Google Earth, also available as maps.google.com, is a great example of how a set of technological advances can be put to good use for us. It uses the power of the internet and detailed satellite imagery to great advantage, and makes all the land of our planet searchable (well almost, if you agree to ignore the poles).
Why do we need maps?
Well the answer depends on whom you ask.
A Student: To study geography, whether you like it or not.
A Geologist: To study / research topographies and soil content for further reaserch (To keep your cars running!)
A Weatherman: To study the climatic patterns across regions, and to possibly predict future behaviours (and save many!)
A Tourist: To locate places of interest, find driving directions etc.
A Terrorist: To locate sensitive areas and places to plan attacks / plant bombs.
An Armyman: To locate vantage points across a terrain while preparing for an attack / defense.
A Policeman: To do nothing.
A MouthShutter: To write reviews!
A Dog: To tear it apart.
You can think of other interested parties on your own now.
What makes Google Maps so special?
Google sports a vision to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful. They are on their path with their entire set of services, be it Search, Mail, Maps, Images, Video etc. I will refrain from how they do it as it would heat up several CPUs.
Google Maps uses satellite imagery coupled with their proprietary search technology to do the following, and that too at your finger tips:
1. Search Places like railway stations, Airports, schools, Hospitals, Pizza corners, Bus stands and important buildings on the physical map of the world.
2. Zoom in to great details to see the actual structure from close by. The level of zoom depends upon the place searched. New York and London have more details on the maps than Gurgaon.
3. To find driving driections from a place on the map to another. This feature is available for major cities only , but would surely expand to more places as time passes by.
4. Search exact addresses. Again, this feature in available for select places only. In India, postmen and local dhobis can still be better guides.
5. View how the part of the world where one lives, looks from few 100 meters above. When I look at Gurgaon, I can see 100'S of buildings, 1000s of dug up areas, few roads etc.
6. Use it as a better medium to create interest in kids to read maps. How must I hated that Oxford School Atlas in my school days!
Google is also busy building up win-win partnerships with other sites like Google Sightseeing to show the most popular tourist spots across the globe, or with WikiMaps to allow end users add their business data for search on the Maps. There are at least a dozen other third parties using Google Maps to their advantage, and the numbers can only grow.
The Future
While walking on a railway track in a tunnel, if you see a train heading towards you at 100 miles/hr, you know your future. Similarly, the way Google is moving, its future is nothing short of exciting for us.
Since I am focussed on Google Maps here, I feel that the frequency of image updates will be higher. Further down the line, it may also get real-time i.e. we can see real images of the location we point towards.
Traffic: It may also be used as a source of traffic data, be used to control traffic. Hence those bumper-to-bumber updates on some FM channel may be using Google maps.
Commerce: Physical locations of commercial / non-commercial establishments on the map will be linked to their websites, thus increasing the search potential many fold. Who knows, we may be able to book movie tickets with a few clicks on the PVR location on Google Maps.
GPS services: Popular Global Positioning Systems are already looking into harnessing this power to provide driving driections to moving vehicles. The same shall grow multifold. Hence our cars may have a client version of Google Maps pre-installed. Although, I don't think it will give you any indications of the bumps ahead.
Real Estate: Serach for real estate would be heavily dependant on Google maps. The ball has already started rolling and is all set to move faster. Prices per square feet would be available in the real estate view, along with the availability of options.
Mobile: There is already a mobile version of Google maps available for GPRS enabled phones, and I it works as well as the web version.
Crime Control: I hope that this technology is also used to track and stop crime. A website on Crime stats in Chicago area is already looking into this direction. Its called chicagocrime.org. This would also privide some stats about the safety standards of localities for people will to re-locateto new areas.
Few wierd places where Google Maps may be used.....
Etka Kapoor's serials may be shown searching for lost family members on Google Maps instead of contacting the police. Every search would be 10 episodes long and will track the character down to his / her face whether he be in Mumbai, Madagascar or Montreal. Oh Yes, the serach will be called Koogle Ksearch!
Karan Johar Movies will also exploit the same to search for Shah Rukh Khan when he is not on the screen. The deafult location would be Switzerland.
Himesh Reshmaiya would be using the same to locate all places on Earth where caps are sold.
India TV and Aaj Tak would be locating all open sewers throughout the country and placing reporters at nearby places to report if someone falls.
Indian Cricket team would be looking at the shortest distance to the boundary from the batting crease, before every match to increase their chances of scoring 4s and 6s, using Google Maps.
So log on to maps.google.com to see where on Earth are you.....
