Features
-
Popularity:
#1 in Science (out of 554 products)
-
License:
Free
- Editor's Rating:
- Average User Rating:
-
Downloads:
3,511,220
- Requirements:
Windows 2000/XP
- Limitations:
No limitations
- Date Added:
April 15, 2008
-
Previous Versions:
Publisher's description of Google Earth
From Google:
Google Earth puts a planet's worth of imagery and other geographic information right on your desktop. View exotic locales like Maui and Paris, as well as points of interest such as local restaurants, hospitals, and schools. Google Earth combines satellite imagery, maps, and the power of Google Search to put the world's geographic information at your fingertips. With Google Earth you can fly from space to your neighborhood--just type in an address and zoom right in, search for schools, parks, restaurants, and hotels. Get driving directions, tilt and rotate the view to see 3D terrain and buildings, save and share your searches and favorites and even add your own annotations.
Version 4.3 adds day and night lighting, Street View, more 3D models, and faster rendering speeds.
Note: Google Earth is a broadband, 3D application that not all computers can run. Windows-based desktop PCs older than four years may not be able to run Google Earth and Windows-based notebook PCs older than two years may not be able to run it.
Editor's review of Google Earth
5.0 stars
- "Google the planet"
The latest version of Google Earth continues to set the mapping paradigm. Accessible enough for casual users, Google has been added features that make it a necessity for those whose topographic desires are more serious.
Most of the interface's real estate displays a rendering of the globe, which slowly zooms in on a satellite image of your destination once you've keyed it in. The control panel has changed again, but the real draw is the addition of Street View, an on-the-ground 360-degree look at the premises that users may recognize from Google Maps. Also gracing the virtual globe is an option to illuminate it in real-time.
Everything from roads and restaurants to crime statistics can be displayed; subcategories and individual items can be unchecked to show only what you need. Google's driving directions are incorporated, and the user community has produced several nifty mods, including historical maps. There's also integration with Google's 3D rendering program SketchUp, which you can use to place buildings and other ornamentation in a real-life setting.
The only downside to the program is that it can consume a large amount of RAM, so as the developer notes, older machines might experience performance issues. But everyone else is bound to love Google Earth, both as an entertaining novelty and an informational tool.
Most popular Science downloads
- 18,364 downloads 1. Google Earth
- 11,298 downloads 2. I-Doser
- 1,792 downloads 3. WorldWide Telescope
- 628 downloads 4. Stellarium
- 572 downloads 5. World Wind
- See all Science downloads
User reviews
- Average user rating: 4.3 stars out of 992 votes
- My rating: 0 stars Write review
-
Showing 5 of 128 user reviewsSee all 128 user reviews
This software version | All versions -
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: Google Earth 4.3
Cons: It still hogs a lot of space and it freezes a lot, like the other versions.
-
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: Google Earth 4.3
Pros: Keeps getting better
-
Version: Google Earth 4.3
-
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: Google Earth 4.3
-
Version: Google Earth 4.3
Pros: I Like Everything About It
- See all 128 user reviews Write review
Submit your review
You must be 13 years of age or older to submit personal information to CNET Networks. In compliance with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998, CNET Networks does not accept name and e-mail address information from users who are under 13 years of age.
All submitted ratings and written comments become the sole property of CNET Networks, Inc. (CNET) and may be used at CNET Networks' sole discretion. Ratings and written comments are generally posted within two to four business days in batch groups, not in real time. However, CNET Networks reserves the right to remove or refuse to post any submission for any reason. You acknowledge that you, not CNET Networks, are responsible for the contents of your submission.
CNET Networks is not responsible for the content of the publisher's descriptions or user reviews on this site. We encourage you to determine whether this product or your intended use is legal. We do not encourage or condone the use of any software in violation of applicable laws. CNET Download.com does not sell, resell, or license any of the products listed on the site. We cannot be held liable for issues that arise from the download or use of these products.
