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Google Earth comes to the iPhone, and it is good
In an impressive case of two great tastes that taste great together, Google Earth for the iPhone is now available in the iTunes app store. If you like Google Earth on the desktop, you'll like it even more when you can manipulate the globe with your fingertips. Zooming and rotating are easy with the familiar iPhone pinch motion, and the iPhone's GPS adds a new dimension to Earth.I was hooked on this app from the first time I made Google Earth zoom in on my location. The visuals are stunning, and you can activate Street View once you're zoomed in. It literally took two clicks to get a view of my front door: one click on the location button, and one to allow Google Earth to use the GPS data. There's also a compass button to point you North, and a search function that even includes your Address Book contacts. The only thing missing is a tilt mode: it would be fun to explore the earth by using the accelerometer, but it wouldn't be very practical.
UPDATE: Google Earth does have a tilt mode! You can turn it on and off in the preferences. Thanks, Belden.
CORRECTION: Street View isn't coming until the iPhone 2.2 firmware is released. The satellite image of my apartment is just at an odd angle and looks really good on an iPhone screen. Thanks, Steve.
Comments
5
Subscribe to commentsJash SayaniOct 27th 2008 3:35PM
It keeps crashing !!
BTW, I am switching to Android. And its just unlocked: www.digg.com/gadgets/T_Mobile_G1_gets_Unlocked
beldenOct 27th 2008 3:51PM
"The only thing missing is a tilt mode: it would be fun to explore the earth by using the accelerometer, but it wouldn't be very practical."
It does have a tilt mode. If you turn your phone up and down the view moves along with it. To be honest, the first time I ran the program I was confused by why it kept moving around until I had figured out I was causing it. There is an option to turn the mode off which I think I will be doing from now on because in my opinion, it's too sensitive right now and swings too wildly to be truly useful.
SteveOct 27th 2008 7:23PM
"The visuals are stunning, and you can activate Street View once you're zoomed in." Are you sure about this?? I've zoomed in to some areas that I know have Streetview available and it is not coming up on my iPod touch. I think you're confused...??
Jay HathawayOct 27th 2008 7:27PM
Hey Steve,
I'm pretty sure I was able to zoom into Street View near my apartment. It was definitely not just the overhead satellite image. I may be wrong, though, as Google has reportedly said Street View will be implemented when the 2.2 firmware comes out. Let me double-check on this ...
Jay
RJNov 21st 2008 12:19AM
So, anyone know if you can download a kmz on either a iphone or G1. As soon as I can use Google Earth and download a kmz to my phone, allowing me to follow a plotted route with a realtime gps capable phone, I'm in.