14 DAY TRIAL // The children of Google employees spent this past week in the "Geo Camp," a place where they could get in touch with Google Earth, Maps and Docs. These applications are probably the most appealing for kids between 9 and 12 years old, whose passion for all things science, nature and gadgets is vivid. After a week of handling the tools that are interesting for adults and children alike, the 18 guests were asked to formulate their conclusions.
As is the case with most children, many of their answers were downright hilarious. The most interesting feature that Gwen, a 4th grader, learned about, was that she could "see all the rides at Disney World" with Google Earth. Matt, a 6th grader, was extremely thrilled by the fact that he could fly, as he said, by using the same tool. Andrew, another kid, said that the coolest place he saw with Google Earth was "the entire universe."
When asked what they would use Google Earth for when they're grownups, the children proved themselves either extremely pragmatic, or genuine adepts of conspiracy theories. Esha said that she would "share global awareness about different countries to other people," while Nick stated that the most useful thing would be to find a nice spot to spend the holidays. Aditya, a 7th grader, is waiting for the moment when she will be able to "look at other galaxies, and see if there's traffic."
Others kids even thought of giving Google some ideas on how to develop its business. Warren said that an interesting feature would be if people were able to simulate driving on the streets displayed on Google Maps. Although this might seem a bit like something from a racing game, other youngsters also had similar ideas. Ashna went further, by saying that a ship stimulator, where users are the captains, would be a good idea.
Considering that children between 2 and 11 represent 10% of the overall Internet audience, as a Nielsen Online report shows, perhaps their demands should weigh more in the decisions the developers make.