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Google and Microsoft are using the cloud to track climate change
Data.gov is getting a whole lot greener thanks to its new section dedicated to climate information. The new channel is the product of President Obama's Climate Data Initiative (PDF), and pulls information that can help predict the effects of climate change and prevent any damage that may result. The raw data comes from the likes of the Department of Defense, NASA and the US Geological Society, but probably isn't easy to grok for the average person. To help with that, Google and Microsoft have stepped in. Mountain View is donating 50 million hours of its Earth Engine's computing power -- the Global Forest Watch's backbone -- and is partnering with academics in the western US to produce a near real-time drought map and monitoring system. Redmond, on the other hand, has developed a tool (dubbed FetchClimate) that can both recall historical climate data and forecast future weather trends based on the stockpiles of information stored in Microsoft's Azure back-end. For example, the software giant says that this could allow state planners to predict extreme rainfall, preventing flood damage to infrastructure and transit lines as a result. These are still early days for the Initiative, but, as times goes on, more applications using its wealth of info will surely surface. For now, though, it's nice to see tech companies exploit government data instead of the other way around.
Google offers its help to monitor deforestation in near-real-time (video)
Google is no stranger to humanitarian work, and its latest effort is helping keep an unflinching eye on the world's trees. For its part in the Global Forest Watch, the search giant is providing tech (namely, Earth and Maps) that allows virtually anyone to monitor deforestation on a massive scale. Let's say you want to peek at how much of Brazil's rain forest has been clear-cut in since 2008. You can do that. Even better, you can look at how much has been replanted -- sadly, not a lot -- if the mood strikes. The website's interactive map also allows users to see just which industries are doing the damage, the extent of tree-top cover and a whole lot more. No, Google making data visible isn't exactly new, but this application might be the first to have a lasting impact on the environment.
Google rolls out 3D maps for Tokyo and other Japanese urban hubs
As ubiquitous as 3D city maps might be these days, they typically don't cover Tokyo -- quite possibly due to the massive size of Japan's megalopolis. Google, however, has just taken on that daunting task. Fire up Google Maps or Google Earth and you'll now see 3D imagery for the greater Tokyo area, including landmarks like the Tokyo Sky Tree (that giant tower you see above). The expansion also brings 3D to the major population centers of Chiba, Kanagawa and Sendai. We'd advise against exploring the entirety of Google's enhanced Tokyo map unless you have a couple of hours to kill, but you can at least take a quick tour at the source link.
Google Earth Tour Builder lets you tell stories through maps
Google has used Earth and Maps to tell tales of unfolding tragedies and soldiers fighting for our country. Now its opening up those tools to the public, allowing users to build what they're calling "Tours" through Google Earth. Tour Builder was released in honor of Veterans Day and it allows users to create narratives tied to points on a map. The process is pretty simple: you drop a marker, add some text, photos or videos and you're on your way. As you piece together your tale, dropping pins, you can pull the viewer down into Street View or fly to a particular angle on a 3D landmark. While the release of Tour Builder was inspired by Google's work on projects like Map The Fallen and VetNet, it obviously has much broader application. Whether it's spicing up your typical vacation slideshow or building a presentation to teach students about the Civil War. Check out the video demo after the break.
Google Earth for Android now remembers long-forgotten geotagged photos
If you have insatiable wanderlust, you just might love the newest Google Earth update for Android -- especially if you travel enough to forget where you've been. Version 7.1.2 adds the ability to view your geotagged photos from a new layer within the app, as long as they've been previously uploaded to Google+. Since the images are placed on top of the locale they were taken in -- simply click on one to view them all as a full-screen slideshow -- it's the perfect tool to use when you want to do some reminiscing. The update should now be available, so relax and sit back on your beach chair as you download it via Google Play.
