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Google Adds Multimedia Featured Content to Google Earth Solution
[September 13, 2006]

Google Adds Multimedia Featured Content to Google Earth Solution


TMCnet Contributing Editor
 
Google (News - Alert) Inc. has released Featured Content for its Google Earth Solution. The new feature connects users to information from a number of premium content providers. Users may access informative overlays by clicking on the “Featured Content” checkbox in the Google Earth sidebar, which brings up a variety of multimedia content.



The new offering enables users to click on individual locations so they may learn about an area’s significance. The showcase will be updated routinely and will include diverse contributions from additional content providers.

Initial Google Earth content partners include the United Nations Environmental Program, which will provide an overlay including successive time-stamped images illustrating 100 areas of extreme environmental degradation throughout the world. Before-and-after imagery spanning 30 years will be included to offer users an online resources to learn about worldwide environmental crisis zones.


The Discovery Networks World Tour overlay will enable users to virtually visit major world attractions, natural wonders and cities. It offers streaming video segments in which users may learn about the history of world landmarks, national parks, a number of African locations and American and European cities.

The National Park Service overlay allows users to learn about natural recreation opportunities including detailed park descriptions, visitor facilities information and more than 10,000 miles of trails within the 58 US national parks. The Jane Goodall Institute overlay enables users to visit Fifi and other Gombe preserve chimpanzees to follow their daily routines through a “geo-blog” in Google Earth. The blog is updated daily and captures the work of the Jane Goodall Institute including research on chimpanzees and the effects of deforestation in Africa.

The Turn Here overlay offers city video guides for travel, music, hotels, restaurants and local events worldwide. The feature is told from an insider’s perspective and features short films to connect users to a variety of interesting information.

“We are excited to provide users with the opportunity to learn more about the natural wonders and manmade landmarks of the world with Featured Content for Google Earth,” said John Hanke, director, Google Earth and Maps. “We believe Google Earth is an excellent medium for organizing and sharing the world’s geographic information and we continue to explore opportunities to bring visually compelling and informative content into Google Earth.”

What’s the number one VoIP conference in terms of attendance? What’s the leading VoIP expo for exhibitors in terms of lead generation? And which VoIP industry event will feature special attractions for service providers, resellers, and the enterprise and SMB market as well as an overview on the Future of IP Telephony? Answer: INTERNET TELEPHONY Conference & Expo, WEST, which runs October 10-13, 2006. See you in San Diego!

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Laura Stotler writes about IP Communications and related topics for TMCnet. She has covered VoIP and related technologies for seven years, contributing to Internet Telephony magazine and TMCnet, and as a freelance writer. To see more articles, please visit: Laura Stotler’s columnist page.

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