[Source: Google Earth]The picture above is from Google Earth, which is a software that allows us to fly anywhere on Earth to view satellite imagery, maps, terrain, 3D buildings and even explore galaxies in the sky. It is used to explore rich geographical content, and users are able to save the toured places to share with others (Google Earth 2008).
About.com describes it as "a map of the world on steroids". Users can zoom and glide over stitched together satellite photos of the world (About.com).
Brian McClendon created Google Earth, a virtual 3D globe for the rest of the world to sail around by using their computers (Buzbee 2007).
With the invention of this software, many buildings and structures from around the world now have detailed 3D structures. Furthermore, any user with internet access is able to explore any part of the world with just a click of the mouse. Even news organizations such as CNN uses this smart software to highlight locations in news (Buzbee 2007). More impressively, after the Hurricane Katrina a few years back, Google Earth was used by rescue teams and the US Air Force to locate stranded victims.
Lemke (2002) studied detailedly on hypertext and has found that there is a complex and 'multiplicative effect' in the way language and modes of image, text and sound are combined in websites and linked to layers of interconnections within and between sites. Google Earth conveys to its audience that it is like an atlas in digital form. It is an intelligent software designed by geniuses - complex yet easy to use.
References
Buzbee JK 2007, Google Earth creator sees many potential benefits, viewed 13 November 2008, <http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4179/is_20070919/ai_n20522613>
Google Earth 2008, viewed 13 November 2008 <http://earth.google.com/>
Lemke J 2002, Travels in hypermodality, Visual Communication 1(3), pp. 229-325.
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