Google Earth 7.1 for iOS now includes Street View
Google yesterday updated its Google Earth app for iOS to version 7.1.1. While previous updates to Google Earth have simply come with boring "performance improvements and bug fixes," this is an update actually worth exploring. You see, the latest iteration of Google Earth finally includes Street View. A post on the Google Maps blog reads: Have you ever wanted to take a tour of Stonehenge or retrace the steps of Christopher Columbus? With the addition of Street View to Google Earth for mobile devices, you can explore many sites from street level right on your mobile device. And with the new streamlined interface, a simple click of the Earth logo in top left will give you quick access to more information through layers like Panoramio Photos and Wikipedia. Just in case you decide to visit these places yourself, Google Earth's improved directions enable you to visualize step-by-step transit, walking and biking directions in full 3D. What's more, Google notes that the updated version of Google Earth for mobile is now available in more than 100 countries across the globe. The full changelog reads: Google Maps Street View: With Street View, you can explore the world at street level. Improved directions/search: Updated directions let you can visualize transit, walk, bike and drive directions in 3D while update search result list will let you browse search results quickly. Improved interface: Easily browse and enable different layers through use of new left hand panel. You can check out the update on iTunes over here.
Google Earth update brings Street View and streamlined interface to iOS
Google's taking the iOS version of its Earth mapping app up to 7.1. The update brings a few new features, including, most notably, the addition of its Street View imagery -- following a similar update to the Android version. Also on the docket are improved transit, walking and biking directions, which can be viewed in 3D. The interface has been streamlined too, with a number of informational layers like Wikipedia located under a handy Earth logo in the top left off the app. The release of 7.1 also marks the app's availability in more than 100 countries. More info on the update can be had in the source link below.
Sign-up page for revamped Google Maps shows off plenty of new features
Just hours before its I/O event, Google has apparently had a little accident: the sign-up page for "the new Google Maps" briefly went live, revealing a slew of extra details about what's coming in the rumored refresh before quickly being pulled. Droid-Life managed to grab some screenshots, including the one above, which gets to the heart of what Google is trying to achieve. The central idea is that Google will create maps tailored to the kind of information you're looking for, using a "smarter search box" to highlight just the "things that matter most," whether those be flights, ground transport or the new Earth View that integrates directly with Google Earth without the need for a plug-in. According to the leaked sign-up screens, the bringing together of all Google's data will result in layers of information that reach "from outer space down to the streets" -- but there's still no evidence about how (or whether) this might work on mobile. Stay tuned to our Google I/O opening keynote liveblog for more.
Google Earth 7.1 for Android introduces Street View and improved location search
Google Earth's desktop version added Leap Motion controls in version 7.1, and now its Android counterpart has picked up a few new features. Available today, version 7.1 introduces Street View which lets users take Pegman from space to your neighborhood with the power of a double tap. Search is also enhanced with updated location suggestions and improved directions that displays routes for transit, walking, biking and driving in 3D. Rounding out Earth's new feature set is a revamped interface that lists layers like Panoramio Photos, 3D buildings and Wikipedia on a slide-out pane. So, if you're having trouble figuring out where your good friend Waldo is, perhaps this refreshed app will assist you with your quest. Swing by the source link below for more details.
Google Earth gets Leap Motion support, lets you explore the planet with touch-free control
How are you celebrating Earth Day? If you're one of 10,000 Leap Motion devs with an early unit, you could very well be exploring Mount Everest or venturing through the Amazon, just by waving your hands. Google's Earth app, which has reportedly been downloaded more than a billion times, just scored a refresh today -- version 7.1 -- delivering Leap Motion gesture control to your desktop. Both the free and paid versions now support touch-free navigation through the USB desktop device, which is expected in stores next month. The update, however, available for Windows, Mac and Linux, is yours for the taking now.
