Killer App

Killer App is a technical term that identifies a PC application that “is to die for”. Sometimes a PC use comes down the pike that really captures your attention. It makes a company and redefines the PC and Internet landscape. Google Earth is just that application. It has been in development for some time, but the way it has been finally put together makes it a Killer App.

Google for the last year has provided satellite images over the Internet. These images were linked to maps. Similar to Mapquest and Yahoo Maps, Google would find an address and then display a map of the location. To/from directions were easily obtained. These maps were linked by Google to satellite images of the planet so that you could switch from a map to a Satellite image or a combination image. Since I am a map person (there are two types of persons – map and list – give me a map and I am OK, but a list of directions leaves me lost.), I found the Google maps easy to understand and because they were linked to satellite images they brought a new dimension to finding locations and traveling to and from them.

Google Earth takes this one step more. It focuses on satellite images of the PLANET in a way not before used by ordinary PC owners. It is a highly entertaining view of these images. It is free for personal entertainment use. To use it go to the Google search page and enter “download google earth”. Google Earth goes being just maps. It combines other information with these satellite map images to provide an unprecedented look at our planet. With Google earth you are able to fly at several thousand feet through the Grand Canyon from a chair next to your home PC. You can look at Red Square in Moscow or any other planetary place of interest. It brings you the planet on your PC in an entertaining way to traverse it and with all kinds of useful information on shopping, restaurants, buildings, site seeing and more.

Technically, Google Earth requires a newer fast PC with good graphics and a high speed Internet connection. It links a program downloaded and installed in your PC to a map data base on Google servers. High resolution satellite (not military resolution) images are combined on the Google servers with other information to make Google’s killer app. This is the first of a new generation of PC uses that will change our lives dramatically.

If you are an investor, buy Google. In the long term (over several years) this application is going to make Google one of the premier Internet investments similar to what AOL once was. And I believe that Google has other similar applications in the pipeline. Consequently, Google should not be a one hit wonder. Every restaurant, shopping mall, and other retail commercial establishment is likely to be advertising in Google Earth in the future. Imagine that revenue stream. Once the application is rolling, maintenance costs are low.

Google Earth has permitted me to visit Tokyo and the palace there, Moscow, the Grand Canyon, and my old home town in a way that was here to fore not possible. It provides detailed images of many locations. Of course the places that I visited in Ghana did not have as good images as Tokyo and Moscow. One could expect that in the long term this would be corrected. When looking up your home address, the Google Earth satellite image points close to your house but not exactly at your house. You should can easily be able to identify your exact location from the image.

This is a killer app. If you do not believe me, then try it. If you have a fast PC and high speed Internet connectivity, you will like it with out a doubt.