This is the second segment of our "Defining Google" series. That means we’re going to continue checking out some of Google's other online services. If you missed the first part, then I strongly urge you to stop for a moment and take time to read it. Yes, it’s that important because this segment is its continuation.
As I promised in the previous article, this article will cover the following online services, desktop applications, and web platforms: Google Maps and Earth, Google News and News Archive, and Blogger and Picasa. Then I'll name a few other Google features that are worthwhile.
Furthermore, in the upcoming final segment of this series we're going to discuss what Google is up to, what we can expect in the near future, particular business-related rumors, and we'll point out the various giant contributions that Google seems to be trying to make to humankind that look very promising and really challenging at the same time. In a nutshell, that's what to anticipate; make sure you won't miss it.
Now that we've refreshed our memories we'll begin reviewing those services!
Google Maps and Earth
Google Maps is a free service application that's able to design, implement, generate, and ultimately deliver navigable maps. The cream of the crop feature of this service is the ability to zoom in and out, and the ability to search for particular addresses, cities, countries, tourist attraction zones or even intersections and hotels!
This classic feature of delivering navigable maps via satellites is implemented by various other sites that are running on the Google Maps API. Developers can integrate and customize this aforementioned Google Maps API for their own needs free of charge. This is a really amazing feature that can make your website more interactive and useful.
(Fort Lauderdale, FL - "Map" view as seen on Google Maps.)
Google Maps is just like its Google Earth successor, which is a standalone virtual globe desktop application, but we'll cover it in more detail a bit later. Google Maps provides three types of visualization modes: map, satellite (in some cases aerial), and hybrid. Additionally, we could include the traffic and street views, but they don't stand out as much.
(Miami Beach, FL - "Satellite" view as seen on Google Maps.)
It's worth pointing out that the "traffic" visualization mode works on the basis of real-time actualization; it refreshes. It's really helpful when you want to get ahead and haven't got the patience or time to face traffic jams. Oh, and the Google Maps API can be customized for pocket PCs via GSM integration, as well as for any Java-capable phone.
Google Earth, as I mentioned earlier, is a standalone application that simulates a virtual globe. Originally it was developed by Keyhole, Inc. and it was called Earth Viewer. It works on the basis of superimposition, which means that it places images obtained from satellites, GIS (Geographic Information Science) 3D, aerial photography, and so forth, onto a navigable, zoom-able, and searchable virtual globe.
There are three distributed versions of Google Earth: a free version that lacks some of the advanced features, the plus version ($20 per year) with additional features (high resolution printing, GPS integration, customer support, and higher download speeds), and the professional edition ($400 per year) that's intended for commercialization.
The most amazing feature of Google Earth is the "digital elevation model." It basically allows for the recreation of 3D real-life topography (terrain structures). With this, one is able to view several 3D views of various mountains and such. It's fun!
Furthermore, since August, 2007, Google Earth was extended with a tool called "Sky" and it is capable of delivering astronomical images and various views of stars, constellations, galaxies, and animations representing the depiction of planetary orbits.
All in all, both Google Earth and Google Maps are amazing features that are worth trying out and becoming familiar with. Ultimately we can get the most out of them. They can be very useful, but also so much fun.
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