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

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.

Comments

How about any map projection

[DalM]

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.

More than a few weeks

[suso]

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.

Clouds are realtime too

[fructose]

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

Re:Clouds are realtime too

[Gilgaron]

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

Don't be fooled by Google-heliocentrists

[rsilvergun]

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

Re:Don't be fooled by Google-heliocentrists

[Oswald McWeany]

ah, but what is the larger turtle standing on?

A globe shaped planet.