The Worlds Tallest Gets StreetView

New frontier: Google's new Trekker technology allowed them to be able to capture the images - it is held on using a backpack device. Pascal Malite, Street View program manager went outside on the window cleaning apparatus to capture the snaps.

Google Street View takes to the skies: Cameras map the stunning views from top of the world's tallest building: Google Street View has now reached the dizzying heights of the world's tallest building. A 360 degree camera shot has mapped the breathtaking sight from the top of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. Described as a 'vertical city,'  the building is the world’s tallest manmade structure, towering over the Dubai skyline at 828 meters (2,717 ft).

How high? The Burj Khalifa compared to other tall buildings around the globe. Click to enlarge.

It takes in Dubai’s many landmarks, including the iconic Burj Al Arab hotel, the world’s biggest mall, the Dubai Mall and the Meydan Racecourse and shows the remarkable growth of a city still on a fast track to developing as a business hub and tourist destination. 'This is the first time we’ve captured a skyscraper on Street View—making Google Maps even more comprehensive,' Google explained. 'The imagery was collected over three days using the Street View Trekker and Trolley, capturing high-resolution 360-degree panoramic imagery of several indoor and outdoor locations of the building.'

The Burj Khalifa, which stands 2,717 feet tall. Virtual tours of the 'Vertical City' include a visit to the highest occupied floor in the world -- the 163rd floor -- the highest swimming pool in the world at floor No. 76, and the world’s tallest observation deck, up 124 stories high. Click to enlarge.

80th floor: The 'Trecker' outside on a window cleaning gantry aka.. maintenance building units.

The 'Trecker' at the top of the spire.

You can also look down on Dubai from the 124th floor observation deck or peer off a window-washing unit on the 80th floor.

'In addition to the breathtaking views from the world’s tallest observation deck on the 124th floor, you can also see what it feels like to hang off one of the building’s maintenance units on the 80th floor, normally used for cleaning windows!' The Trekker was created a year ago by Google explained  Pascal Malite, Street View programme manager. 'It allows you to go to all the places you want to go where no other device will.'  Pascal used the window cleaning apparatus to capture the stunning images. 'It was amazing to be able to stand outside the building and see the beautiful Dubai,' she said.

Construction of the $1.5billion tower began in 2004, with its official opening in January 2010. Initially called the Burj Dubai, its name was changed to honour Abu Dhabi leader Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahayan after he bailed out indebted Dubai to the tune of $10billion. It boasts the world's first Armani hotel on the bottom floors, houses 900 Dubai residences, 37 floors of office space, a fine dining restaurant and an observation deck. It has the most stories and highest occupied floor of any building in the world, and ranks as the world's tallest structure. The building’s elevators, which reach the 160th floor at speeds of some 10 metres per second.'

Tom Cruise climbing the building in the latest Mission Impossible film. Click to enlarge.

Finally, to give users the same view Tom Cruise had in Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, the team used window cleaner baskets to hang from the outside of the building on the 80th floor. Buffeted by winds that usually gust up to 40 miles per hour, the Street View team captured stunning exterior views that bring home exactly how amazing the mapping tool can be for those looking for a little virtual adventure on the other side of the world. You can see some behind-the-scenes footage of the mapping expedition in the video above, and you can start exploring the Burj-Khalifa yourself on Google Maps.

New York From Above - Living On The Edge

Feeling queasy? Photographer Navid Baraty shuns safety and simply leans over some of New York City's tallest skyscrapers to achieve these amazing snaps. Click to enlarge.

Living on the edge: Photographer leans over side of New York City skyscrapers to capture vertigo-inducing pictures: ‘Don’t look down’ is the common cry when teetering on the edge of any petrifying precipice. But these vertigo-inducing photographs of New York City force you to do just that. In a series of incredible pictures, photographer Navid Baraty threw caution to the wind to capture the hustle and bustle of the city from above. Speculating on how exactly he takes the aerial photos, people guess he is a helicopter pilot or a window cleaner with a penchant for photography. A few have jokily suggested he is Spider-man. The truth is somewhat scarier  - perched on the top of some of the city’s highest skyscrapers, Baraty simply leans as far as he can from the edge to get the images. Click the images to magnify.

Vertigo-inducing: The 31-year-old photographer confesses that his photos have made people's stomach churn in the past. Click to enlarge.

Inversion: While New Yorkers always look up at the city's impressive skyscrapers, Baraty wants to give people the opposite viewpoint. Click to enlarge.

With no harness, the only safety precaution the 31-year-old takes is to wrap his camera strap round his wrist to ensure he doesn't drop it. Often 30 to 40 stories in the air, thankfully Baraty doesn’t suffer from vertigo although confessed to the MailOnline that people have felt queasy just from looking at his photos. Inspired to take the photos when he moved to the city in 2010, Baraty has inverted the view people pounding the pavements typically get. ‘Everyone walks around Manhattan looking up at the giant skyscrapers, but very few get the chance to look down from so many different vantage points,’ he said. From such heights, the city’s ubiquitous yellow cabs are transformed into toy cars and New Yorkers resemble ants scurrying about their daily lives. ‘When you watch NYC from above, you're really able to feel the energy and flow of the city–the constant stream of yellow taxis lining the avenues, the waves of pedestrians hurriedly crossing at the change of traffic signals, little figures disappearing into the subway stations, the chorus of honking horns and sirens. It’s all so rhythmic,’ Baraty said of his bird’s eye view. 

Toy-town: New York's ubiquitous yellow cabs become toy cars. Click to enlarge.

Spider-man? Wondering how he takes the amazing images, people have speculated that Baraty is a helicopter pilot, a window cleaner and....Spider-man himself. Click to enlarge.

Mirror image: Baraty says he was particularly happy with this image after he managed to capture the street below in the glass reflection. Click to enlarge.

Bird's eye view: Baraty says that the sounds and pace of the city is clearly felt from 40 stories up; 'It's all so rhythmic' he said. Click to enlarge.

Safety first? Baraty wears no safety harness when taking his pictures, he simply wraps his camera strap round his wrist so it doesn't plummet down the 40 storey height as he leans over to get his picture. Click to enlarge.

Inspired: Baraty first took shots from above in Tokyo and was inspired to do a similar project when he moved to NYC in 2010. Click to enlarge.