Top 15 Google Earth Innovations and Games (SUPER GALLERY)

Google Earth is as entertaining as it is informative.  In this feature, we profile some of the interesting Google Earth innovations and applications.

People are using the Google Maps for everything from finding addresses to creating giant-scale art projects and advertising campaigns.

Take a look at some of the coolest things Trend Hunter has seen Google Earth used for:

Google Earth for Fun & Art

Google Earth Games - Where On Earth Is Waldo? (GALLERY)

Remember the Where’s Waldo books you loved as a kid? Now you can play the high-tech, ultra-modern version with Google Earth! Where On Earth Is Waldo? is the creation of Melanie Cole, a Media Art student who came up with the idea for her graduation project. The glasses-clad, lanky geek in the stri… [More]

Giant Dutch Street Art - Henk Hoftra’s Art Eggcident (GALLERY)

The fake giant river painted on Dutch streets a few months ago must have been a hit, because now another giant street mural has been created in the Netherlands, this time featuring images of giant fried eggs. The Art Eggcident will be on display in a giant urban square for the next six months in L… [More]

Art for Google Earth - Henk Hofstra’s Urban River (GALLERY)

Want to be featured on Google Earth? One artist did so badly, he went about creating an extreme piece of art he hoped would be picked up by the satellite cameras. To date, there’s no sign of Henk Hofstra’s urban river. The Dutch artist painted the streets of Drachten, The Netherlands a vibrant sh… [More]

iPod Ad Visibile From Space

So you people might have laughed at the idea of rooftop advertising, but some say Apple is taking it seriously and is launching an ad that will be visible on Google Earth and Google Maps. From Boakes.org: “The sheer size of the publicity stunt is difficult to comprehend. It covers 893240 square metr… [More]

5 Acre Dubai Real Estate Sign - World’s Biggest Ad

The world’s largest banner ad for a Dubai real estate company is also one of the most viral. The five acre ad for Sorough Real Estate made it to the Guinness Book of Records, “Now here’s the cool part— it lies flat on the ground along flight paths where it will be viewed from the air by an esti… [More]

Crop Art - Pimp My Rice Paddy (GALLERY)

Crop circles are interesting, but pimped crop fields are even better.  Every year, farmers in Inakadate, Japan pimp their crop fields with a style that resembles video game animation.  Pink Tentacle describes that the farmers, “create works of crop art by growing a little purple and yellow-leafed ko… [More]

Google’s Hidden Flight Simulator - Google Earth Goggles (VIDEO)

A simple flight simulator was hidden in the new version of Google Earth. The secret lets you pilot either an F16 fighter or an SR22 prop plane to add a cool twist on viewing Google Earth’s images. Just press Crtl+Alt+A from within Google Earth, and say, “Bon voyage!” [More]

Aid

Bringing Refugee Camps Into Focus - Google Earth Maps Refugee Crises (GALLERY)

Google Inc. unveiled a new feature today for its popular mapping programs that will spotlight the movement of refugees around the world. Users with Google Earth, UNHCR will have access refugee information. The maps were developed to aid humanitarian operations and help inform the public about the mi… [More]

Buy a Tree, Watch it Grow on Google Earth - MyBabyTree.org (VIDEO)

Sponsoring trees is a great way to do your part in helping the planet; it’s cheap and easy to do. That’s nothing new. An ultra modern spin, however, is giving people the ability to watch their trees grow via Google Earth! The World Wildlife Fund is letting you purchase the seedlings of a tree, whi… [More]

Random

Super Close Google Maps (GALLERY)

By changing a few numbers in the Google Maps URL, you can unlock a super close zoom option!  Only a few areas have been mapped for super close zoom, but in those areas you can identify the little people, see animals, etc.  Many of the super close maps are from a National Geographic photo mapping exp… [More]

Google Sky - Google Earth Gets Into Space (VIDEO)

Users of the latest Google Earth software can now pic a location on earth, and for that specific date and time of day, flip their view skywards and view an accurate representation of space. Using images from institutions including the Digital Sky Survey Consortium, the Palomar Observatory in Califor… [More]

Sounds Brings Google Earth to life

A US company who has created software which can layer sound over locations in Google Earth - Wild Sanctuary has over 3,500 hours of soundscapes from all over the world. The firm is said to be “in talks” with Google, although no official agreement has yet been made. The curator of the collection, Dr… [More]

Odd Google Earth Sightings - Giant Makeup Compact?

It’s incredible how different the world looks from an aerial perspective, which is why Google Earth is so fascinating. The satellite photos pick up the neatest things, like this giant grid of pastel coloured rectangles. The image from 5°5’28.85"S 81°7’36.44"W, near Paita in Peru, looks like an e… [More]

Heineken Uses Geoblogging - Virtually Stalk Beer Delivery Men (VIDEO)

Dutch beer brewer, Heineken, has stepped onto the GPS locative platform, Bliin.com, for their remarkable new campaign called ‘Delivery Men’. Heineken truckers who deliver beer to bars can be followed live on a map (Google Earth integration) via http://www.heineken.nl. The coolest part about this is the t… [More]

Atlas Gloves - Control Google Earth with Hand Gestures

Do you want to learn how to create your own Google Earth interface? Atlas Gloves has created the step by step instructions to start you on your way. From Atlas Gloves: Making your own Atlas Gloves is easy, cheap and fast. In 5 minutes and about $8 you can have your own pair of Atlas Gloves and prac… [More]