Google Offers its Mapping Application For Free
Google has renamed its Keyhole 2 LT mapping application Google Earth, added several features to it and made it a free download, the company announced Tuesday.
Like its predecessor, Google Earth is a PC-based application that uses satellite
images to render maps, but it is available for free whereas Keyhole 2 LT cost $29.95
for a one-year license, said John Hanke, Keyhole general manager.
Moreover, Google Earth is integrated with Google's local index of U.S., U.K. and Canada business listings, which means it can mark on a map the location of all sorts of businesses, such as restaurants, bars, pharmacies and banks, a feature not available in Keyhole 2 LT.
Another new feature in Google Earth is its ability to deliver driving directions and overlay the route on the map. Unlike Keyhole 2 LT, Google Earth also has a "playback" feature that "drives" the user along the route on the map.
A version called Google Earth Plus has additional features such as data import and annotation capabilities and costs $20 per year. For business use, there is Google Earth Pro, which costs $400 per year, a price reduction from the comparable Keyhole product which cost $599 per year.
Google Earth currently runs only on Windows 2000 and Windows XP.
Moreover, Google Earth is integrated with Google's local index of U.S., U.K. and Canada business listings, which means it can mark on a map the location of all sorts of businesses, such as restaurants, bars, pharmacies and banks, a feature not available in Keyhole 2 LT.
Another new feature in Google Earth is its ability to deliver driving directions and overlay the route on the map. Unlike Keyhole 2 LT, Google Earth also has a "playback" feature that "drives" the user along the route on the map.
A version called Google Earth Plus has additional features such as data import and annotation capabilities and costs $20 per year. For business use, there is Google Earth Pro, which costs $400 per year, a price reduction from the comparable Keyhole product which cost $599 per year.
Google Earth currently runs only on Windows 2000 and Windows XP.