Sailing Archives

May 07, 2008

Links: NBA Destination, EarthNC 2.0, Geo Education

  • NBA Destination - The National Basketball Association and ESPN have commissioned a Google Earth visualization showing all kinds of NBA and basketball content including 3D models of stadiums, placemarks with trivia and history, and a few little basketball "easter eggs" (Tip: try looking to the east of Mt. Hood, Oregon after loading the KML). You can go to their fancy flash-based web site NBAEarth.com which includes a video introduction, or you can go straight to the KML file . Thanks to Anandaroop Roy, the author of the KML content, for telling me. This is a well done KML file with lots of interesting content.

  • EarthNC 2.0 - EarthNC has celebrated their one year anniversary by releasing version 2.0 of their online and Plus versions of EarthNC electronic charts and other marine data for Google Earth. If you're a boater (particularly in US waters) you should definitely check out this fantastic resource of marine data. EarthNC has some of the best KML, and most thorough, content available for Google Earth. And, their rates are very reasonable, especially compared to other data providers in the marine industry.

  • Google Geo Education - Google has released a new web site to help educators find their geospatial related educational tools and content I'm a little disappointed they don't highlight more examples of Google Earth content. But, they do have some interesting classroom ideas, and on that page they link to a post I did last September with more relevant links for educators.

Posted by FrankTaylor at 07:48 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

Sponsored Ads:
 

March 04, 2008

Links: Games, KML, Data, and more

  • GEMMO DND Game in Google Earth

    DND Game For Google Earth - Mickey at Google Earth Hacks has been working on a new game that's played entirely within Google Earth. It's a massively multi-player online role playing game (MMORPG), which he is calling GEMMO. He has announced a public beta now, so you can try it out and join those who are helping give Mickey ideas on further development. The idea is you look around on the Earth and find stores, or monsters to fight. You use the layers folders on the left of GE to execute actions like fighting, buying things at stores, or checking your inventory. You need to register with his forums to get started.

  • Sky Add-on - Robert Simpson released a file for Google Sky to show astronomical observations by submillimeter camera, SCUBA, on the JCMT telelscope in Hawaii. You see imagery in 450 or 850 microns, and green hexagon placemarks showing other significant observational data in these wavelengths. Check it out . Very nicely done!

  • Microsoft Bird's Eye Views on Sundials - Steve Lombardi at Microsoft read the GEB post about the sundials collection and shows how you can view the same collection in Virtual Earth (since VE also supports some parts of KML now). Many of the sundials can be viewed with the VE Bird's Eye views which give you high resolution oblique (side) views allowing you to get a better idea of the shapes of the sundials.

  • Nearby Heat Map in Google Earth

    Nearby Data Analysis - Barry Hunter has created many useful apps for enhancing your experience with Google Earth (see his list here). With some of the applications he's been logging statistics, and he's created some really interesting heat maps of where people are looking at things in Google Earth (at least the ones who are using his tools).

  • Virtual Earth Data Update - Microsoft released another monthly update last week adding dozens of new cities around the world with Bird's Eye views, high resolution aerial imagery, and 3D models. The output of free new imagery and 3D models is just amazing.

  • KML observations - Christopher Schmidt makes some interesting observations about how he sees KML fitting into the GeoWeb as a standard equivalent to HTML.

  • Handling KML Regions - Richard Treves regularly talks about design ideas for Google Earth visualizations at his blog. He recently posts about the need to handle regionated content so that when you zoom out rather than large numbers of placemarks just disappearing, they are grouped together and an icon showing a magnifying glass is shown. See the next item for an example showing this concept put to use.

  • Marine Wrecks and Obstructions Database - EarthNC is a site dedicated to sharing marine/boating related data in Google Earth that will be useful to boaters. Virgil has just released a new Google Earth file which shows NOAA Automated Wreck and Obstruction Information System (AWOIS) data. He uses KML regions so as you zoom in you get more information. Zoomed out, you just see each zone of the dataset. Each placemark contains more information describing the wreck from the AWOIS database.

Posted by FrankTaylor at 10:05 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

February 15, 2008

Miami Post - Links: Mapper Tool, GE Game, KML Wishlist

I'm in Miami for a couple of nice days of warm weather - and to attend the Miami Boat Show. On a Google Earth note, I met up yesterday with Virgil of EarthNC.com at his booth where he is selling his really nice vector and raster nautical charts data for use with Google Earth. He even has a package with a GPS for real time chart plotting, and some tools for showing weather data with GE as well. So, if you're a boater you should check it out.

Here's a few Google Earth links of interest:

  • Mapper Tool - The Spreadsheet Mapper 2.0 is a tool Google developed to help people develop KML in a easier fashion. This tool is available as part of the handy tutorials on creating Google Earth content from Google Earth Outreach.

  • GE Game - A new war game is available which uses Google Earth. You practice doing bombing runs where the view of Google Earth's satellite and aerial photos serves as the "intel" of supposedly real-time information. The game is called Covert Warfare, and is by a Spanish outfit called Clandestine Works. Definitely worth a look. via OgleEarth. Here's a video showing how it looks:

  • KML Wishlist - The KML user forums supported by Google include a forum post which contains a wishlist of new features for KML. Any member of the forum can edit the list and add their support for current wishes, and/or add new items.

Posted by FrankTaylor at 08:30 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

December 27, 2007

Top 25 Stories of Google Earth 2007

The following are my favorite stories about Google Earth in 2007. In retrospect, Google Earth had a fantastic year both in terms of new features and data added, but also in the wide acceptance and influence the application has created throughout the world. There also were a lot of interesting finds in the imagery, and cool content developed by creative GE users around the world. The list is presented in chronological order - with a few comments for perspective.

