Google Earth Offers Wii-esque News Layer

Look who took a cue from the Wii playbook. The latest version of Google Earth features little news icons strewn about the country that pop up relevant articles from The New York Times’ website just like the Wii’s News Channel. Also like the Wii — whose news is supplied by the Associated Press — Google Earth’s solitary source leaves a little to be desired. Surely there’s more happening in the world than a handful of events in Manhattan, Long Island, and Washington D.C. right

Fortunately for Google, adding more news sources (even geo-tagged RSS feeds perhaps?) should be much easier than on the Wii. Right now it serves as just another nice feature to keep me perpetually glued to Google Earth. As for Nintendo, may I suggest adding a new interactive layer to your 3D globe that plots the homes and offices of all Nintendo staff? I’d love to zoom in on Japan and guess at Miyamoto’s preferred route to work.