Google Earth - The New Geological Resource

Google Earth was released in 2005 and It's been getting better ever since. It's primary function is to bring satellite images of our planet into our homes and provide directions for travel.
I remember how excited me and my family got when we first looked at our house from up high. You could even see our driveway with our car parked in it. After a week of playing around with the program, I downloaded the software which is available for free on the website.
The software has a wide range of applications useful to all:

• Our world in 3D (photo-realistic landscapes and buildings, with light & shadows) With Google Earth, you can see 3D buildings from the ground up in many places around the world. Tilt the screen to see the buildings in 3D. Similarly, the terrain is also mapped in 3D, meaning you can see mountains, valleys and canyons in vivid detail.

• Fly anywhere with the swoop navigation system : Whether you are looking for a specific address, the intersection of two streets, a city, a state, a zip code, or a country, just type it into the "Fly To" box and hit Search.

• Explore the sky With Earth's new Sky feature, you can turn that perspective around and explore the wonders of the heavens. View images of distant galaxies and nebulae from the Hubble Space Telescope, learn about the movement of the planets and the lifecycle of the stars, and more.

• Find local businesses Google Earth features integrated Google Maps searching that allows you to find businesses in any area. For example type in "hotels in San Francisco" in the search box and hit the search button. Google Earth will fly you to a viewpoint showing 10 search result icons on the map.

• Layers of mapping When exploring a location, you can turn on various layers of mapping information such as roads, shopping and services, geographic features, 3D buildings, gas, and food and lodging, among others. Click on any of the icons, and you'll see a bubble with more information about that place.

• Placemark, save and email Google Earth allows you to print, save and email your images/views. For instance, if you want to email a certain point of interest to a friend, you can send it as a placemark that can be opened in Google Earth. You can also email your view as a regular JPG image or even email driving directions as Google Earth files.

The easily accessible, multi-functional, interactive service of Google Earth gives people from all over the world memorable experiences.
Accessible to all on the net and free download. Useful when looking for directions or buisinessess. Desirable when one wants to place his/her own-built 3d model (building or terrain) on the globe. Enjoyful when travelling through the virtual 3d world; especially for disabled people who can't travel. Powerful by allowing hundreds of millions of people to explore the world around them.


Accessibility:
Google Earth is useable by almost everyone. Free.

Aesthetiv-Usability:
Familiar style, design and easily undrestandable functions.
Ockam's Razor:
Simple design and efficient. No ads.
Performance vs. Preference:
Use of known and popular set of controls & designs. Simplicity.

ALL INFO/ VIDEOS/ PHOTOS / quotes FROM http://earth.google.com/