the right), Google has registered a series of domain names related to the project:

• GOOGLE-MAPS-STREET-VIEW.COM
• GOOGLE-MAPS-STREET-VIEW.NET
• GOOGLE-MAPS-STREET-VIEW.ORG
• GOOGLEMAPSSTREETVIEW.ORG
• GOOGLESTREETVIEW.COM
• GOOGLESTREETVIEW.NET
• GOOGLESTREETVIEW.ORG

ZDNet reports that Google could be set to announce the new feature, along with 3D buildings for Google Earth at the Where 2.0 conference beginning on Tuesday.
It'll be interesting to see if Google can find a good way to make street level maps useful as well as impressive to look at. Sure, it'd be cool to virtually drive down the street and look in your office window to see if you can find yourself. But being able to search for driving directions, and then actually see the route before getting in the car could make navigating the road a whole lot easier.

Tags: google earth, google maps, GoogleEarth, GoogleMaps, street level, StreetLevel, windows live maps, WindowsLiveMaps