September 13, 2006

Today, a newer version of Google Earth was to be released, offering a timescale to the older version of the Internet-based geospatial search application.

Google's new feature, in which a slider control can be used to scroll through time was previously available only to registered users of the premium version, Google Earth Pro. The newer version now features a simpler interface that is easier to use than the previous version.

On Tuesday, Michael Jones, Chief Technology Officer at Google Earth demonstrated Google's new feature at the AGI-2006 (Association for Geographic Information) event held in London.

While tracking the movements of a whale shark using GPS, Jones showed how scientists had mapped the creature's path using the application.

Various business uses can include fleet tracking or simply mapping the movements of transport infrastructure, according to Google. Jones also described how the new version would enable people to track all of the geostationary satellites orbiting the earth.

Overall, more than 30,000 developers around the world are using the Google Earth API (application programming interface) and there have been over 100 million downloads of Google Earth, the company claims.

The application's tendency to use photographs that are often out of date would not diminish the usefulness of the time-tracking functionality, since the basic application was primarily a tool to provide context, Jones explained.

"The time-tracking function allows you to scroll through data layered on top of that," he said on Tuesday. "We're just trying to provide context to understand it."

So far, Google Earth has received a major database update as of the end of last week, introducing 15-centimeter resolution for the first time to areas such as the Netherlands and Japan.

Microsoft was also represented at the event by Vincent Tao, director of MSN Virtual Earth, the software giant's rival application to Google Earth. Tao highlighted recent improvements made to Virtual Earth, in particular the ability to view certain areas from an oblique "birds-eye view."

This addition was made to certain U.K. areas this week, he added.

However, an angled perspective could provide a more detailed and recognizable view of buildings and monuments than a straight overhead angle. Google's application provides angled views, mainly through users' models of buildings and geographical features.

Microsoft also demonstrated another new feature for Virtual Earth, where a virtual car can be driven through certain U.S. cities. Some car manufacturers had already contacted Microsoft to discuss putting their concept cars into the simulation, Tao said.

"I can bet the owners of the stores seen as the user drives past really want to put their logos and their contact information there," Tao said, adding that the feature provided many obvious opportunities for advertising.

MSN Virtual Earth was also being integrated into Outlook and Windows Live Messenger, said Tao, and users would soon be able to overlay floor plans into the application.

Source: C-Net News