Google Earth
Google Earth is a virtual mapping application that provides detailed imagery and maps of Earth, as well as the sky, the moon, and Mars. Developed by Keyhole and acquired by Google in 2004, the application is accessible on various operating systems, including desktop and mobile platforms. Users can explore these maps by zooming in and rotating the view, reaching details as fine as street level through the Street View feature. Google Earth offers both a basic version for personal use and a professional version called Google Earth Pro, which includes additional tools for business applications, such as measurement tools and high-resolution image printing.
The application features a variety of options to enhance user experience, including customizable layers that display geographical elements like borders, roads, and places of interest. Users can also search for specific locations or points of interest and can even import GPS data. Unique functionalities, such as a flight simulator and the ability to view historical imagery, further enrich the exploration experience. Overall, Google Earth serves as a comprehensive tool for anyone interested in geographical exploration, education, or business mapping.
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Google Earth
Google Earth is a virtual mapping application that displays detailed maps of locations on Earth. The application also includes maps of the sky, the moon, and Mars. Users can explore the imagery of any location they choose, including continents, countries, and cities. This is accomplished by rotating the map and/or zooming in on the desired location. Google Earth has many features to enhance the viewing experience.
Overview
Google Earth was developed by the software company Keyhole. In 2004, the technology company Google bought Keyhole and released Google Earth. The application is available for download on both desktop computers and mobile phones. It is also available for numerous operating systems, including Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, iOS, and Android. Two versions of the application are available—a basic version (Google Earth) and a professional version (Google Earth Pro). The basic version is intended for personal use, while the professional version is intended for business use. Both versions are free, though Google Earth Pro once cost $399 per year to use. A third version, Google Earth Plus, was once offered but has been discontinued.
Google Earth allows users to view maps of Earth, the sky, the moon, and Mars. These maps display detailed geographical imagery. When a user first opens the application, he or she will see a map of North America from outer space. From there, the user can zoom in as far as street level, which is called Street View. Similarly, users can rotate Earth in any direction to view different parts of the world. Some of the imagery in Google Earth is three dimensional (3D).
Google Earth comes with many features. It has a "Layers" feature that gives users the option of viewing borders, labels, roads, places of interest, and similar items. Users can toggle these items on and off. The application has a search feature that allows users to search by location, including continent, country, state, city, and address. Furthermore, users can search for places of interest, such as restaurants. Users can import global positioning system (GPS) data. Google Earth has a flight simulator, which allows users to "fly" over cities and other areas. The application has a sunlight feature that users can toggle on and off. Similarly, users can change the time of day, which changes how sunlight affects the landscape. Users can change the date of the maps. This allows users to view historical imagery and compare that imagery with current imagery.
Google Earth Pro includes features that are not available in the basic version. Intended for businesses, these features include measurement tools for calculating distances and areas. The professional version comes equipped with Movie Maker, which allows users to create videos. This version gives users the ability to print high-resolution images that can be used in reports and presentations. Google Earth Pro allows users to import vector image files for mapping geographic information system (GIS) data. The professional version includes Spreadsheet Importer for mapping addresses.
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