Filed under: Software, Freeware
Google Earth 5 gets wet and goes back in time
After a while you just stop doubting the power of Google. Now for your planetary voyeuristic pleasure the big G has released version 5 of the eponymous Google Earth, bringing with it the power to turn back time and plumb the ocean depths. Or something like that.
Anyway, the new beta adds some cool imagery of the ocean floor along with 3D shipwrecks and educational maritime videos. Also newly included is the fourth axis, allowing you access to historical imagery for certain locales so you can turn back the clock and see how things have changed over the years. The final big new feature is the capacity to make "free-form tours" with soundtracks and narrations.
As before, Google Earth is a free download with the more feature-laden pro version available for $400.
[via electronista]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
John.B said 9:26AM on 2-03-2009
FYI, Google Earth is *not* a free download for your work computer.
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All Evolve said 10:42AM on 2-03-2009
I find it interesting that under preferences, in the Mac OS X version of Google Earth 5, it gives you the following options for selecting your email program: OS X Mail, Entourage, or Eudora—no GMAIL.
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Andre said 10:47AM on 2-03-2009
Has GMail got a Mac client out now?
websnap said 12:32PM on 2-03-2009
You can add gmail as an account to Mail. Gmail isn't a program, it's a service, just like Entourage isn't Microsoft's service, hotmail is.
Lars said 12:36PM on 2-03-2009
When I found out it wants to install a continuous running background process for updating all Google Mac programs - I declined to install this version.
I'm not against a unified updater that runs when you start the application, but the way Google sells this (allow it or else) doesn't sit right with me at all.
That request (well, 'request') screen pops up *after* installing the application and is not mentioned on the download page. Time Machine quickly returned me to 4.3, which will suffice.
Screw the ocean floor.
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Ian said 12:43PM on 2-03-2009
I did exactly the same thing.
Avoid Google Earth 5 on Mac.
truss said 12:45PM on 2-03-2009
I did the same thing. The wording of the message was bad too. The message says, "To continue using Google Earth, you must accept the new Google privacy policies and allow Google Software Update to run in the background on your computer." I don't like the idea of anything running in the background, especially and updater for a program that I use for maybe 5 minutes a month as a novelty. No thanks Google.
John said 5:02PM on 2-03-2009
I update when I want - and what I want - and NOT when Google decides it wants to update (or screw up) anything on my Mac. I downgraded back to 4.3.
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Andre said 5:39PM on 2-09-2009
I've deleted the autoupdater, and restored Google Earth to 4.3
Howcome nobody seems too concerned with this? Only 8 posts here. Other sites/blogs have a bit of discussion, with many people being "for" the autoupdater.
I don't understand. Google wants to do something evil like run some hidden/protected process on my computer, even when I don't have Earth open. This is terrible. Why isn't the world in uproar about it?
This is so "Microsoft" of them. Why do they need to run something on my computer all the time? What if a newer version doesn't work as well? Can I roll back and prevent a further update?
Why does their ever-present process need to run as Root? Isn't that asking for someone to hack it?
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