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Google Earth invites you to look through our planet's past — get ready to feel bad for being a human
Watch 26 years of climate change faster than you can say "climate change"
Google is calling its expanded Timelapse feature "the biggest update in years" to its Earth 3D mapping system. The tool allows you to overlay historical satellite photography on the 3D topographical maps, watching years of change to the landscape in just a few seconds. You can see dramatic shifts to populated cities, or the geological progression of waterways and landmasses. But of course the most obvious application of this tool is viewing climate change in a much more immediate way.
It's been more than a year since Google launched its system-wide dark theme with Android 10, but the company still isn't done creating dark modes for all of its apps. Many Google Maps users are still waiting for the eye-soothing theme currently in rollout, but if you want a glimpse at what you can expect while you're in satellite view, you might want to download or open Google Earth. Google has announced that the app now finally has a dark theme.
Most of us aren't likely to get the chance to fly to outer space, much less walk on a planet that isn't Earth, but that hasn't stopped Google from helping us reach the stars from our smart devices. When Google introduced a space exploration feature to Maps in 2017, we all got to see our solar system in ways that simply weren't possible before. This week, a Redditor found that Google has added a fun hyperdrive animation that makes it feel like you're really being teleported to a new planet.
Globes can be had for around $20-30 on Amazon, and they can make for some nice decoration. But if you don't want to cough up that amount of money or you just don't have any space in your home for one, Google Maps now has a '3D Globe Mode' on desktop that you can use to check out our planet with.
After two years in development, the web-based Google Earth 9.0 debuted earlier this year. The new version runs entirely in the web browser, but it only works in Google Chrome. This is because it used Portable Native Client (NaCl), a technology that allows C and C++ code to run in the Chrome browser. Since no other browser bothered implementing NaCl, the Earth web app was exclusive to Chrome.
Let's be real here: we live on a beautiful planet. While some of our fascinations lie in what is beyond our rock in space, I think that we should take the time to appreciate what we're standing on. It is quite impossible that any one person can see all that this world has to offer, which is why Google Earth is so cool. Today marks the next step for exploring our homeworld by adding the virtual reality element with the appropriately named Earth VR.
You knew this day would come. An asteroid is hurtling towards Earth, but before you ready those nukes, your job isn't to deflect it - it's to guarantee that it doesn't miss. In Massteroid, players take control of said asteroid and try to grow it as big as possible to inflict maximum destruction. But if you've learned anything from late 90s disaster films, Earth isn't going down without a fight. You must dodge unguided missiles, satellites, targeted ordinances, mines, and - wait for it - black holes. Yeah, you're going to have to put your knowledge of astronomy aside for this one.
Google I/O 2013: Google's To-Do List This Year
Google I/O is coming! We'll know about all of Google's new projects in just 2 short agonizingly long weeks. While we desperately count the days until May
Google I/O is coming! We'll know about all of Google's new projects in just 2 short agonizingly long weeks. While we desperately count the days until May 15th, we thought it would be a great idea to take stock all of the things we've caught wind of lately.
While Google's UK Maps service is far from incomplete, it's not easy to comprehensively cover a vast array of British towns and countryside without a bit of local knowledge. Hopefully, that's exactly what we'll get with the launch of Google Map Maker in the United Kingdom, including the Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey.
The Green movement seems to be on the rise with smartphones lately (remember the Motorola Citrus?) - Sprint announced today that it has teamed up with Samsung to do their part in helping out too. The first eco-friendly Android phone to hit its network will be the Samsung Replenish, made of 34.6% recycled plastic, sporting an energy efficient charger, and packaging made from 80% recycled material marked with soy ink.