Google serves up the Google Earth Plug-in

The folks at Google have made a huge leap today, enabling developers to not only embed maps (via the maps API) into your website but now you can extend teh functionality of Google Earth to the web... sweet! This from the Google Lat/Long blog... "Today, I'm happy to announce the release of the new Google Earth Browser Plug-in, which brings the full power of Google Earth to the web, embeddable within your own web site. Driven by an extensive JavaScript API, you can control the camera; create lines, markers, and polygons; import 3D models from the web and overlay them anywhere on the planet. In fact, you can even overlay your content over different planets, stars, and galaxies by toggling Sky mode, letting you build 3D Google Sky mashups." The Google Earth Browser Plugin is now live at http://code.google.com/apis/earth.

GeoBC gateway to B.C's information via Google Earth

I was interested to notice that GeoBC is a sponsor of this year's GeoWeb conference. Even though I'm from BC (since departed) I wasn't familiar with the name. GeoBC is the Province's gateway to integrated Crown land and resource management data and information services. I can't recall what the BC Geo portal was knows as before this (it seems to change names quite often, as do the Ministries). Interesting to notice that Google Earth is very prominent and the service provides many KMLs to users, including the following layers: webmap services (streams, lakes, roads, contours, etc...), parks, and a tour of a peak on Vancouver Island. Check it out at http://geobc.gov.bc.ca/
Note: Data and information for the traditional GIS types is available HERE

City of Nanaimo, BC data via Google Earth KML

The city of Nanaimo BC, Canada has been very proactive in working with Google Earth and making their data holdings available to users of "Earth". See the following page for some of the data they have made available - see http://earth.nanaimo.ca/data.html

Lat Long Blog describes Google Sky update

The Google team has unveiled an update to Google sky with loads of goodies... notably (to me any way) the sky as seen by astronomers in the 17th century including overlays of Constellation maps from the David Rumsey collection and the U.S. Naval Library. And the big news in this update has got to be the availability of Sky, Moon and Mars imagery in the Google Maps API. This allows any developer to build interesting applications and websites using Sky imagery, and extend the Sky experience to any place on the web. Some early examples of these applications include the Cosmic Visibility page and even an iPod touch hack. WOW!

Search for Ron Boychuck using Google earth - SAR Observers Always Needed

You may have heard about InternetSAR when Steve Fossett disappeared... the resource helps to organize volunteers in an effort to sift through imagery using Google Earth in hopes of locating some clues that will help locate missing aircraft. In addition to still searching for Fossett InternetSAR has helped coordinate search efforts for missing Vancouver Island-based pilot Ron Boychuck. Here's how it works:

You must have Google Earth installed on your computer. After registering for free with InternetSAR.org, you'll be provided with an overlay -- basically a satellite picture of the area that was taken shortly after the suspected crash. Using your pan and zoom tools on Google Earth, you scan the terrain for anything that might be a plane, debris, or even severed treetops. If you spot something, with a click of a button you can compare what you've seen with a nearly identical picture of the area taken BEFORE the crash. If the post-crash picture is clearly different, you can report it to InternetSAR.org immediately. See http://internetsar.org

Real Time traffic in Google earth

We've had traffic updates available in Google maps for some time, however, the Google Lat/Long blog has informed us that real-time traffic reports are now available for viewing in Google Earth.. nice! Simply enable teh traffic layer and view updates... pretty simple.

Wirecast software (podcasting) + Ogle Earth = Google Earth TV

Cool stuff from Stefan over at Ogle Earth as he's put together a very clever demo of some wow technology. Using software from Wirecast, his notebook, a green sheet, and Google Earth he's put together Google Earth TV. It's a bit rusty (don't give up your day job to become a news caster Stefan ;0) but you get the point of the type of thing "anyone" can accomplish using the right tools...nice stuff! Video provided via YouTube.

What's your favorite Google earth app?

