Google Earth: The world's search engine, literally (earth.google.com)

Member Name: gavallan2020

Product:	earth.google.com
Date:	20/06/09 (27 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: free covers the whole world fast uploading of pictures big range of features

Disadvantages: needs internet access

Google Earth is almost undoubtedly the most powerful programme you can get on your personal pc/laptop. Google Earth allows you to zoom in on anywhere in the world and take a look around. There are also quite a few streets now that you can view multiple photographs of. This feature is called "street view" and has landed google in a lot of trouble over privacy rights etc. On Google Earth there is even the option to look at outer space, you can even zoom in on all the planets!

So, lets start with the layout and ease of use. On the whole, Google Earth is quite easy to get the hang of. To be honest the only features you will be looking at at first is the search feature. The rest (zooming in, changing the camera angle and moving the camera) is all operated through your mouse. The more advanced controls like street view are also very easy to use. All you need to do is tick the street view boxes and then click on the picture links when you are searching. Street view is only one of the many features available on google earth. You can also take tours of the wonders of the world etc.

Picture quality (without street view) is on the whole as good as it can be. There is a limit to the quality due to privacy rights. Generally you can zoom in to a house and still see quite clearly. However, in more remote places like ski resorts etc. The picture quality can be very poor. To the point that you can't recognise a hotel. Although on the whole it is very good, you have to remember that they did have to do pictures for the whole worl so not everywhere is going to be perfect.

So on the whole, google earth is well worth downloading. Especially since it is free, just type into google google earth download and you can get it there. I strongly recommend this programme, very possibly the best programme this decade. The only downside is that it needs internet access to run, but I suppose otherwise it would take up loads of memory.

Summary: see the end of the review