A virtual reality approach searching the web
Pack your virtual bags and move into the Web. A few young Munich entrepreneurs recently unveiled www.MapPlanet.com, a geographically organized navigation tool allows you to insert, as well as search, information on a flat projection of the Earth’s surface. The map consists of honeycomb-like cells (which can be seen only at high zoom levels, from 6 to 9). Each of the 800 million available cells corresponds roughly to one square kilometer of land. Up to five cells may be occupied by one person. So, you can claim one in your hometown or favorite travel destination(s). You may not actually live in Paris, but you can dream of it and now even claim a cell nearby. By claiming a cell and zooming in on the map of the Earth, you can finally see yourself in the French capital. Graphics, such as a personal photo, can be inserted into your cell, identifying you as the inhabitant. A tool bar appears on your cell, which reveals to visitors your Web site or email address, and any other information you provide. After registering free of charge, you can move into an unoccupied cell by selecting it and click on “Move In.” Like in the real world, you can do what you wish with your property as long as it is legal. Content considered illegal by international standards will be removed. MapPlanet is not just another HTML page hosting service, but a precise search tool within this virtual community. Businesses, mates and more can be found in all corners of this cyber world. Watch out! One bug yet to be worked out on the site is that, in trying to get into zoom levels 6-9, you get lost in cyber space, where, like on the moon, homes are not yet available.