Google Maps has indeed been a handy tool in its day, and will now have a well-deserving upgrade. Google will now include a helicopter view for Google Maps, allowing users to have a virtual flight of sorts over the selected route, besides the usual 2D bird’s eye view and the 360-degree street-level view. The new view however requires the Google Earth plugin and currently only works in a full browser. An interesting add-on indeed, this one should come in handy particularly for those who hate being taken unaware when it comes to altitude changes on their respective routes.

[Slashdot]