Google Earth 1.1 Offers Street Views' of the Ocean Floor

By Tracey E. Schelmetic

TMCnet Contributor

 

It happens every time. You're cruising along under the ocean floor and you realize you forgot to bring a map.

The good news is, Google (News - Alert) Earth announced today that it has extended its wildly popular mapping software to cover parts of the ocean floor in its release of Google Earth 1.1 for Android (News - Alert). 

Users can now "zoom in" not just on land, but below the ocean on maps and, once arrived, use the "look around" feature to check out the ocean bed for topological features - a kind of "Street View" for ocean explorers.

According to a post on the Google 'Lat Long' blog page, "Now you can take three-quarters of this vast planet - the ocean - with you on your mobile device by downloading the new Google Earth 1.1 for Android."

Earlier this year, Google Earth launched its "Ocean Showcase," which allows virtual explorers to view underwater areas of particular interest: ship wrecks, dive spots, creepy trenches, optimal locations for surfing and designated marine protected areas.

Clearly, Google is enthused about the new underwater mapping feature. Google product manager Jenifer Austin Foulkes wrote that ocean visitors can "check out the landscape and terrain in Monterery Bay Canyon, which is larger than the Grand Canyon, by zooming in on Google Earth below the ocean surface just off the coast. Once underwater, you can use the 'look around' button to tilt the view and see the extent of this great undersea canyon."

The new Earth for Android version also includes an "Explore the Ocean" feature, which allows users to roam through hundreds of photos and videos from contributors and Google content partners.