Your2ndPlace

Yeah, I'm not convinced we'd need a Google Earth but it is an interesting potential interface for connecting virtual and augmented spaces in one mapped out location. A simpler way to access publicly augmented spaces could just be their website, search, etc. GPS may help, but you'd need more precise tracking for you visual display which has been a challenge for the augmented industry (but that's another topic). So the only thing Google adds is the information they collect as well as the current interface to connect to it remotely. Example: You see google's store-ratings as you walk down the street full of shops, or a virtual arrow that guides you to a destination.

The avatar probably wouldn't interact with physical objects (well unless one wants to build some sort of remote robot and such). But once augmented reality really catches on with every day uses, there may be more to do with virtual objects anyways. For example, if i build a store, I could replace physical demo/display items with virtual ones. Why? so I can interact with it differently and save money: change the model, color, accessories of a product in front of me without having to walk around looking for that specific product. yeah it's a fake, but because I have a 3D interactive representation, I can do that while in the store or out of the store via remote access. Plus more virtual products such as clothing and augmented documents, media sharing, could mean we all would want to share that virtual information openly (whether you're their in real life or tapped in via your avatar). So someone's avatar comes into my home. They see the replicated digital version of my home (nice and clean, maybe a better view :D) and I'm home looking at their avatar in my real home. Is something like Google Earth the way to go? Maybe not fully though some of it's data and interface are very helpful. We'll want many ways to connect as well outside of that. I see Google Earth as potentially a way to just host the public virtual information (even if it just means connecting to other servers to grab information you request). We'll need some system to handle connecting the public augmented information from the web to augmented displays, so you might as well have it mapped out and available to be replicated for remote access. At the same time, I should be able to have Peer-to-peer connections into my virtual spaces for private use (and that needs no map, yet it could be cool if you located my house on Google Earth and rang the door bell to connect to me). And I may want a large virtual spaces for other purposes.

Sorry, rambling out ideas. Just fun to think of what might happen with the blend of different sets of technology and information.

DJ Cure
http://www.rezyourmind.com