July 20, 2009

Google Earth Adds the Moon on the Anniversary of the Apollo 11 Landing

Today is the 40th anniversary of the first landing on the moon. The mission was carried out by the Apollo 11 crew which carried Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Buzz Aldrin. Armstrong and Aldrin actually walked on the moon, while Collins orbited.

Celebrating the significant event, Google Earth has added the Moon. You can explore the terrain and check out layers that inform about missions to the moon, both manned and non-manned.

Also, for you uber-geeks and history buffs, the History Channel tonight is showing the late Walter Kronkite's coverage of the 1969 landing. Tune in at 8:30pm. My very geeky family is going to.

Posted by Nathania Johnson at 2:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

April 18, 2009

MSN Virtual Earth vs Google Earth APIs

The battle of APIs between Google and Microsoft continues with the two companies' mapping software - the similarly named earth products seem to be the most popular of the mapping applications.

MSN Virtual Earth entered the space in 2005 and has slowly developed its API.

The use of online mapping is becoming a much used feature of many websites. From tracking diseases to tracking santa the uses are many. There are maps for Grand Theft Auto and the dubious celebrity stalker sites all have made used of mapping software.

Posted by Frank Watson at 5:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

March 9, 2009

Google Earth Adds 3D Versions of Santa Rosa and Lucerne

Google Earth has added two more cities to its ever-growing list of 3D locales. Santa Rosa, California and Lucerne, Switzerland can now be virtually enjoyed in their 3D glory.

Santa Rosa:

Lucerne:

If you'd like to do some 3D modeling, you can use Google's Sketchup tool to do so. Then upload your models to Google's 3D Warehouse to save and share.

Posted by Nathania Johnson at 11:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

August 13, 2008

Google Adds Places Layer to Google Earth; Talks Mapping and Georgian Conflict

Google has added a "Places" Layer to Google Earth. Content from Wikipedia, Panaramio, YouTube and the Google Earth community have been wrapped up into a "single, multifaceted layer."

The Places layer is found in the Geographic Web layers section on Google Earth.

Meanwhile, Google is also addressing the difficulty of mapping in tumultuous regions of the earth, such as the countries along the southern Russian border that were previously states in the former Soviet Union.

Google says they haven't been confident in the data culled thus far, so they've been waiting until they have more comprehensive data for the region. While some have pondered whether or not that data was previously there and now removed as a result of the conflict in Georgia, Google assures users that the data was never there in the first place.

Posted by Nathania Johnson at 12:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

June 30, 2008

Google Maps Inks 5 Year Deal with Tele Atlas

Google Maps has signed a five year agreement with Netherlands-based digital mapping company, Tele Atlas. Google will now have access to Tele Atlas' content for over 200 countries for current and future projects, including Google Earth and mobile applications.

"Google's innovation and leadership is undisputed, and we are proud to have the opportunity to be the map foundation for one of the world's most progressive web companies," said Bill Henry, CEO of Tele Atlas. "This agreement is important too because it gives us access to input from a significant online community of map users, whose feedback can help us keep our maps fresh and accurate."

"Geospatial data enhances global search significantly by organizing data and delivering results based on location," said John Hanke, director of Google Earth and Google Maps. "Tele Atlas' map quality and the company's innovative approach to business were the key drivers for our decision."

Posted by Nathania Johnson at 12:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

June 9, 2008

Google Expands 3D Cities to Europe

Last week Disney World, this week Google Earth has expanded its 3D program to select countries in Europe. And with gas prices (and jet fuel!) higher than ever, many Google Earth users may use the apps to virtually wander the streets of their dream vacation destinations.

The European program is open to local governments in the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain and The Netherlands. Google hopes that those governments will upload local data in the hopes of displaying 3D visuals of their cities.

Posted by Nathania Johnson at 12:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

June 5, 2008

Google Earth Maps Walt Disney World Resort in 3D

Google Earth has created a 3D tour of Walt Disney World's 4 theme parks and 22 hotels and resorts.

If you have kids, here's the must-see site: www.disneyworld.com/3dparks. Google Earth 4.3 users can see Walt Disney World Resort in 3D by enabling the “Gallery” folder within Google Earth, or by selecting any of the 3D buildings within the resort.

“You know the phrase ‘next best thing to being there'? Walt Disney World Resort in 3D is going to deliver on that,” said Jay Rasulo, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, in a statement. “Guests and travel planners can now explore our world with just a few clicks of a mouse, and they can book vacations while being immersed in what the destination has to offer.”

Disney's digital mapping project, Walt Disney World Resort in 3D, hopes to become the ultimate online travel guide for Walt Disney World Resort, integrating the Google Earth 3D experience with the planning features of Disney.com.

Whether guests book through the Disney reservation center, a travel agent or online, nearly 90 percent of Walt Disney World guests use the internet to plan their vacations. Walt Disney World Resort in 3D provides the latest Google Earth technology available to enhance that experience.

From Google Earth, guests and travel planners can click on images of their favorite attractions and hotels to purchase tickets, make reservations, and map out the vacation that is right for their families – in 3D and with the click of a mouse.

The depth and vivid detail of Walt Disney World Resort in 3D project promises to makes the site a unique, truly immersive experience within Google Earth. Visitors begin their virtual tour of Disney World with a stratospheric view of the globe, a starting point familiar to anyone who has ever used Google Earth.

A skydive takes visitors past the flatlands of Florida to a view of the Seven Seas Lagoon in the Magic Kingdom. Guests can then fly through the streets and explore in and around the hotels and resorts, down Main Street to Cinderella Castle, from the heights of The Tower of Terror to base of the Tree of Life. To enter the virtual park:

* Download Google Earth 4.3 by visiting www.disneyworld.com/3dparks. * Launch Google Earth and search for 'Disney World' * Click the Gold Mickey Ears to open an info window. * In the info window, click “Show Disney World in 3D.”

No doubt more resorts and travel destinations will follow Disney's lead into 3D. Whether their choice is Google Earth or Microsoft Virtual Earth, the big winners are consumers doing research on the Internet.

Posted by Kevin Heisler at 10:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

May 28, 2008

Google Launches Google Earth API and Browser Plug-in

In the escalating war over the planet Earth between Google and Microsoft, Google has opened up Google Earth for development.

Today at the Google I/O developers conference, Google launched the Google Earth API and browser plug-in. The Google Earth API enables web developers to Web pages into 3D map apps.

Google points to the rise of the Geoweb, a collection of user-generated content (UGCe.g. photos, videos) associated with a location.

The Google Maps API, with over 150,000 developer sites, and the Google Earth client, with over 400 million downloads, promise to help users visualize this Geoweb of content.

Key features from the Google Earth team:

• Embed Google Earth inside any web page with only a few lines of code.

• Use the JavaScript API to enable rich Earth-based web applications.

• Manipulate KML and the 3D environment: create polygons, lines, placemarks, and more.

• Convert your existing Google Maps API site to 3D with as little as one line of code.

• View the thousands of existing 3D buildings, or add your own 3D models.

• Switch to Google Sky mode for high-res imagery of stars, planets, and galaxies.

Google has yet to launch a desktop telescope to keep pace with Microsoft but opening up the API should yield some innovative applications.

Posted by Kevin Heisler at 1:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

May 21, 2008

Google Earth Gets Layer for News

Google Earth has a new layer: Google News. Writing on the Google LatLong blog, Brandon Badger, Product Manager said, "By spatially locating the Google News' constantly updating index of stories from more than 4,500 news sources, Google Earth now shows an ever-changing world of human activity as chronicled by reporters worldwide."

The Google News layer can be activated through the "Layers" menu on the left-hand side of Google Earth. Expand the "Gallery" mode and select "Google News." Then browse the world for the latest goings on.

Posted by Nathania Johnson at 9:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

April 16, 2008

Google Releases Updates to Google Earth; Includes Street View

Less than a week after Microsoft released updates to Live Maps and Virtual Earth 3D, Google announces updates to its Google Earth product. The most anticipated update is the addition of Street View, previously available on Google Maps.

