google EARTH

[Bobby Bass]

If you have some time to kill go to google and type in earth it will take you to a site where you can search the world. Now you take that and you open up mn dnr lake finder and you to will still be up at 4am doing lake searches....

[Slyster]

Yup! Google Earth (PC only) is a stand alone program you download and install for Windows.. it's TRULY amazing.. they was you can orient and tilt.. and move around.. I, too, suggest everyone try it out!

[Random guy]

It's a great tool for looking at access roads into remote lakes and this falls new hunting spots.

[Riverratpete]

awesome HSOforum...guess the militarys not too happy about it though. Anyone know how to sharpen up the picture though, trying to look at my hunting land in Northern Minnesota and just can't seem to sharpen the immage up as much as I'd like

[Valv]

WOW AWESOME, I understand how come you were up until 4:00am...I can even see the street I was born in my town in Italy !!!! Unbelievable !!!

I think the focus is due to picture images. I think the program collects 1,000s of satellite pics and seams them together, some are not too focused very close. There are some areas you can even see a car on highway....

Look at Gibraltar port (south of Spain), you can even see the ships and boats docked.

[Riverratpete]

I was beginning to wonder if there was something wrong with my computer. I had notice also on other areas the sharpness was alot greater.

[eddy]

I looked this up close to a week ago and I belive the pictures are from 2002 because the vehicle in my driveway was one that I owned back then lol, I couldnt believe how I could find any place I ever lived, I thought the pictures were really great of the naval base in norfolk virginia lol man you can see the subs sitting in the dock and all kinds aircraft carriers and ships this is way to cool, maybe if they redefine it a little we can spot that monster musky everyone wants lol

[Valv]

I love it because I can travel the world...from my desk.

I looked at the Eiffel tower, the Pyramids, searched for the great wall of China but couldn't find it, and may others, it's great.

Practically you can travel anywhere. I noticed the interesting areas have high definition pictures, while most of others have low res.

[upnorth]

That is one cool app. Downloaded it the am and wound late for work playing with the dang thing. Showed to my boss and he was hooked too, and I was off the hook:)

[Bobby Bass]

You can go to tools-options to adjust your detail from med to fine but to really see the GOOD pictures I think you have to upgrade. there is another program out there that allows you to see the docks on the lakes but this is much easier to nav around with. I know I am spending way to much time on it but it is nice to show the kids where you used to fish and it sure does bring memories back when you can look at water you have not been on for awhile..

[redrocketangler]

Yeah this is an awesome program i downloaded it a month or so ago. If you look at certain lakes you can see humps and other structure. You need a good computer though I have a 733mhz and its really not even worth havin cause i gotta wait ten minutes just for it to load when i zoom in and out.

I heard on Minnesota public radio today another breakthrough in computer mapping has emerged where it can be totally 3-D not just gray blocks like on google earth. Its gonna make scouting a thing of the past when you can get an updated satellite image in 3-D of a fresh scrape under your stand your gonna hunt in the morning. AHHHH think of the possibilities(spell check)I have to go relieve myself!!

[upnorth]

May not be you cpu speed it may be your internet connection speed, it loads alot of data from the web. I notice the difference between home and work. I have very fast connection here at home and a so so connection at work, home is a slower pc but the program runs better on the faster connection at home.

[cliffy]

That has to be one of the coolest things I have ever seen. I downloaded the program last night and spent about 6 hours playing around. I was even able to find my old house in Washington, DC! Amazing! I wonder how much more you could get if you got the "Earth Plus" or whatever its called package? Anyone know?

[Valv]

Yes It is web based. If you don't have a good and fast connection you won't load pics in a short time. If you are on dialup....probably kiss it goodbye.

[upnorth]

I don't think anyone has the patience to wait for that to load on a dial up connection It would take litorally forever.

[zebco4040]

Has not been updated for at least one year... We have construction around our house that is almost done and on Google it ain't even have the Land For Sale signs up!

[BigDaddy]

Another good one is:

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/research/lifeonearth/lifeonearth-worldwind.html

I assume this link is OK since it is the federal gov and our taxes pay for the service

[lots of luck]

Go the the world trade center site, or any detailed large metro and and turn on the 3 dimensioanl buildings. Then get the perspective view around and fly through New York City. Or look at the Rockies in 3-D. Way too much fun with this thing.

[Valv]

Have you checked the Pyramids ? Found the great wall of China ? Go check Saddam's palaces before the war....

[walleyepro]

This google earth thing is addicting. To respond to the post about the Sphynx, it is actually quite large, not nearly the size of the pyramids and is quite a ways away from the pyramids. I was in Egypt for 3 1/2 weeks in January. Very cool country!

[blakjack23]

I wanted to see what this NASA one was like so I downloaded the ZIP and was able to unzip the files but I can't get it to load???? Anybody get this working? What did you do after you unzipped?

[Valv]

Hey....good idea, talking about NASA, I am going to see whet it looks like from the top...

[Valv]

Hey....good idea, talking about NASA, I am going to see what it looks like from the top...