Wow.

Try this PC World article for a rockin' "how to" on downloading this....
http://www.pcworld.com/article/158756/getting_your_feet_wet_with_google_ocean_first_look_in_images.html

Try this CNN video link for a great summary:
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/tech/2009/02/02/tatton.google.ocean.cnn?iref=videosearch

Or National Geographic's Photo Gallery:
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/01/photogalleries/google-ocean-pictures-gallery/

I always get into a fit of inner-flummox-inducing debate over privacy vs the public good when I Google my address and stare at updated photos of my actual house from the angle of someone standing at my mailbox. It's creepy. It's a goody basket for the stalkers I don't- but one day might- have. I don't like it. (Unless, of course, I'm socially stalking someone else with the very same cyber tools. ha.)

But then I watch the same technology give my children something I never had growing up- a vivid, fascinating and educational resource that lets them travel the world in which they live from my home computer. Not depicted "as it might be" but "as it IS."

Google Earth (once dubbed Google Dirt) has unveiled their newest incarnation and it comes complete with a feature called Google Ocean that blows me away. After having successfully mapped most of the planet's "dirt" features, their team was challenged to take on the 2/3 of the world that is covered by water.

So they teamed with over 100 of the world's top scientific and marine-oriented organizations (even surf clubs) to do just that. The result? Jaw-dropping. Absolutely jaw-dropping.

It was unveiled today. Go see it.

Also check out the link I've added for the Google LatLong site to find out about more new features.... (via Google LatLong)