Google Earth adds even more detail, sunlight effects

Google Earth 4.3 for PC, Linux, and Mac has been released in public beta, with an official release expected in a few weeks. Some of the additional features include real-time day and night lighting effects and enhanced POV controls.

The unofficial Google Earth blog notes this is not a major release, but it still shows off some eye-catching tweaks. The real-time lighting effect illuminates the Earth according to the time of day, and actually creates a sunrise and sunset effect on other layers at appropriate times when turned on. Skies change colors, and rendered buildings cast shadows on one another.

The 3D Buildings layer has also been tweaked to run faster, with buildings appearing in gradually increasing detail. Street View has also increased slightly in detail with "jump to street view" appearing as rendered icons on the map when the layer is activated. Images have also been given dates so users can see how up-to-date their chosen view is.

Navigation has received a new point-of-view upgrade which appears in the upper right hand corner as an eye icon. This controller locks into a first person-style point of view, allowing the camera to be rotated on its X/Y/Z axis.