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Google Earth 4.2 (Beta) Available
posted by lxnyce
on Wednesday August 22, @05:57AM
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from the nothing-earth-shattering-here dept.
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from the nothing-earth-shattering-here dept.
Ogle Earth reports about the release of the Google Earth 4.2 (beta). New features include :
Update: 08/22 19:45 GMT by S : Slashdot discuss the new Google Sky feature, with several readers pointing to the open source Stellarium. You can also read the official Google blog entry on the new Google Sky.
- Gigapxl photo layer: in the layers sidebar, a new item under Featured Content: Gigapixel photos from the Gigapxl Project
- Support for KML 2.2
- Google Sky: Converts the Google 3D viewer into a galaxy like star gazer
Update: 08/22 19:45 GMT by S : Slashdot discuss the new Google Sky feature, with several readers pointing to the open source Stellarium. You can also read the official Google blog entry on the new Google Sky.
Related Stories
Review: Google Sky 3 comments
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Google Earth Blog has a full review of the new Google Sky features in GE 4.2. From the piece: "Many of us, who think Google Earth has been a wonderful tool for viewing the Earth, have asked Google to use the same tool and techniques to look at other planets and places of the universe. Sky is certainly a wonderful first step. It stays true to Google Earth's formula for success by providing high resolution imagery, intuitive and easy-to-use interface with the mouse, layers with more information, the same kind of tools for sharing and annotating places with others (placemarks, image overlays, network links, etc.), and most importantly it gives an exciting new look at places many people have never viewed with their own eyes. Just like GE opened our eyes and gave us exciting opportunities to explore our planet, this new release is already doing the same thing for the night sky."
Previous posts at GE blog link to stories of rumours of censorship with the discovery of a missing chunk of sky and the discovery of a spaceship.
Previous posts at GE blog link to stories of rumours of censorship with the discovery of a missing chunk of sky and the discovery of a spaceship.
PhotoOverlays in the new Google Earth 4.2 1 comment
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Even if you don't use Google Earth, you'll probably come across the photos, videos, flash and YouTube overlays in the new Google Earth. Ogle Earth offers explanations and screenshots. The Google Earth Blog also offers a roundup of new features regarding the newest release. From this blog: "The big news of course was the new Sky database which uses Google Earth to let you explore telescope views of the night sky. But, GE 4.2 also contains some pretty cool new features in support of the new KML 2.2 beta specification. In particular, the new photo features and the ability to embed flash applications in placemark descriptions (sadly, only on Windows though)."
New Features in KML 2.2
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With GE 4.2, so came KML 2.2. In addition to previously mentioned new features in KML, (like photo overlays), Google lat-long comments on some other new features including ExtendedData for balloon templating and custom-typed data in KML files, feature linking and sky data.
Jason at Random Nodes gives the low-down on the ExtendedData tag.
Jason at Random Nodes gives the low-down on the ExtendedData tag.
Google Earth Out of Beta, Relation with GIS Professionals and My Location Privacy
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No new features, so this is minor news, but still, Google Earth has been slightly updated and it is no longer "Beta" software. It still crashes almost immediately after launch on my Debian Sarge installation. Related, Direction Mag runs an editorial wondering what are the relations between Google Maps/Earth news and GIS professionals: "But, while these are "natural steps" from my perspective, and perhaps yours too, the tech world was all agog since this is Google. Still, we who have our heads down trying to solve day-to-day issues with professional tool must keep up to date with what Google and its peers are doing. Google, whether we like it or not, is part of our technology ecosystem. Even if we don't use Google Maps for analysis or Google tools for search, we know ultimately many of our end-users, clients, and citizens do." Meanwhile, in regards this story on the new My Location feature announced this week, to Anonymous Voxel writes "Was the data that Google uses in their new "My Location" feature gathered illegally?
Apparently yes, according to this discussion on the New York Times web site between a user and Barry Schnitt, Google's spokesperson:
Check it out, it's very interesting. Looks like this could become a major headache for Google's lawyers."
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gigapan.org photo overlays
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Embedding YouTube videos in Google Earth
(Score:2)( http://alexandreleroux.blogspot.com/ | Last Journal: Friday March 17, @04:07PM )