EarthBrowser 3.1.3 – Monitoring Real Climate Change!

Reviewed by Robert Pritchett

Lunar Software, Inc.

Matt Giger

http://blog.earthbrowser.com/

P.O. Box 14664

Portland, OR 97293-0664

Fax: 503-892-6427

sales@lunarsoft.com

http://www.lunarsoft.com/

Product Download: http://www.earthbrowser.com/download.html

Update Released: April 6, 2009

$30 https://www.earthbrowser.com/purchase.php

Requirements:< Mac OS X or Windows; 512MB RAM; Adobe AIR, Internet.

Manual: http://www.earthbrowser.com/manual/manual/ (24-page PDF)

Strengths: Up-to-the-minute, all-seeing earth functions. Works with GooogleMaps.

Weaknesses: Doesn’t get down to house-level (and maybe you don't need to).

Other Reviews: http://www.juicygeography.co.uk/earthbrowser.htm (PC Review)

Introduction

EarthBrowser is a real-time three-dimensional model of the earth with continuously updating global information. It renders a virtual representation of the earth along with a large variety of data which is accurate to the minute. The globe can be easily rotated and magnified to give a distant or close up view of the earth from space.

Lunar Software does not guarantee availability or timely delivery of cloud or weather data. EarthBrowser should not be used to support operational observation, forecasting, emergency, or disaster mitigation operations, either public or private.

What I Learned

We reviewed this app many years ago. Now it uses Adobe AIR, instead of QuickTime and it really does update every minute in real time. It isn't just dynamic, it's real-time fun and a great way to learn about the earth, especially if you have Internet connectivity.

Matt Giger says this is shareware, but if you like the app, buy it. You can try before you buy.

The software has been localized for 21 different languages from Arabic to Swedish.

There really is the option for a 7-day forecast. Links really are live. There are 3 options for worldviewing, including Near Realtime Satellite, OpenStreet and the original EarthBrowser modes.

The menu compresses, but I like the translucent mode myself. I'm also impressed with the Aurora activity and the Atmospheric Electron Content.

I think being able to move the globe around from any direction is a real plus. So is being able to zoom all the way in to street level. House level would have been nicer.

Being able to see Panoramios (GoogleEarth localized photos) and the webcams is sweet.

The menu allows for drilling down even further by subsections. Earthquakes break down to magnitudes that break down to locations and a 7-day history.

Mouse over cities and the 7-day weather template shows up.

Go to Tropical Storms, then track surface winds at different speeds. Click on Storm Tracks and follow them by name.

Follow the Flood warnings and watch the earth rotate to the locations and then pull up the details from the National Weather Service.

If you want to see real Climate Change, add the flags for Global Forecasts for precipitation, temperature, atmospheric pressure, relative humidity, wind direction, sea surface temperature and even the ozone

Interested in seeing fires in Canada and the US?

Offworld, are you interested in where the International Space station is located? How about the Hubble Space telescope? Or weather satellites?

How about underworld with tectonic plates and plate convergence?

Or Volcanic activity active, dormant and extinct? Drill down to continent and volcano.

Interested in Webcams? Worldwide? Again, go to Continent, country, then live locations.

With Adobe AIR, the detail got even finer. Almost photo-like.

This app grows on you.

Conclusion

This is what GoogleMaps should have been. This is looking at real, up-to-the-minute Climate Change™.

More

I added the free EarthBrowser Site Tracker to the macCompanion and Alternative Energy User Group websites.

"The free EarthBrowser Site Tracker will show you where and when people visit your site from all over the world. Watch each visit to your website expand into space as night crosses the earth. Play your traffic back and forth with the timeline slider, zoom in and out and see aggregated website stats that are updated every 10 minutes."