Google Upgrades Earth

“One click for me, one giant step for Google Earth.” That’s what came to my mind after I downloaded the new Google Earth this morning. It’s even more amazing than ever before.
 
We love Google Earth over here at Backpacker. Groups of editors will often cram into my cubicle and throw out ideas about where to fly to next. We check out future trips, dip deep into the Grand Canyon and virtually climb Long’s Peak in Rocky Mountain National Park. But we weren’t prepared for the new 4.3 beta release, which now includes real-time traffic info, street view and real-time weather layers.
 
The update, available for free from Google , enables users to fly the world at any time during the day, so you can check out Mt. Rainier at sunset and Acadia National Park at sunrise, scope out the best places to plant your tent for optimum morning light, or research landscapes for the perfect photograph.
 
In the June issue, we take a hard look at how Google Earth and other new high tech tools are improving our lives as backpackers. For more info on the new update, check out this short YouTube video by the team over at Google Earth Blog. –Tim Shisler
 
Google Earth Blog: Google Earth 4.3 First Impressions and Screenshots (Google Earth Blog)