Google Earth reinvented, free of
apps
The service is available via
web browsers, allowing for detailed 3D views around the world
Google has launched a
re-imagi ned version of its free Earth map ping service, weaving in
storytelling and artificial intelligence and freeing it from apps.
“This is our gift to the
world,“ Google Earth director Rebecca Moore said of the new version of the
program that lets people range the planet from the comfort of their computers,
smartphones or tablets.
“It's a product that speaks
to our deepest values around education and making information available to
people.“
Anew Voyager feature
enables people digitally exploring the planet to be guided on interactive
stories told by experts, boasting partners including BBC Earth, NASA, Sesame
Street, and the Jane Goodall Institute. Google AI will be put to work for Earth
users in the form of “knowledge cards“ that let them dive deeper into online
information about mountains, countries, landmarks or other places being
virtually visited.
It will also make
suggestions on other locations armchair explorers might be interested in based
on what they have searched in the past.
There is also a newly
installed Feeling Lucky feature for people who want to let the software suggest
hidden gems such as Pemba Island off the Swahili coast or the Oodaira Hot
Spring in Yamagata, Japan.
People can choose to fly
around the world in Earth, using a 3D button to see the Grand Canyon, Chateau
Loire Valley and other stunning spots from any angles they wish.
“With the new Earth, we
want to open up different lenses for you to see the world and learn a bit about
how it all fits together; to open your mind with new stories while giving you a
new perspective on the locations and experiences you cherish,“ Earth product
manager Gopal Shah said.
Online explorers cruising
the mobile version of Earth can also capture pictures on their travels, sending
friends digital postcards.
New Earth was launched on
Google's Chrome and Android software, with versions tailored for Apple devices
and other internet browsing software promised soon.
It's the first time that
Earth can be reached on a web browser instead of through apps installed on
devices.
The move allows Google to
tap into more powerful computing power at data centers in the “cloud“ instead
of relying on the capabilities of smartphones and other devices.
MM19APR17
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