Google Earth 2.0 For iPhone Brings Custom Maps

Google is rolling out Google Earth 2.0 for the iPhone over the next 24 hours and it brings a long-awaited custom map feature by allowing you to sync your Google My Maps with the app. More »

Well, This Explains So Much About Google

You know how Google has a tendency to half-ass stuff, like Android out the gate? A little anecdote from CEO Eric Schmidt explains it all: More »

Google Earth Will Track Cars and People In Real Time, Eventually Destroy Privacy

This is one of the awesomestest and scariestest technology demonstrations I've seen in a long while: Georgia Institute of Technology's students are using CCTV video to map actual vehicles and people into Google Earth. Why is this scary? More »

Loch Ness Monster Discovered On Google Earth, Expert Security Guard Declares

God bless The Sun—the most reliable, serious, and solid newspaper in the entire Commonwealth—because they have just discovered the Loch Ness monster using Google Earth. Or at least, that's what it appears to be in the photo. More »

Google Earth Lands on the Moon

In commemoration of some minor scientific curiosity from 40 years ago, Google has launched Moon for Google Earth, giving everyone's favorite dusty rock the full treatment, including historical imagery, extensive multimedia content and 3D mission recreations narrated by actual astronauts. More »

North Korea Secrets Uncovered In Google Earth by Amateur Spies

On April 4 2007, Curtis Melvin—a PhD student at George Mason University—decided to start the "North Korea Uncovered" project. Two years later it became the definitive reference for the country's secrets, thanks to an army of amateur spies. More »

Dead Pixel in Google Earth

Factoid: A 32 x 32 inch square of dirt looks like one dead pixel from an altitude of 1 kilometer in Google Earth. Fact: You got us there, Helmut Smits, you clever artist you. [Todayandtomorow]

Teenager's 60-Foot Roof Wang Backfires, Rich Parents Dole Out "Punishment"

Inspired by all of the classy art on Google Maps, 18-year old Rory McInnes decided to create a 60-foot phallic masterpiece on the roof of his parents' stately English manor. More »

Google Earth Head Responds to Allegations of Aiding Terrorists

Sure, Google Earth's satellite view of the world is expected to keep secretive governments nervous, but when both Hamas militants in Gaza and Pakistan-based terrorists have reportedly endorsed Google Earth, director John Hanke must respond. More »

Download Google Earth 5.0: Explore the Oceans and Time

Google Earth 5.0 beta is live and more amazing than ever: You can travel back in time and see how a place has developed, go ocean-diving with Jacques Cousteau, and record your journeys to share. More »

Swiss Police Uncover Hidden Marijuana Farm Using Google Earth

Swiss Police, aided by Google Earth, busted a group of "agricultural enthusiasts" who concealed two acres of ganja in the middle of a corn field. The only thing they didn't account for: satellite imaging. More »

Google Earth Leads Scientists to Undiscovered Forest, Brand New Species

Google Earth is fantastic, but this might be its most amazing feat yet: A scientist stumbled across an unknown green patch that turned out to be an unexplored forest home to brand new undiscovered species.

NLighten IT7202 72-inch Touchscreen HDTVs Put Google Earth At Your Fingertips

Rear-projection may be deader than dead as far as the biggies are concerned, but the folks at nLighten are intent to squeeze a bit more life out of these 72-inch 1080p DLP sets by sticking an infrared camera inside next to the light source that detects cursor points from an IR-tipped pen, allowing for a simple (no multitouch) touchscreen interface. It can act as a standard Windows mouse allowing for 1080p touchscreen Google Earth, or any other app. More »

The UBiqWindow: Google Earth Hologram Device You'll Want

If you can forgive the crap music, you'll just love this video of Google Earth mashed up with a hologram machine. This is real, and I want one very, very badly. By combining a 2D mid-air projection system and motion sensors, the device gives you a gesture-based interface for exploring the world. The term "badass" springs to mind. [UBiqWindow via GED via GEB] More »

GeoEye-1 Commercial Satellite Packs Military Power

Next month, a commercial satellite named the GeoEye-1 will go into the Earth's orbit. Its highest resolution photos—shots that will spot a 16-inch beachball—will be reserved for military use. However, slightly lower resolution imagery will be made available in the commercial sector, like Google Earth. More »

Pool Crashing in the UK Becomes Latest Google Earth Prank

The latest craze for teenagers with no place to go except Facebook is "dipping," or gatecrashing someone else's swimming pool. According to the Daily Mail (commenter djheath's favorite publication, if I recall correctly) putative trespassers select their swimming pool using Google Earth, and then notify their mates using social networking sites. The would-be revellers often turn up in fancy dress, and are advised to bring a bike (for a swift getaway). Owners only discover their pool has been dipped when they find a bunch of beer cans floating on the surface the next morning. [Daily Mail]

Google Adds Climate-Change-Predicting Layers to Google Earth

Google has teamed up with the British Government to create a couple of really interesting new environmental layers to Google Earth based on climate change estimates for the next century or so. More »

Google Earth Flying Bicycle Doesn't Include Basket, E.T.

