Google has released new layers today. Probably the biggest addition is the Best of 3DWarehouse Buildings layer (read more below):
New/updated layers:
- Yelp Reviews – A new Featured Content layer of reviews from the web site Yelp.com which hosts reviews by people who have been there.
- 3D Buildings – Google has decided to make the large repository of quality 3D buildings from the 3D Warehouse easier to view. If you have the latest GE 4 beta, you can now turn on a “Best of 3D Warehouse” layer under “3D Buildings” and it will automatically load high quality buildings for the area you are viewing (using a network link). You can also still download the 3D Warehouse network link
- Roads of Brazil – Remember a few days ago when I said some of the new roads for Google Maps were not in GE? Well, they at least added the new ones for Brazil. But, where is Australia, New Zealand, etc? In fact, the crude base layers of roads for those two countries are gone now. Maybe that’s a sign the new road layers are coming.
- Geographic Web – there seems to be a lot more Panoramio photos in the “Geographic Web” layer.
- “Sunrise Earth” – Under the “Featured Content” layer you will find “Discovery Network“, there is now a new sublayer called “Sunrise Earth“. This shows placemarks for locations where Discovery HD has “Sunrise Earth” programs and if you click on the placemarks the picture is a link to 2.5 minute video clips from the programs.
About Frank Taylor
Frank Taylor started the Google Earth Blog in July, 2005 shortly after Google Earth was first released. He has worked with 3D computer graphics and VR for many years and was very impressed with this exciting product. Frank completed a 5.5 year circumnavigation of the earth by sailboat in June 2015 which you can read about at Tahina Expedition, and is a licensed pilot, backpacker, diver, and photographer.