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Google Releases Earth to Beta

Posted by Zonk on from the earth-to-go-live-in-2000-years dept.

Cros13 writes "Google has released a beta of it's Google Earth software to subscribers of the existing Keyhole service. New features include 3D models of buildings in selected cities, input from your gps receiver and a better search system. I have posted screenshots here and here." This product is in competition with Microsoft's Virtual Earth, as we reported earlier.

8 of 310 comments (clear)

  1. hmm by professorhojo · · Score: 5, Funny

    i know all the words in that title, but i just can't parse that sentence.

  2. Earth Beta Release by Sandbox+Conspiracy · · Score: 5, Funny

    So I've been living on the alpha version this entire time?

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    1. Re:Earth Beta Release by nxtr · · Score: 5, Funny

      Clearly. It's plauged by a malfunctioning thermostat that cycles every 10000 years. It's also got a random system crash that requires a total reboot. No one's sure when next one will hit but with a 65 million year uptime, we're due for one soon.

  3. Re:And in related news. by Nos. · · Score: 5, Funny

    I was going to be so clever and post a link to a google maps view of Norway and exclaiming how beautiful the Fjords were. That is until I scrolled east of NA, past the British isles, and found.... Alaska!

  4. I can't wait for the final release by lxs · · Score: 5, Funny

    For the last 4.5bn years we have struggled with an alpha version of the Earth.

    We can all remember Earth 0.1 , which was flat.

    Earth 0.2 was spherical but still lodged in the center of the universe.

    Earth 0.3 has served us well for over 200 years, but is still buggy as hell. The tectonics engine constantly crashes, causing massive earthquakes.

    I have good hopes for the beta of Earth, but for the final release I, and many users like me would like a bigger planet.

  5. I got a better one... by alexandreracine · · Score: 5, Funny

    Looking at this picture gave me some idears... So, how about putting all this data in a new game?
    Behold! I present to you... (drum roll)

    Grand Theft Auto : New York!

    Humor note : Try our new live edition ;)

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  6. Nasa has one also by thr2k · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Nasa has a pretty cool mapping program as well.
    World Wind 1.3
    http://worldwind.arc.nasa.gov/

    The servers are a little slow but its still a handy program.

  7. Re:Like Google Maps as a local application by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny
    I suggest you take a quick look at two products: beer and condoms.
    Dude, the guy just got excited over school district boundaries and ATM locations. Please don't encourage him to reproduce.
    Not real familiar with condoms, are we?