Google Earth 4.2.0180.1134 Beta – The entire world on your desktop
This free, easy-to-use software allows you to observe maps and satellite images of any given site on the planet. Enter your destination into the search function and Google Earth will zoom down right on it. Not only does it overlay roads with geographical characteristics, Google Earth also offers an enormous variety of layers to refine your search. You can choose to reveal nearby casinos, crime statistics, shopping centers, geographical features, boundaries and even schools. Whether out of sheer curiosity or for informational reasons, you’ll be bound to find some interest in Google Earth.
The only real trade-off to such technology is the amount of bandwidth it uses up. Those with slightly older machines will definitely be left frustrated by the time it takes to zoom in and refine the image. Additionally, it is not recommended to use Google Earth when many applications are open, as your machine might not handle the amount of information thrown at it.
With this free 3D globe interface, Google takes a bold step into the future, and users definitely do not want to miss it.
Review by Eric Lussier