There was a lot of news last week from Google. Much of the news had to do with Google Maps, APIs, KML search, and KML support on other platforms. However, this past weekend Google released an enormous amount of new imagery all over the world. But, even more significant in my opinion, was the release of new high resolution 3D terrain, or digital elevation model (DEM) data. The new data is 10-meter resolution. Google Earth’s terrain data mostly comes from NASA’s Shuttle Radar Topography Mission which is at best 30 meter and sometimes 90 meter in resolution. This means Google Earth’s data for the western US and the Canaries is now three to nine times higher than before.
What does this mean? This means when you tilt your view in Google Earth while looking at the new data (using your middle mouse button, the slider in the top right, or your SpaceNavigator), you are seeing terrain features which more closely resemble reality. Also, since the terrain is more accurate, the satellite/aerial photos taken from above stretches over the terrain more accurately. This means the scenery looks much better. Those of you who are familiar with the western mountains should try it out. Two better-known examples: the Grand Canyon of Arizona and the Grand Tetons in Wyoming are good places to start.
Google had previously released high resolution terrain for the Swiss Alps (see a fly-through video). I’m expecting they will be adding more parts of the world with this 10 meter data as well. I’ve asked Google if they can share a map showing what regions the new data covers. Does anyone know where they are getting this data?
There are people interested in seeing higher resolution terrain for their countries in GE. See this execellent illustration 
of why high resolution terrain is important by Christian Sam who posted it at GEC. It uses a time animation to “extrude” high resolution terrain in a small area of Austria.