Pleix compiled images from 1609 outdoor live webcams around the world, recording one frame every 10 minutes during a 24-hour span in January 2004. The images were then arranged within a grid based on their geographical locations, and replayed, thus creating a global map composed of synchronized video. Camera zooms and pans navigate between the macro and micro views.
More information on Pleix and Netlag, from the Australian Centre for the Moving Image.
Another example of a simple concept that was executed well. Tracking down a suitable webcam in each region must have been a hassle too. I would love to have a copy of the project running as an app or even my desktop background, with clickable zooming to any location's current view, plus a customizable webcam list so that I can add webcams from my friends and myself.
The Pleix filmography is well worth checking out. They made one of my favorite Flash-aesthetic videos: Plaid - Itsu (QuickTime).
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