# Google Earth is now available for Mac!



## norrina (Jan 11, 2006)

WooHoo.

I don't know if this is the right forum for this; if it isn't, could a mod move it?  Does this forum support that?  I didn't notice the announcement in any other forums, did a search and everything, but if it is a duplicate, feel free to delete.

Anyhow, as the topic indicated, Google Earth has, as of January 10, 2006, FINALLY put out Google Earth for Mac.  My old G3 won't support it (runs on OS X 10.4 and up only), but as soon as my Powerbook gets here in a couple days (yes, I know the new Macbook Pro was announced yesterday, I ordered my refurb after the announcement and gave the order due consideration ) I'll let y'all know what I think.


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## ElDiabloConCaca (Jan 11, 2006)

I got it running on a 500MHz G4 machine, and I must say it runs surprisingly well for this pokey old machine... the zooming from one side of a continent to the other isn't the smoothest thing in the world, but it works decently well!

Damn I love Google.


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## pierino84 (Jan 11, 2006)

Thanks for warning us! I've been using the unofficial version found on the net until now...


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## bobw (Jan 11, 2006)

Works great. Now I'll be able to see who's letting their dog use my lawn as a toilet


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## iball (Jan 11, 2006)

This the same Google Earth that doesn't show any details for Europe other than the U.K.?  Or did they fix that?  It's been a while since I last used it.
Nevermind...I'll download and see for myself.


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## kainjow (Jan 11, 2006)

iball said:
			
		

> This the same Google Earth that doesn't show any details for Europe other than the U.K.?  Or did they fix that?  It's been a while since I last used it.


Wha? You didn't hear? The US _is_ the Earth! Who cares about everyone else!


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## fryke (Jan 11, 2006)

... It has details for _certain_ areas, though.


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## iball (Jan 11, 2006)

I always liked the way The Register would make fun of it...like there was a Google/Bush conspiracy to "eliminate" Europe.

EDIT:  Dear Google, when most people think of "Frankfurt, Germany" they do NOT mean "Frankfurt an Oder" on the border of Poland.  They mean the one with the huge airport and world-famous bar district.


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## norrina (Jan 11, 2006)

I didn't even realize there WAS a version on the net until I called my brother to tell him about the download and he said that's what he had been using.  I mainly use Google Earth at work (no, really, FOR work, legitimately), and we have Windows, so I haven't really NEEDED Google Earth for Mac, but I will definitely download it.  

Not touching the Europe thing.


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## andychrist (Jan 11, 2006)

Can't get it to launch on my 500MHz G4 iForced BondiMac w/Xpostfacto and 10.4.  Is this cause I only have 6MB VRAM (no QE.)?  Wah!  Goo-goo!


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## fryke (Jan 11, 2006)

The 6 MB (I hope that's byte, not bit...)  certainly don't help...


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## andychrist (Jan 11, 2006)

Oops, thanks Fryke.  But it won't even launch, so I wonder what the system requirements are, beyond 10.4.  Oh, well...


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## iball (Jan 11, 2006)

Wait for it....wait for it...."I can see my apartment building from here!"


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## chevy (Jan 11, 2006)

iball said:
			
		

> I always liked the way The Register would make fun of it...like there was a Google/Bush conspiracy to "eliminate" Europe.
> 
> EDIT:  Dear Google, when most people think of "Frankfurt, Germany" they do NOT mean "Frankfurt an Oder" on the border of Poland.  They mean the one with the huge airport and world-famous bar district.



USA is also of varying resolution... and some not so small cities are also quite badly represented.


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## chevy (Jan 11, 2006)

andychrist said:
			
		

> Oops, thanks Fryke.  But it won't even launch, so I wonder what the system requirements are, beyond 10.4.  Oh, well...



What machine do you have ?


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## Willo24 (Jan 11, 2006)

As an aussie it's quite revealing how much of the continent I live on is available only in relatively low res while I can see my brother's college pals playing basketball in Boston.

Still, it doesn't take away - much - from a fantastic tool.


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## norrina (Jan 11, 2006)

I think that, at least to some degree, the resolution is going to vary depending on city size both within and outside the U.S.  

The city of 70k+ that I live in shows up with pretty good detail.  The city of 800 that I grew up in, I see blurry green things that I think are supposed to be trees.


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## chevy (Jan 11, 2006)

Check Moorpark, California... very poor resolution, just between two cities with high resolution.


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## ElDiabloConCaca (Jan 11, 2006)

Yeah, the low resolution stuff really isn't something that Google can correct -- Google's map system is simply a compendium of satellite photography from various sources.  Some areas of the Earth just haven't been photographed in high resolution (like ANYwhere outside of the US!).


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## fryke (Jan 11, 2006)

Been photographed in high res alright, but not available for free, probably.  chevy: He said it was an iMac G3 upgraded with a G4 card. It's certainly rather on the low-end, and I truly think GoogleEarth wants a graphics card better with 3D.


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## chevy (Jan 11, 2006)

My iMac G4 1 GHz with 512 MB RAM is the lowest possible HW: image is good but very slow.


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## Lt Major Burns (Jan 11, 2006)

run quite smoothly on mine, although i'm still using the leaked Beta.

Google earth requires 32mb graphics hardware.

i like this:

http://img64.imageshack.us/img64/9848/picture16an.jpg

note strategic importance ¬_¬.

i can spot 2 aircraft carriers, 3 heavy war-ships and at least 6 destroers.  portsmouth, UK.

and just for those without high res photos of their house, here's some high-res rocks in the sahara deserts, to put some perspective of it.

http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/7177/picture28kp.jpg


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## Shookster (Jan 11, 2006)

The high res rock photos were probably taken for scientific purposes though.


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## mightyjlr (Jan 12, 2006)

the entire state of NJ is available in the highest resolution


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## iball (Jan 12, 2006)

Just goes to show you exactly which continents/cities are being photographed by satellite more than others.
Hmmm...


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## andychrist (Jan 12, 2006)

Well since PowerLogix posted its update to CPU Director I was able to upgrade to 10.4.4 and Google Earth works for me now!  Goo-goo hoo-hoo!  Wheee... okay I'm getting dizzy now...


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## mindbend (Jan 12, 2006)

Thoroughly impressed. 

Glad to see it's not a crappy hack port type app. It runs like glass on my G5 and I haven't found any weird things or bugs yet.

Super cool app.


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## mindbend (Jan 12, 2006)

Thoroughly impressed. 

Glad to see it's not a crappy hack port type app. It runs like glass on my G5 and I haven't found any weird things or bugs yet.

Super cool app.


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## sgould (Jan 12, 2006)

What's the current version?  I have one I downloaded recently (beta?) 3.1.0371.0


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## Captain Code (Jan 12, 2006)

I haven't found Area 51 yet.


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## Phluxy (Jan 12, 2006)

Doesn't seem different from the leaked version.


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## ElDiabloConCaca (Jan 12, 2006)

Well, other than the fact that the leaked version wouldn't run at all on my machine (claimed it didn't meet the hardware requirements), and the new version runs complaint-free and perfectly.


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## gollum84 (Jan 12, 2006)

All you have to do is type "Area 51" in the search box and it takes you right to it.  I drove past it this past summer when I went to Rachel, NV to visit the Little A'le' Inn.


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## adambyte (Jan 13, 2006)

The one difference is that the fonts are better looking... They also changed some of the camera-view buttons.... overall, it looks more Mac-like now... a welcome change.


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