Google Maps just released a new feature (PR) that lets you actually look around the street. Street View displays an interactive panorama photo for certain locations on Google Maps. Note to get this to work outside the US, you need to add "&gl=us" at the end of the search URL.

This new view is available for some regions (Silicon Valley, Las Vegas, Miami, Denver and New York, according to Colin Colehour from the US, who says the Street View button disappears when you move the map away from North America), and is an alternative to the existing Traffic, Map, Satellite and Hybrid views. Clicking it you will see a photograph of the location as if you were standing on the streeet looking around. The O'Reilly Radar blog, who says the data for these pictures is coming from Immersive Media (except for San Francisco, which also has a better zoom level, as it turns out), comments, "This is not just a static, A9-style image. It will also let you move along the street in a smooth manner and even more amazing it will let you change your angle and continue moving that way."

Needless to say it's pretty useful feature. It helps if you're better at spotting landmarks than street signs. Print the directions, but also note the businesses around it so you'll know whether or not your in the general area of your destination. Also, if you are looking for locations or property, you can actually take a look at the pictures of the surrounding neighborhood before going to see for yourself.