Google has released Google Earth 6.2 for iOS and Android, including the long awaited ability to work with KML files. Frank Taylor reports that some of the more advanced features of KML files such as animations and timeline functionality are not working in this version. Other features include some navigation enhancements and improvements to 3D building support. There is also a new Google Earth Gallery feature. [Source: Google Earth Blog. Image: Wikipedia]
Google announced on Sunday that it had released Google Earth for the popular iPhone device. So far it doesn’t have access to all of the content layers that you can view in the desktop version of your software, but it does have panoramio photos and Wikipedia articles and most impressively, the 3D terrain option. You can view the surrounding terrain in 3D by simply tilting your phone from horizontal. It also lets you search for nearby businesses and appears to pull in other content related to those businesses from the web, such as reviews etc. Now, if only I could come up with the $$ to spring for an iPhone! More info at CNet and Google Earth blog. Or click through for a video demo. (Photo credit: Google by way of CNet).
The O’Reilly Where 2.0 conference just wrapped up last week in Burlingame, CA. It is a big deal for developers, geographers, GIS developers, GPS equipment manufacturers and anyone else interested in location web services, GIS, mashups, and the so-called Geoweb. There were two presentations by some high profile players that may be of interest to the readers of GeoPrac.net. I have video versions of both after the break.
First, a presentation titled "State of the GeoWeb" given by Google Earth and Maps Director, John Hanke with some help from Jack Dangemond of ESRI. I think it gives you some interesting insights into the direction things are headed, particularly with some of the upcoming releases of ESRI GIS software and the interplay between location data that people have been producing for some time now and new ways of tapping into it using the web. Kind of a long presentation at around 30 minutes.
Second, Geoff Zeiss of Autodesk, Inc. (makers of AutoCad etc.) gives a presentation titled "Convergence of Architectural and Engineering Design and Location Technology". It deals with bridging the information created by different disciplines such as engineers, architects, trades and contractors into something more productive and usable using techniques such as 3D visualization and simulation. Length is approximately 15 minutes.
This video shows a very cool way of representing strike and dip measurements in Google Earth using a RockWorks tool.
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