During the holidays, I helped a friend buy and setup a new computer. After looking at his current bills, we determined that his family would save money going with our local cable company for their TV, telephone, and Internet setup. They dumped MSN (dial-up), AT&T long distance, and Qwest in the process. Now they have a better TV plan, unlimited long distance telephone calls, nice phone package, and of course the high speed Internet. Once we finalized the setup, I introduced them to some of the things they could do with broadband. They were amazed at the speed of the new machine and connection speed, but also very pleased that their phone would no longer be busy when they used the Internet.
However, they were most impressed with Google Earth . If you haven't seen or used Google Earth (and you need high speed Internet to use it), you are missing out on a wonderful experience…providing you have a curious mind and enjoy geography. Google Earth is an interactive globe that provides you with a wealth of information for about any spot on the planet and then shows you aerial/satellite views of the area. It's fun to look down on your own roof, or the roof of your childhood school! Needless to say, my friends reported a new found love affair with the Internet and their computer.
