In a recent article from the London Times, I learned that Microsoft and Google are both busily developing competing technologies that will enable the user to not only search their local areas for say, the closest Starbucks, but also to see actual photographs and maps of their local search results. Microsoft's rollout of this "Virtual Earth" is set to debut this summer, and Google's "Google Earth" is sure to follow close behind.

Satellite images of your local Main Street soon coming to a search engine near you. For more information about search engines:

• Search Engines and Subject Directories