Google Earth pushes boundaries between real and virtual

In late September, Sergey Brin, a co-founder of Google, explained at a press event that he wanted Google to be "the third half of your brain." Mr. Brin wasn't just referring to the company's search products when he made that somewhat eerie proclamation. He was also alluding to a number of products that should be expected in the coming years.

On Monday, Google took its "third half" concept to another level with its Google Earth software, creating a more realistic world that blurs the line between virtual life and reality and helps make the program look more like a variation of the Star Trek Holodeck.

The new Google Earth software introduces two major new features: the integration of Street View, Google's photos of streets and locations, and millions of 3-D trees. The company has also made it easier to browse historical images and maps on the platform.

The inclusion of Street View makes it easy for users to swoop in and out of the 3-D version of Google Earth, and then easily enter an experience that is more realistic and true-to-life through the Street View photos layer.

Adding 3-D trees to a map might sound a bit underwhelming or strange to some. But Google's addition of 80 million little green trees adds one more element needed to create a virtual world that is a convincing replica of the real one.

Now the only thing that seems to be missing from the platform is more real-life advertising.