Virtual Earths round 2

Google Earth (Keyhole) is a clear differentiator of Google's GIS tools with respect to Microsoft's. A big part of the value of Goolge Earth is the wow factor.

Microsoft has just acquired some wow factor in the form of GeoTango, as reported by All Points Blog. The corporate site is now a dead end, so a little scratching around in search space is required to get a better picture. Doing this reveals an interesting connection: GeoTango is a partner of DigitalGlobe, which is a major partner with Google in the GIS data space. Google is not listed on DigitalGlobe's partner list, but you will often see evidence of this in Google Earth.

From cached images, we can get an archeological view of what GeoTango offers:

Essentially, the 3D aspects that Google Earth offers, including building visualization (which from image looks like it could give Google Earth a run for its money). Apparantly, the 3D building software is highly automated:

SilverEye is the world�s first and only software for the rapid collection of 3D information from single scene satellite images or aerial photos. This unique patent-pending solution allows you to construct realistic 3D models far more quickly and costeffectively than ever before. With SilverEye you can rapidly obtain a wide range of measurements such as distance, height, area, volume, slope or bearings. SilverEye supports a full range of functions for mapping, texturing, georeferencing, editing, annotating, and attributing.

More info at DirectionsMag.

Is Microsoft going to offer GeoTango's rich client visualization (Globe View) as a direct competitor to Google Earth (I hope so - that'd be a great scrap).

GeoTango GlobeView is a groundbreaking solution for Internet-based 3D visualization of image and locationbased information for anywhere on the planet. It delivers a rich and immersive 3D Digital Earth environment.

This puts me in mind of a book we all need to read: Fast Second : How Smart Companies Bypass Radical Innovation to Enter and Dominate New Markets.

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[Former GeoTango Employee]

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