Here are more updates straight from the Official Google blog:

• New navigation includes improved zoom control, so you can swoop down from outer space to street level in a single seamless motion. And with the addition of the "look" joystick, you can look up at buildings or across a mountain range. • More, faster 3D buildings - Navigate through a lot of new 3D content. Besides adding thousands of buildings contributed by people around the world, they've added dozens of photo-textured cities and towns in the U.S. and elsewhere. • Street View - The popular and sometimes controversial Google Maps feature has now been integrated to Google Earth. • Sunlight feature – Watch the sun rise over the Alps, for example. • New languages - 12 new languages are included in the update and they are: Danish, English (UK), Spanish (Latin American), Finnish, Hebrew, Indonesian, Norwegian, Portuguese (PT), Romanian, Swedish, Thai, and Turkish.

Posted by Nathania Johnson at 12:19 PM | Permalink

December 26, 2007

Google Senate Testimony: Homeland Security

Now that NORAD has once again proven its superior technological power by tracking Santa across the globe (a task once thought impossible before the advent of Google), we can all rest a little easier. Who would've dreamed the new, more whimsical military-industrial complex could be so much fun?

Not Ike.

We like Ike, too. But WWII hero and former President Eisenhower never envisioned a military-industrial Googleplex that could Do No Evil.

Google Earth, for example, enables Homeland Security teams to collaborate (encouraging teamwork), focus (attention is paid to the task at hand) and comprehend (converts data into understanding). Google Earth solutions for homeland security include Google Earth Pro (Try it free for 7 Days!) and Google Earth Enterprise Solutions.

So what is Google exec J.L. Needham testifying before Congress about? Here on YouTube, he tackles the SEO debate on the use of Google sitemaps. Will Google protocols help government Web sites rank higher? You decide.

Posted by Kevin Heisler at 3:09 PM | Permalink

July 24, 2007

Google Earth Catches Chinese Sub, May Hurt With China Relations

Guess Google is officially that big that the left hand does not know what the right hand is doing. But you would think the left hand would be aware when righty is firing a gun at it!

The recent pictures taken of Chinese submarines by Google Earth and published for the world is a great example. Google and the internet in general has a delicate relationship with the Chinese government and this latest blunder will impact it.

That there are coordinates to the whereabouts of six subs according to the PC World article, including a new type never photographed before, also shows the automated nature of Google.

Is Google heading us into the Terminator-type future? Their planned purchase of DoubleClick has raised privacy issues, but let's forget about them sharing the information with anyone else... what can they ultimately do with it themselves.

Posted by Frank Watson at 10:29 AM | Permalink

July 18, 2007

Google Readies To Photograph America

Gizmodo's Charlie White has posted pictures of an armada of cars with mounted photo equipment taken a Google HQ.

The 30 Chevy Cobalts are an interesting addition. Watch for them in your neighborhood!

Posted by Frank Watson at 11:28 AM | Permalink

June 26, 2007

Google Earth Outreach Non-Profit Initiative Launches

At the Googleplex East this afternoon, Google's introducing Google Earth Outreach, "a new program designed to help nonprofit organizations around the world leverage the power of Google Earth to illustrate and advocate for the important work that they do." The room is packed with mostly representatives of non-profit organizations

The program allows non-profits to layer content and applets over Google Earth to tell stories about their work. Non-profit organizations are invited to apply for Google Earth Pro grants (an annual subscription normally costs $400) to receive technical support from Google to kick-start their online programs using Google Earth.

Pilot partners here at the 'plex include Dr. Jane Goodall, Kathy Bushkin Calvin of the United Nations Foundation and Earthwatch President and CEO Edward Wilson.

John Hanke, director Google Earth and Maps, says the program grew out of the company's 20 percent time employee program (in which staffers dedicate that percentage of their work time to independent projects). The project is in KML, "the HTML of the earth." The company has posted online tutorials to help novice users get started, and to teach them best practices in creating earth-related content.

Jane Goodall, via a video link, is looking mighty embarrassed at the lengthy introduction ennumerating her achievements, awards and honors. "When I began my work we only had paper and pencils." She's telling us how recently, villagers in Tanzania didn't understand flat maps researchers showed them, but quickly began to cooperate with her organization's water conservation efforts once they were shown electronic 3D maps of their area from which they recognized the local terrain. And she just treated us to a heartfelt greeting in chimpanzee - what a treat!

Posted by Rebecca Lieb at 11:15 AM | Permalink

May 10, 2007

Google Launches New "Geo" Blog

Google has started a new blog focusing on Google Earth, Maps, Local and APIs. Lat Long Blog will chronicle Google's efforts to build the "geoweb," according to John Hanke, director of Google Earth & Maps.

I don't think that there is agreement on what the geoweb is, but I think there is a lot of enthusiasm and energy across many fronts to make it happen. I expect the "it" will evolve substantially over the next few months and years as we (the geo ecosystem on the web) collectively figure out how "earth browsers," embedded maps, local search, geo-tagged photos, blogs, the traditional GIS world, wikis, and other user-generated geo content all interrelate.

Google's geo products and services include the My Maps custom mapping features of Google Maps, as well as geo searches, which surface user-created geographic information in local searches in Google Maps and Google Earth. The blog cites two examples of geo searches: windsurfing near San Francisco and Jerry Seinfeld in NY.

Posted by Kevin Newcomb at 12:29 AM | Permalink

January 15, 2007

Google Earth Getting Press Accurate or Not

There were two different articles about Google Earth over the last couple of days. First the claims the program was being used by Iraqi terrorists to target British troops in Basara - this one has been well discussed and dismissed.

The second was its use to plot out a pot dealer's plants that he had left in a GPS device found when he was pulled over with some of his stash.

This continued 'urban legend' of Google Earth being used for all sorts of things is amusing. The product is not downloading live satellite photos. The company has worked with various governments so as not to allow information to be used for harmful purposes etc.

I guess we just want to believe Google is this all seeing Big Brother - while it may have the potential to get there, they are not there yet.

We need to stop the misinformation.

Posted by Frank Watson at 12:08 PM | Permalink

November 13, 2006

Merge Historical Maps With Current World In Google Earth

Google Earth in 4D from Googling Google is a very nice catch about how Google Earth now allows you to view historical maps within the software. Want to see how people thought the world used to look, before all those satellites were taking pictures? A new layer makes this possible.

For this to work, you have to have the latest version of Google Earth, Google Earth 4 (which will kindly change your default search engine in Internet Explorer to use Google, unless you untick that box -- so pay attention if you don't want that change. For more on Google being worried about changing IE's search defaults, see my Searching Via Internet Explorer 7 & The Battle To Be The Default Search Engine post).

Next, within Google Earth, you need to activate the Rumsey Historical Maps feature. Google gives instructions here. The screenshot below also shows what to change:

Select a map, and it's placed over the existing world. For example, here's the Lewis & Clark map:

You can then zoom in for more detail, though I wish it were easier to blend the real world more with the historical map. Terrain boundaries, along with roads if you switch them on, are shown in a hard-to-see yellow. Even better would be if actual satellite images could some how be lightly ghosted behind the maps.

Here's a close up on the Lewis & Clark map:

Here's part of San Francisco from 1853:

Sadly, one of my favorite old maps, that of California as an island, isn't offered. Not to fear! The David Rumsey site, which provides maps to Google Earth, allows you to browse a much wider collection of maps. You don't need Google earth to do so, either. Of course, you can't then overlay the maps on to of current plots of geographic features and roads. Still, it's well worth a visit. Here's an example of California as island, that I was talking about:

Postscript: Garett Rogers from Googling Google sent how to get the underlying "real" world information to show through. Look at the Places sidebar. You should see an unnamed slider bar at the bottom. Don't see it? Try minimizing that window, then reopening it. Still don't see it? Go to the Layers window and select the map you've enabled. Then click off that to any other map, then quickly click back to the map. That should make the slider appear (I didn't see it at first because of this bug). Move the slider to the left slowly and the underlying "real" information will start to bleed through.

