I think I read somewhere that the data they use is at least several months old generally - probably older if somewhere more sensitive - so you can't check up on wife/hubby to see if she/he was where she said she was last night! (well not straight away anyway....)

All I get for the whole of Leicester is a mess of colour :(

I kept staring in case it was a Magic Eye type picture & eventually the city I recognise would spring out at me. But I guess I'd have more luck swivelling in my chair to see the window behind me!

I figure I'd resurrect this thread to mention the newest version of Google Earth. It's been out for a while now. They have bundled in Google Sky so you can see the stars too. That's neat and all, but not all that exciting.

Then last week, I read on Boing Boing about the latest. You may have heard it already, but there is a not-so-secret easter egg of a flight simulator in Google Earth now. Make sure you have the latest version, and type Ctrl+Alt+A and it opens a flight simulator. You get to choose between an F16 and a prop plane. This thing is very very fun. For the last few days, I've been flying through the Grand Canyon, under the Golden Gate bridge, through the canyons of the Himalayas. It's a blast. Check it out if you haven't already.

I really love Google Earth. To be able to see places that I haven't been to for years, and to really be able to see where places are in relation to each other, I find that sort of thing amazing. Also if I'm listening to music it's weirdly relaxing.

Grifftopia actually showed up on Google Earth late last year. I have been assimilated.

It's interesting to see Google Earth's 5-year history on The Cellar... so it's worth re-reading the previous posts

I've been messing about with GE-3D too, and am fascinated by their "new" feature called 3-D Buildings.
In flying around Portland OR, I could not imagine how all 4 sides of a building could be captured via satellite imagery in such photographic detail.
(Odd note: buildings and cars, but no human beings on the sidewalks.)

Then I found this (10 minute) link on YouTube that shows how it is done.

The online CAD technology used is impressive, and I can't believe so many buildings have already been entered into the Google 3D Warehouse.

Here is a portion of the Portland waterfront via Google Earth 3D Buildings:

Cool. I was not aware of this thread.

I just helped my parents get a new computer. It's a Gateway all-in-one. It has a multi-touch screen, and it came with Microsoft's version of Google Earth, with multi-touch controls. It's neat, but the rotation gesture seems to get confused sometimes.

If you are talking about using a scrolling-mouse to control the rotation and angle of view, I agree with you... it is awkward.

On a Mac you can use the right/left and up/down keys to control the directions of flying (right/left/forward/back).
Then by pressing the Apple key, these same keys control the rotation and view angle. On the PC, I would think the ALT key should do the same thing. With these keys, control is much easier.
HTH

No, it's using two fingers on the touchscreen itself. Sometimes it seems to have problems figuring out clockwise vs counter-clockwise.

Yes, the same is true with the mouse, where the rotation is controlled by moving the mouse to the right or left. If you are simultanteously changing the angle (with the mouse up or down) from the guide, this can easily seem to get out of control. Maybe that's also true with the touchscreen.

Google has updated the satellite views of our area.
The "street views" are much sharper in focus, and the 3D effect is neat.

I noticed some visitors in the side yard of our house.
It looks like there are 2 kids, an adult, and a dog, so it is probably our G-daughters and their Mom.

A moment of minor fame.

I can do without Youtube, but it is a shame that dial-up modems and Google Earth don't work too well together.

I've seen this too Lamplighter,I also like the 3d effect and the rotation too. Electric Eye in the sky.