Google Earth Has the Best Stories

Google made an exciting announcement. Google Earth will include new information overlays which can include "images, audio, video, stories and information about events unfolding around the globe." The press release goes on to say:

Users can access these informative overlays by clicking on the “Featured Content” checkbox in the Google Earth sidebar. In doing so, icons for each Featured Content provider will span the globe, enabling users to click on individual locations and learn about the area’s significance. The Featured Content showcase will be routinely updated to include innovative and diverse contributions from additional content providers.

Current featured content includes:

• United Nations Environmental Program
• Discovery Networks World Tour
• National Park Service
• Jane Goodall Institute
• Turn Here (video travel guides)

Anyone who has a current version of Google Earth installed should have access to the updates. Just open Google Earth, and they'll install themselves. I checked them out, and some of them are pretty interesting, although the video links will likely tax computers with slow Internet connections. I've got broadband, and I still got a few hiccups in video playback.

• Google Earth
• Google Earth Reviewed
• Google Press Release