There's a new installer available if you go to http://earth.google.com/download-earth.html
(It's not yet available via Check-for-updates, but that should change early this week)

It is v4.0.1657 (Windows), v4.0.1658 (Mac), and v4.0.1660 (Linux).


It has the following fixes:

Changes From Version 4.0.1565
-----------------------------

- Language selection in client: Tools->Options then the "General" tab

- Restore missing Search/Places/Layers panes if the user chose to hide them in version 3.0

- Scroll wheel now defaults to "zoom in" for "wheel up". The setting can be
reversed in Tools->Options then the "Navigation" tab

- More reliable reading and writing of kmz files on systems with non-ascii
usernames

- Fixed imported terrain for SketchUp occasionally showing 'divots'

- Client now remembers the checked status of all layers between restarts

- Improved memory management, client does not require as much memory

- Automatic setting of memory cache based on machine RAM, improves
performance and prevents flickering overlays

- Fixed warnings about Software Emulation and DirectX on Mac and PC systems

Developer Notes:

- Fixed <Update> tag operation

- Fixed deletion of local kmz file when linked to by network link

- Fixed style information being lost upon restart of client (for some styles
that were shared across a folder)

- Using <Update> on LineString coordinates now replaces all coordinates
rather than appends

- Fixed network link occasionally going into fast continuous refresh

Beta 2 does the same thing that beta 1 did on my computer (HP media center 1270N with everything stock. 1 gig memory, 128MB video card, etc). It starts running and then when the default place (my house) almost gets zoomed in all the way, it stops and locks up with a busy mouse. Have to hit the close button in the upper right corner and get the 'program not responding' message and click out of that.

Back to version 3 for me! And yes, I did uninstall v. 3.0762 before trying to install the new beta 4, same as I did on the earlier version 4. Version 3 works just dandy so I guess I'll stick with that for the forseeable future.

In Beta 2 I still cannot open links in external browser.

If I have FireFox 1.5.0.4 set to default browser it cannot open links in external browser.. No errors, no warnings, nothing happens.

If I set Internet Explorer as default browser, it works fine.

EDIT:
Got it to work after playing a bit with the registry.

Hi:
I just downloaded Google Earth Ver 4 Beta, in Spanish.
My PC has the following configuration:
CPU: Pentium III 1ghz
RAM: 512MB
Video CARD: Nvidia GeForce4 MX 400 128MB
Sound Card: Creative Labs 128PCI
Hard Disk: 80GB
Internet Connection: by Cable 52kbps

With the above config, may I install and run without any problem the google earth ver 4 beta ?? ...

Or I need something more ?? ..

thanks for your time
Luis

I can not find the Google Earth Beta 4 download link!! i

did not see this addressed anywhere else. When I upgraded from GE3 Plus to the latest beta release (4.0.1657), many of the buildings on Manhattan Island are now flickering when I move the camera past them. It looks like they were built with multiple faces that have different coloring and the different shades of gray are fighting each other for visibility.

I have a high-end multimedia machine (3GB RAM) and I've tried clearing my 1500MB cache to no avail. I've also experimented with switching from OpenGL to Direct X and found no difference. It appears to be a problem with the building models themselves.

I am running the latest NVIDIA driver available for my card and the problem isn't on all buildings. Having seen this issue in 3D models I've built for video animation, I'm fairly confident that the problem lies in the actual models of the buildings. Perhaps they have identical polygons in the same place but two different shades of gray?

The attached placemark offers a good view of the problem... just navigate around it slowly and you should see what I'm talking about.

Hi Todd

Flickering is something with the memory cache. Just give it a chance by increasing to its possible maximum.

Hi Se7en

Try clicking this:
http://dl.google.com/earth/GE4/GoogleEarthWin.exe

or visit this:
http://earth.google.com/tour/thanks-win4.html

Hi leco,

See this:
http://earth.google.com/support/bin/answ...ic=0&type=f

Hi Todd, I've just been reading your other post. I have no problems with the buildings in your placemarks or any other 3D buildings in GE.
I agree with the others in that it appears to be a graphics driver or cache problem. Have you updated your DirectX ?