Posted by Danny Sullivan at 10:27 AM | Permalink

November 9, 2006

Google, Microsoft And The '3-D Web'

When Microsoft launched its Live Local/Virtual Earth 3-D platform earlier this week, the memorable quote from Virtual Earth GM Stephen Lawler was, "It's the beginning of the 3-D Web." As a factual matter that statement may not be entirely accurate, but symbolically it is.

Numerous companies, such as Planet 9 Studios, have been working on 3-D modeling for a long time. Then, of course, there's Second Life and MTV's Virtual Laguna Beach. Now comes 3B, which allows users to create their own personalized 3-D "villages." There's also the world of avatars, which is growing.

In the larger context of online trends, we're seeing the rise of more imagery and visual information initially exemplified by Flickr and more recently by online video and YouTube. Sharing and community are integral to these experiences. (Also, check out the provocative new demo of Microsoft's Photosynth. Here's a previous post on it.)

Microsoft acquired Vexcel for, among other things, the company's capacity to do automated 3-D rendering. Vexcel CEO John Curlander said that the company is rendering eight cities a month, moving quickly to 16. Accordingly, the Virtual Earth 3-D platform will have well over 100 cities by the end of Q2 next year. By contrast, Google is letting the community build 3-D models, which is proceeding steadily according to Google Earth GM John Hanke. Also, Google has a way to rate/rank the best and most detailed models, among duplicates, for maximum quality ("model complexity.")

You can bet that Google will be accelerating the development of these 3-D models for Earth.

All the coverage in the past week has been around the "red meat" competitive question of whether Microsoft has now surpassed Google Earth with Virtual Earth 3-D. The answer is both yes and no. Yes, in the sense that Microsoft has made 3-D cities broadly accessible by making them available in the browser (though there's still a plug-in to download). No, in that the experience of using Live Local 3-D in the browser is currently much slower than using comparable functionality on Google Earth 4.

Both products have APIs/developer tools that allow third parties to build on top of these "platforms." But let's forget about the "who will win?" issue. Let's look at the bigger picture, which is more interesting anyway.

The question of what's next in search is often posed and left unanswered, because it's very hard to image what might replace the ubiquitous text box. But, in my opinion, a partial answer is starting to emerge. It involves variables of place (local/geo-coding), rich media (images, video, 3-D) and community. I wrote some time ago on this blog about Google Earth as a "geobrowser" and alternative Web-search paradigm.

Almost anything that you can do in text/2-D can be done in a more fun and engaging way in 3-D and/or with video. With limited exceptions pictures are, in fact, worth more than a thousand words.

The Internet is rapidly becoming more "textured" and rich media and community are at the center of that trend. In one corner, social search is being seen by some as a successor to machine algorithms (or at least the future includes some hybrid). In another, "social networking" sites -- which might be now better labeled "social destinations" -- continue to gain more and more consumer traction. In addition, online video is growing fast both as consumer experience and as an online advertising vehicle.

There is much more to discuss in terms of how geo-location, rich media and community play out in search (or "discovery"), as well as the advertising opportunities that may lie on the other side for both large and small businesses. My point is only that the foundation is now being pretty clearly laid for new search and discovery tools and new user experiences that are much more complex and engaging than what exists today.

Posted by Greg Sterling at 4:07 PM | Permalink

November 6, 2006

Google Earth Release 4 Adds Drawing Tools

Nathan Weinberg reports that Google released a new version of Google Earth. The new version has "path and polygon drawing tools" to enable you to "easily sketch figures on the imagery for richer annotations and can share these overlays as KML or KMZ files." There are some other features, but that one is the most significant.

Posted by Barry Schwartz at 9:02 AM | Permalink

November 2, 2006

GPS, Geotagging, Images and Maps

The NY Times has a long and relatively interesting article on geotagging images and mapping. It primarily discusses Flickr and, to a lesser degree, Google Earth and Picasa and other services such as TripTracker. The article also goes into the geocoding/tagging technology itself. Not discussed in the article is Microsoft's "Photosynth," which is an interesting hypothetical application and extension of all this technology.

Mapping, images (including video) and local/travel are rapidly coming together in very rich applications, as alternatives to pure text-based online navigation.

Posted by Greg Sterling at 2:01 PM | Permalink

October 24, 2006

November Elections Mashups

Maps have long been important in politics, as anyone who works in politics or watches the TV coverage on election night knows. And then there's the familiar saying, "All politics is local." Now, as reported on the Google Earth Blog, Google Earth has added "U.S. Elections Guide" and "U.S. Congressional Districts" information layers. By selecting these layers in Google Earth (not available on Google Maps) you can see boundaries of U.S. voting districts, links to information and news about the candidates, where to vote, campaign finance data and other election-related information.

Map-based real estate site HotPads has also created an interactive elections map for the coming November election. Click on any state and you can drill down on U.S. Congressional districts and information on representatives from Wikipedia and other sources. Here's an example from Florida.

I'm sure there are more out there. Let us know if you find them.

Posted by Greg Sterling at 10:50 AM | Permalink

October 20, 2006

Google Earth Helps Cops In Drug Bust

The Journal Times reports Sheriffs in Racine County used Google Earth to pinpoint the locations of marijuana fields in the County. Officials arrested Dean Brown last Friday, when they arrested him, they found a GPS device with coordinates in saved memory. Drug agents plugged those coordinates into Google Earth to view satellite imagery of the location and pinpoint the exact area of the marijuana fields. Brown now faces six criminal charges including "possession of marijuana with intent to deliver, possession of drug paraphernalia, and four counts of manufacturing marijuana."

Posted by Barry Schwartz at 8:52 AM | Permalink

October 16, 2006

CBS News Partnering With Yahoo; CBS News Stories In Google Earth

Yahoo adds CBS news to video lineup from the Associated Press covers how Yahoo News will be getting CBS News video clips from 14 local markets in the US to post to Yahoo News. Meanwhile, CBS Puts News on the Map Inside Google Earth from Micro Persuasion covers how CBS has a special feed (background here) that will plot CBS News stories within Google Earth. CBS appears to have been doing this since at least August, so it's not new nor requiring a specific partnership to do, as with the Yahoo program.

Posted by Danny Sullivan at 11:12 AM | Permalink

October 10, 2006

Maharashtra Farmers Fight Government With Google Earth

IBN Live reports that Maharashtra farmers are using Google Earth to fight back against a government ruling that they would take 25,000 acres away from them to build a Maha Mumbai Special Economic Zone. The government told the farmers that "only a small portion of the earmarked land is fertile and that some parts of it is submerged by salty creek water." But Google Earth came to the rescue of the farmers, where they were able "to prove to the authorities that the land is fertile," said Arun Shivkar an SEZ activist. No wonder the Maharashtra state government in India is upsetwith Google. Just kidding!

Posted by Barry Schwartz at 8:51 AM | Permalink

September 28, 2006

Beware: Giant Bug Found On Google Earth

Google Sightseeing reports a huge alien bug being found via Google Maps. Take a look at here or on Google Maps here and you will notice this huge bug about 200+ feet long on German land. Don't worry, it is not some alien from outer-space. It appears that a bug got stuck between the "glass plate and the film during the scanning process."

Posted by Barry Schwartz at 9:04 AM | Permalink

September 22, 2006

Google & Saturn Team Up On Video Ads, Google Earth Promotion

Marketing on Google: It's Not Just Text Anymore from the New York Times covers how Google is partnering with a traditional ad company to do an integrated campaign for General Motors, one that begins today to promote the Saturn brand in Google Earth, video ads through Google AdSense For Content and other unnamed Google products (fair to say, those old school text ads will be part of it).

Meanwhile, Cameron Othuis points out how BMW is letting opportunities slip by in by overlooking paid ads. Similarly, last month, Steve Plunkett dropped me an email where he was amazed that Pontiac was running those TV ads we've mentioned before about Googling them in his area but without paying more attention to the organic results.

