Google Earth Has Undergone Huge Changes With Tours, 3D Viewing and More
Google today released a big update to Google Earth for Chrome and Android. Along with a chic new look, the new version adds guided tours, 3D maps, a random button, and more.
The guided tours, which Google calls Voyager, aren’t just some chopped up algorithmic mess, they’re run by academics and documentary filmmakers. At launch, 50 tours are available to places such as Gombe National Park , various national parks in North America, or a guided tour of the Frank Gehry Buildings . Google also partners with the BBC and Planet Earth , so you can zoom in on different locations in the show and learn more.
If you are really bored, you can also use the “I’m Lucky” button to be sent to some random place in the world. Once you’re there, Google collects useful information using sources like Wikipedia so you can learn a little about where you landed. The 3D button allows you to view any location from any angle, although in most cases it tends to look as weird and uncomfortable as you probably imagine.
Google Earth has always been a fun toy, but it looks like Google is trying to make it more useful. To that end, they plan to add more tours weekly, which should make returning to them rewarding.