Earth Viewer
May 31, 2002 5:59 PM Subscribe
Earth Viewer compiles satellite imagery on the fly to produce a photo-realistic, spinnable, zoomable model of the entire Earth, right on your computer. And I mean zoomable -- one slider takes you smoothly from seeing the entire globe down to seeing individual people queuing to get into the Louvre...
I did their registration and got the e-mail but can't get the program to let me login. Oh well. Maybe it was because I entered my phone number as 555-5555.
posted by geoff. at 6:28 PM on May 31, 2002
posted by geoff. at 6:28 PM on May 31, 2002
I typed in my usual username (chrismear) by mistake, instead of my email address, the first time I tried to log on. But it hasn't given me any other problems, even though I entered a random UK mobile number that they probably won't recognise. Do keep trying.
posted by chrismear at 6:43 PM on May 31, 2002
posted by chrismear at 6:43 PM on May 31, 2002
Pretty neat. Another similar product is TerraExplorer from Skyline Soft. The download is a little less tricky, good 3D accel is a must. Yet, Earth Viewer's point of starting with the entire globe is really cool. I'm just waiting for flight sims to appear that use the same technology :)
posted by samsara at 7:29 PM on May 31, 2002
posted by samsara at 7:29 PM on May 31, 2002
In case anyone didn't know, the name of the site, Keyhole, is the code name used by the US government for its KH series of spy satellites, beginning in the 1960s and apparently continuing.
posted by dhartung at 9:59 PM on May 31, 2002
posted by dhartung at 9:59 PM on May 31, 2002
iBoo!
There is no Mac version. From the FAQ:
Q: Where can I get a Mac version?
A: Mac OS is not currently supported by Keyhole. We may support it in the future. Please check our web site periodically for the latest news.
posted by planetkyoto at 2:24 AM on June 1, 2002
There is no Mac version. From the FAQ:
Q: Where can I get a Mac version?
A: Mac OS is not currently supported by Keyhole. We may support it in the future. Please check our web site periodically for the latest news.
posted by planetkyoto at 2:24 AM on June 1, 2002
When I can find better satellite imagery of my home town for free from MapQuest, I don't really see the point to this app. Yes, it looks really cool, but what's the use then? With Keyhole I get a big blur, with MapQuest I can pick out my house... $595 a year? Nope...
posted by Samizdata at 1:42 AM on June 2, 2002
posted by Samizdata at 1:42 AM on June 2, 2002
jeez. give it time. It's only version 1.0. Try zooming in on San Francisco, which seems to have more data than other places I've looked at.
(Though $595 is a lot of money, though I can see schools and libraries paying that kind of loot.)
posted by crunchland at 3:43 AM on June 2, 2002
(Though $595 is a lot of money, though I can see schools and libraries paying that kind of loot.)
posted by crunchland at 3:43 AM on June 2, 2002
Seems to me someone wants people to pay for beta testing. And, great, I can zoom in on San Franscisco. Try looking up Ground Zero. The picture is obviously way out of date...
posted by Samizdata at 4:50 PM on June 2, 2002
posted by Samizdata at 4:50 PM on June 2, 2002
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It's interesting to see what areas are covered at the highest resolution. Most major US cities seem to be there, great swathes of Afghanistan, and Tokyo, so try some of those to experience the full zoomy-goodness.
posted by chrismear at 6:05 PM on May 31, 2002