Google Earth t- it's the cheapest way to travel (earth.google.com)

Member Name: karenroach

Product:	earth.google.com
Date:	19/06/09 (11 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Visit a place before you go on holiday to see if the brochures are right!

Disadvantages: Heavy on PC resources, can be tricky to download and install

The World is your Oyster with Google Earth. When I first heard about this, I couldn't see the sense of it. But as it's my job to teach people about IT, and I kept on being asked by my students how to install it, I thought I'd better check it out.

It is no exaggeration to say it it blew me away! The absolute beauty of the opening interface showing you the earth in a dark blue space. Then you start to use the controls, so you can tilt the earth in any direction you like. You can see the earth from any vantage point.

Then you can explore the entire earth. When it first went live, all things American were crystal clear, but some other places were a foggy haze. This has largely been sorted out on successive sweeps of the earth. The images are so clear now that a lot of people are worried about security issues.

Once you get the hang of it, you can either type names of places or map co-ordinates into the search box and watch Google Earth do it's magic. It will swoop in and land with the precision of an airline pilot. you can even put a post code in and it will pinpoint the very building you are looking for, and come to rest over aunty Mary's house.

There are some places that you can apply a 3D viewpoint to. This is good for monuments. You can have a go at making your own 3D contribution at http://sketchup.google.com/.

Members have uploaded photos of different places so you can see what they look like, because remember, when you fly in you are mainly getting an aerial view (looking down). When you find what you are looking for you can label it (Our House) for instance!

Google earth really opens your eyes. You can explore the Oceans or Outer Space. You can stay on earth and, if you can't actually go to a place you want to see, go by Google. Visit the Taj Mahal and the Pyramids. Look down on the Wiltshire White Horses and the Nasca Lines. Climb Mount Everest and Machu Picchu. Live a little!

Summary: Around the world in 80 minutes!