Free Google Pack - Download Google Earth
Google Earth - Zoom in!
Cartography, uptil some time ago, was the only way
of mapping or charting the globe. Map-reading and map-making is a
science, the subtleties of which might not be available to every lay
person. However, commercial-use maps have been available for a long
time now. They are especially useful for tourists and for drivers. The
major drawback of paper 2-D maps was that they have always been
location or area specific. While an atlas, in theory, is a collection
of maps of the whole globe, minute details can never be divined from
them.
Google Earth, the latest software application from the
Internet giant Google, aims to change all this. One of the main
features of this application is that it promises you minutely detailed
maps of any location in this world. Even pictures of man-made building,
trees, parks, mountains are available, if you so desire, in 3-D. It's a
method of information gathering for any specific location in this
world. Google Earth is quite simply, an extraordinary technological
feat. At a stroke, it has dominated the cartographical business. All
you need is a computer and an Internet connection. Just download the
software and you can discover the world from your desktop.
Google
Earth employs the use of satellite imagery, conventional maps and
extremely sophisticated streaming technology to deliver the data to
your desktop. Just type in the location in the software (powered by the
award-winning Google Search) and the map is immediately available to
you. Also, Google Search makes available a list of local facts about
your search object. This technology makes searching for schools, parks,
apartment buildings, even hotels and restaurants anywhere in the world
extremely easy. Not only does it make driving instructions available to
you, location to location, the software also allows you to rotate and
full tilt the maps. This makes it easier for you to explore the urban
location or terrain in 3-D detail.
A great number of
customization tools are available for the individual user. You can
bookmark or save your favorite searches and share them with family and
friends. Google Earth also makes use of KML. It is a data exchange
format which allows the user to add their annotations to the map or the
view and also enables the sharing of this information. The map is
formatted in the form of layers-with some features characteristic to
each layer. For example, a specific layer would shoe the geographical
features, while another will make information regarding schools,
hospitals, shopping and airports available to you.
About the author:
Jakob Jelling is the founder of http://www.sitetube.com. Visit his website for the latest on planning, building, promoting and maintaining websites.
| 