What's the coolest, strangest, most interesting, most innovative or most useful thing that you like to do with Google Earth? Many of us regularly use G. Earth to track hurricanes, sightsee, check out National Geographic magazine, shop for real estate, or ??? I'm interested in hearing about what you'd must have Google Earth utility or tool is. Please share a small description and a website and/or KML link... I'll be summarizing some of the findings and sharing with readers. Respond with a comment or simply blast your submission to googlefun@gisuser.com - what's one of my favorite things to do in Google Earth? Well, I like to check out the recent earthquakes recorded by the USGS (http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/catalogs/eqs7day-age.kmz) its also cool to explore the Arctic. On a related note, I also am a fan of shopping on craigslist so the allurstuff app is way cool for an interesting gmaps mashup! Once again, send your submission to googlefun@gisuser.com

USGS Topo maps layer for Google Earth

I spent this morning flying around Northern Colorado looking for a place to swim in the Poudre River near Fort Collins (any ideas??) - I then had a need to add a USGS topo layer to my Google Earth session - enter good old Frank Taylor (aka. Google Earth Blog founder) and a solution! A great add-on for Google Earth from a company called 3D solar was found, enabling you to view USGS topos for your area of interest was located easily seaching his blog. Simply add the layer, wait a few seconds and the topo will appear.. toggle off when you don't need it... I'd love to see the ability to swipe the topo in/out with the google earth scene! Developed by 3D solar and KMZ streamed from the Google earth blog - here's the USGS topo layer KMZ.. enjoy! http://www.gearthblog.com/kmfiles/topomaps.kmz

City of Nanaimo and more kudos from the media - here's details on what Nanaimo serves up for Gogole earth users

The City of Nanaimo, BC (that's on Vancouver Island where I used to live) is getting some great attention thanks to some recent comments from Gogole CTO Michael Jones made at GeoWeb event, Vancouver. An article hit the Victoria Times Colonist online but really didn't say too much unfortunately. From the article... With the quick click of a mouse, Google Earth will provide any Internet user with a 3-D image of buildings in downtown Nanaimo or the curved streets that cover the city's north end. That's pretty much all that the reporter provides their readers. Unfortunately they didn't really delve into the who, what, where, when, why or how to really explain the story.. too bad!

Of interest, I noted a year ago how the City of Nanaimo was putting their data up in KML and provided some detailed information about what users could do with these data. See the article here

Interesting to note that The City of Nanaimo is also very proactive AutoCAD house and user of OSGeo technology - aka MapGuide Open Source. The city's "GIS guru", Jason Birch has garnered pretty much zero attention or recognition in any of the recent press.. too bad as Jason has been quite instrumental in getting Google Earth data rolling out of the city's website.. Jason, you still there?? He's also their MapGuide expert and very involved with the open source movement. You can follow Jason on his Random Nodes blog - (hey Jason, where's the link to AnyGeo blog ;0)!!

Suggested Web Resources:

• http://www.nanaimo.ca/residents/index_inside.asp?id=468
• http://www.nanaimo.ca
• http://maps.google.com/
• http://citymap.nanaimo.ca/
• http://www.rdn.bc.ca/cms.asp?wpID=419
• http://www.safe.com/
• Notes on using FME to create KML files

Google making deals with BC Government on imagery - Nanaimo setting a fine example as an early adopter

Google was making a few headlines in BC at last week's GeoWeb event.. apparently the company has been discussing with the government the possibilities of providing users with additional 3D imagery and other data obtained from the BC Government. From the article... "In a Friday address at GeoWeb 2007 and later in an interview, Google Earth chief technology officer Michael Jones said Google Earth has been in talks with the provincial government, and if the initiative goes ahead B.C. would be the first Canadian province to supply information on such things as traffic and mineral resources to the mapping service. "The provincial government has been talking with us about providing data so that all citizens in the province who use our service will have the best possible data," said Jones. Jones met Thursday with Agriculture and Lands Minister Pat Bell to discuss the initiative." One paragraph in the article got may attention.. regarding the little town in BC that I used to live in... some municipalities are already doing this. Jones said Nanaimo is the most active city in the world when it comes to supplying geographic data to Google Earth. He predicted there will be a time when municipal, provincial and federal geographic information will be shared universally.
"With Nanaimo, they have mapped nearly every conceivable thing using Google Earth and Google Maps," said Jones. "Their citizens have more information about their city than the people of San Francisco." Kudos to the city and in particular Jason Birch! Funny, I was just looking around Google Earth this week-end with my family and was telling them, just wait until our city (Fort Collins) makes high-res imagery and other 3D data available to add to the Google Earth viewer... Nanaimo is setting a fine example although they were very early adopters... the early bird gets the worm!
One last thing, whay aren't there more local governments making their data available via KML / KMZ? With most GIS applications now exporting to KML and the availability of fine translation tools from Safe Software it's no longer rocket science. A TIP - For a useful listing of news items relating google maps, Google Earth etc.. see here. For Google earth related apps, tools and translators see here.

