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Google Maps Now Zooms Out To a Globe Instead of a Flat Earth (venturebeat.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the keep-scrolling dept.

Google Maps has been updated to present you with a 3D globe of the planet when you zoom out. Previously, Maps would have shown you a flat map of the world. An anonymous Slashdot reader shares a report from VentureBeat: About two weeks ago, however, Google quietly rolled out (hehe) a change so that the service now presents you with a 3D globe. You can manipulate the globe as you'd expect -- spin it, zoom in, and zoom back out. Google Earth, watch out -- Google Maps is coming for you. Globe mode only works on desktop, but all major browsers are supported, we're told. We tested it on Chrome, Firefox, and Edge -- they all showed the globe just fine. This is all thanks to WebGL.

8 of 123 comments (clear)

  1. How about any map projection by DalM · · Score: 4, Interesting

    It would be fun (if unnecessary and nerdy) if Google would let the user select any map projection they want, or even create their own.

  2. More than a few weeks by suso · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Maybe they just rolled it out with the street maps view, but it's been doing that with the satellite view for a while now. Another interesting feature of satellite view is that it shows the current cloud coverage, not just an old photo of the clouds. I just noticed that recently, but maybe it's been there for a while.

  3. Clouds are realtime too by fructose · · Score: 5, Informative

    When you zoom out in satellite imagery, the clouds are also realtime cloud cover. Pretty slick.

    1. Re:Clouds are realtime too by Gilgaron · · Score: 5, Funny

      Now they just need to make the street view real-time, too!

  4. Don't be fooled by Google-heliocentrists by rsilvergun · · Score: 4, Funny

    the earth is a flat disk born atop a giant turtle which is itself on top of a larger turtle.

    --
    Hi! I make Firefox Plug-ins. Check 'em out @ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/youtube-mp3-podcaster/
    1. Re:Don't be fooled by Google-heliocentrists by Oswald+McWeany · · Score: 4, Funny

      ah, but what is the larger turtle standing on?

      A globe shaped planet.

      --
      "That's the way to do it" - Punch
  5. The bad news is... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    ...they renamed the planet to "Google." And without asking anybody. And nothing we can do about it...

  6. Solar System, inc space station. by stephenjsweeney · · Score: 3, Informative

    I'm surprised no one's mentioned the ability to zoom out in satellite mode and view and planets of the Solar System, including the International Space Station. Or maybe that's always been a thing, but I've only just discovered it. Earth even appears to be shaded correctly depending on the direction the globe is facing the Sun.