Google Earth has now grown up. From being a mere virtual Earth globe in an App with limited features to today where you can simply discover absolutely anything from anywhere in a single click. Google launched its new Google Earth yesterday and probably the most interesting feature of them all is the fact that it is no longer a standalone app. Yes, Google Earth can now be accessed straight from your desktop browser which is only limited to Chrome as of now. There is also an app on Android and Google claims that it will soon serve other browsers and iOS users as well.
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Starting with the most distinct feature is ‘Voyager’. Opening up the new Google Earth you will now see a Ship’s wheel clicking which will take you to a new world of discovery and that act of finding new things around the world. For this, Google has joined hands with BBC and DigitalGlobe who specialises in pulling out detailed stories about a particular place. To put it in simple terms, Voyager essentially showcases some pre-recorded interactive tours placed all across the globe. Interestingly, this includes Street View, pre-recorded 360-degree videos of both outsides and inside a building and even underwater. As of now, Google has rolled out 40 collections of these tours and is expected to expand with time. You can explore Natural Treasures from BBC Earth and can then jump on to Gombe National Park in Tanzania or stop in Mexico with Lola, one of the girls in Sesame Street’s Girl Muppets Around the World.
Apart from Voyager, the famous ‘I’m feeling lucky’ search spin from Google Search has made its way to Google Earth as well. Represented by a little ‘die’ icon, I’m Feeling Lucky option will instantly transport you to a random place where it will then pull up cards giving you information about the local culture and other relevant facts. Google claims to have extracted 20,000 such places where it can show off its Knowledge Cards. Once landed to a random place, you can also navigate to some related places around the globe.
Moreover, the new Google Earth also brush up the 3D settings around the world. Tapping onto the 3D button will allow you to see any place from any angle, claims Google. Once satisfied with an angle, you can now share a postcard with your friends and family.
Lastly, Google has also introduced something called ‘This is Home’ where you can explore different homes from different cultures around the world.