Daily Cup of Tech

Do you think that it is just coincidence that Google Earth 4 Beta and Microsoft Vrtual Earth 3D Beta both came out within days of each other? Is it also just a quirk of fate that they are both working on full 3D versions of the earth? Something tells me that there is a bit of marketing research going on!

Google Earth provides you with SketchUp that allows you to create complete 3D buildings anywhere in Google Earth. From their website:

Google SketchUp (free) is an easy-to-learn 3D modeling program whose few simple tools enable you to create 3D models of houses, sheds, decks, home additions, woodworking projects – even space ships. You can add details, textures and glass to your models, design with dimensional accuracy, and place your finished models in Google Earth, share them with others by posting them to the 3D Warehouse, or print hard copies. Google SketchUp (free) is a great way to discover if 3D modeling is right for you.

Microsoft Virtual Earth 3D has everything built in to the system along with some really good examples (check out San Franciso). This is what they have to say:

Virtual Earth 3D brings you another step closer to knowing “what it is like out there”. You can search, browse, and organize local information viewed in three dimensions, just the way it exists in the real world. This helps you more effectively find the data that is relevant, making Live Search more useful than ever. Even better—it’s just plain fun!

I encourage you to fire up these two betas and give them a good run. Let me know your thoughts in the comments.

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