By Vic DaSilva
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews
Google launches Google Earth(aka. Keyhole 3) today as a free download dropping the subscription fee (you can upgrade to a “plus” version for $20/year) . This description is taken from the Google Earth site:
- Fly from space to your neighborhood. Type in an address and zoom right in.
- Search for schools, parks, restaurants, and hotels. Get driving directions.
- Tilt and rotate the view to see 3D terrain and buildings.
- Save and share your searches and favorites. Even add your own annotations.
It also displays location indicators of ATM’s, gas stations, grocery stores, hospitals, golf courses, pharmacies and much more. I just tried it out and it looks pretty cool.
Minimum configuration:
- Operating system: Windows 2000, Windows XP
- CPU speed: Intel® Pentium® PIII 500 MHz
- System memory (RAM): 128MB
- 200MB hard-disk space
- 3D graphics card: 3D-capable video card with 16MB VRAM
- 1024×768, 32-bit true color screen
- Network speed: 128 kbps (“Broadband/Cable Internet”)
Source: Slashdot
This is freakin’ amazing.
‘Nuff said.
This is really amazing. Not sure if I like the idea of terrorists having this tool though. I live next to an AirForce base and this tool shows the whole layout of the base. If I can retrieve information like this what could be done with this if it is in the wrong hands?……………. Concerned
This is so frikin cool! I’m checking out addresses of all the places I’ve lived in several countries. I can see houses, apartments, etc. I can even see old places I used to hang out in Moscow, Copenhagen, etc! Holy crap!
get Nasa WorldWind..it’s better:http://worldwind.arc.nasa.gov/
Same idea..but I like the interface better. Try tilting the map…you can see mountains!!
This is soooo cool, but it’s a hardware hog. Runs great on my home A-XP 2500+ & Radeon 9600Pro desktop, but it absolutely roasts my Dell Pentium-M & Mob. Radeon 9000 laptop (literally, the cooling fan kicks in after the app has been running a few seconds).
For fun, point it at Seattle WA. Get zoomed into the downtown area a bit. Check “dining” and note all the Starbuck’s.
Gonna give WorldWind a try, but it looks like the same map datasets with a different purpose. It does not appear to include 3D buildings, streets, or landmark information.
Delorme should be worried…
What gives? I go to the site and ‘due to technical limitations’ you can’t download the program? On the day that everyone starts talking about it, it goes dark? That’s akin to being told a great new club is opening, but you can’t get in. Boo to google for not being on the ball and handling the influx of interested persons when they had to know that everyone (CNN, PC Mag, Real Tech News) would be reporting on it.