For me, this in anything BUT a productivity tool. Every time I start it up I lose hours. If you have an addictive personality, stay away. If you think you can keep it under control, read on…I would rate Google Earth as one of the coolest tools out there. You really have to see it to believe it. Composite images covering the entire globe allow you to travel anywhere. Just type in a city or an address, and Google Earth will fly you there.
There are so many add-ons and extras for Google Earth that I can’t even scratch the surface here. I’ll hit some highlights, although I’m sure there are several that I don’t even know about.
The coolest feature (that I know of) is the 3-D models that people have build using Google Sketch Up (also free). These are actual models of buildings like the Eiffel Tower, the Pyramids, the Colisseum, etc. The models are shared and superimposed over the exact location on Google Earth where they exist on regular old Earth. Google Earth allows you to explore these structures in 3-D, meaning you can tilt the “camera angle” so that you are looking at the structure from the ground instead of from above. Unbelievable. With a little practice, it is easy to learn Sketch Up well enough to sketch your own home and upload it to the Google Earth server.
Another cool option to check out is the photos that people have uploaded and shared from places all over the world. Been to a place that many peole would love to go but few have been? Post your photo and share it with the world.
There are other great features that help you locate shopping, restaurants, etc. You can even superimpose weather maps on top of GoogleEarth and watch the weather anywhere in the world (almost) real time.
Like I said, there is waaaaaay too much available to begin to cover in one post. For me, Google Earth is a Must Have.
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