Google has done it YET AGAIN!

[JohnWPB]

Google has just released a new service using their satelite images! It is an app that you download to your computer to view the satelite images, and it is ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! You can zoom in from outter space to just about anywhere on the globe! Put a few favorite places in, and then hit F10 and it will go into "tour" mode, taking you from place to place panning smoothly!

The have also integrated 3D topigraphical information, so say if you view the grand canyon, you can tilt the view perspective and go between the canyon walls! This also works with major cities as well. I was just going between the buildings in Manhaten, NY. It certainly gives a great perspective on the city!

Also available for viewing are roads, their names, dining, banking or any other catagories of information that can either be turned on or off when viewing the map.

I have been playing with it for over an hour now It is FREE, but the paid version also incorporates a GPS device, so you can plot your spot on the map while driving for instance.

If anyone else is interested you can check it out HERE

(If you check it out make sure to check out the tour of Niagra Falls! The images are stunning!)

Now, if only the images were live, I could try to locate my car that was stolen last week!

 

[Squintz]

cool thanks!

 

[JeffCharger]

this is really awesome! I haven't been able to see any real 3D terrain yet though. Is there a trick?

 

[Pepper2001]

Google can't take all the credit for that. They purchased the company that created that software, I can't remember the name. I had a trial version that was downloadable from nVidia about a year ago.

Still, pretty cool though.

 

[electron]

I believe the company they bought is Keyhole.

 

[JohnWPB]

Jeff, to see some of the area's they have the Terrain data for, try visiting the Grand Canyon, or Mt. St. Helens. Both of them look fantastic when rendered in 3d and you do a "fly by".

It does depend on the graphics card that you have installed as well. Check out the link I posted above, and it will tell what cards are supported and not.

 

[Dean Roddey]

I believe the company they bought is Keyhole.

I assume that was a sly reference to the uber-expensive, black-ops Keyhole spy satellite program?

 

[jay]

Google continues to amaze - got Google Earth last night.
Now playing with video.google.com.
Looks like, in the examples I selected, Google is searching archived Closed Captions from TV programs to serve up hits. Anyone?

 

[electron]

while it had no close ups for where I live, it had a nicely detailed shot of where I work, and I can see my own car! Now that's cool!

 

[JeffCharger]

I spent probably an hour cruising thru this...it really is neat. We are going on a trip next year so I was able to track down the hotels and beaches....really cool.

I still wasn't able to locate the grand canyon thru a search. How did you find it?

 

[electron]

http://www.mydotsoft.com/products/my.Gallery/misc/google.jpg

I entered the address, and it found it right away. For other areas, I usually look for references such as an interstate etc.

 

[JohnWPB]

For the Grand Canyon, Noagara Falls ect, there is a pane on the left of the program. Look through these, under the "Places" pane, then expand the folder "Sight Seeing". There are a lot of neat places in there that are ready to double click on and go to them.

The Thumbtack icon in the bottom right is also a great way to mark any place on the map. Then the location is available in the "Places" pane on the left. For instance, I have put thumbtacks on my home, work, friends houses, family houses ect.