Google Earth is getting a reboot. The 3-D mapping service is reinventing itself to become more of a tool for adventure and exploration.
A central feature in the new Google Earth is Voyager. Google has partnered with such groups as the BBC and NASA to add video clips, photos, and text to its program.
The Jane Goodall Institute lets you journey to spots in Tanzania that inspired its founding chimpanzee expert. You can find overlays of chimpanzee ranges and compare imagery from 2005 and 2014 to see the effects of forest restoration efforts.
The producers of “Sesame Street” show off Muppets from productions around the world. The map shows where the Muppets live and offer stories about the region and its culture.
A new “I’m Feeling Lucky” feature takes you to a location selected at random. Google Earth is highlighting some 20,000 lesser-known destinations—the kinds of places locals might know about, such as the Indonesian island of Bunaken, part of a national marine park.
Google Earth used to be the site for satellite views and 3-D images. A software download was required. That limited its use. But Google Maps now has many of those features, making Google Earth less needed.
Last week’s update is about giving you a reason to use Google Earth again. Google says that while Maps is about getting you to a destination, Earth is about immersing you there, or “getting lost.”
(Photo: AP)
