The "official" version of google earth for OS X was released yesterday, and I got it today, and all I can say is wow. It kicks the PC version in the bum. (Well, it helps that I'm running it on a nice slick iMac G5!)
So I was just wondering if anyone got it yet and I was what they think about it.
John
Thanks, I wasn't aware of the official release. I can confirm that it does *not* run on X.3, just like the System Requirements state
I've been messing with it since the beta. The interface is a little clunky... but its still very cool.
I've noticed the images of Manhattan are espescially resolute. You can actually see people! Try zooming in close, orienting the view on a street somewhere south of the Park, checking the "Buildings" check box, then using the left slider to angle the view... then using the circle buttons with arrows to spin around... way cool.
I'm posting a file with some interesting finds (4 zipped .kmz files). Just dl (ctrl-click/Download Linked File), unzip and double click on the .kmz files and Google Earth will take you there.
GoogleEarthLocations @4KB
You really should try the 3D Buildings in the official one! I just found it today, and if you turn it on, the visit somewhere like Chicago, and tilt the vewing angle a bit, you can see the buildings!!
John
I just picked up a Mini. Now I get to test it on something my iBook won't run. Sweet!
Edit: And sweet it is! I never played with it on a Win PC. but on my Mini, eve with all the new updates going on over the DSL line in the background, it's useable. When my CPU and network aren't being run so much, I epect it'll go MUCH smoother. Having a 3 button scroll mouse makes all the difference. I didn't even bother with the nav buttons on the bottom of the window. I have a Macally iceMini USB optical mouse that works really great so far. I'm sure any 3 button scroller will be fine, though I dunno what they'll do if you have 2 wheels and 5 buttons...
I have a Digital Audio Dual 1.2 GHz with a 64 MB GeForce 4 MX, as well as a generic PC 1GHz P3 with 128 MB ATI. The graphics card makes all the difference. Its much better on my PC.
Rick
It seems that the only limittion for my setup is the DSL line. I can't get the images fast enough sometimes. It's 384Kbps DSL, so 'd expect a 5Mbps cale line to go much better.
How old are the pics? I was just playing around with it and looking at my house. It showed the tree in my front yard with the white blooms on it from last spring.
I thought it was more up to date than that?
Anyone know the basics on the pics etc.
Depends on location, I think. I know some of the pic of the SE Kansas City region are at least 2+ years old.
Yea been running it since beta on my dual 2.5 g5 on my campus network (up to 30 MB/s). From what I've seen, in most areas the images are 2 years old -1 year old, haven't found anything newer than that though. If only they made a version where you could download sections of the map, they would be the first to create a usable gps and trip routing program for mac.
Cool, Thanks for the info, been waiting several weeks (since I found out about it ) for the final Mac ver.!! I'm downloading it right now. Just found out I need Tiger!! Dang me for living in the dark ages!!
9600/G4/350 Sonnet, 1.12 Gig RAM
That's what I thought until an area newspaper ran an article about it. They mentioned a lot of people are up in arms about it. They say it is an invasion of privacy. It mentioned how a spouse could check up on her husband to see whose car is in the driveway with his!
Once I heard that I immediately went to download it. It seems the journalists have their facts screwed again.
MaxTek
This is too funny! Folks are thinking it's live real-time images? hehhehehehehehehehhehhehehesnortcacklesnurfsnurfhehe
ahhhh, 'K I'm better now . . .
heh heh
dan k
heh
ah crap, sorry, can't stop giggling . . .
dan k
I don't know if Earth uses the same pics as their map website, but here in San Diego the satellite photos from Google Maps shows the baseball stadium downtown still under construction. It was finished in 2004, so the pictures are well over 2 years old.
My house isn't even on Google Earth- making the picture at least 3 years old.
Look up "2151 62nd Ave. South, St. Petersburg, Florida" on Google Earth... it shows the middle school where I recently taught (was just promoted to a cushy tech job at another nearby school). That is Bay Point Middle School, and the construction to the immediate East of it is the new BPMS that opened 3.5 years ago. That would make that picture about 4 years old.
Jen