Elliott-wannabe Mike Kay has wired his mountain bike to Google Earth's flight simulator mode to travel all around the world while he exercises. He used a Sun Microsystem SunSPOT, a Java-programmable wireless sensor equipped with an accelerometer and a bank of pins to connect it to the other controls. The system is simple, and it works perfectly, as you can see in the video. More »

Google Goes Back to 1500, Plans to Map the Oceans

As a natural progression from Google Earth and Google Sky, the Mountain View monolith now plans to create 3D maps of the Earth's oceans and seas and make it available via Google Ocean. The software will allow users to navigate the aquatic bottom and see the topography that exists down there. Google also plans to include interactive data about various subjects such as weather patterns, coral reefs, shipwrecks and currents. The goal for Google Ocean is to use as much high resolution photography of the underwater terrain as possible, offering more than just a map. But researchers say such a process could take upwards of 100 years. And Google, if you're going to include an Easter egg similar to Google Earth's flight sim, could we get a guided tour with a virtual Team Zissou? [CNet News]

Where's Waldo? Available to Play on Google Earth

Fans of Waldo, the geek in the striped beanie and glasses who'd pop up where you least expected, can now hunt him down on Google Earth. Canadian student Melanie Coles has installed a 55-foot painting of Waldo on a Vancouver rooftop, and expects other people to follow suit with their own Waldos. More below the gallery. More »

Satski: First Real Time Interactive GPS Piste Map For Skiers

I'm not a big skier personally —but I can see why the Satski GPS system could easily become a hit amongst true skiing enthusiasts. Using the Satski, you can create an interactive piste map that can be used to guide, track , and record your movements on the slopes. You can even upload your routes to Google Earth and share them with others. The Satski can also help you find the best slopes for your skill level and help you improve by recording your average and max speeds, distance traveled, and altitude information. More »

Sony Developing Gigapixel Satellite Camera, Google Earth to Benefit

Taking pictures from space takes a lot of tech power. Basically, you need to take many, many pictures and then stitch them together to get anything worthwhile, such as the photos taken for Google Earth. In order to battle the issues that come up with this method (vehicles showing up in multiple shots as they move, etc), Sony is developing a monster Gigapixel resolution camera for satellites that'll be able to take gigantic pictures in one shot. More »

Google Adds Satellite and 54 New Countries

Google added 54 new countries to Google Maps ranging from Afghanistan to Yemen and has plans to add even more countries in the coming months. Along with the Google Maps addition, DigitalGlobe, provider of Google's satellite images, is launching a new satellite on Tuesday. For fans of Google Earth, the WorldView-1's launch will be broadcasted live on Boeing.com. [Google LatLong Yahoo News via The Raw Feed]

U.S. Government Might Want to Censor Google Earth

We've already seen some countries get uncomfortable with Google Earth's satellite images. You know, countries like Pakistan and North Korea. Well, it seems like a government closer to home might want Google to tone it down a bit: the U.S. government. More »

Using Google Earth for a Resume Literally Answers the Question, 'Where Are You From?'

Turkish blogger Ozgur Alaz was looking for an innovative way to cobble together an eye-catching resume, and he certainly found it by using Google Maps Earth. He assigned a color-coded place mark for each area of his experience and then filled each one with relevant information. After exporting those markers into a Google Earth file, the result is data-filled place marks, not only showing information about Ozgur, but where each one of his experiences took place as well. More »

Google and NASA Join Forces; Nerds Everywhere Flip Out

Google and NASA, sitting in a tree, p-u-t-t-i-n-g… space related data on the internet. Yes, two of the biggest names in geekery have joined forces to give the gift of virtual space exploration to the masses. Control yourselves. More »

GPS Coolness: Downloading Suunto and Garmin Forerunner Data into Google Earth

The exploitation of Google Earth continues, and now Suunto is offering a free application that converts GPS data from its X9i GPS watch into Google Earth files. The downloadable Suunto Track Exporter software lets you place the GPS data you've recorded onto a Google Earth map, showing you exactly where you've gone. Heck, you can even do a 3D flyover of your route. More »

Indian Head: Placed There by Aliens?

We weren't aware that Indians had iPods back in ancient times, but then we weren't aware that prehistoric Egyptians flew helicopters, either. It's a constant learning process. But check out this location in Google Maps or enter 50 0'38.20"N 110 6'48.32"W in Google Earth and you'll see a distinct Indian head, complete with white iPod earphones inserted. Wonder what song he's listening to? More »

GPS Tracking with Google Earth

Here's two GPS tracking devices that you probably have absolutely no use for, but are interesting enough to show you anyhow—both allow you to see where they are at all times on Google Earth. Worldtracker SMS will alert you to its whereabouts through—you guessed it—SMS to your cellphone and then lets you watch it live on Google. And all for just $600 plus subscription cost! A cheaper option is the TrackStick, a 1GB USB stick with built-in tracking that will give you your exact whereabouts by just sticking it into any computer's USB port. This one is just $300 with no subscription fee. Again, no idea why you'd use either of these, unless you're completely bored or have no sense of direction. Or work for the CIA of course. But here's yet another useless aspect of Google Earth for you! More »