I recently downloaded Google Earth. Tried it and liked it!

I wished a few more features though. Nevertheless Google Earth is more than I expected it to be.

To put it to some use, I saved some screenshots that have to do with me, my spouse Vaya and our life.

I find Google Earth to be a very good example of a consumer GIS application. Google Earths seems to aim in being more than that as is distributed in versions targeting various markets. But as far as a consumer is concerned I do not recall any other widely available GIS apps that are usable and useful. A free globe on your desktop packed with sat imagery,  vector data (like locations, networks and routing info), and integrated with online services (like Google Search and Google Maps) is more than I expected.

It turns out that many of the features I wished Google Earth would have are already available but only in the Pro and Enterprise editions. Check them out. I am not trying to sell Google Earth here! I am just impressed by its availability and potential.

Things I wish Google Earth would incorporate in the “Plus” (or even better the free) edition:

• High resolution sat imagery all around the globe.
• Sat imagery accrual date information.
• The movie making module (at least in a restricted output resolution).

I also would like to see a plan or framework forging cooperation between Google Earth and local cartographic and other mappable data providers, to enrich local information and potentially sell that information through Google Earth to consumers and commercial markets.

P.S: One thing I didn’t like about Google Earth: they sell the beta version! If they sell their beta version then how much will the final release cost? Are we supposed to buy a product that is under development and beta testing?