The fact that you now can explore the ocean through Google Earth isn’t going to make Google much money directly. But the move is nonetheless smart.
Why the ocean matters…to Google
c|net
February 2, 2009
By Stephen Shankland
Google generated early-stage goodwill from being the best answer to the online search problem. But the company is large and getting larger, especially as it shows a better ability to withstand the recession than rivals, and that goodwill won’t last forever.
Google Earth, though, gives the company a new way to bring its brand to the world, notably with students for whom the software will help supplant atlases and encyclopedias. And in the long run, as Google Earth and Maps–either as standalone software or used through a browser–will likely become a widely used virtual window on the real world. Google will control the technology and commercialization of that portal.
