Cool Java applet

[Reverend]

As some of you may know, I'm in the real estate industry.

I visited a real estate developer's website and was surprised to see a Java applet that shows a 360-degree horizontal view of one of their projects, something I don't see at other malaysia real estate developers' websites.

http://www.bt-homestead.com/ (click the "completed projects" link on the left nav menu), then click the "360-degree" button on the top-left. Make sure you allow pop-up. Left-click+move-mouse to manipulate camera.

What do you think? Are there many such presentations in Europe or US real estate developers' (or other industry) websites?

 

[K.I.L.E.R]

They shouldn't be using applets. They should use Webstart.
How stupid can you be? These guys are the reason why people think Java is slow.

 

[Voltron]

A company called IPIX has been selling this technology for about five years, AFAIK, in the States. I think they use a propriety camera with mutliple lenses, but I'm not sure. I used to live in New York, and there were are a fair amount of real estate companies using the technolgy. It was sort of primative and I think it may have lost momentum, but I'm not sure. It doesn't seem to have caught on elsewhere in the states for residential real estate at least. Perhaps they are now looking to alternative markets such as Singapore to make oup for this potential shortfall.

Rev, I heard people in Singapore were going crazy to invest in offshore real estate, particularly Australia and Las Vegas. Is it true - is Singapore the new Japan and are you capitalizing on this madness? Las Vegas real estate is up 50% during the past year.

 

[Ty]

Yes, I've seen them over here (in California) to show off homes.

Generally they're referred to as "Virtual Tours". Pretty neat.

 

[Reverend]

Rev, I heard people in Singapore were going crazy to invest in offshore real estate, particularly Australia and Las Vegas. Is it true - is Singapore the new Japan and are you capitalizing on this madness?

Depends on what type of "investors" you mean.

AFAIK, of all the countries, Malaysia is Singaporean's favourite real estate investment country. By "Singaporeans", I mean individuals -- a lot of folks there invests in homes in Malysia. If we're talking about corporations instead of individuals, then I honestly have no idea -- there are substantial real estate investments in Malaysia by S'pore corporations (+GLCs -- government linked companies) in terms of dollars but I don't know about real estate investments in other countries.

But generally speaking, Singapore real estate is expensive compared to other countries in the same region.

 

[Diplo]

I visited a real estate developer's website and was surprised to see a Java applet that shows a 360-degree horizontal view of one of their projects, something I don't see at other malaysia real estate developers' websites.

QuickTime VR has been doing this for years (and can go full 360 in all directions). For a few example of real estate check out:
http://www.bunburyonline.com/bunbury_panorama.php
http://www.fotovr.com/e/

Now, for a really cool 3D Java applet try out http://www.holomatix.com/ and see what they can do.

 

[pcchen]

When I was a graduate student, we have done a similar thing. Basically it's a panorama viewer. We even tried some other approaches, including links to other panorama (with "semi-smooth" transition), and object movies imposed on the panorama.

Later, we did a OpenGL based panorama viewer, which is much faster. Furthermore, the object movie now have shadows

 

[bloodbob]

They shouldn't be using applets. They should use Webstart.
How stupid can you be? These guys are the reason why people think Java is slow.

I fail to see how a webstart application would be any faster killer? Assuming your are still in the standard sandbox the only advantage is the user can allow exporting and importing data but how is that useful? And if your not why not just a damn signed applet?