Explore the Himalayas with this New Android App

• August 5, 2016
• Emilie
• no comments

You may have heard about a new Android app by Google called Verne: The Himalayas. The app is using Google’s 3D technology in a new and inspiring way. They used their 3D imagery of the Himalayas to create an interactive 3D map which allows people to explore the Himalayas from their own home.

In order to make this interactive map more fun, they turned it into an app. Within the app, you get to control a 500 foot tall Yeti named Verne. Verne is friends with a yak, and you can use him to run, fly jetpacks, and hang-glide. Although you can do these fun activities with Verne, the app isn’t designed to be a game: instead, it’s created to be an interactive, educational, and exploratory experience. The app will even teach you some new facts about the Himalayas!

Google also has 3D imaging of other impressive and well known locales- like the Grand Canyon. So this may be the beginning of a new kind of exploration: one that allows people to see places they cannot actually travel to. However, the Himalayas is the perfect choice for launching this new idea, since few people will be able to travel to the mountain range in their lifetime. Furthermore, 3D imaging allows us to explore the range in ways that even visitors cannot easily do (like bounding up Mt. Everest in seconds).

Check out Google’s video about Verne: The Himalayas below-

Although not the same as actually traveling somewhere, this app may be the next best thing! Each bump and ridge that Verne explores is actually an accurate representation of the Himalayas. Go check out this new app and learn more about this vast and beautiful world!

Main article photo courtesy of Google Play at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.withgoogle.verne