Entire Moon Added To Google Earth

CNETNate writes "Complete with Street View-like panoramas, 3D models of spacecraft now left abandoned on the moon's surface, and guided tours from the voices of Apollo astronauts, Google's recent update to Google Earth marks the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing with an enormous update. It's a collaboration with NASA and other agencies, and follows the launch of Google Earth 5.0 which, amongst other things, added the ability to explore our planet's oceans. There are a number of original creations — such as the 3D mock-up of the Apollo 11 spacecraft and its astronauts — and you can download the new version from Google now."

Comments

Update needed

[SEWilco]

If they're showing astronauts on the Moon they need a more recent update than the 1970s.

Re:Too lazy to check myself.

[Thomas M Hughes]

It's neat that Google does interesting things like this, but it blows my mind how a company that plays so much can survive.

Keep in mind that the vast majority of the Internet has some form of Google advertising on it somewhere. So, it's not an exaggeration to say "Time you spend on the Internet, in almost any form generates profit for Google." Thus, it's in their interest to encourage you, in a wide variety of ways, to spend time on the Internet.

So, Google Earth allows you to play with various maps. That may cause you to become interested in a specific location, which causes you to use Google Search (+profit) to find a website (+profit) that discusses the location that you were interested in. Interested in the moon? Again, Google Earth to the Apollo Lander, Google Search Apollo Program (+profit), find various websites about the Apollo Program. Some, if not most, of these sites will have adsense (+profit).

I suppose what may be more surprising is that this business plan is actually wildly profitable, instead of just speculative.

Re:Too lazy to check myself.

[camperdave]

I think it's kind of sad that they removed the cheese, and the "swim across the Atlantic" gags from Google maps. When a company takes itself too seriously, they get stale and stuffy and set in their ways.

Re:Too lazy to check myself.

[Dragoness Eclectic]

Who modded a Dilbert quote "Insightful"? Go give yourself 50 lashes with a wet noodle if you did.