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Is anyone using Google Earth?

bwindi25

By bwindi25
in Grand Rapids

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bwindi25 Whistle-Stop

bwindi25

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I'm wondering if anyone is using Google Earth in any innovative ways (other than looking up their house address)? If you haven't seen Google Earth, go to www.earth.google.com and check it out.

I also notice that Grand Rapids NW/SW is a blurry image. Also, some cities are building out their downtowns in 3D. Does anyone know of any action being done to get better satilite imagery of GR and a 3D design for the city?

What ideas do people have for how this application could be used to promote downtown or share information around the city?

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orulz City

orulz

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Things I've used Google Earth for: tracing railroad rights-of-way; envisioning road projects; planning my own imaginary infrastructure improvements, etc. It's a really powerful tool.

Regarding your comment about the blurry image on Google Earth - I've found Google's coverage to be somewhat lacking. The most comprehensive, most up-to-date source for aerials that I've found is http://www.globexplorer.com - but you have to look through a tiny, watermarked window if you don't subscribe to their service.

MSN's VirtualEarth has reasonably high resolution black-and-white images covering the entire US, in addition to less comprehensive high-res color images. They have a similarly intuitive and easy-to-use interface to Google Maps.

Nothing can match the speed and features of Google Earth (because it caches images and renders locally) but when it comes to coverage globexplorer is king.

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Rizzo City

Rizzo

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I'm wondering if anyone is using Google Earth in any innovative ways (other than looking up their house address)?  If you haven't seen Google Earth, go to www.earth.google.com and check it out.

I also notice that Grand Rapids NW/SW is a blurry image.  Also, some cities are building out their downtowns in 3D.  Does anyone know of any action being done to get better satilite imagery of GR and a 3D design for the city?

What ideas do people have for how this application could be used to promote downtown or share information around the city?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I said screw it to the program its very lacking in the 3d deparment for GR... So I built every single building downtown to the inch in a 3D Cad program... took me 2 years and it's still growing.

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torgo Town

torgo

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Things I've used Google Earth for: tracing railroad rights-of-way; envisioning road projects; planning my own imaginary infrastructure improvements, etc. It's a really powerful tool.

Regarding your comment about the blurry image on Google Earth - I've found Google's coverage to be somewhat lacking. The most comprehensive, most up-to-date source for aerials that I've found is http://www.globexplorer.com - but you have to look through a tiny, watermarked window if you don't subscribe to their service.

MSN's VirtualEarth has reasonably high resolution black-and-white images covering the entire US, in addition to less comprehensive high-res color images. They have a similarly intuitive and easy-to-use interface to Google Maps.

Nothing can match the speed and features of Google Earth (because it caches images and renders locally) but when it comes to coverage globexplorer is king.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The "blurry" areas in Google Earth are probably 1 meter resolution satellite imagery, which are relatively cheap and available to anyone. I would guess that Google Earth doesn't have a more complete set of high-quality aerials due to the costs: purchasing the aerials from a company such as globexplorer would be extremely expensive, and flying yourself would be even more expensive. For example, to hire a company to take full-color aerials with the resolution shown in Google Earth of, say, the State of Michigan would probably cost $75 million.

I don't know why GR does not have better images on google Earth, I would guess legal wrangling with GVMC/REGIS, Kent County, or the State. As for most of the rural areas, good images don't exist except for what the Government and military has.

I use Google Earth as a toy and not much else.

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bwindi25 Whistle-Stop

bwindi25

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I'm thinking in terms of exposure. I know people that are messing around with Google Earth that would never touch other applications. There are better search engines out there but some people are just into All Things Google. I think it could provide an avenue to share what's happening in GR and where it's heading.

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hood Burg

hood

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First, I think the main reason Google Earth isn't that comprehensive is because it's still a beta version.

Rizzo, I think Google Earth depends largly on individuals contributing 3D images to cities, I think. You may want to consider contacting them to see if they would be interested in your work. Who knows, they may even pay.

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bwindi25 Whistle-Stop

bwindi25

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heres some files GRDad03, sorry i can't image link onto the board:

My Webpage

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I couldn't open the link but I'm sure they are awesome. I see that some folks are using the simple drawing program Sketchup with Google Earth. Hopefully Google will provide a simple way to post this type of data.

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GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

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I could get it to work either, with firefox or IE, any ideas?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It worked for me the first time, but won't now :( It was looking good though Riz ;) I liked the fact that you could barely see the Amway Grand Tower due to all the surrounding "visionary" towers :P

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bwindi25 Whistle-Stop

bwindi25

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After reading some of the info on the Google message boards it looks like there will be some opportunities to upload CAD data. There also appears to be a way to draw the shapes and submit them through the KMZ format to the Keyhole message boards. I think a better image of Grand Rapids' west side should be the top priority. Sweet looking buildings on a fuzzy carpet just doesn't cut it.

I also tried submitting a place-marker to the board using KMZ. Apparently, when people have the Keyhole Community BBS layer checked, they will be able to see my post. I think it takes awhile for these to go live though. Right now, someone has place-marked all the disc golf courses around town. We could do the same for free wi-fi hotspots, historic buildings, colleges/universities, etc. It would be cool if people could link the various photos from this site to their actual locations in Google Earth. (no I'm not volunteering)

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bwindi25 Whistle-Stop

bwindi25

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There are some cool new layers for GR on Google Earth, like free WiFi Hotspots. It looks like Google is reorganizing things under the Community Showcase folder. Half the city is still blurry though.

New GR Image in Google Earth. The West side is no longer blurry.

Conspiracy confirmed: As soon as Riverfront Project X revealed, the image clears up!

It looks like they took it on a cloudy day though.

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Phizzy Hamlet

Phizzy

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New GR Image in Google Earth. The West side is no longer blurry.

Conspiracy confirmed: As soon as Riverfront Project X revealed, the image clears up!

It looks like they took it on a cloudy day though.

It's no longer blurry at maps.google.com, either. Although, for many parts of the city, it looks like the pictures were taken through a green lens.
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