Of course, with the Universal release of Google Earth, Google has also kicked out a Mac OS X version of their recently-purchased SketchUp, a 3D modeling app for the masses. If you need a quick explanation, here's one as good as any from their site: "Adding a deck? Remodeling your kitchen? From simple to detailed, conceptual to realistic, Google SketchUp (free) lets you populate the world with true 3D objects."This latest release also now supports textures, so "creating textured models is as easy as taking a photo and applying it to a 3D model". Sounds like a good time. Perhaps even better than SketchUp coming to Mac OS X is the fact that a powerful version is offered for free, while the pro version costs $495.
[thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
6-12-2006 @ 5:13PM
Dan said...
My only reason to boot into Windows - until I buy Elder Scrolls - Oblivion.
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6-12-2006 @ 5:16PM
AlMeister said...
For what it's worth, this is in the EULA for SketchUp:
"...The Software includes a unique application number which may be communicated to Google from time to time. This unique application number is not associated with personally identifiable information about You, and is used only to collect and analyze aggregate usage statistics for the Software. The unique application number is required for the Software to work and cannot be disabled."
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6-12-2006 @ 5:26PM
harrisjamieh said...
No universal binary? how crap
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6-12-2006 @ 6:55PM
Erik Hebisch said...
Haha, this is really ridiculous... I just downloaded and mounted it, only to be surprised by an installer app, that, and this is the best part, REQUIRES administrator privileges to run!
Haha, without me, Google... I just don't know what kind of things you're going to install here... certainly makes me very suspicious.
Sorry Google, no privileges for you and your app, as fine as it may be.
On a sidenote... if you look at the installer app's content, you can see that the app "Google SketchUp.app" is inside there... and whole lot of other stuff, that is supposed to go the /Library. I don't know, why this is really necessary... maybe someone hardcoded some plugin paths into the app.
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6-12-2006 @ 6:57PM
andy said...
". No universal binary? how crap" - yeah - goes for Maya as well, im starting to get worried now its owned by Autodesk, pplleeasssee dont make me have to buy a pc, or even dual boot.
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6-12-2006 @ 7:03PM
Joseph said...
I downloaded and installed it. It's a lot of fun! Easy to use. Gonna try out textures. Maybe make a 3D version of my iBook?
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6-12-2006 @ 7:22PM
Rich said...
For the record: while the download page states that OS X 10.4 is required, the installer says 10.3. I'm running it on 10.3.9, which I guess sheds some light on which we should believe.
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6-12-2006 @ 8:42PM
Entica said...
Am I missing something? I've been using Sketchup in OSX for yonks. How is this new to OSX?
E.
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6-12-2006 @ 10:31PM
dwyn said...
the original sketchup was available for MacOS-X already for a long time. This newer version is different in that it exports to a Google-Earth format.
I downloaded the installer and it runs perfectly on 10.3.9 for me. I have no problem with giving the installer permissions, as its a standard thing for installing items into the library, just as it was with the old original sketchUp.
BTW, SketchUp is the truest 3D-for-the-masses program I've ever seen... I wish I could export vrml and 3dmf with it...guess I gotta buy the real thing. :P
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6-12-2006 @ 10:38PM
cubert said...
Just use MODO by luxology.com
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6-12-2006 @ 10:48PM
David Thielen said...
If you want free software with source, take a look at http://digg.com/software/Free_screenwriting_software
It's not a graphics program like SketchUp, but they are giving it away once it hits end-of-life rather than just making it unavailable.
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6-13-2006 @ 4:11AM
brutal said...
Seriously.
Sketchup has been available for OS X since 2001.
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6-13-2006 @ 7:29AM
Rich said...
SketchUp has been available for OS X for a long time. It still is; it costs $495.
The difference with this release is that it comes since Google accquired sketchup and so it costs nothing. Hence the title "Google releases sketchup for OS X".
I thought there was already a plugin to allow exporting to GoogleEarth, but I could be wrong-- I've not been able to afford to run the program 'till now :)
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