Google has signed a definitive agreement to sell the SketchUp 3D modelling platform to satellite mapping specialist Trimble Navigation for an undisclosed amount

Google is to sell the SketchUp 3D modelling platform to satellite mapping specialist Trimble Navigation.

However, the companies will ‘work together for the furseeable future”: As part of the deal, Trimble and Google will collaborate on running and further developing SketchUp’s 3D Warehouse, an online repository where users can find, share, store and collaborate on 3D models.

Is SketchUp in safe hands?

Trimble’s products are focused on applications requiring position or location, including surveying, construction, agriculture, fleet and asset management, public safety and mapping, so it’s not unfamiliar ground for the company and it hopes for a fun future.

“For those of you in the architecture, engineering and construction industries, the knowledge Trimble will add to the SketchUp effort are obvious,” wrote SketchUp product manager John Bacus on the SketchUp blog.

“Together with our new colleagues at Trimble, we plan to continue making our tools for the building professions as innovative, intuitive and (dare I say) fun to use as we always have.”

“Our mission has always been to make 3D modeling tools that anyone can use. The free version of SketchUp is an important part of our world as well, and that isn’t changing in the least.”

Remaining Boulder-based

The SketchUp team, which works on 3D modelling software, will remain in Boulder, Google Boulder site director Scott Green said.

The agreement is expected to close this quarter, pending review and a legally mandated waiting period, according to a release from the companies.

“Trimble has already created the de-facto standard for field data models and project management tools for our key markets. SketchUp, together with these existing capabilities, will provide a stand-alone and enterprise solution that will enable an integrated and seamless workflow to reduce rework and improve productivity for the customer,” Trimble vice president Bryn Fosburgh said in the press release.

Read the full announcement on the SketchUp blog

Visit Trimble Navigation

The latest upgrade adds two key features requested most often by LumenRT users: SketchUp “Face Me” billboard support and LiveCube personalisation.

LumenRT Review for SketchUp and SketchUp Pro is currently priced at $195. The introductory price will eventually rise to $295.

For more information on the release and new features, visit the e-on software website.

Student developers are being given the opportunity to work on open source software projects, including Blender, which has been accepted into the Google Summer of Code 2011 program for the third year in a row.

Since 2005, Google has worked with open source, free software, and technology-related groups to identify and fund several projects over a three month period.

Student developers that apply will be given stipends to write code for various open source software projects.

Through the Google Summer of Code program, accepted students work with a mentor or mentors from the participating projects, gaining exposure to real-world software development scenarios.

In turn, the participating projects are able to more easily identify and bring in new developers.

Read Blender’s development plan and apply to join the program here.

Providing a simple extension to the Google SketchUp workflow, Shaderlight enables Mac Users to create photo-real images from 3D scenes.

Both Windows and Mac versions are now also available to buy for networks, allowing businesses to licence a number of machines with a floating licence.

Developers of the plug-in, ArtVPS, hope this will benefit design colleges, architect practices and design agencies looking to buy multiple licences.

Pricing and availability

The basic version of the software can be trialled for free, with no registration required. For the Pro version, a trial is available for 14 days, with a cost of $199 thereafter.

However, during March 2011, the Pro edition for Windows and Mac with be available for $149.

For more information visit the Shaderlight website.

All artists need to do is create a scene in Google SketchUp and render it with Shaderlight. Three winners will then be picked, and have their image on the Shaderlight homepage for the whole of January.

Competition prizes are as follows:

• 1st prize: $150 Amazon voucher, a copy of Shaderlight Pro for SketchUp, a copy of SketchUp Pro and a Shaderlight 2GB USB wristband.
• 2nd prize: $50 Amazon voucher and a copy of Shaderlight Pro for SketchUp and a Shaderlight 2GB USB wristband.
• 3rd prize: a copy of Shaderlight Pro for SketchUp and a Shaderlight 2GB USB wristband.

To enter, send the finished render, or renders for the particularly creative, original SketchUp scene and contact details to: shaderlight@artvps.com.

Shaderlight is available to download for free here.

Deadline for entries is 5 January 2011.

www.artvps.com

The update sees Google maps built directly into the software, more accurate 3D terrain data and improvements to the Match Photo feature.

Read the announcement on Google’s SketchUp blog.