Google Earth's tour guide feature swells to the tune of 100K new attractions
Hate flying? Google Earth could keep you visiting attractions anyway for the next, oh, rest of your life or so, thanks to 100,000-plus new tours it just added across sites and cities in over 200 countries. That's on top of the 11,000 tours that came with its recent launches on iOS, Android and more recently, the desktop app. The option provides a virtual video flyby of the selected area, adds Wikipedia snippets and concludes with user-provided Panoramio photos of the area. You'll need not lift a finger to get it, as all the tours are automatically available -- provided you're running the current Google Earth 7.0 for desktop or mobile. Check the video after the break to see how to use it.
Google updates Maps and Earth with more high-res and 45-degree images, encourages wanderlust
Google has expanded its high-res Maps and Earth offerings to cover a whopping 164 cities and 108 countries / regions, while its brand new 45-degree imagery is now available for 60 cities (40 in the US and 20 abroad) -- the list is long, so check out the source to discover all the locations. The photos are pretty stunning; highlights include a live look at the Space Needle's orange paint job for its 50th anniversary, an overhead look at Austrian bridges and an angled view of the Thun Castle in Switzerland. Now, excuse us as we stare longingly at these gorgeous vistas -- it is Friday, right?
Google Earth 7 update brings 3D imagery, tour guide features to your PC
The latest update for Google's efforts to index of IRL mapping information is focused on your computer. Google Earth 7 for your desktop is finally ready to match the Android and iOS versions, with support for its 3D renderings in 25 cities, and "tour guide" feature that drags you through 11,000 locations around the world, no passport or Frommer's required. This update for PCs comes alongside the addition of 3D imagery for Avignon, France; Austin, Texas; Munich, Germany; Phoenix, Arizona; and Mannheim, Germany, which all apply to both the desktop and mobile editions. Hit the source link for more information or head to the Google Earth website to check it out yourself, who knows, you might find a pyramid.
Google draws 25 million new building footprints in Maps, shapes up your neighborhood
The fine, well labeled lines of Google Maps may show a clean layout of your neighborhood, but without buildings, it looks too much like a two-dimensional spread of undeveloped tract housing. Google's finally filling in the gaps, outlining 25 million building footprints in cities all across the United States. Residents of Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, Houston, Detroit and other cities can now see the familiar outlines of their local stomping ground on the services' mobile and desktop maps. Most of these buildings were algorithmically generated from aerial photographs,locals can pen in their own content by using Google Map Maker to add new buildings or tag their favorite local eatery. The tweak sounds minor, but it certainly makes the standard map's criss-cross of roads look more familiar. Check out the official Google Lat Long blog below for more details.
Google offers up more high-res places in Maps / Earth, intros additional 45-degree imagery
Google's mapping offerings are getting a little bit better this week. The software giant's announced the addition of a slew of high-res aerial and satellite images for 17 cities and 112 countries / regions -- it's a long list, so your best bet is accessing the source link below to check out all of the offerings. Google's also adding 45-degree imagery in Maps for a total of 51 cities -- 37 in the US and 14 outside -- letting you check out the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the buildings of Madison, Wisconsin from an all new angle. Forget the plane tickets -- all you need for your next vacation is a browser and an overactive imagination.
Amateur archaeologist finds possible pyramids using Google Earth
While most Google Earth hobbyists are satisfied with a bit of snapping and geotagging, some have far loftier ambitions. Satellite archaeologist Angela Micol thinks she's discovered the locations of some of Egypt's lost pyramids, buried for centuries under the earth, including a three-in-a-line arrangement similar to those on the Giza Plateau. Egyptologists have already confirmed that the secret locations are undiscovered, so now it's down to scientists in the field to determine if it's worth calling the diggers in.
Google Earth adds detailed 3D imagery for Denver and Seattle, might not render the local Starbucks
Google only launched detailed 3D maps in Google Earth for a handful of cities, but it's branching out to provide that extra dimension to a wider swath of the public. Today, it's Denver and Seattle: Android and iOS app users can immediately see the dense, textured 3D City View in their respective western cities. The updates probably won't let Seattle residents spot their hometown coffee brand without going into Street View, but it will let them thread the eye of the Space Needle while their friends in Denver spin past the State Capitol. We can't help but think that Google also enjoys offering some Microsoft staffers a little taste of what they're missing.
