Google Shows Katrina Satellite Photos

Google Maps, a rather cool web-based mapping system designed to compete with Yahoo! Maps, MapQuest, and MSN Maps has pretty much been one step ahead since its inception and everyone is trying desperately to follow suit, but now Google's maps are even integrating current events like Hurricane Katrina directly showing the storm's effect in its newly updated high-resolution satellite photos.

Now keep in mind, these photos had to be taken whenever the satellite was available so there is some cloud cover, and thus the reason you are able to switch views between 'Katrina' and 'Satellite' -- but the action of switching views is rather amazing. Just take a look at the water coverage.

If you're interested in the other cool things Google has done with their maps take a look at these links:

• Map of the Moon - Google used the same interface they use for our normal street maps, and applied high-resolution photography of the moon to it. This shows the versatility of the interface itself. Just for fun Google put an Easter egg in there, see if you can find it... Okay, I'll spoil it... Zoom all the way in to see what the moon is really made of... cheese ;)
  
• Google Earth - This is an actual application that runs on your computer and overlays the high-resolution satellite photography you see on Google Maps with a full 3D model of the earth, support for GPS devices, dynamic data layers, and more. It's totally awesome, assuming you have a decent 3D video card. And its small, all the data is streamed over the internet from Google as you need it, not stored on your machine.