See Vancouver Sun Article

Google Earth + NASA Imagery = WOW!

From the LatLong blog... Google Earth team and NASA began a collaborative effort to bring awareness and promote knowledge of NASA's "earth" programs. After months of production, the "NASA" layer group is now live in Google earth.
The new "NASA" layer has three components:

• Astronaut Photography of Earth
• Satellite Imagery
• Earth City Lights

Some recent updates for Google Earth

Some recent updates found with Google Earth... New Road Layers - The following countries now have detailed roads: Croatia, Slovakia, and Slovenia, and Sweden. In Sweden you can do local business searches and get driving directions in addition to seeing the roads in Google Earth. Also, you can use a Swedish version of Google Maps: maps.google.se

New Global Awareness Layers

Global Heritage Fund (GHF) - The GHF Global Awareness layer explores cultural heritage sites around the world that GHF is working to preserve for future generations.
Earthwatch Expeditions - The Earthwatch Global Awareness layer enables users to virtually visit more than 100 volunteer Earthwatch expeditions in Google Earth
Fair Trade Certified - The TransFair USA layer introduces users to the over 70 Fair Trade Co-ops located throughout Latin America, Asia and Africa.

Google Earth Outreach,
Google Earth Outreach, a program designed to empower non-profit groups with the resources, tools, and inspiration that they need to leverage the power of Google Earth for their cause.
The following are but some of the recent updates for Google Earth...

New and improved Geo search
earch functionality is now available on both Google Earth and Google Maps, but more importantly it now also provides results from GeoRSS files and content created by users on Google Maps.

GuiWeather - Real-time Global Lightning

Last month, a new weather web site called GuiWeather introduced a Google Earth network link which lets you view real-time lightning data around the world. Not only do you get current lightning strike location information, but the data is time stamped and you can play an animation of strikes during the past 15-30 minutes. The data comes from a World Wide Lightning Location Network (WWLLN) which uses sferic sensors to detect lightning strikes.

See http://earth.google.com

Plazes + Google Earth

Now you can have loads of fun using the cool social networking app from Plazes.com inside Google Earth. Grab the Plazes KML file here and enjoy - http://plazes.com/kml - inspired by the Plazes blog. Speaking of Plaes... how about this Plazes / Yahoo! Pipes integration... nice!

Three new Global Awareness layers for Google Earth

Google has announced three new Global Awareness layers for Google Earth - these are part of the new Google Earth Outreach offering...
Global Heritage Fund (GHF) - The GHF Global Awareness layer explores cultural heritage sites around the world that GHF is working to preserve for future generations. From ancient Mayan Mirador pyramids buried in Guatemalan forests threatened by clear cutting to the crumbling Lijiang Ancient Town in China, GHF takes users to these endangered archaeological treasures of human civilization and details the efforts to save them in partnership with local governments and resources.
Earthwatch Expeditions – The Earthwatch Global Awareness layer enables users to virtually visit more than 100 volunteer Earthwatch expeditions in Google Earth— from recording the activities of lemurs in Madagascar to determining the impact of climate change on grey whale populations in Mexico and Canada. Enthusiasts and would-be volunteers can explore scientific field research projects in progress around the world and learn how they can help collect field data in the areas of rainforest ecology, wildlife conservation, marine science, archaeology, and more.
Fair Trade Certified - The TransFair USA layer introduces users to the over 70 Fair Trade Co-ops located throughout Latin America, Asia and Africa. Fair trade is an innovative market-based approach to sustainable development that helps family farmers in developing countries gain direct access to markets and develop the business capacity necessary to compete in the global marketplace.
More details about Google Earth Outreach are available at http://earth.google.com/outreach/.

