sorebutt

Very Cool!!! Very! based on Keyhole technology. it allows you to fly over any place in the world (resolution may vary).
I put did a fly over a route I ride my bike on, the Montebello climb, an captured this image.. it is very realistic considering it is rendering 3D dimensions from altitude data it has.. You can actually see rows of vines at the top of the climb. VERY COOL!

There are ways to overlay other images (like a route) and also connect it to a GPS.. the possibilities are limitless..


earth.google.com

Paiyili

Downloaded and installed last night, used it today to get directions for a trip. I could play with this thing for hours. I'd like to see some useful mapping program features like "preferred roads", but first impression is the same as yours, VERY COOL!

nitropowered

too bad my area isn't mapped out clearly enough. Its a pity since we have really nice hills.

TheKillerPenguin

Wow, that's pretty awesome. Do you need to get Google Earth Plus to do the 3d thing and map out routes/total elevation climbed?

notfred

I need to pay the $20 for the GPS enabled one.

sorebutt

You don't need to get Plus. I have the free version and the picture I posted is from the free version.. If this eventually evolves into a mapping software that I could use to plan my bike routes, then I would gladly pay.

my58vw

very cool!

TheKillerPenguin

ok just figured out how, great stuff man!

rcams

Damn....I just wasted 50 minutes playing with this software and now my kids want me to log off so they can look up all their sites.....

Thanks for the link Sorebutt!

TheKillerPenguin

woah! You can see people walking in the more detailed cities!

sorebutt

This map will show you (in yellow) what parts of North America are covered with High Rez images..



and for the rest of the world

cryogenic

I like how it also tells you altitude of a given point on the map... I used the "measure" tool to find distance and then checked the altitude at point A and point B... and found the percent grade of a couple of roads around here that I've climbed. Very neat stuff. I've been toying with it since it was released to beta. I'd messed with Keyhole before but Google has definitely made some improvements.

TheKillerPenguin

I'm thinking the roads are very close to right, but no cigar. Check out some local climbs you do, there's one here that has a cliff on one side. I'm thinking google has the road run down and back up the cliff at one point.

'nother

Cool! Just did that ride a couple of hours ago :-)

sorebutt

Man! this thing is addictive!!

Here's a rendering of a popular climb in our area. - Page Mill.. The path I have highlighted is from the "Park 'n Go" at Arestadero/280, all the way up to 35..

cryogenic

total elevation change on that route?

ChAnMaN

this thread needs to be combined with the google earth thread curently in the foo

'nother

Not sure which route you're referring to, so: Page Mill is a little over 2000', Montebello Road is a little under.

ChAnMaN

and yes this thing is freaking amazing, not only with its 3d abilities but with the detail of the close up images.

check out this awsome pic of Bronco stadium.

sorebutt

thats the climb profile.

cryogenic

yipes... 2000ft of climbing over 8.25 miles. I'd die

ChAnMaN

umm does anyone see something wrong here, my screen shot is of the exact same place as sorebutts screen shot...............i dont have emensely awsome 3d graphics.

cryogenic

totally weird... could it be point of view of the camera? like tilt it down a bit? Or perhaps different graphics cards? Who knows?

Smoothie104

go to tools, then options, then set the elevation exageration to 3

Smoothie104

the nuclear test site near area 51 is cool, craters as big as small towns.. Its wild.