Video:How to Use Google Earth
with Shane MurphyLearning how to use Google Earth is a great way to explore the planet that we live on from the comfort of your computer screen. Here, see instructions for using Google Earth.See Transcript
Transcript:How to Use Google Earth
Hi, I'm Shane Murphy, your technology Guru for About.com. Today we'll overview some of the many features of Google Earth.Getting Started Using Google Earth
Your first step is to download the program: head to "google.com/earth" and click the blue link to download the program. Next click "Agree and Download", execute the install file, and follow the brief instructions for installing Google Earth. Upon opening Google Earth, you'll immediately notice the similarities to Google Maps. Click and drag on the globe to move around and scroll on your mouse's trackball to zoom in and out. If you zoom all the way in, you'll be taken to a street level view where you can even see buildings in three dimensions.Features of Google Earth
One of Google Earth's most important features is “layers” located on the lower left. Here you can choose which layers of details you'd like to see included on the map, letting you search for specific details like a certain country's weather or ignore everything else except street locations. Use the search bar on the left and you'll be whisked straight to the destination of your choice. Google Earth's coverage can be a little spotty in very rural areas, limited to only low resolution satellite imagery. But in most heavily populated parts of the world it's a great way to find national monuments and tourist attractions, geographically survey a region, or just get directions from A to B.Check out About.com's dedicated Google channel for more useful information on optimizing Google's wide array of applications. Thanks for watching…to learn more, visit About.com!About videos are made available on an "as is" basis, subject to the User Agreement.