Embracing geotagging: how to journal your trips (and contribute to Google Earth) with snapshots
Geotagging. It's not exactly a long, lost art, but it's certainly not something most folks bother to do after a trip. Avid travelers, hikers and the general outdoorsy crowd have been embracing the feature for years, though, and it's actually seeping into the mainstream without most individuals even noticing. How so? Smartphones. Given the proliferation of iPhones, Android handsets and Windows Phone devices making their way onto the market -- coupled with the explosive use of geo-minded social networks like Path, Instagram and Foursquare -- an entire generation is now growing up in a geotagged world. Phone users have it easy; so long as there's a data connection and an embedded GPS module (commonplace in modern mobile devices), there lies the ability to upload a photo with a patch of metadata embedded. Snap a shot at a national park, upload it, and just like that, viewers and friends from around the world now have an idea as to what a specific place on the Earth looks like. Solmeta N3 geotagging module review Columbia's GPS Pal app for Android and iOS Casio Exilim EX-H20G (with Hybrid GPS) review For travel hounds like myself, that's insanely powerful. I'm the kind of person that'll spend hours lost in Google Earth, spinning the globe around and discovering all-new (to me, at least) locales thanks to the magic of geotagging. It's sort of the photographic equivalent to putting a face to a name. By stamping latitude, longitude, altitude and a specific time to any given JPEG, you're able to not only show the world what you saw, but exactly when and where you saw it. It's a magical combination, and with GPS modules finding their way into point-and-shoot cameras -- not to mention external dongles like Solmeta's magnificent N3 (our review here) -- there's plenty of opportunity to start adding location data to your photos. For more on the "Why would I want to?" and "How would I best display 'em?" inquiries, let's meet up after the break.
Google Earth, Maps get new high-res aerial and satellite imagery
3D City View for iOS isn't the only update from the Google Maps and Earth team this week, they've also spruced up their services with new imagery. Fresh high-resolution aerial and satellite photos have been added for a roster of 25 cities and 72 countries or regions, ranging from Antelope Wells, New Mexico to Zimbabwe. In addition, seven international locales and 21 US cities received the 45-degree view treatment, letting you gaze at skylines from a different perspective. The maps are already available, so you can peruse new satellite images of London's Olympic Park and Village just in time for the festivities. For the full list of areas with crisper cartographic visuals, check out the source below.
Google Earth for iOS updated with tour guides and 3D flights
Check your iPhone or iPad for an update to the Google Earth app today. Version 7.0 of the free, universal app features tour guides of historic landmarks, as well as 3D flyovers of selected cities. The flyovers beat Apple to the punch because a similar feature is going to appear in Apple's Maps app this fall as a part of iOS6. Cities included in this update include Los Angeles, Boston, San Francisco, Geneva and Rome. More cities will be added in the near future. The 3D flyover feature requires an iPhone 4S or an iPad 2 or later. While testing the rendering, I found the calculations required for 3D quite fast on my iPhone 4S and my new iPad. Rotations and changes in angle and elevation were smooth. In contrast, rotating around buildings in the beta version of Apple Maps on iOS 6 was not quite as smooth, as the app would render some buildings as a wire mesh and then quickly fill in the detail when the movement stopped. Of course we're comparing the Apple beta to the Google release, and I would expect performance enhancements when the Apple app is released later this year. There's absolutely no reason to not download the Google Maps upgrade and enjoy the sophisticated eye candy and depth the app provides to an increasing list of cities. The app requires iOS4.3 or later, and is a 22.3 MB download. %Gallery-161182% #next_pages_container { width: 5px; hight: 5px; position: absolute; top: -100px; left: -100px; z-index: 2147483647 !important; }
