Wednesday, January 11, 2006

Google Earth for Mac

w00t! Google Earth is now available for Mac. The system requirements, per Google, are:

Minimum System Configuration
  • OS: Windows 2000, XP, or Mac OS X (10.4)
  • CPU: 600MHz
  • Free Hard Disk Space: 400 MB
  • System RAM: 128 MB
  • Video RAM: 16 MB
  • Screen Resolution: 1024x768, 32-bit color
  • Internet: 128 Kbps ("broadband")
  • For better performance: Recommended Configuration

Which in this day and age aren't unreasonable, especially when you consider the heavy duty graphics Google Earth throws on your screen.

I previously installed Google Earth on Bagend, my Althon box at home, and this morning installed it on my 1.2 GHz G4 iBook with 768 MB of RAM, connected to a cable modem. It ran fine, with Thunderbird, Firefox, and Adium running in the background.

Aside from the general WOW! factor initial impression that Google Earth generates, it has some very practical uses. E.g., you can use it for getting directions. I plan to use it to work out routes and possible destinations in case I need to evacuate due to a disaster, man-made or natural.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I have not been impressed with Google Earth. Same old Sat pics that are more and more outdated and the pic weren't even shot in a logical season. i.e. if you want to get good overhead pics of Cleveland, OH don't shoot them in high summer when the leaves are on the trees.

Geoff Timm