  1. Google Earth 4 Officially Released - Major new release, lots of new features added.
  2. Car parked on side of building - Not a fake!
  3. Guatemala Sinkhole - Found the location of a bizarre news story.
  4. Swiss Alps Fighter Tour - I was told Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google, liked this one!
  5. Dig a Hole Through Google Earth - Ever wondered what is under you?
  6. Clean Underwear and Google Earth - Funny!
  7. Rising Sea Level Animations - Popular animations.
  8. Google Earth on the Simpsons - This proves GE has reached critical mass!
  9. Crisis in Darfur Layer Released - Gets Presidential Notice - Most significant new layer.
  10. Google Acquires Panoramio - Very cool news!
  11. Weather and Storm Tracking Tools for Google Earth - Weather is cool stuff in GE!
  12. Google Earth Outreach Announced - Significant new program for reaching the public.
  13. Western US High Resolution Terrain - Lots of new high-res terrain added this year!
  14. Blues Brothers Jump Bridge - You have to watch this video if you're a fan!
  15. Our Sailing Holiday - GPS tracks, photos, and placemarks.
  16. Google Earth Layers - the most overlooked feature of Google Earth
  17. Google Earth 4.2 Released - Google Sky - Big new release! Lots of new features!
  18. Google Earth Flight Simulator Tips - Tips on how to use this cool easter egg.
  19. Star Wars 3D Sky Animation - Fun animation for Sky
  20. Help Find Steve Fossett - No one found him, but they sure tried. Notice comments.
  21. YouTube Layer in Google Earth - Cool new layer.
  22. California Fires in Google Earth - Big news turns to Maps and Earth
  23. Weather Layer in Google Earth - Finally a weather layer!
  24. Arctic Ice Melting Animation - Whoa, the ice melted that much!?
  25. Astronaut Mode in Google Earth - Very fun add-on for Google Earth

Posted by FrankTaylor at 11:02 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

December 26, 2007

Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2007

Sydney Hobart Yacht Race in Google EarthThe official site of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2007 is again supporting Google Earth to track the race. The race began on December 26th and the positions are updated every ten minutes. The route goes from Sydney, Australia to the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania. This yacht race has been going on for about 60 years and has often been in the news. You can download the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race Google Earth network link and follow the race right now.

Posted by FrankTaylor at 06:20 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

More entries for this category:

  1. Links: GE on Phones?, PhotoOverlay Tutorial, EarthNC Update, Time Embedder Tool - November 06, 2007
  2. Caribbean 1500 Sailing Cup in Google Earth - November 05, 2007
  3. Links: Ohio Class Sub, Galactic Delight, Constellation Drawings - October 05, 2007
  4. News Roundup: Flight Simulator Goodies, PhotoViewer Stuff, Video tourism - September 04, 2007
  5. Scientific Ocean Drilling Database in Google Earth - August 14, 2007
  6. Our Sailing Holiday in Google Earth - August 10, 2007
  7. Sailing with Google Earth for Navigation - August 06, 2007
  8. Sailing in the Virgin Islands - with Google Earth - July 23, 2007
  9. Encompassing the Globe - July 16, 2007
  10. OgleEarth Roundup: Illegal Fishing Caught, Picasa Web Albums Review, Geo-Ads Patent, HeyWhatsThat - June 28, 2007
  11. Watch Weekend Boating Live in Google Earth - May 18, 2007
  12. EarthNC Releases Browser-based Google Earth Content - April 26, 2007
  13. 677 US Marine Charts for Google Earth on 1 CD - March 31, 2007
  14. Majesty of the Seas - February 09, 2007
  15. Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race in Google Earth - December 27, 2006
  16. Route du Rhum - Live Sailing Race in Google Earth - November 01, 2006
  17. Shipwrecks Around the Google Earth - September 02, 2006
  18. Sailing Adventures and Anchorages of the Caribbean - July 01, 2006
  19. Pete Goss in 2006 Shetland Round Britain and Ireland Race - June 18, 2006
  20. Volvo Ocean Race Leg 7 in Google Earth - May 18, 2006
  21. Multicup 60 - Live Sailboat Race in Google Earth - May 10, 2006
  22. The Aviva Challenge - Sailing Record Attempt - May 03, 2006
  23. Mini-news Roundup - April 10, 2006
  24. Sailblogs.com Supports Google Earth - April 08, 2006
  25. Follow Volvo Ocean Race Leg 5 - April 03, 2006
  26. Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race in Google Earth - March 29, 2006
  27. Maldives Island Group in High Res - March 24, 2006
  28. Bermuda Treasure Shipwrecks Map - March 07, 2006
  29. Follow Volvo Ocean Race Leg 4 in Google Earth - February 19, 2006
  30. Follow Volvo Ocean Race Leg 3 in Google Earth - February 12, 2006
  31. Transatlantic Sailing Adventure Using Google Earth - January 18, 2006
  32. Volvo Ocean Race Leg 2 - January 06, 2006
  33. Back on Land - December 19, 2005
  34. Gone Sailing! Passage Plan in Google Earth - December 13, 2005
  35. Transat Jacques Vabre 2005 Race in Google Earth - November 16, 2005
  36. And They're Off! - November 13, 2005
  37. Volvo Ocean Race in Google Earth - November 11, 2005
  38. Another Sailor Documents Trips Using Google Earth - November 09, 2005
  39. Watching Sports with Google Earth - September 27, 2005
  40. Sailing the Seven Seas - September 10, 2005
  • Google Earth Blog Copyright © 2005-2008 Frank Taylor. All Rights Reserved.
  • All image screenshots from Google Earth are Copyright Google