Google Earth

Google finally released Google Earth for Mac (in Beta format) and I finally got around to downloading it. So far I'm very impressed with all the featurs avaialble, especially the ability to control the layers on the map. Everything from street names to 3D recreations of the building in large metropolitan areas to National Geographic icons. I've only played with it for about 15 minutes and I can aleady think of at least 10 ways it can help me out - least of which is helping me find a decent cup of coffee in different cities.

Postscript added 1 1/22/2006, 1145am - I've been playing with Google Earth even more and the only feature that I wish it had, but doesn't, is a WiFi hotpsot locator. That would make the package complete for me. Otherwise it is a feature-rich, addictive piece of software that has multiple useful uses.

Postscript added 1/27/2006 1154pm - So I told my boss, Rick, about Google Earth when we went to Dallas recently. The next day at work he's using it to case real estate for potential loans. 1) This is a great exampe at how versatile Google Earth really is, 2) Rick is cooler than I thought he was, 3) Can I down loan Google Earth to my work computer?