To prove his point, he created a page to rank well for pontiac dealers dallas-ft.worth at Google, which now ranks first. Of course, that's a lot of words, making it easier to rank. A search on pontiac dallas doesn't list him, though pontiac dealers dallas does. While perhaps Pontiac could do more on the organic side, they aren't complete invisible -- and that big fat paid link at the top saying "The Official Pontiac Site" is pretty noticeable.

Postscript: See Google / Saturn Video Ad for an example of the landing page for the ads

Posted by Danny Sullivan at 6:58 AM | Permalink

September 13, 2006

Google Earth Adds Featured Content Partners

Google just announced that they launched new featured content on Google Earth from the United Nations Environmental Program, Discovery Networks World Tour, US National Park Service, Jane Goodall Institute and Turn Here. To access this information, open Google Earth, click on the "Featured Content" checkbox in the sidebar. By doing that, "icons for each Featured Content provider will span the globe, enabling users to click on individual locations and learn about the area's significance."

Posted by Barry Schwartz at 9:16 AM | Permalink

August 18, 2006

More On Google's Warp Speed Run Into The Star Trek Convention

I wrote earlier about how Google was going to be hunting for engineers at the 5th Annual Official Star Trek Convention this week in Las Vegas. Now more news about that and more.

The company's put out a press release about taking part in the show and set up a special site for Star Trek fans. Don't get too excited. The site has little to do with Star Trek and a lot more to do with promoting how developers can now put geo-location files (KML) on mobile phones. Way down at the bottom of the page are links to plot sci-fi related locations on Google Maps (see them here) or Google Earth.

Much cooler is an AFP article, Google builds bridge at Star Trek cult convention, about how Google's booth will feature a mockup of the Enterprise bridge (TOS, probably, rather than TNG or STE. Don't know the acronyms? Then you don't care which bridge it is). The main viewer will access Google Earth, which sounds pretty cool.

Posted by Danny Sullivan at 8:12 AM | Permalink

August 4, 2006

More Chinese Military Secrets Found With Google Earth

The United Press International reports that another Chinese military secret was found with Google Earth. A German man zoomed into what appeared to be "miniature replica of China's disputed border region with India," and thought he spotted a secret Chinese military base. UPI says what was reported, as military tanks cannot be, since the terrain is not suitable for tanks.

Posted by Barry Schwartz at 10:27 AM | Permalink

July 27, 2006

French Court Preventing Greenpeace France From Displaying Crop Data On Google Maps

BoingBoing spotted an interesting case where a French court ordered Greenpeace France to remove a site using the Google Maps tool to display "locations of commercial, genetically engineered corn fields in France." Greenpeace France overlaid an X in the spot of those corn fields. They have removed the site, but plan on appealing the order. "Greenpeace argues the online maps should not be censored because an EU law requires the French government to make the crop site information public anyway," Xeni Jardin of BoingBoing writes.

Posted by Barry Schwartz at 11:36 AM | Permalink

July 19, 2006

North Korean Missiles & Chinese Helicopter Training Site On Google Earth

The Register covers how Google Earth enthusiasts have spotted what appears to be a scale model mockup of a disputed section of the China-India border. Why does it exist? Perhaps to help train Chinese helicopter pilots in case of any military action. And Boing Boing covers how North Korean missile sites are being tracked in the software, including the Musudan-ri/No-Dong missile test site, Pipa Got naval base and Cho Do naval base. More details on the North Korean sites here.

Posted by Barry Schwartz at 9:01 AM | Permalink

July 6, 2006

Incroyable! 'Le Tour' Uses Google Earth Not GeoPortail

WebProNews points to the Google Earth Blog in explaining that The Tour de France has integrated Google Earth into its site and functionality. In particular, the site offers complete 3-D rendering of all tour stages. But we must ask, why wasn't this done on France's homegrown Google Earth challenger GeoPortail?

Posted by Greg Sterling at 7:34 AM | Permalink

June 28, 2006

Dell To Use Google Earth To Provide Enhanced Tech Support

The Detroit News reports that Dell is going to use Google Earth as a tool to enhanced their technical support services. The new tech support service, to be released today, is named "Platinum Plus." Platinum Plus subscribers will be given access to "Google Earth Pro to see in real-time how the Round Rock company is responding to technical support issues around the globe." Dell and Google have some recent past positive relationships this just adds to that list.

Posted by Barry Schwartz at 8:54 AM | Permalink

June 14, 2006

Minority Report-Like Interactive Google Earth

Via our SEW Forums, a great find. Check out this video showing how PhD candidate Edward Tse of the Mitsubishi Electric Research Labs at the University of Calgary rigged Google Earth into an interactive tabletop display:

The video shows how using your hands, you can spin the world, zoom in, give it voice commands like "fly to boston" that flies you there within Google Earth and more.

Expect a Google job offer to be coming, Edward. Expect that tabletop display to be showing up in the Googleplex, which has been woefully lacking in cool stuff for visitors lately.

The Google search query display in the lobby, the map showing search activity around the world, the lava lamps, the white board with the Google Master Plan (see here and here). Old news. Besides, you can interactively play Warcraft III on the table, as well.

Posted by Danny Sullivan at 6:55 AM | Permalink

June 13, 2006

Google Earth: An Emerging 'Geobrowser'

I often hear people say about Google, "Other than search it's just a bunch of 'me-too' products." Whether or not you agree, you have to admit that in the case of Earth and Maps that's clearly not true. Although maps have become an important "battleground" in the so-called "search wars," it's an area where Google has clearly innovated with its developer tools and user experience.

There were a number of technical things about the new Google Earth rollout yesterday that went over my head; I'm not a developer and I was in a room of developers and engineers who were very much the intended audience at Google's Geo Developer Day on the Google campus. But I was impressed by a number of things yesterday that I'll try and capture here.

As Danny already posted, you can read about the new Google Earth 4 and associated features on the Google Blog. So I won't recap all those things. I'll run down what was interesting to me and where I think all this may be going.

Eric Schmidt, Larry Page and Sergey Brin introduced the session I attended and emphasized the importance of geography and location generally. Schmidt said, "Geolocation is one of the big opportunities around search." He pointed out that Google was "investing heavily in the 'core infrastructure': better maps, faster servers, more local context and data."

We also keep hearing on analyst calls that Maps and Local are areas of success for Google, both in terms of usage and revenue. But its competitors, most notably Microsoft, are being at least as aggressive in trying to build out maps and related tools and user functionality. So this is going to be an area of accelerated innovation in the next couple of years.

John Hanke, Google Earth GM, moderated the session and discussed a range of things both technical and non-technical. Among them he discussed the intended 3-D mapping of cities around the globe with Google's SketchUp product. This is also an ambition that Microsoft shares. But what was impressive yesterday was a demonstration by Mark Limber, product manager for SketchUp, involving the real-time creation of a 3-D model from scratch and using imagery from Google's 3-D warehouse. He created a textured, photorealistic building in downtown San Francisco and plugged it into Earth in less than five minutes. He also spoke about some of the potential commercial applications of the technology for realtors, architects, designers and urban planners, among others. Here's a laundry list of SketchUp's commercial uses.

Another impressive element of the discussion concerned the role of the "Google Earth Community," which Google clearly sees as integral to its build out of the data layer for Earth and Maps. Google's Michael Jones, CTO of Earth, discussed Google's philosophy of "participatory mapping" and demonstrated some of the applications that third parties had created on top of Earth, including the relatively well known National Geographic data layer. (As an aside, this starts to redefine what the magazine is by putting content in a geographic context.)

Jones also demonstrated how you can layer historical photographs on Earth and effectively "time travel" by showing prior views of an area (e.g., the San Francisco Bay Area circa 1900). He also spoke about how information that one wouldn't ordinarily think of as geographic can actually be integrated into Earth and Maps. As an example, he mentioned how a developer had mapped all of Shakespeare's plays in Earth (their physical settings) with their associated historical details and text.

