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Google Releases Free SketchUp and 3D Warehouse

Posted on Wednesday, April 26, 2006 9:04 PM

Google today opened the doors to a 3D revolution on the Web by releasing Google SketchUp, a free version of the popular 3D CAD program Google acquired last month. Google also released 3D Warehouse, a free repository for 3D content created using Google SketchUp. The two are intended to be used together to create new geo-referenced content for Google Earth, as well as non-location based 3D content, such as products or artwork, that can be searched for using Google.

“This is a wonderful day for 3D,” says Brad Schell, Product Management Director for Google SketchUp, formerly co-founder of @Last Software, which Google acquired last month. “We want to get this out and let the fun begin.” Click to continue reading, "Google Releases Free SketchUp and 3D Warehouse."

  --RSN

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# GoogleSketchup for free!

4/27/2006 12:09 AM by chris@eParticipation
This is huge! The internet goes 3D. Google yesterday released a free version of sketchup, enabling anybody to build 3D Models and publish them online, preferrably in their Google Earth browser. Not only that, Google also announced a 3D warehouse where use

# re: Google Releases Free SketchUp and 3D Warehouse

4/27/2006 2:46 AM by Jerome Bertrand
My G... oogle!

It may be a paradox, but I think 3D will never be 'more' that 2D. Just as Web 3D will never be more than CAD. Both and many more visualisation media serve different and complementary purposes. They evolve in line and in parralel to the benefit of both.

Real-time 3D on geolocations is only coming a huge step closer to where you want to be, when you need to convey (or learn from) remote, real-life features efficiently (e.g move around and analyse the simulated data-sets, interact with the 3D objects, make it all highly sticky to the human mind) - provided it is usable.

It will push the need for 3D-intelligence ever higher. Much like has been expected from rich interactive virtual environments and simulation for more than decades. So everybody is going to do it now, you say? Good news.
But who will be telling the right story to the right people with the right 3D at the right time?

I think on the other hand that this move will be boosting the need for quality crititical content. Rather than seing a demon we should be embrassing this! This is always the only right direction for emerging media: spread down and peak up. Eventually, one keeps curious about the glide!

More on Location based simulation and GeoDesign at our blogs:
http://visualcuriosity.blogs.com/geodesign

# Google Powerhouse

4/27/2006 4:11 AM by hebig.org/blog
Will this never stop? GCalendar released. GMail integration released. GWritely-thingy likely to come. GMaps Europe released. And now: Free SketchUp released. 3D Warehouse released. I assume the GEarth + SketchUp + 3D Warehouse will be big. Also, what a nice...

# SketchUp Free: Populate that 3D Database!

4/27/2006 5:19 AM by All Points Blog
As many expected one way or another, Google has made SketchUp, the 3D design product it aquired from @Last free for personal use. (Now Windows only, but Mac coming soon. A non-free Pro version offers more tools and can be used for commercial work.) The an

# gEarthBlog

4/28/2006 3:14 PM by Pingback/TrackBack
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