Google Earth Outreach brings Environmental awareness to Google Earth users

A great new initiative from Google -- Google Outreach. Use this service to explore, share and create KML data to share with the world about your environmental awareness programs. From Google... As a non-profit or public benefit group, you can use Google Earth to capture the work you're doing, the people you're helping, the challenges you face and the change you're helping to enable - all in the visual context of the environment in which these stories take place. By downloading your KML files, anyone, anywhere can fly in Google Earth from where they live to where you do your work. This virtual visit to the projects and people you support gets users engaged and passionate about what you're doing and builds support for your cause. See http://earth.google.com/outreach/index.html

Google Earth releases Large imagery/terrain update

News of this latest update comes from the BBS system...
New high resolution:
Canada: Whistler, BC; Waterloo & Toronto, Ontario; Nanaimo, BC; and
Fort Saskatchewan, AB
England: Base 50cm coverage of nearly entire country,
Germany: Cities/Regions of Greifswald, Trier, Köln, Stuttgart, Bonn,
Oldenburg, Rostock, Saarbrücken, Hamburg, Hannover, and Ritterhude
Austria: Villach region
France: Cities of Caen, Dijon, Metz, St Etienne, Toulouse and Rouen
Spain: Catalonia and Valencia
Andorra
US: Imperial County (CA); Yellowstone National Park (WY);
Galveston/Houston (TX); Peterborough (NH); Cheyenne (WY); Burke, Wake,
and Cabarrus Counties (NC); Racine and Kenosha Counties (WI);
Washington, DC; St Paul (MN); and the State of Alabama
Japan: City/Regions of Kochi, Asahikawa, Koriyama, Miyazaki, Nagano,
Utsunomiya, Akita, and Toyama

Large Digital Globe (60cm) update includes areas in Sudan, expanded
Africa, Australia, Mexico coverage and smaller areas of coverage in
Asia, Polynesia, South America, Canada, Europe, Middle East plus some
interesting islands in Antarctica and Greenland.

Updated Imagery:
Americas: Bogotá, Columbia; Mission Viejo (CA, US); Hillsborough County (FL, US)
EU: Dublin, Ireland
Middle East/Africa: Beirut, Lebanon and Tripoli, Libya
Asia: Hong Kong and Manila, Philippines

Updated Terrain:
Western US 10m, Canary Islands 10m

Listening to your KML in Google earth - Wild Sanctuary

No doubt one of the coolest things I saw (and heard) at last week's where2.0 was listening to KMLs in Google earth - actually you can also listen using Google maps too. Bernie Krause of the Wild Sanctuary announced that he's sharing his vast collection of soundscapes with the World. So what you might think... well, think about this... this is likely one of the largest private collections of digital sounds of wildlife and various ecosystems that you'll ever find. Even better, the soundscapes are being shared via KML so now users of Google earth can enjoy listening to their 3D mapping experience while being immersed in the sounds of nature. The soundscapes are also available via Google Maps. See more on this at http://www.gisuser.com/content/view/11779/ or grab the KML at http://earth.wildsanctuary.com/ - Here's a sample video clip I captured at Where2.0

PLSS data - download, connect, or stream into Google Earth

Looking for PLS data for your GIS? Here's a couple of very useful resources you should consider. These include the Land Survey Information System (BLM) - available via download (SHP) or connection to a web service - and a cool utility from Earth Point enabling users to specify a location and map the data using Google Earth. Requested data are extracted and provided as a KMZ.Jump to the following section on the Earthpoint webpage - http://www.earthpoint.us/townships.aspx. Users can elect to view data from the BLM or National Atlas. Then, enter some values like State, Meridian, Township, Range. The you simply fly to "Google Earth" - the data you selected will appear on a map within Google Earth. If you'd rather see coverage for the entire country then you can view either BLM Township, Range, and Section or National Atlas Township and Range.

The Google Earth iGoogle Gadget

No doubt you have your iGoogle page defined.. if not you better get to it! Something cool to add is the Google Earth Gadget... this gagdet offers up a cool new KML to fly over every day.. sweet! Grab the gadget here