Google is encouraging the community of developers, and increasingly ordinary users, build out data on top of Earth and Maps. And we'll see tools that make it easier for ordinary people to create "mashups" over time. To that point, speaker Jessica Lee discussed KML files (a version of XML for Earth) and how they're an alternative way to publish mashups for people who don't use the API. This may still be too complicated for most people but it's moving in the direction of broad accessibility.

During the Q&A session at the end, I asked two questions. One was about the future relationship between Maps and Earth. John Hanke had formerly told me, after the Google acquisition of Keyhole, that Earth was essentially a "laboratory" for Maps. Clearly it has become something much more. He laughed and didn't remember saying that. But he and his team pointed out in response to the question that Maps and Earth now had the same infrastructure and there would be more and more overlap in the products. They saw them, however, as different use cases ultimately.

The other question I asked, prompted by something Jones had said earlier, was about Earth as a "geobrowser." As an aside, I ultimately believe some version of 3-D mapping converges with multi-player gaming. Then things will really get interesting. Someone asked a question along these lines and Hanke, who has a personal interest in gaming, responded, "Let's talk about that offline."

But the notion of Earth or Maps as an alternative way to search the Internet or discover information is only going to gain momentum. Ask's CEO Jim Lanzone long ago discussed with me the limitations of the "ten blue links" approach to delivering certain kinds of content. Google Earth is the opposite of the ten blue links: it's a rich visual and location specific way to browse for content; and almost any type of data (including video) can be rendered inside of Earth. It's literally an alternative web-browsing interface and paradigm. And in that regard it's incredibly fascinating.

The level of enthusiasm from developers in the room yesterday was very interesting to observe. Speakers were interrupted by loud applause several times in response to various techical statements. Such remarks and the response to them were generally lost on me until their significance was explained in English. It was at times a little like being in a foreign film without subtitles.

People that understand mapping and the associated tools are really excited about it as a platform and interface. Also the showcase of mashups, most of which have no commercial application whatsoever, reflected the creative appetite and enthusiasm for mapping and its potential uses.

Given the technical possibilities, the use cases and the increasing competition, which will only fuel the continuing evolution of the product, it's safe to say that dynamic mapping and 3-D rendering online are at the beginning of a potentially explosive development cycle. And that will likely take us in directions we're only vaguely aware of right now.

Posted by Greg Sterling at 9:20 AM | Permalink

Google Earth Won't Have Distribution Blocked

Google Earth is out in a new version with new features, as Greg Sterling will be detailing more on the blog later today. But meanwhile, Google escapes having an injunction against the software. Judge won't block distribution of Google Earth from News.com covers how Google is being sued by Skyline Software Systems over a patent dispute on terrain mapping. The judge in the case has denied a preliminary injunction request to block downloads of Google Earth.

Posted by Danny Sullivan at 6:43 AM | Permalink

May 2, 2006

Mazda's Google Earth Game

Philipp Lenssen points to Mazda EarthSearch sweepstakes game. You basically download a KML file that runs on Google Earth and follow the steps from there. The game shows you hints of historic landmarks, you use your search skills to locate the landmarks on Google Earth. So far they have two steps, where you locate two different landmarks. I located both and now I await an email for next week's continuation to the game.

Posted by Barry Schwartz at 1:51 PM | Permalink

April 7, 2006

Eva Longoria In Google Earth & Other Google Earth Deals

I skipped the entire iPod from outer space thing last month because it was clearly a hoax. But Desperate Housewives actress Eva Longoria being viewable in Google Earth is not. Well, sort of.

Suburbia pointed out that men's magazine Maxim is touting a giant cover of their 100th issue that's was constructed in the desert outside of Las Vegas. No, it wasn't shot from space. It was constructed on the ground, photographed and made viewable in Google Earth through an overlay file. Jossip has a nice rundown, along with some facts from the Maxim press release.

Sure, anyone can make an overlay file for insertion into Google Earth. But not anyone can get Google Earth to promote it. Clearly there's a deal in play here. The Maxim page about the Eva photo has a promo box pointing people over to Google Earth to do downloads of the software. And did you do the download? If so, you'll get this thank you page telling you to check out the Maxim cover as a featured item in Google Earth.

If you don't want to download Google Earth, you can get a sense of the cover here. But with Google Earth, you can zoom in much more.

If you're a Search Engine Watch member, the longer version of this post looks at some other Google Earth deals, including thoughts on them going into cars and taking ads along the way.

Posted by Danny Sullivan at 7:17 AM | Permalink

March 14, 2006

Google Buys SketchUp; Google To Map The World in 3D?

Hot off the Google Blog we are told that Google has purchased SketchUp. SketchUp is basically a very very easy to use CAD program. They have recently released a SketchUp Google Earth Plugin that enables you to create 3D models of the objects within Google Earth. The press release says;

"3D for Everyone" is becoming a reality; we're bringing the '3D' part; Google's contributing the 'Everyone.'

Did Google buy them to make SketchUp popular to encourage the public to map the world in 3D? Want to discuss? Join the Search Engine Watch Forum thread named Does Google Plan to Map the World in 3D?

Posted by Barry Schwartz at 11:42 AM | Permalink

February 10, 2006

Google Increases Resolution of Torino in Google Earth and Local

The Google blog announced yesterday, in the spirit of the Olympics, they have "updated Google Earth and Google Local with high resolution imagery of the surrounding area." I was able to get as close as a 100 feet on Google Local Torino. If you have Google Earth installed, you can click here to zoom into Torino on your desktop. The Google Blog also links to Google Maps Mania Blog's Winter Olympics Google Maps Mashups with some cool uses of the Google Maps API and the Olympics.

Postscript: If you're looking for fast facts about the games and some cool databases, check Resource Shelf.

Posted by Barry Schwartz at 9:57 AM | Permalink

February 3, 2006

Google and Fiat Partner to Offer Google Earth Game

How about creating a Google Earth game that's also a marketing tool? Sounds like a smart idea to me and it's precisely what Fiat has done.

According to Adverblog, (via a link on InsideGoogle) Fiat and Google have partnered to offer this contest (web site in both English and Italian which also celebrates Italy and the Winter Olympics that begin in Italy next week.

Under the snows of Turin and the Olympic valleys Fiat has hidden an exclusive Ferrari 360+ Experience pass and four Fiat Sedici cars. The game (Sedici contest) challenges users finding on a Google Earth map the places where such prizes have been hidden.

This is not only fun for the whole family (-: but it's also a great way for Google to reinforce their "cool" factor while at the same time introducing the Google Earth service to people who've never heard of it and/or used it. I'm sure that Fiat will also receive a sizable amount of free promotion as the mass media reports on the game.

A bit more in this post from Ogle Earth.

Of course, this is not the first Google Earth game. You can find three others listed here.

I'm thinking that we will see a lot more Google Earth "game" partnerships between Google and other companies, city/regional tourism organizations, and local advertisers.

I also would not be the least bit suprised to see Microsoft partner with others or simply promote their own products using Windows Live Local (WLL) both the aerial and the bird's eye imagery that WLL offers.

Posted by Gary Price at 4:52 PM | Permalink

January 24, 2006

New and More Detailed Imagery Comes to Google Local and Google Earth

Via Google Blogoscoped and this post on the Google Blog, word that Google has added some new and improved imagery offering greater detail to Google Earth and Google Local users.

From the Google Blog post: Not only have we added extensive 6-inch imagery for many parts of the U.K., but we've updated the Google Local database to match the coverage we have in Google Earth, and (drum roll, please) ... we've added two more zoom levels in Google Local's Satellite mode! Now for many areas around the world you can see a lot more detail than you could before.

Posted by Gary Price at 7:30 PM | Permalink

January 18, 2006

Still Seeing "Blue Pins" on Some Google Maps; Google Now Testing Paid Links in Google Earth

Although some sites are reporting that the Google Maps "blue pin test" is no longer visible, I'm seeing the blue pins on some Google Maps results pages as of this morning.

