Google Maps dumps its flat view of the Earth for a fully 3D globe

bgr.com ^ | August 3, 2018 | Jacob Siegal

[cba123]

Google has been on a roll with new features for its Maps service this week, from matching users to restaurants that they might like to adding battery percentage to location sharing. Rather than settle for two though, Google decided to end the week with one last surprise (which might irritate some flat-earthers).

As of today, Google Maps will now change its perspective from a flat view of the planet to 3D Globe Mode (as Google calls it), giving you a more accurate view of Earth. On the previous flat map, Greenland looked to be about the same size as Africa, but now everything should be to appropriate scale when fully zoomed out.

(please see full article at link)

[cba123]

The first time I read this, I thought this was going to change the default display.

But it seems maybe, what this means is things will be in perspective, regardless of where on the globe they are.

But it's still moderately interesting.

[cba123]

https://bgr.com/2018/08/03/google-maps-3d-globe-mode-no-more-flat-earth/

[P.O.E.]

So I can now hold a 3D image of the earth in my hand?

[zeestephen]

Google has been misinformed.

The average person prefers a Mercator projection, which we have been using for the last 450 years.

We can see the entire globe with one glance.

And we can instantly locate positions and plot directions and distance with straight lines.

[Sertorius]

plus, the earth is flat anyway /sarc.

[BushCountry]

I don’t know why I never backed out of maps all the way, I guess I never had a need. But I do like the floating globe in satellite mode. So, thanks for posting.

[SkyPilot]

Google was given direct access to NSA and military satellite resources to apply to Google Earth. It was a deal so the tech company would cooperate on building the Deep State Orwellian nightmare we are dealing with. Google didn’t launch those satellites. They were paid for by the American taxpayer.

[Politically Correct]

plus, the earth is flat anyway /sarc.

The earth can't possibly be flat...the cats would have long ago knocked everything off the edge.

[ryderann]

Do they show Israel?

[Politically Correct]

Yep, it’s on there.

[Pollard]

Their driving directions have gone downhill though.

[captain_dave]

Except they moved it to Brooklyn

[I want the USA back]

My screen is flatter than a pancake, and isn’t 3 d at all. Wonder where they went wrong in writing the article.

Oh, they meant Simulated 3 D! That’s what they meant! A map is a projection. A flat picture of a solid object.

Fine. No reason to make Greenland appear as big as South America, when it isn’t.

[Fresh Wind]

I like it, even if it is Google. It would be interesting to be able to select a night view, though.

[Fresh Wind]

The true story of Columbus vs. the Flat Earthers:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3hzDJiVfJo

[ptsal]

Good link.... thanks

Cartography is fun.

I even found some of the locations have the county APN maps linked to the imagery.

[Sequoyah101]

? Greenland is still as big as Africa in the page I see.

[Delta 21]

2 days ago I was zipping around the Grand Tetons in an F-16 on Google Earf. Only crashed 4 times without a joystick.

[tellw]

SJW Alert. This most likely was an agenda item of the Cartographers for Social Equality. Referenced in a West Wing episode.
https://youtu.be/OH1bZ0F3zVU

[ptsal]

Another point-to-point tool for measuring the line of sight (LOS)

https://www.scadacore.com/tools/rf-path/rf-line-of-sight/