• 3d World Map

. Pros 3D animations. Some useful descriptive info. Cons Cursory descriptions. Linguistic errors.

Illustrations could be improved. Bottom Line Planet Earth 3D (for iPad) is a basic Earth science educational app with a useful but sparse set of information. Not a Google Earth One thing Planet Earth 3D decidedly isn't is a world atlas, let alone a Google Earth analogue. The 3D globe is really just for show.

It's of low resolution; for example, at maximum zoom the entire United States, plus much of Canada and/or Mexico, fits on one screen. None of the features are identified, and much of the surface is obscured by clouds. (The only geographical features identified in the app are the continents and oceans under the Structure tab, as noted above.) Also under the Rotation tab are two more tabs. The section called Revolution explains the Earth's orbit around the Sun and includes a scalable 3D diagram of it; you can adjust the Earth's speed and tilt its orbital plane. The Seasons tab discusses the seasons and their relation to the Earth's axial tilt. It includes a diagram showing the Earth's orbit and marking the solstices and equinoxes, as well as perihelion (Earth's closest point to the Sun) and aphelion (its most distant point).

Unfortunately, the line representing the Earth's axis, which is essential for the understanding of this section, is barely visible in the illustration, and could easily be overlooked. The third major tab is Moon. It shows a movable 3D illustration of the Earth and Moon. The Introduction is notably succinct.

Its first two statements are self-evident: that the Moon has been known since prehistoric times and is the second brightest object in the sky. It doesn't explain what a moon is, or say anything about its origins or history. The Rotation tab describes the Moon's synchronous rotation; that it rotates on its axis in about as long as it takes to circle the Earth, thus always presenting the same features to us (the near side). The last tab under Moon is Tidal. Its text has the linguistically scrambled title 'The Moon Affects on Earth's Tidal'—presumably, it means 'The Moon's Effects on Earth's Tides.' It's perhaps the most egregious of many linguistic errors in the app.

Most are minor, and only rarely do errors in grammar or syntax interfere with the sense of what's being said. Natural and Manmade Ecosystems The final tab is Habitat, which features 6 habitats, each with an accompanying photo: Desert, Fresh Water, Ocean, Rain Forest, Tundra, and Urban.

3d World Map

Clicking on a photo brings up text describing the habitat's characteristics and biological/ecological importance. For example, the Urban section briefly describes the history of cities and discusses their importance to human society, as well as their problems and challenges, such as violence, poverty, overcrowding, health problems, and pollution. Planet Earth 3D is an introduction to our world, its internal structure, atmosphere, ecosystems, rotation, orbit, and moon. Information is basic and for the most part very cursory. Although some of the illustrations are good, others are in need of improvement, and the 3D globe—although pretty—is really just there for show. The app could also use a good proofreading, as it's rife with (mostly minor) grammatical errors.

The app could be a helpful place for young students to learn some basic things about our world and its environs, but they will want to look elsewhere for more detailed information.