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"Another amazing achievement by the Google team" on by adila01
Pros: The new interface, hide sidebar feature, enhanced satellite imagery
Cons: Lack of Google Moon and Google Mars integration
Summary: This new product hosts many amazing up-grades that are sure to enhance the Web 2.0 war. Google Earth 4 Beta includes an amazing new nonintrusive navigation consul that is easy to use and beautifully streamlined into the overall program. The new hide-sidebar feature allows for a near Microsoft Live Local amount of imagery on the screen thus enticing the audience to a breathe taking panoramic view of the Earth. It is understandable that Google Earth should depict Earth, but if Google was to release a product that integrates Google Earth, Google Moon, and Google Mars, the product would be even more alluring. Personally I would recommend this to anyone but especially to those who always wanted to travel to exotic lands but never had the money...
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"Very, VERY Cool." on by Wolfie2k5
Pros: Beats your daddy's atlas
Cons: Mapping locations aren't always 100% right.
Summary: This app blows the doors off of maps.google.com - which in and of itself is a pretty amazing product. The only things preventing me from giving it a full 10 would be
1.) Mapping is still off ever so slightly. My address is shifted one building west.
2.) It can't find every address. A friend of mine gave me an address I entered into Google Earth and it gave me one at the top of the block - which is a rather LONG block - away.
3.) The Flat Earth Society would wholeheartedly approve - you can not only rotate 360 degrees around a given point, you can also tilt the view from 90 degrees (looking at it from directly overhead) to about 2 degrees (where you're looking at it edge on). Unless you populate a given area with some point of interest - you're going to see nothing more than a flat planet.
Given this IS based purely on satellite imaging, (i.e. pictures), there's not much in the way of relief. Mt Everest has the same elevation as say, the Pacific Ocean.
Of course, that might be the next rabbit they pull out of their hats in version 5.
As it is though, Google Earth 4.0 is totally cool.
Oh... And FYI, it seems to be quite Vista ready. What better place to test BETA software than on a Beta operating system? Aside from a few minor glitches, the program runs mostly flawlessly on Vista. -
"Pretty neat program" on by Whip61
Pros: Free! Easy to use and lots of fun
Cons: Need to update maps
Summary: I live in central North Carolina and found that when I zoomed in on my house it's there and remarkably clear to see.
What I did not see is the new 250 housing development a quarter mile down the road thats been under construction for over a year and a half. I have found this in other area in states that I am familiar with.
This is not meant to be a slam on this great program, just a side note that the maps need updating. -
"This Amazing product doesn't stop!" on by Lordadimar
Pros: Unbelivably interactive enviornment
Cons: Server load times are lacking
Summary: One of the coolest mapping products on the planet! This single piece of software can mistify co-workers and provide you with an view of the pyramids! Do you really need an overview? No, But who cares! It's free and it's fantastic!
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"Kicks the balls off of the competition!" on by Revrant
Pros: Free! Fast, Independent of a Web browser, amazing L.O.D. and closeup zoom, many locations
Cons: User-defined locations often incorrect or insubstantial, many places left out, Featureless Countryside viewable while some cities entirely "Green"ed out
Summary: Yahoo just can't cut it here, their L.O.D. and zoom are laughable(By comparison of course) to what GEarth pulls off, but even the best things are flawed.
Indeed, until 4 my city in Michigan was just a smattering of Green, why is it most of a desert was viewable but my city wasn't? Well, that changed with 4, I can see my house from a distance that allows me to make out our Car quite well.
I actually had quite some difficulty finding the Great Wall of China, but I had a bulging handful of locations relating to Microsoft, and none relating to Apple Computer, inconsistincies hurt the fun fly-to option.
Overall a fantastic product that will hopefully remain free, it beats the pants off of everything else out there for free satellite viewing, and I doubt anything will challenge it on it's own well constructed high quality turf for a good long while.
Google Earth 4 beta user reviews
