If round-the-world trip is your thing, Google Earth can take you anywhere you want, in the comfort and privacy of your desktop. Google Earth combines satellite images, local maps and the immense power of Google Search to put the most current geographic information at your fingertips. For example, it was Google Earth that first hosted satellite and aircraft images of Pakistan earthquake-area in October 2005 for rescue workers and concerned families.
An amazing piece of software released by Google in 2005, Google Earth allows people search for any location to get an aerial view – from as far as cosmos, - and then zoom in to see satellite images of certain buildings and landscapes in most places on Earth. You can tilt and rotate the image, get videos of driving directions, and save results for later use.
To deliver up-to-date extremely detailed images Google Earth uses broadband streaming technology and 3D graphics from the company's satellite mapping service Keyhole. Google Earth is using satellite images and aerial photographs taken by aircraft.
The basic version of Google Earth is currently available for download as a free desktop application. When you enter Google Earth, it automatically connects to Google's search engine servers, giving you access to any imaginable of geographical, political and social data, including population, crime statistics, and weather reports.
If you plan to use the program for commercial purposes, there are subscription-based versions of Google Earth that offer additional gimmicks. The most expensive version of Google Earth available for download allows you to print images with 2400-pixel resolution, perform detailed area measurements and even has movie-making modules. The basic version is available for download at Earth.Google.com
Many people feel that with Google Earth their privacy is being violated. Thing is, most US cities can be zoomed in so closely you can see cars parked on a curb. Europe, Middle and Far East and pretty well exposed, too. Google Earth has a 1000-pixel printing resolution which means you can print good-quality pictures of your neighbor’s lawn or that military base in North Corea.
Speaking of military bases, Google Earth concerns army officials, too. South Korean military bases pictured on Google Earth prompted Thai officials to demand that Google blocks “images of important state buildings vulnerable to attack”. Military authorities are especially concerned if anyone could get detailed satellite images of sensitive installations and buildings, it could threaten national security.
In this era of technology when everything is exposed to some degree, Google Earth is a reality that the military has to learn to live with. However, Google representatives claim that most of the images both at Google Earth and Google Local are half-year to two years old, and they represent little to no privacy or security risk.
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