The pins represent the location of the sponsored links that come above editorial listings to the left of the map. As we know, when Google tests something it might be visible with one search and a moment later, it's gone. Then, an two minutes or two hours later it's back but you're the only one who can see it. In fact, that's what happened today. Here's a screen cap of what I was occasionally seeing as of 11:20am today when searching for hotels NYC. RustyBrick told me he was also still seeing the blue pins

While we're on the topic of Google tests, a SEW Blog reader sent a note saying that he was seeing paid listings when running business searches with Google Earth (GE). I opened GE and spotted the same thing (in some situations) when clicking on the mapped location of a business. Here's a screen cap. I'm checking with Google to see if this is new, something old that we never noticed, or another test. Stay tuned.

Postscript: A Google spokesperson has just confirmed to SEW that they are testing (on a limited basis) paid links in Google Earth.

As part of our continuing effort to provide a positive advertising experience for users and advertisers, we are always exploring ways to improve the way we display ads. We are currently conducting a limited test of ads in Google Earth. We do not have any other specifics to share at this time.

Posted by Gary Price at 11:22 AM | Permalink

January 10, 2006

Let's Make Mac Users Happy: Google Earth for the Mac Now Available

Just released on the Google Earth web site, is the first release of the program for Mac users (OS X). The Google Blog has the details. About a month ago, I blogged about an unofficial version of Google Earth for the Mac making the rounds.

Posted by Gary Price at 4:21 PM | Permalink

December 27, 2005

Google To Limit Photo Resolution Of Israeli Military Sites

We reported earlier about a great New York Times article looking at how various governments around the world have been made nervous by aerial images posted in Google Maps. Now via Google Blogoscoped, there's a report out of Israel that Google has agreed to limit the resolution of military installations in Israel, something the NYT article says is mandated by US law.

Posted by Danny Sullivan at 10:21 AM | Permalink

December 24, 2005

Tracking Santa Over on my personal blog, I mentioned how I loved to hear Santa tracked over the radio when I was a kid and how I do it online today with my own kids. Then I thought it was kind of a searchy things -- after all, many of you (or your kids) may be wanting to track Santa tonight. So be sure to check out the NORAD Santa Tracking site, where the group is now in its 50th year of providing this valuable service. I talk a bit more about it here: Tracking Santa Through The NORAD Web Site. If you run the Google Earth software (the software, not Google Maps/Google Local), they've got some tracking going on too.

Posted by Danny Sullivan at 12:44 PM | Permalink

December 20, 2005

Governments Ask Google to Turn a Blind Eye

Some of those incredibly detailed aerial images available using Google Earch are making some governments nervous. In Governments Tremble at Google's Bird's-Eye View, the New York Times writes about several governments who have expressed alarm.

South Korean officials have said they fear that Google Earth lays bare details of military installations. Thai security officials said they intended to ask Google to block images of vulnerable government buildings. And Lt. Gen. Leonid Sazhin, an analyst for the Federal Security Service, the Russian security agency that succeeded the K.G.B., was quoted by Itar-Tass as saying: "Terrorists don't need to reconnoiter their target. Now an American company is working for them."

This isn't the first time these concerns have surfaced. Gary blogged about the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation asking Google to remove an image of Australia's only nuclear reactor from Google Earth last summer.

Since Google is simply repackaging imagery that's available elsewhere, there's little governments can do to influence what's included in Google Earth.

Postscript from Gary: Several people have asked where does the imagery come from that Google Maps, Google Earth, and MSN Live Local/Virtual Earth come from.

As Chris points out and I've pointed out in the past, Google and MSN are purchasing or obtaining the imagery from several sources. You could also buy imagery from these companies. There is not a Google Satellite or MSN Satellite orbiting the earth.

Sources include: + USGS (United States Geological Survey) USGS offers its own database that anyone can download the raw imagery for free. More examples here.

+ Digital Globe

+ Space Imaging

+ Pictometry Providers of "bird's eye" view imagery to MSN Virtual Earth/Windows Live Local.

+ Harris Just announced deal with MSN for global imagery. Other Databases for Aerial and Satellite Imagery Other tools and aerial that make aerial/satellite imagery available: + GlobeXplorer Database of imagery from various providers.

Long before Google Earth/Maps was available: + World Wind from NASA They even have a wiki that features cool locations users have found. In October, World Wind added cool 3-D imagery of the Moon.

and

+ TerraFly from Florida International University This service provides something we don't find elsewhere. Detailed local info for every location. Down to block level. U.S. only.

Also, very new and not a mashup is HomePages.com Aerial imagery plus real estate listings for many large U.S. metro areas. They also provide additional local data and info about recent home sales.

Finally + Skyline Software. Download their TerraExlporer app (free) and flyover and various cities around the globe and look at building and other locations from various angles. I'm surprised that some Google competitor hasn't done a deal with these guys. Very cool!

Posted by Chris Sherman at 12:51 PM | Permalink

December 9, 2005

Is a Mac Version of Google Earth Coming Soon?

Hours after MS Launched their Live Local service with the cool bird's eye imagery, stories are surfacing about the possible release (no date was listed) of Google Earth for Mac OS X. I'm sure Mac heads, often overlooked by Google, will be thrilled. Thanks to Dirson for this news tip. I can't test (not a Mac guy) but I wonder if this pre-release version of Google Earth for Mac OS X is a version that began appearing overseas earlier this month according to AppleInsider.com. This is the program that we believe is listed on Dirson's Spanish language blog and available here. Caveat emptor with the software, of course, but a trusted Mac head friend, (a Mac mensch) just downloaded it and told me it loaded without a problem and works without any problems. If we learn more about an official release, We will post.

Posted by Gary Price at 3:17 PM | Permalink

October 27, 2005

Cool! 3-D Imagery of the Moon Now Available via NASA's World Wind

Before Google Earth and Google Satellite began receiving the well deserved attention it receives each day, a similar 3-D open source, imagery program named World Wind was online providing access to aerial and satellite imagery from a variety of sources. If you're interested in learning more, I blogged this interesting app back in April. So, you might be wondering why I'm bringing it up again? Two words, new content! Yesterday, at the NASA Ames Lab in California, 3-D imagery of the moon was released for the World Wind platform. World Wind is free software to download and use.

The newly expanded NASA 'World Wind' computer program can 'transport' Web users to almost anyplace on the moon, when they zoom in from a global view to closer pictures of our natural satellite taken by the Clementine spacecraft in the 1990s. Computer programmers at NASA Ames Research Center in California's Silicon Valley originally designed the World Wind program to deliver satellite images and data of Earth to the Internet..."We have just digested the best of the Clementine images, so we can now deliver the moon at 66 feet (20 meters) of resolution," said Patrick Hogan, manager of the World Wind Project Office at NASA Ames. "This is a first. No one has ever explored our moon in the 3-D interactive environment that World Wind creates," noted Hogan.

More about this new 3-D imagery and World Wind here. A World Wind wiki is also available.

Postscript: Now word on if/when this content will be available from other sources. Of course, we do know that a certain search engine has recently announced a deal to open a research center at the NASA Ames facility.

Postscript 2: Of course, Google Moon is one of many sources of imagery of the moon.

Posted by Gary Price at 2:39 AM | Permalink

October 5, 2005

Play The Google Earth Contest

Some Google Earth devotees out they might be interested to learn about a new Google Earth contest from a Denver company.

From the site: Using Google Earth placemarks and web pages, we've created the world's biggest interactive game.

In order to beat the GameMaster, you must follow the clues and utilize the Checkpoint feature to move ahead.

Once you've beaten the first GameMaster, you'll advance to the BIG GAME of EARTH CONTEST where you'll compete with other self proclaimed super sleuths for BIG REWARDS!

A list of "big rewards" is not provided but a few of the pages mention that if you "win" you get an "unlocked" expert version.

Aside from that material and a basic tutorial, that's all the info provided. An email address is also included.

Team play is available and according to this page, "encouraged."

That's it. It looks like fun and one of these days I might give it a go. If you play, share your thoughts (good, bad, indifferent) in the SEW Forums.

