I think google earth has to potential to become a virtual world of itself in a fiew simple procedures. Google earth is now a mapping program maybe with a few layers to make it fun. However, what Google needs to do is to invest a lot of power in this program. First, insert a super link to all major Web sites. lets take facebook for instance, you could see where are your friends posting form, where do they live, what are they doing at that place, youcan place comments inside GE - you could share experiences via Street View. Google can also integrate a PC to Mobile phoning service where you are able to see the location of an incoming call. lets take ebay, you will be able to browse through products as you are cruising around in a city in Google Earth, where you can acces this apple store here, and browse inside a furniture store there. They can add a driving simulator in 3d cities (such as Manhatten Island, NY) where you can drive past those buildings as if you are in the actual city - of couse you will be able to acces the stores of this city as if in real life also, everything will be online. In the future, this will be so practical & realistic, you won't have to leave your house. It would be the entire world's information at your fingertips.
What you said is not neccesarly "real" life. Reality is whatever we choose it to be, some of us will choose the virtual one and others will choose the current reality. Many programs and apps like lets say "Second life" creates virtual work spaces, another console "SONY" is developing is essentially a virtual world that allows you to do real physical activity via running & walking in simple sphere on wheels with a lot of sensors and newfangled gadgets. All what I said above has current precusors, you just need to find links between them. Vuala: the Super Link...
Just adding my 2 cents, but what I think would be neat is to be able to model in Google Sky. Creating a space station, Startships, or even an outpost on the moon would be cool.
What you are talking about is a very nice Idea I am very impressed. However, if Google does run by this, they will find it too unrealistic to accomplish. I mean until there are real starships in outer space it would be very hard to accomplish what you are talking about.
But... there are currently space stations and sattlites in space, these would be ideal for such a program you are talking about...
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Google Earth Super Link (Sci Fi)
