4 billion last year alone and should 12

Keep the world in the Palm of his hand. Even if this world is virtual and requires the mouse of a PC, it has already attracted millions of users. Google Earth and Google Maps, Microsoft's Virtual Earth and Yahoo! Maps developed to reach the general public the map images of the world in two and three dimensions. And it works. Because research local to find a hairdresser, a restaurant, a plumber or information close to Home is the second most popular application on the Internet.

The day after the passage of Hurricane Katrina, which devastated Louisiana, Google Earth has recorded 10-12 million connections per hour. Despite the influx, "the system has not flinch." "There has been, at most, a delay of a few seconds", says Jean-Michel Benharrosh, project manager at Fleximage, wholly owned subsidiary of EADS.

Launched software from Google mapping, just a year ago, has been downloaded more than 100 million times. "This helped democratize the geographic information," said Rony Gal, President and CEO of Esri France, a provider of geographic information systems. The public is now much more broad and clear a new interest. "The society has recorded an increase of 40 of its turnover since the beginning of the year.

Avian flu or tower of France

The Google effect is therefore and disseminates widely. Over the past year, indeed, scientists, individuals and companies have developed applications of any kind based on satellite images of Google Earth. Applications that need to download in the mapping software, which will be previously installed on the computer. "Anyone can develop any content," says Chikai Ohazama, CEO of Google Earth. More than 30,000 applications were created in a year.

The unpublished uses appear with new opportunities for geographic information: for example, in January, Declan Butler, "Nature" journalist, and researcher Gaëlle Lahoreau followed the evolution of the epidemic of avian influenza with Google Earth (see next page). But scientists are not alone in this technology. Internet users have developed, for example, a program to track the route of the Tour of France, or even a game to try to find the imaginary island of the "king kong" film on the map.

Small businesses see even a way of doing business. The French GE-Data, created six months ago, has solicited tourism offices to propose to their promotion on Google Earth. "We were surprised to see that 60 of the offices were aware of this software, explains Daan van Setten, CEO of the company." The municipality of Hendaye asked us to reference on Google Earth a hundred places of interest in the city.

Field of conflict

Microsoft and Yahoo! are determined to not give Google the prerogative of the geolocation on the Internet. The first opened its mapping system users and tests the service Windows Live Local, based on Virtual Earth, which allows users to save and share their data. "We believe that it is a benefit of access to maps through an Internet browser from any computer without having to download software," says Stephen Lawler, Director General of Virtual Earth to Microsoft. The approach of Google is that engineers, supports, a bit provocative. Our offer is aimed at Mr whole world.

Microsoft is unveiling a new feature called "Collection". Users can annotate maps (the best route to get to a place given, the best restaurants of a zone, etc.), and then share this information with others. "These are users that enrich the cards with content that they may make public or private, he adds." For example, I placed the address of the members of my family and my friends on a map. I do not wish to share it with others.

Users can provide their information placed on the map with the MSN Messenger Instant Messaging, with 185 million users. "Anyone for advice on restaurants, the State of the road traffic or the access to professional directories, there are many different scenarios, explains Olivier Marcheteau, General Manager of MSN France." Microsoft maps can also, in some cities, viewed buildings from different angles (in "bird view", for example). "Within two years, we will propose this kind of copies for all of Western Europe", said Stephen Lawler.

Heavy investment for Google and Microsoft, free mapping services are only to one thing: attract maximum visitors to then place advertising of proximity. Square meadow of directories, the total market of local advertising (on paper and Internet) represented 29.7 billion in 2005 (23 billion euros) and is expected to reach $ 41 billion in 2010 according to Kesley Group. The local Internet search market accounted for 3.4 billion last year alone, and should $ 12.9 billion in 2010. What do salivate Microsoft, Google and Yahoo!, even if it is less advanced. "One of our customers, Sensis, leader of the professional directories in Australia, feels threatened by these actors," says Eric Nodé-Langlois, CEO of Webraska, a publisher of map servers.

Across the Atlantic, directory, behind Web services, are forced to associate with the giants of the Net. In Europe, the situation is different. "We are convinced that Google, Microsoft and Yahoo! will come on the market, said Michel Datchary, Director General of PagesJaunes group." But we are already making 250 million euros of turnover on the canvas.

PagesJaunes combines with the IGN

The French directory is not to let. To defend himself, he puts forward his business 1,800 compared with 60 employees of Google France. PagesJaunes has also an agreement to integrate the national geographic Institute (IGN) maps. The latter is indeed poised to launch in turn a geographic portal, at the end of June. As early as the fall, this site will offer "worthy of the name" 3D images, in an allusion barely veiled to its U.S. competitors. IGN will provide free viewing of topographic features (roads, villages, water points, etc.), but charge developed products (prints of aerial photos, virtual tours of the listed stores).

While the French prepares, Google has already tested the local advertising as links sponsored on his cards. "We embark next year", warns his side Stephen Lawler, of Microsoft. Using content from communities of Internet users, these two players want to get a piece of local advertising cake. Directories have to much to keep.