I just noticed that (at least in some german cities) Google Maps now shows approximated buildings in a semi-3D way:

Hamburg:
http://maps.google.de/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=de&q=&ie=UTF8&cd=1&ll=53.55059,10.000927&spn=0.008242,0.023389&z=17

Munich:
http://maps.google.de/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=de&q=&ie=UTF8&cd=1&ll=48.138342,11.573689&spn=0.009258,0.023389&z=17

Is this new? Or just new for germany?

Back to Feb '07 (in the USA):
http://googlesystem.blogspot.com/2007/02/google-maps-shows-buildings-and-metro.html

That is not new in Germany :)