Explore Earth in VR

I found out today that Google released Google Earth VR for the HTC Vive. I downloaded the app when I got home, and let me just say it is jaw-dropping amazing! The ability to fly around any place on Earth and in human scale is simply breathtaking.

Seeing the Earth from space is also quite the experience, I felt a sense of awe and vulnerability, being alone in space is actually kind of scary! I wonder if this is what astronauts feel?

Photographer's Tool

I can literally spend hours in this app, there is just so much to explore. I can use it to scout locations ahead of time, and find new and fresh vantage points to compose my photos. I can see this being used by photographers worldwide once VR becomes mainstream.

Right now, many cities still lack full 3D, but I think in time that'll change. If they add in the ability to change time, then this app can be used to plan shots with moon/sun/milky way at a certain time of the year ahead of time! The possibilities are really endless.

Screenshots of Places I Visited so Far

"Christ the Redeemer - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil"

"Summit of Mount Everest - Nepal" I moved the sun to near the horizon and watched a simulated sunrise from Everest. I then "skied" down its slopes! "Colosseum - Rome, Italy" I went inside the Colosseum and took a seat in one of the upper areas. "Grand Prismatic Spring - Wyoming, USA" This place looks amazing even in VR, I also flew up into the nearby mountains to see if I could get interesting views of the spring from up there. "Horseshoe Canyon - Utah, USA" Standing on the edge and looking down into the canyon. I also flew onto the other side, just to see what it looks like from over there. "Monument Valley Park - USA" I flew around pretending to be a drone to compose this shot. I changed the sun to just above the horizon to get a nice red color. "Tokyo Tower - Japan" One of the few cities with 3D buildings to explore in Google Earth VR. Hope you enjoyed this post! I strive hard to provide quality content :) Critiques and comments are welcomed!