Posted by Gary Price at 11:42 AM | Permalink

September 29, 2005

Google Partners With NASA For Expansion Space, Space Data & Supercomputing Talent

Google, NASA sign `a very big deal' from the San Jose Mercury News gives the rundown on the aforementioned plans by Google to expand onto NASA's Ames facility in Mountain View. It's not just getting more space. It's also about collaborating with NASA scientists and getting NASA data, as well. So literally, the sky's not the limit, for Google.

In particular, Google will get access to scientists behind to supercomputing technology that NASA has developed, the article says. Google also gets more access to NASA space data and images, additional fodder for Google Maps and Google Earth, no doubt.

"We already have Google Earth....We'd like to have Google Mars and Google Moon," Google's Peter Norvig is quoted as saying.

NASA Takes Google on Journey Into Space is the official press release from Google with more details, and the NASA version is here.

Postscript from Gary: Google already owns many of the domains that they might need for outer space exploration. See this collection of domains that Google registered a few months ago including GoogleMoon, GoogleMars, and GoogleNeptune.

Posted by Danny Sullivan at 7:14 AM | Permalink

September 19, 2005

Google Earth Gains National Geographic Content Links

Running the Google Earth software? The Google Blog notes that there are new "National Geographic" layers you can enable. Switch these on, and if you see the National Geographic logo, you can zoom in to get more information from the magazine including high-resolution "Megaflyover" images. Meanwhile, the Jensense blog notes with amusement that while National Geographic may be providing the content, the ads on the National Geographic pages shown in Google Earth continue to carry ads from Yahoo.

Posted by Danny Sullivan at 12:26 PM | Permalink

September 6, 2005

Around the World with Google Earth

The first time anyone uses Google Earth, the reaction is invariably "wow." Having the ability to seamlessly zoom and pan on satellite imagery of virtually the entire planet is just plain cool. Once the novelty has worn off, though, what then? The good news is that Google Earth offers much more than tricked-out eye candy. You can do a lot with the program, including saving "placemarks" annotated with detailed information about a location, and even stitch these labeled placemarks together into an animated tour with minimal effort.

Today's SearchDay article, Hacking Google Earth, offers hands-on instructions on using these features, and also describes web sites that offer shared "tours" for Google Earth that span the breadth of the planet.

Posted by Chris Sherman at 12:23 AM | Permalink

August 8, 2005

Google Asked to Remove Imagery from Google Earth

Philipp points to this News.com.au story about the head of the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation asking Google to remove an image of Australia's only nuclear reactor from Google Earth. If Google decides to remove the image does it mean that imagery of the location will also be removed from other providers of satellite/aerial imagery? In other words, could someone still get the image from GlobeXplorer or another provider? Would removing the imagery from Google Earth also make it unvailable from other services?

Posted by Gary Price at 12:33 AM | Permalink

July 11, 2005

A Growing Compilation of "Hacks" for Google Earth

Earlier today, Danny posted about Google Maps Mania, a site that compiles various mapping projects. On a related note, GoogleEarthHacks.com is a new site where you can find downloadable files for Google Earth (example: a file that offers a satellite view of the Tour de France-Stage 12) as well as a set of online forums and newsletter.

Posted by Gary Price at 10:50 AM | Permalink

June 29, 2005

Downloads of Google Earth Temporarily Halted

P.L. points out that if you're out of luck if you're trying to download the Google Earth software this afternoon.

Why? Here's what a Google spokesperson told SEW:

We decided in advance to limit the number of software downloads in order to provide users with an optimal download experience. We recently reached that limit so we have temporarily paused additional downloads. We expect to offer downloads again very soon.

Posted by Gary Price at 7:21 PM | Permalink

June 28, 2005

Google Earth Launches, Goes Free

Google has taken the wraps off of Google Earth, a standalone application that combines its Keyhole 3D satellite imagery with the best features of Google Local and Maps. Chris Sherman finds it an awesome application that not only provides accurate search results but provides compelling, birds-eye views of virtually the entire planet. He provides more details about the product, now free to anyone in today's SearchDay article, Google Earth Flies Free. Also see Google Earth Launching For Free? Launches For Free from InsideGoogle for another review with screenshots, as well as First Impressions: Google's Amazing Earth from PC World for an even longer review stuffed with screenshots.

Posted by Danny Sullivan at 4:16 AM | Permalink

June 14, 2005

Google Already Has 3D City Maps

So is Google really working on a plan to create 3D maps of major cities, as rumored last week? Heck, it turns out the company already has these type of maps. They are available to those beta testing the latest version of Google's Keyhole software, AKA, Google Earth.

Check out the screenshots here and here for examples of the 3D renderings of nearly 40 cities. Is the data coming out of the rumored Google program. Nope. It comes from third parties, Google says.

OK, it could be that those third parties are working on behalf of Google. Or maybe Google is running its own 3D mapping program in addition to using third party data. In either case, Google said it won't comment on rumor or speculation.

The 3D mapping program is something different than the non-3D city block photographing project, which we know Google is involved with. After all, Google is credited on the home page of that project as funding it.

Any news of what will happen with that project, such as an attempt to rival A9's Block View feature? Google has no details to reveal, sending this statement:

Google supports many university research projects worldwide, but we have not made announcements related to the project you're referring to.

Back to 3D, Brad Hill dug up some nice research about a non-Google affiliated Berkeley project doing and a PDF research paper on the subject. None of this is specific to what Google may or may not have underway, but it should please those looking for more about such projects.

Postscript: SiliconValleyWatch, which originally reported news of a 3D project, has posted a picture of where the mapping truck is kept.

Posted by Danny Sullivan at 12:16 PM | Permalink

May 23, 2005

MSN Virtual Earth To Take On Google Earth

Microsoft sends news today that founder Bill Gates has announced a MSN Virtual Earth service is to debut in the summer. The service is promised to provide:

Satellite images with 45-degree-angle views of buildings and neighborhoods
Satellite images with street map overlays
Ability to add local data layers, such as showing local businesses or restaurants

The service will allow users to choose from a number of different data types plus allow people to contribute their own information. The announcement came today at the D3 conference happening this week.

Here are some screenshots from the service to come. You can click on the first to make it larger:

Last week, Google announced that its Keyhole software allowing satellite views of the Earth will be renamed Google Earth. Better images will also be available to those getting satellite views via Google Maps. In addition, Google Maps has also been getting enhanced by others adding on data from other sources. More on this in is covered in our Google Factory Tour Recap post.

So, the planned Microsoft service will help MSN compete against some Google gains in this area, not to mention moves others like Yahoo have been making with maps. Some past reading you may find interesting on these topics:

Google Maps Not In Google Search; Comparing Services & How Do They Do That?
Satellite/Aerial Images Plus Local Info
Super Cool: Interact With Satellite and Aerial Images With NASA's World Wind Program

World Wind Central (a wiki)

Just Map It!

Posted by Danny Sullivan at 12:52 PM | Permalink

May 20, 2005

Google Factory Tour Recap

So Google's first Google Factory Tour has ended. Overall, I'd say it was a great success on the PR front -- at least if you weren't that familiar with Google. One reporter I corresponded with told me that seemed the case for plenty there, many of whom were overseas reporters. For them, Google trotted out real live people doing interesting things. While it was very stage managed, kudos for the plentiful Q&A periods that let some good questions (and sometimes answers) get out.

Gary and I watched and instant messaged each other throughout the night, offering each other commentary on what was being said. If the tour repeats (or when Yahoo and gang inevitably decide to do the same), we might do some live alternative commentary for everyone as a sort of Pop-Up Video or Mystery Science Theater 3000-type of thing.

Most of what was said was old ground for us -- and will be for many of our readers. But here are the highlights I found interesting. Before diving in, a reminder. A webcast of the event is here. You can also view all the slides at once here. Be aware it's a big page, not for the broadband challenged.

