iPhone and Tourism

An iPhone version of the geographic exploration software has just been released into the market. There is a noticeable difference on the interface. The handheld version of the familiar Google Earth geographical software which you can download from Windows and Mac by the way allows you to fly virtually of course around a 3D view of the world. It manages this feat with the aid of satellite and imagery from aerials mapped into mountains and valleys.

The iPhone version reproduces this conveniently, importing imagery from Google servers. Having the image of the earth on a mobile seems remotely impossible achievement which is exactly what Google has succeeded in doing. The whole experience started with keyhole which later metamorphosed into Google Earth 2001. This software is available for download. Available only at the Apple APP store for now, it should be available in other regions soon. When, no one knows yet. Free downloading is already available in twenty countries. It can be viewed in almost twenty languages supported by the iPhone. The application is quite impressive as the iPhone version displayed the features, performance and usability of Google Earth for windows, Mac osx and Linux when accessed using WiFi network connection.

Another interesting fact is that iPhones multitouch screen using the app was made easier to use than the PC version. You can share the views in all directions. An additional feature that is lovely is tilting it in different directions, this action is interpreted by Google Earth from data received from your iPhone accelerometer and it adjusts your view accordingly. So you can view the sky this is in addition with the iPhones ability to itself through GPS, WiFi Network and mobile phone towers. Out of curiosity one may wonder.

What then is Google Earth all about? It is more for exploring than for Navigation, although you can search for some addresses on it. There is no map view showing street names as on Google maps. The computer version of Google Earth does between many layers of information. How very practical. Watch out for small blue squares as these indicate geotagged phones of particular areas that are shown on Google's panorama site and W icons indicate links to geotagged Wikipedia

As you are cruising around foreign cities with varied means of transportation this iPhone app can show your changing location on a map. The Google Earth iPhone app has its own search service and will show results such as pizza restaurants. These are depicted as small red push pins with information such as a business's website and phone number. The good news is that unlike most iPhone applications, Google Earth can use a horizontally oriented touch screen keyboard too.

The iPhone's customised Google Earth contains Webkit-based browser which shows specific information. iPhone users can simply click on it. To get the address of a business and direction at the same time requires a trick. Click on an address is that this command will be taken in by the Google map and it will show directions at the same time. There is however nothing like a direct link to Google map.
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