Announcing Google Earth 6
This week we introduced the latest version of Google Earth, our interactive digital atlas. In Google Earth 6, we're taking realism in the virtual globe to the next level with two new features: an integrated Street View experience and 3D trees all over the world. We've also made it even easier to discover historical imagery. The oldest available date will now appear in the status bar; one click and you're traveling back in time! Download the latest version for free and try the new features.

New Street View Integration
With Google Earth 6, you can navigate the streets like never before with the new seamless Street View experience. Using the panoramic images and 3D depth data from our Street View vehicles, we built 3D street scenes and integrated them into Google Earth. As you move along the street, we blend together different panoramas to create the illusion of one continuous 3D scene. Drag Pegman to the map and explore the world from the streets!

Explore 3D Trees - 80 Million!
In the new release of Google Earth 6, you can now browse 3D trees in some of your favorite parks, and maybe even pick out a spot for your next picnic! Our urban tree coverage includes San Francisco, Chicago, New York City, Athens, Berlin and Tokyo. We also worked with several environmental organizations to model reforestation projects and protected forests in Google Earth. Visit our 3D Trees Showcase to play tours and download a tour from the Gallery.

Panoramic Photos & Contest
The Google Earth photo viewing experience just got better with the addition of panoramic images. You will find a new "Photos" layer that includes not only the existing 2D photos from the Panoramio community, but also panoramic photos contributed by users of 360cities.net. Join the community and add your photos to Google Earth. You can also enter your photos to the monthly Panoramio Geotagged Photo Contest, where we'll be giving away Casio GPS cameras to the winners.

Green Belt Movement Tour
The Green Belt Movement has planted over 40 million trees in Africa. Fly over the tree planting sites and view the saplings in 3D with this tour, narrated by Nobel Peace Prize Winner Wangari Maathai. In 1977, with rapid deforestation causing problems in Kenya such as topsoil erosion and bad water quality, Professor Maathai decided that planting trees could address environmental concerns while empowering local communities. Watch this video or download this file and explore yourself.

New and Updated Imagery
This month we added new and updated imagery, including high-resolution aerial updates for the USA, Austria, Finland, Ireland, and Spain. Many countries also received high-resolution satellite updates, including France, Taiwan, Uruguay, Ukraine, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Kenya, Mongolia, Vietnam, New Zealand, and more. Take a look at these changes and many more (marked in red) in our update post here, or view this file directly in Google Earth. Don't forget you can use the View > Historical Imagery option to see imagery choices through the time slider.