Google Acquires Keyhole Corp

A Google press release announces that they have just purchased Keyhole Corp.

With the Keyhole software and an Internet connection a user can enter an address or other location information which accesses the database and takes them to a digital image of that location on their computer screen. The interactive software then give users many options, including the ability to zoom in from space-level to street-level, tilt and rotate the view or search for other information such as hotels, parks, ATMs or subways. Unlike traditional mapping technologies, Keyhole creates a dynamic 3D interface for geographic information.

Keyhole is probably most famous on CNN when they do the "fly-by shots" that are composed of animated images from satellites and airplanes.

"With Keyhole, you can fly like a superhero from your computer at home to a street corner somewhere else in the world - or find a local hospital, map a road trip or measure the distance between two points," said Jonathan Rosenberg, vice president, Product Management. "This acquisition gives Google users a powerful new search tool, enabling users to view 3D images of any place on earth as well as tap a rich database of roads, businesses and many other points of interest. Keyhole is a valuable addition to Google's efforts to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful."

There is a price reduction in the Keyhole 2LT, effective immediately, from $69.95 to $29.95.