Introducing Google Earth Indoors

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Posted by Woyr Dekhtasubkuchram, Google Earth Indoors Team

We are even more excited! As a wide-eyed Google-fanatic, you probably know that we've been swamped with requests to make Google Earth go beyond the boring rooftops and bland, insipid roads and highways. We tried to gag those requesters with a varnish-soaked tarpaulin but the emails just kept on coming, including a lawsuit by an L.A. lawyer who wanted Google to reimburse him for every hour he'd wasted trailing the virtual world (we eventually did.)

So, to bottle the egg, or to cut to the chase, or to put a sock on it, zip it, or such similar cliches that I've saved up on a Google Doc for this blog, let's give a big hand to Google Earth Indoors!

Please note that we're staggering this feature out with an upcoming update of Google Earth. It will only be available to top-of-the-foodchain Western markets for starters, and we'll roll it out gradually to include the rest of our wonderful world.

I've managed to steal a few screen-grabs that our engineers (and legal advisers) have permitted for this blog.

I picked a random world spot... say, Beverly Hills...


Zooming in to see what lies beneath that inviting set of twin-roofs.


We're in the living room! And I can see someone leaning over a settee... let's have a closer look...



And here we are, full resolution! Although I think the lady is somehow psychic. Look how she stares right back, as if she knows Google's prying on her.

So, there we have it. Another cool extension to one of our most popular products: Google Earth Indoors. We cannot promise when the initial beta roll out begins, but can assure you that it will be an experience you simply won't forget! And a nice end-of-year stock handout for me.