Schmidt & Brin Do Q&A: Near the end was a long period where Google CEO Eric Schmidt and Google cofounder Sergey Brin answered questions. Andy Beal of Search Engine Lowdown diligently blogged live coverage of some of the answers. I think it's worthwhile for anyone interested in Google to watch the webcast of this. I'm also hoping Google will make an actual transcript available.
Google: We Are French: I especially liked Eric Schmidt getting a little riled over the suggestion that France and all "continental Europe" are viewing Google as a dark force in the wake of print. He pushed back especially on Google supposedly favoring English language books, asking for proof Google said they would do this or are actually doing so. Sergey Brin scored the real goal, however, pointing out that about half the Google Print team is French.
Google Goes Portal: Yes, Google launched a personalized home page, essentially making it official that it is a portal. News from us on that here: Google Launches Personalized Home Page. Reaction from across the web here: Reactions To My Google Personalized Home Page.
Google's Master Plan: Google's come under accusations of not having some master plan, which in part it helps to perpetuate. Just see yesterday's post about Google engineers being encouraged to run "rampant" and "wander around," according to Google's Schmidt. Still, Google's been pushing back on the idea that it's not focused enough. One slide was used to illustrated Google's view that all this creative activity happens in the non-core stuff they do. The core search+ads effort still takes up apparently 70 percent of the engineering time. And more to the point, that's work all done according to some master plan, Google says. You see this push back again in today's post from Google on the launch of its new personal home page.
Does Google have a strategy, or are we just a bunch of mad computer scientists running around building whatever we want? Today this question gets an answer: we've launched our personalized homepage via Google Labs. It's part of a strategic initiative we refer to as 'fusion' to bring together Google functionality, and content from across the web, in useful ways.
Google & Endless Betas: John Battelle reports on Google repeating what they've been saying recently -- expect products to start coming out of beta and perhaps stop seeming to be endless. He also has Eric Schmidt commenting that the Google mission isn't just web search. It's about organizing information anywhere.
Lesson On Web Accelerator: Again from Andy, comments from Google on having learned products perhaps need to be more aggressively tested internally, before releases. However, Google also says that some things you don't find out, until they are released. Oh, and some site owners got blamed again for problems in not knowing how to set up their servers. I hope the fix isn't some idea that everyone will magically solve that problem. Not gonna happen.
Click Fraud: From Andy, Google saying it is pro-active in trying and stop click fraud and yes, we will look around to see if a refund given one advertiser means others are entitled to the same.
Google Employee Heroes: Frankly, this started off with Gary and I rolling our eyes, a slide on the amount of food eaten by engineers. Sort of funny, but who cares? And why just the engineers? Are they the only people of any import at Google? Do any of those ad people who earn all the money eat? If so, how much chicken? Fortunately from a PR angle, things picked up with a rundown on various people behind the scenes that create and improve Google products. Matt Cutts, who is known to readers for his many comments over the years on webmaster issues, got highlighted as one of the heroes. In the end, it served well to put a human face on an increasingly growing and dominant company. Andy's got a rundown on slides here.
Ads, Ads, Ads: A big chunk of time was spent on how wonderful it is that Google has devised a way to monetize the entire web. Seriously. And that organizes the world's information how? OK, I know -- it funds it. But the backslapping of how clever Google was figuring out how to make all the world is its billboard felt, I dunno, a little dirty to my ears. But it was honest, I suppose.
Google & Privacy: It was raised, addressed but this new News.com article on the subject also out the same day goes into more depth: Google CEO defends privacy policies. In short, Google doesn't reveal stuff not already public and wants to safeguard information. If I spot something more in depth detailing what else was said, I'll update.
Mash Ups With Google Maps: Everyone's mixing everything with Google Maps from crime stats to apartment rentals (hey, put both of those together!). Google said they want to make that easier, so people don't have to hack it. Ah, but what about those who license the maps to Google. Are they cool about that? There wasn't a clear answer -- Google just hopes it won't be an issue. SiliconBeat has comments on that.
Google Earth: We already knew earlier that Google's Keyhole software had been given upgrade maps. Soon, the software itself will be upgrade and gain a new name, Google Earth. And better maps will come to Google Maps, as well. Postscript: More from eWeek here.
Google Translations: Apparently the company has been greatly increasing its abilities in this area, including having just won what was said to be some important award in the area. Key takeaway was that if it really could do good automatic translations, it makes information even more accessible to everyone, given we all speak different languages. Postscript: Google Blogoscoped has more on this here.

Some Related Material:

CNET's Charles Cooper in Growing pains at Google? comes away finding the event a pure PR snowjob and thinks Google needs to open up even more to win the hearts and minds of journalists. Cooper also looks at Google's continued success and wonders when it will tumble, like every other tech company does. Oh, it will tumble -- but can we please, please stop having people call it a tech company? Geez, CNET even just had a story out with Schmidt himself saying they're an information company, not a tech company. Google's not a tech company, folks! What's the main product, the breadwinner? It's ads.
Google Hones Cutting Edge from The Street is a very nice read and balanced roundup of the day. But another story, A Walk Through the Google Search Factory, by the same author shows where Cooper is wrong about the PR impact. "Others outlined in relatively deeper detail how Google has leveraged its superior search algorithms in ways that are beginning to transform how advertisers connect with customers on the Internet," the story says. Actually, what was outlined was how Google has leveraged WHAT IT BELIEVES is its superior search algorithms. But have enough people tell you something as if it is a fact, rather than their opinion, and slips like this come through, from me, from other experienced journalists and even more likely from those newer to Google.
Ten Things I Didn't Know About Google from PC World has Harry McCracken commenting on what his eyes were opened to.

Posted by Danny Sullivan at 11:51 AM | Permalink

March 12, 2005

Keyhole: Another Google Revenue Stream

Since Google purchased Keyhole (a 3D satellite imagery product) last October there has been plenty of talk about how Google will use the technology. While that talk continues, Google is growing a team to sell the product to people/companies in various industries. I was just perusing new job openings at Google and came across one for an "inside sales rep" (aka telephone and email work) selling Keyhole to the real estate, architecture/engineering/construction, telecommunications, transportation and other markets.

Posted by Gary Price at 12:39 PM | Permalink

October 27, 2004

Google Acquires Satellite Image Software Firm

Matt Hines at News.com reports that Google has acquired Keyhole, a company the provides software to view satellite images and virtually "fly" across the world. Financial terms were not disclosed.

An FAQ on the Keyhole site reads, We do not have any announced plans regarding how this technology will integrate with our current products and services.

Here's the news release.

Google has already lowered the price of the software to $29.95. Sorry Mac users, this is PC only stuff.

This is Google's second image-related acquistion in three months. In July they acquired Picasa, digital image organization software.

Google as "big brother" types will likely have comments about the acquistion since Keyhole received funding in 2003 from In- Q-Tel, the non-profit venture capital fund of the CIA.

Two Comments:

About a year ago you were able to access some aerial/satellite images from GlobeXplorer when searching with MapQuest. However, this service is no longer available (at least I can't find it).

It will be interesting to see if Google adds satellite image links next to each address via their phone directory and/or Google Local. Of course, with all of the negative press they received (undeserved) when the masses realized that addresses were available, an image of the location (even though they're accessible eleswhere) might really cause a freak out.

The acquisition is also great marketing/branding. You'll notice on Keyhole's home page CNN and other news organizations use their products. Now, users will likely see something like, "Satellite Images from Google" on television. A great way to reinforce their brand (in a very cool way) and the belief that Google's got all the data.

Finally, and this is VERY COOL, stop by TerraFly. This database allows you to "virtually fly" across the United States (no software needed). Basic access is FREE and additional bandwidth is fee-based. Once you're on a satellite or aerial image, click on any portion of it, and access statistics and other info about the area you've selected.

UPDATE: ++ Battelle chats with former Keyhole CEO, now manager of Google's Keyhole unit, John Hanke.

++ SEW Blog reader Bernhard S. who let's us know about map.search.ch. He writes, "it uses aerial photographs from switzerland overlaid with a street map, you can interactively zoom (click mouse) and pan (drag mouse). it is only based on javascript (no java, no flash) and runs on all platforms (ie, mozilla & co, safari)."

For example, here's Google's Zurich office from above.

Posted by Gary Price at 10:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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